Many beliefs and interests become a way of life when a person's existence revolves around them. These include sports, religions, and environmental issues. In Scotland, golf is, for many people, just such a way of life. And who can argue with such a healthy lifestyle?

Scots--those who play the game--also talk about or read about golf, whenever they're not playing. And, of course, they will politely try to convert other people to that way of life. "Ye dinna ken what ye're missin, laddie!"

A very high percentage of the golf courses are of championship quality, even though they are not as well known as St. Andrews (Old or New), Gleneagles (PGA Centenary, Kings, or Queens), Royal Troon, or Turnberry Ailsa. Additional, excellent golf courses on the Scotland golf tour are often historically significant and almost all meet the highest standards. Experts consider some courses to be even better than their more famous neighbors.

Choosing a Golf Tour in Scotland
Operators in the Scottish hospitality industry cater to a great many visitors to the more than 500 golf courses in this ancient land of less than 30,000 square miles. (That doesn't include inland waters, or coastal waters that penetrate far in from the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea.) Available accommodations range from bed-and-breakfast inns, old mansions, country houses, famed hotels, and luxurious resorts.

On a first golfing trip to Scotland, avid golfers often want to go to the most celebrated courses. However, golf times are usually not guaranteed, and the best tour operators will state in their literature that golf times are "subject to availability." You might also want to ask about renting golf clubs, instead of dragging them with you. It depends how many other stops are on your itinerary.

Sometimes, golfing buddies will recommend golfing vacations that they have enjoyed themselves. At other times, you will need to rely on travel agents for suggestions. Some services specialize in popular tour packages, or they customize vacations to match exactly where you and your family want to go. This rugged and beautiful land is all of 274 miles long, and yet there are so many choices.

Exploring The Countryside
Those golf enthusiasts with the desire for finding treasures will want to explore new highways to get to the lesser-known courses. Rental cars or vans are available for those able to drive on the left side of the road without qualms. If this is too nerve-wracking, other options are available. These include express motor coaches (buses), trains, limousines, and local taxi companies.

Non-playing family members often accompany the golfing enthusiast, and tour rates are usually adjusted accordingly. In a country of history and poets, there are many walking tours to castles, palaces, museums, shops, art galleries, cottages, and more. Not always recognized is that, for centuries, St. Andrews was the heart of the church in Scotland. Its university, founded in 1413, is the third oldest in the United Kingdom, after Oxford and Cambridge.

Scotland is also world famous for its wool, tartans and tweeds. If you have ever handled Scottish-made woolen fabric, you will recognize the high quality. If you would like to see any of the fabrics being manufactured, many of the mills encourage visitors.