In Part 2 of the series, D.J. and Connor get into the decisions that start to give an overseas golf trip its shape: when to go, where to go, which courses to play, how much golf, and how you'll get around.

Connor reframes the timing question in a way most travelers haven't considered, D.J. breaks down the divide-and-conquer approach to choosing regions, and they both make the case for adding a course you've never heard of.

Key Points:

• Why framing your travel dates as "when can't you go" is more productive than "when can you go."

• The daylight advantage of June and July, and the September wrinkle at St. Andrews that catches some groups off guard.

• How to divide and conquer: picking one or two regions for a 7-night trip, and why a third usually means shortchanging one of them.

• The anchor-course strategy: pick your marquee course first and build the rest of the itinerary outward from there.

• Why the course nobody in your group has heard of often becomes the highlight of the trip.

• The difference between a trip that's been planned for you and a trip that's been hosted, and why a driver-host turns transit time into part of the experience.

Additional Resources:How to Plan a Golf Trip to Scotland – 14 Key DecisionsHow to Plan an Ireland Golf Trip – Breaking It DownThe Benefits of a Driver-Host on an Overseas Golf TripBest 36-Hole Days in Scotland and Ireland

Planning an overseas golf trip involves more decisions than most travelers expect, and the ones you make early on tend to shape the entire experience.

In this first episode of a 3 part series, D.J. and Connor walk through five key decisions every group faces before the planning even really begins: the type of trip, the invite list, your budget, DIY vs. a golf travel company, and custom vs. stock itineraries.

If you're in the early stages of putting a trip together, this is the foundation.

Key Points:

• Why mixing group types (buddies, couples, families) on the same trip creates more friction than most people anticipate.
• The #1 reason you should be selective with your invite list.
• Why the average overseas golf trip involves 40 to 50 individual plans and reservations.
• The difference between a trip being made for you and you being made for a trip.
• Connor's breakdown of how destination and season choices will impact your budget.

Additional Resources

How to Plan a Golf Trip to Scotland – 14 Key Decisions

How to Plan an Ireland Golf Trip – Breaking It Down

In this episode, Connor serves as interviewer as D.J. takes us through his long-awaited solo drive of Scotland's North Coast 500.

Along the way:

• Rounds of golf at Royal Dornoch, Wick, and Durness.
• Single-lane mountain roads through snow and hail.
• The wildly stressful descent of the Applecross Pass.
• A dinner 20-years-in-the-making at The Three Chimneys on the Isle of Skye.

Plus, what he'd do differently, who this trip is really for, and the fish and chips that dethroned Tailend in St. Andrews.

Additional Resources

Scotland's North Coast 500: A Golfer's Guide