As mentioned in KNOW BEFORE YOU GO the first thing that should be done in planning your Scotland, England, Wales or Ireland golf trips is to determine approximately when you want to go.  If you feel you have to play a certain course, timing could be important.  For example, as I mentioned in the cover letter for my most recent flyer the Open Championship is returning to the Old Course in 2010.  Because of this, the Old Course is closed to play from June 19 thru July 19.  Not only does this do away with a month of potential summer tee times but it also puts a lot more pressure on the available tee times in early June and the balance of July and probably August as well.  If you can get away in April or May or even October when the weather can be fine, your odds of getting an advanced reservation are considerably better.  Not that it is average, but I was in St. Andrews around the end of April this year and it was middle sixties with only a sprinkle of rain the entire week.

There are things unique to certain courses which should be considered when making your plans.  For example, Muirfield allows visitors only on Tuesdays and Thursdays and have both 2 ball and 4 ball tee times.  Morning 2 balls may go back out in the afternoon as a 2 ball but morning 4 ball matches have to play foursomes which is basically alternate shot.  Therefore, it is probably best that if you want to play Muirfield you apply a long time in advance and ask for 2 ball tee times.  At Turnberry, when the Ailsa course is open to visitor play you can only make a tee time inside two weeks unless you are staying at the hotel.  St. Andrews and Royal Troon both have 2 course requirements.  St.Andrews Old Course advance reservations for the April to October time period begin the first Wednesday of September the preceding year at 10 AM St. Andrews time.  In 2009 I actually, had someone whose application went in at 10:10 St. Andrews time who did not get one.  They will not keep requests submitted prior to that time.  They do not accept advance tee time requests for the month of September.  It is best to go to the St. Andrews website and look at the very stringent rules before applying.  It is also a good idea to go to the St. Andrews course closure list for the following year which is usually posted in August.  If you request a day when the course is not open to visitor play, the closure list will indicate NB (no ballot) they will not suggest another day.  Approximately 50% of the tee times are set aside for the Daily Ballot which you apply for the day before prior to 2 PM and the results are posted at 4 PM.  If you are in the area for a few days, the odds are extremely good that you will get an Old Course tee time in this manner.  The 2 course policy at St. Andrews only applies to advance reservations for the Old Course, not through the daily ballot.