I want to share with you one of the most curious, best kept secrets in Scotland about playing cheaply. It is curious because no Scot intends that this be kept from Americans yet it must be well kept because very few Americans know about it. It is simply this. Virtually every golf club in the Highlands and Islands holds an Open Competition some time each summer. Depending on the club, the competition may last one to seven days in length. Anybody, including any American with an established handicap, may enter. If you enter, you are guaranteed tee times and will have the opportunity to play with other entrants who are typically Scots and golf-mad like yourself. Add to this, when entering a golf club's open you get the thrill of competition play. And finely, best of all, the fee you pay will be LESS then the normal green fee you would pay when playing the golf course at any other time. Now, is that a deal, or what!

Two Examples

If you’d like to learn more by looking at two examples

These competitions offer a wonderful opportunity for the Independent American golfer. Not being tied to a packaged tour's schedule, you can plan to stay a few days in one locale in order to participate in a local competition while taking advantage of substantial savings on green fees.

Finding a Competition

To find a competition that fits your planned travel times, you can go to any Scotland golf club's website. Most feature competition news. A phone call to the golf course may be necessary to get details and an entry form. Because these club opens are so popular, you should firm up your plans at least six months before the open dates.

To help you in your search for likely golf club opens, you might also obtain the Wee Yellow Book. Published each year, this small paperback lists all the amateur Scotland golf events, their dates and types of competition and the phone numbers of the hosting golf clubs. Generally sold only at golf shops in Scotland, you can obtain one at the Wee Yellow Book's Website