Dress-code on courses and clubhouses

Some clubs, such as Western Gailes and Royal Troon, have a jacket and tie policy in place. If you are playing these courses you must adhere to this policy and arrive and leave the club in a proper tucked in shirt with a tie and wear a jacket. Changing of shoes etc in the car park is not appreciated. And of course no denim trousers when visiting this type of golf club. Expect to change into golfing attire in the locker room, and to shower and change back into jacket and tie after the round.

It is a little bit of a headache in what container to bring your golf attire and shoes while arriving to the golf club in your jacket and tie. The members bring these things in a so called “holdall”. Easy for them, they arrive by car and don’t have to adhere to luggage restrictions on the inbound flight. Maybe you find some kind of semi-elegant cabin luggage that you can also use as a holdall? Yes, this is Britain.

On the course at some of the clubs, the following items of dress are UNACCEPTABLE at all times:

• Denim
• Football/rugby/other team sports shirts
• Singlets (vest-type tops) and shirts without a collar
• Hoodies and round neck shirts may be worn on the golf courses and in the clubhouse, but ONLY if recognisable as golf wear
• Hats worn with the peak not in front
• Untailored shorts
• Track or leisure suits/beach wear
• Trainers or footwear not appropriate for golf

Luggage and packing tips

• If you pack smart you may get away with a cabin bag and a golf bag in a wheeled bag cover and don’t need a third piece of luggage. But many will want to have a big suitcase for clothes to check in.
• Check with the airline what luggage is included. For example SAS allows one piece of checked in luggage of max 23 kg and that can be a golf bag travel bag cover (to contain the golf bag, shoes, 1 dz balls, waterproofs etc). On top of that you are allowed 8 kgs of cabin bag. If you have a SAS Eurobonus silver card (or higher) you are entitled to two pieces of 23 kgs luggage. I have travelled many times with only a 23 kgs golf bag and 8 kgs cabin bag, so it is possible.
• If you need to bring a jacket due to the jacket & tie policy, then consider wearing it when you travel to save space in the luggage. Also bring at least one pair of trousers that works with a jacket and one pair of ordinary shoes (not trainers/sneakers).
• It is very handy to bring a soft foldable bag or a holdall (see two holdalls below) to take to the golf clubs with your golf shoes and fresh underwear to put on after the shower. On the more expensive clubs most members shower and bring clothes to change into in a holdall.

• Bring an adapter for UK AC sockets so you can change your mobile while you are here.
• Waterproofs, aye! They may be well needed if we are unlucky with the weather. And both the waterproof jacket and trousers can serve as windstopper as well.
• If you can, avoid bringing a huge staff bag, since space is limited in the bus when we don’t bring the trailer. 8 normal sized bags works well, but too big bags makes things a bit more difficult.
• When choosing which clubs to bring, you may consider picking those that help you keep the ball low in the links winds. A low bounce wedge is also handy on the hard sandy fairways.
• You are likely to need sunscreen and a pair of shortsm while some days you may want a pair of long-johns under the waterproof trousers. You know, four seasons in a day…
• You can skip bringing too many balls. They are available to buy here as well. And you will be near a golf shop every day. Typically, you loose fewer balls on links in April-May and September-October than you do in the summer on a Swedish course.
• The hotel provides you with towels, shampoo etc. No need to bring such things. And in worst case, any such things can be bought here. I will drive you to shops to buy anything you may have to buy.
• If you have a good pair of sturdy streets shoes that you can both wear with a jacket and use when walking on the beach, then bring it.

Currency

After the pandemic, there is very little need to bring cash to Scotland. Before the pandemic cash was often needed and cards often not accepted but most businesses went digital when handling of cash became more or less prohibited to prevent spread of the Covid virus. Therefore you will be absolutely fine with card payments. If a need for cash should arise, you can make a withdrawal in any ATM and most of them don’t take a fee. Normally it is better to make your card payments nominated in GBP rather than in SEK.