The Economics of Tour vs. Independent Travel Are Simple.

The tour companies that take you to Scotland golf courses also supply you with hotel rooms, green fees, some meals, and transportation. They DON'T give you any discount over what you would normally have to pay.

Then, they must pay their personnel to “meet and greet” you and guide you around and they must add their profit to what they charge you. They're not in business for the fun of it.

Advantage for Independent Golfers

As an Independent Golfer, you will pay the same green fees at the same Scotland golf courses as you would on a tour. You could stay at the same hotels that the tours use or you could use less expensive lodgings that are just as clean and welcoming and more personable than the large hotels the tours use. You can eat what you want, when you want it. Your transportation might, on average, cost the same as on a tour, but you, not the bus driver, will be in control of your schedule. And you don’t have to pay the tour company’s personnel costs or add to the profit for which they are in business.

The result can be a Scotland golf vacation that is more exciting and memorable than a packaged tour and that costs a fraction of what a tour would cost.

How much money can an Independent Golfer save by simply planning his or her own Scotland Golf vacation?

Let’s look at an example.
(All the information below is public and was obtained from the World Wide Web in Winter, 2007-08.)

A Typical Tour Company Offering: “The Scottish Highlands Tour" Cost = $4,878.00 per person The Tour Package Provides The Following for Each Person (assuming double occupancy) Golf – Seven Rounds At:   Royal Dornoch Nairn Cruden Bay Royal Aberdeen Montrose Old Course at St. Andrews Jubilee Course at St. Andrews $110.50 $127.50 $102.50 $127.50 $34.00 $204.00 $96.50 Lodging – Eight Nights at Three Hotels:     2 nights at The Kingsmill Hotel, Inverness 3 nights at Marclieff at Pitofels, Aberdeen 3 nights at Old Course Hotel, St. Andrews $212.50 $343.40 $671.50 Meals     Full Scottish Breakfast daily Lunch and Dinner Included in Hotel fee EXTRA: On your own Transportation – One Half of Cost     "Mid-sized" rental car with unlimited mileage Gas and Insurance $229.00 EXTRA   Total of Above Expenses $2,258.90     Total Cost for Tour Package Per Person $4,878.00     Company's Operating Expenses and Profits $2,619.10     Savings if Golfers Had Traveled Independently! $2,619.10 (54%)

To save this much money (and enjoy your trip even more) all you need to do is to follow the suggestions in the book. The Independent Golfer's Guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland To look at the book