There is a long-standing tradition in the world of golf travel that the best time to tee off is first thing in the morning. For many, there is no better feeling than being among the first out on the turf and finishing in time for a relaxed lunch. However, for those who are not natural morning people, or perhaps for those enjoying the hospitality of a local pub the night before, the early alarm call is not always the goal.
In truth, we believe the most successful trips often feature a variety of starts. While the majority of rounds on a Scottish golf trip itinerary will typically take place in the morning due to club availability, finding space for a late afternoon round can add a completely different dimension to your journey. Sometimes a later start is simply a matter of necessity, as many traditional members’ clubs reserve morning slots for their own members. In other cases, you might find an opening in your schedule to squeeze in an extra round at a local course near your base.
When those opportunities arise, we always suggest our clients embrace them. Rather than seeing a 3pm start as a “late” finish, look at it as an invitation to experience the links in a whole new light. Here is why a late afternoon tee time might just provide one of the most memorable chapters of your trip.
If you are playing in the UK or Ireland during the height of summer, the daylight hours are almost extravagant. With the sun not setting until well after 10pm in June and July, an afternoon round allows you to play through what photographers call the Golden Hour. Indeed, if you find yourself at a course like Royal Dornoch or Brora in the Scottish Highlands, you could potentially play golf close to midnight. While that is not for everyone, there is something truly unique about being on a links course by the ocean as the light fades.
As the sun begins to dip, the shadows across the links lengthen, highlighting every undulation, pot bunker, and ridge that makes this terrain so unique. There is a specific stillness that settles over a coastal course in the late afternoon and evening that you simply do not get at breakfast time. We guarantee that if you get the weather, beautiful sunshine with little wind, being on a links course at this time will be one of the highlights of your trip.
A golf trip should be a holiday, not a military operation. Especially if you are on a trip where you are playing ten to twelve rounds in the space of a fortnight. When your itinerary is action packed, it is often beneficial to have a more relaxed morning, a lie in, or perhaps even a sports massage.
Instead of a 6am wake-up call and a rushed coffee, you have the luxury of time. You can enjoy a proper Scottish breakfast, visit a local historical site, or explore the village shops without one eye on the clock. By the time you reach the first tee, you are relaxed, fed, and ready to play. Another benefit is that the afternoon tee sheets tend to be quieter, and you will often find the pace of play more relaxed, allowing you to soak in the views rather than worrying about the group behind you.
While weather on links courses can be famously unpredictable, the wind often behaves differently in the afternoon. In many coastal locations, the morning howl can ease off as the day progresses. When this happens, you are left with the kind of conditions that golfers dream of.
As the light begins to fade and the wind drops, the entire landscape takes on a serene quality that you rarely experience during the busy morning hours. It allows you to appreciate the architecture and the views without the constant battle against the elements, often providing the most tranquil and enjoyable holes of your entire trip.
There is a unique satisfaction in finishing a round as the light begins to fade, heading straight into a warm clubhouse or a local pub for a late dinner. The post-match debrief feels a little more special when the day’s work is done and the only thing left on the agenda is a good meal and a nice bottle of red.
If your schedule does include a later finish, we always recommend having your dinner reservations locked in place. While city locations like Edinburgh offer plenty of late night options, kitchens in smaller coastal towns can close earlier. If you find yourself finishing a round after 7pm, having a plan organised in advance ensures the day ends as smoothly as it began. This is a detail we always keep an eye on when coordinating our clients’ trips.
Afternoon golf can be a completely different way to experience the game and, for some, it can be the highlight of the trip.
By Craig Blue
Marketing Coordinator, Outpost Overseas
Craig is responsible for building the Outpost Overseas brand and leading our digital content. Having previously worked in marketing for both VisitScotland and Machrihanish Dunes, he is a firm believer that there are few better places in golf than a links course in the evening, and the West Coast of Scotland remains his happy place in the game.
