About the Author

Rob Babcock has a single-digit handicap index and when he’s not golfing in Ireland, Scotland, or somewhere else around the world, he can be found at his home course Pasatiempo Golf Club (), an Alister MacKenzie design in Santa Cruz, California (near Monterey).

Rob was a founding member of Doonbeg Golf Club () in Co. Clare, Ireland. He has intimate knowledge of the enormous bunker guarding the front of the 11th hole and has fond memories of the old 14th green next to Doughmore Bay which was lost to the Atlantic ocean. He gave up his membership when Donald Trump purchased the club. Enough said.

More About the Guides

When I planned my first golf trips to Ireland and Scotland I was overwhelmed. The tourist board information is pretty good, and I recommend that you get it, but it doesn’t help you decide which courses to play — they just tell you about all 400 of ’em. As for where to stay, well that’s even worse because their brochures only include hotels willing to pay to get into their free guides. What’s the value in that?

Satisfaction Guarantee. I want my guides to delight you. If you are not satisfied for any reason, please let me know and I'll make it right.

Adding value is where I’ve focused my efforts. Frankly, by doing lots of tedious research so you don’t have to. These guides are based on my experiences of planning golf trips in the most efficient way. Picking the courses, building itineraries that work based on geography and visitor policies, and good places to stay in the towns that make sense for golfers. I’ve kept everything as concise as possible but made sure to include all the things you need to know to plan your trip and what you need to know while you’re there.

For example, I’m really proud of the driving times map in the guides. It comes in so handy because you really don’t care how far it is from Tralee to Waterville (or from Glasgow to Dornoch) — you need to know how long it takes to drive it. When you’re planning your trip and while your there. Yes, you could look all that stuff up, but I’ve done it for you.

Like I said, the guides are very concise and to the point. An example of something I’ve left out is the name of the Secretary and the yardage and par for each of the golf courses. Who cares? These are the best places to play in Ireland and Scotland. The courses are all about par 72 and plenty long — you’ll never play from the tips anyway. Heck, you’ll be lucky to reach the fairway if it’s windy.

I’ve tried to be as clear as possible on this web site. For each guide you’ll find a listing of exactly what you get when you purchase the guide along with a detailed Table of Contents. And be sure to click on the Sample Pages links to view sample pages online; you can even download a sample PDF of the guide.

Check out the slideshows too. If you’re not just itchin’ to plan a golf trip to Ireland or Scotland after that, you may not be a real golfer. Now get out there and start planning your trip.