Golf and the Good Life - Your Guide for Golf Trips Across the Pond

Dr. Jim Woods from Country Club of Paducah has been traveling with Haversham & Baker since 2009. He has served as Captain on six Expeditions, and by his own count he has put together roughly 30 golf trips over the last 40 years. He's just returned from England’s Golf Coast, arriving fresh off The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, and this conversation with Connor and D.J. has been on the calendar for about a year.What he brings to this episode is decades of hard-won insight, and most of it is aimed squarely at anyone thinking about leading a group of their own. Along the way there are the stories and laughs that come naturally when you've led that many golf trips across the pond.Schedule Note: Golf and the Good Life will go on hiatus for the rest of 2026. We'll return in early January 2027 with for golf travel in the year ahead and beyond.Additional ResourcesThe Complete Guide to England's Golf Coast

In this episode, Connor and D.J. explore the advantages and trade-offs of an October golf trip to Scotland, Ireland, or England. From potential access to marquee courses like Muirfield, The Old Course, Royal Portrush, and Royal County Down to playing overseas while your game is still in season, October has plenty to consider.They also cover the realities of autumn travel, including the weather, course maintenance, and what to keep in mind when planning the off-course experience.If you’re considering a golf trip across the pond, this conversation will help you decide whether October belongs on your travel calendar.Additional ResourcesThe Case for October Golf Trips Across the PondShoulder Season Golf Trips to Scotland & Ireland

Most golf trips run exactly to plan. But it's easy for plans to get derailed with international golf travel, and after enough years the pattern is clear. It's almost always the same short list of problems.Connor and D.J. work through what actually goes sideways on a golf trip across the pond, and what you can do months ahead to keep it from defining the trip. Covered in this episode:The source of 90-95% of problems that arise on a golf trip.Why nonstop beats your preferred carrier, and why connecting overseas beats connecting at home.Why you should avoid Heathrow with possible, and tips for when you can't. Coordinating a group's arrivals and departures for a smooth start and end.The right mindset for The Old Course Ballot.Why Trip Insurance is absolutely essential and the benefit of having someone in your corner at 2am.Additional ResourcesStuff Happens: Common Golf Travel Challenges and How to Avoid Them

Nick Papadakes, PGA Head Professional at Onwentsia Club near Chicago and a longtime friend of H&B, joins Connor and D.J. for a wide-ranging conversation on golf travel overseas. It begins with the Morcott Challenge, the junior event and cultural exchange between Lake Forest and Royal Dornoch that just wrapped in The Highlands, then heads down the roads less traveled to the Surrey heathland and remote Askernish.Along the way, Nick shares what two decades have taught him: how to build a group with the right chemistry, why he almost never books a morning tee time, and the vital role of the Driver-Hosts who became part of the team. He speaks candidly about how travel reshaped his approach to the game and what he now brings home to his own club and membership.Whether you are planning your first trip across the pond or your tenth, this conversation is a reminder that the golf is what gets everyone on the plane, but the Good Life is what makes the trip.

There is a corner of England that most traveling golfers have never set foot in, and until Connor's recent trip, one H&B hadn't reached in years. The far southwest, from Devon to the cliffs of Cornwall, has quietly held some of the game's most rewarding links all along.In this episode, Connor and D.J. retrace Connor's ten nights in the region, beginning in the storied Surrey heathland, working down the coast from one outstanding links to the next.Along the way they discover the Good Life that sets this region apart: Michelin-starred dining, a slower and almost Mediterranean pace, hotels perched above the beach, and some of the warmest hospitality across the pond.This is a region for the traveler who has already done the marquee trips and is ready for somewhere genuinely new: an authentic, uncommercialized links experience paired with some of the best Good Life offerings in Britain. If you've been there and done that across the pond, Southwest England is a corner of the map worth discovering.

We first covered caddies in Episode 8. Three years, 80 episodes, and hundreds of H&B Expeditions later, it's time for an update.In this episode, Connor & D.J. share how caddies generally work in Scotland, Ireland, and England, as well as new details to know ahead of your trip across the pond.By the end, you'll have a clear understanding of what to expect, and why caddies are an essential part of your travel experience.Additional ResourcesCaddie FAQs for Golf Trips to Scotland, Ireland, and England

The west coast of Scotland is the Birthplace of The Open Championship and home to some of the most storied links in the game.In this episode, Connor and D.J. take a deep dive into Ayrshire and the West Coast, from the marquee names of Royal Troon, Prestwick, Western Gailes, and the Ailsa Course at Turnberry to the outstanding supporting cast found throughout the region.Along the way, they cover the planning considerations that shape an Ayrshire golf trip, the appeal of unpacking once and staying in a single location, the growing popularity of pairing the region with Northern Ireland, and the Good Life experiences that complete the journey.Whether you are planning an entire Expedition around the West Coast or adding a few days to a larger tour of Scotland, this episode offers a complete introduction to one of the game’s most historic and rewarding regions.Additional ResourcesRegional Guide: Golf Trips to Scotland's West Coast Your Complete Guide to TurnberryStep Inside Prestwick's Reimagined ClubhouseThe Complete Guide to Royal Troon

Our Legendary Links series returns for a look at one of Scotland's most beloved courses, North Berwick Golf Club.Twenty-five years ago, North Berwick was unranked. Today it sits twenty-fifth in the world. Connor and D.J. unpack what that climb has meant for visitors and the puzzle of pairing the course with nearby Muirfield.They also cover the history, notable holes, and Good Life options that shouldn't be missed nearby. Additional Resources7 Things to See at North Berwick Golf ClubNorth Berwick & Muirfield Golf Trips

We've spent plenty of time talking about how to lead a great golf trip across the pond. This episode is for everyone else. The group members. The friends along for the ride. The 90% who didn't volunteer to be the Captain (the H&B word for the person organizing the trip). Connor and D.J. walk through what it means to be a great traveler when you're not the one leading, from respecting the decisions to showing up prepared to simply not being "that guy." Because the best trips allow the Captain to enjoy the fruits of their labor as much as everyone else.Additional ResourcesTips & Advice for Golf Trip Captains

With The Open returning to Royal Birkdale this summer, D.J. and Connor sit down with colleague Mike Walters for a deep dive on England's Golf Coast, fresh off his trip through the region.They walk through all three Royals (Liverpool, Lytham & St Annes, and Birkdale), make the case for the deep supporting cast that often gets overlooked, and explore the Good Life in Liverpool. Whether you're heading to The Open, planning a trip to England's Golf Coast, or just armchair traveling, the one's worth your time.Additional ResourcesThe Complete Guide to England's Golf CoastHow Much Does a Golf Trip to England Cost?Where to Play on a Golf Trip to England: A Regional Guide