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Last checked: October 2026 · Does Your Duck Quack

THE SPECTATOR’S HANDBOOK

Golf and the great outdoors

Build a golf holiday around one good outdoor option near your base, then give non-golfers an independent way to enjoy it. Beaches, gardens and lakeside walks can work beautifully alongside tournament days when weather, access and the return journey are planned separately.

Plan two enjoyable days, not one compromise

A partner or family member who does not follow golf should have something specific to look forward to, rather than simply waiting for the tournament to end. Choose an outdoor place that suits their interests and walking ability, then check transport and facilities for that visit in its own right.

Decide whether you will split up for a day or enjoy the outing together away from the golf. Shared use of one car can make two independent plans difficult, especially where event traffic restrictions apply. Pick a base that supports both activities and agree a meeting point that does not require constant phone reception. The suggestions below are places identified by official tourism bodies or their operators; local conditions, opening arrangements and any admission charges need checking before you go.

St Andrews: West Sands and the East Neuk

West Sands gives an Open trip a natural coastal counterpoint, while St Andrews itself offers a town to explore without building a whole day around another drive. VisitScotland's east-coast itinerary identifies West Sands and the East Neuk's coastal villages as options for exploring this part of Fife.

For a shared outing, choose a manageable stretch rather than treating a long coastal route as a challenge to complete. Wind and sand can make a short walk feel more demanding than its distance suggests. Keep the Open travel plan separate from ordinary visitor access during championship week, and use the St Andrews stay guide to find a base that lets a non-golfer enjoy the town independently.

The Dunhill courses: beach or garden time

Carnoustie Beach is listed by VisitScotland as close to the town centre and station, making it a specific alternative to a full day following golf. Visit Angus also identifies coastal walking and Barry Mill among the area's visitor options. Choose one outing and read its own access information rather than trying to combine every stop.

At Kingsbarns, Cambo Gardens and Kingsbarns Beach offer a garden-and-coast pairing. Fife Council and the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust identify the beach as Cambo Sands, while Cambo publishes its garden visiting information. These visits fit naturally with a Dunhill trip, but they are not a shortcut through tournament land. Use the Carnoustie and Kingsbarns venue guides to keep golf access and leisure access distinct.

North Berwick: bays and seabirds

North Berwick's West Bay and Milsey Bay are identified by Visit East Lothian as beach options beside the town. The Scottish Seabird Centre provides a further focus for anyone interested in the wildlife of the Firth of Forth. Its own site explains the visitor experience and any separately booked activities.

This makes North Berwick worth considering for a mixed Scottish Open holiday: a person staying in town can have a genuine seaside day rather than an improvised wait. Boat trips and outdoor activities remain subject to their own booking and weather arrangements. Compare North Berwick accommodation with the event transfer before deciding that both halves of the party can travel independently. Leave a shared evening free to enjoy the town together.

Sandwich and Deal: coast, town and gardens

Visit Kent connects Sandwich, Deal and Dover as White Cliffs Country, with specific options including Deal's seafront, Walmer Castle and Gardens and the wider coastal landscape. For a Women's Open visit at Royal St George's, those places provide a clear alternative programme for someone who wants less time at the course.

A straightforward Deal seafront walk can be easier to fit around a meeting time than a longer cliff route. Walmer's garden visit needs its own admission and opening checks. Do not assume the golf ticket covers attractions or that championship traffic leaves every ordinary route unchanged. The Sandwich and Kent stay guide helps compare a course-focused base with a town that may better suit the rest of the group.

Wentworth: Windsor Great Park

Windsor Great Park's official visitor information gives you a substantial outdoor alternative for a BMW PGA Championship trip. The estate offers different areas and attractions, so choose the part you want to visit rather than using “the park” as a single destination with one assumed entrance.

The Long Walk and the gardens associated with the estate create different kinds of outing. Read the relevant operator information about access, facilities and any charges before setting off. A long walk the day after standing at golf may be less appealing than a shorter garden visit, particularly with children. Compare the journey from your actual Surrey base and agree where the golf watchers and outdoor visitors will meet for dinner.

The Belfry: Sutton Park

Sutton Park is identified by Birmingham City Council as a National Nature Reserve, and The Belfry lists it among local attractions. It gives a British Masters holiday an outdoor option that does not require anyone to become interested in golf first.

Use the council's visitor information to choose an entrance and a suitable walk, and read its access details if surfaces, toilets or distance matter to your party. A large park is not a promise that every route suits every visitor. Avoid turning a gentle outing into a long crossing simply because the map looks inviting. The Belfry and Birmingham stay guide helps weigh a city base against proximity to the course, including how each traveller will get around without the other's vehicle.

Adare and Limerick: village walks and forest

Discover Ireland identifies Adare's village and riverbank walk and lists Curragh Chase Forest Park among County Limerick's outdoor attractions. Those are specific starting points for a Ryder Cup partner programme, with very different transport and walking considerations from a full day at Adare Manor.

A village outing may suit someone who wants a shorter day near cafés and other facilities; a forest visit needs its own route and return plan. Championship-week restrictions can affect movement around Adare, so check the current event advice before relying on normal access. Use the Adare and Limerick stay guide to select a base that works for the whole group, then give the outdoor day a realistic start and finish rather than squeezing it between match sessions.

Kildare and south Dublin: woodland or a hill

For a Kildare-based Irish Open trip, Discover Ireland and Into Kildare identify Donadea Forest Park as a woodland destination with walking routes. Choose the route from official information and allow time to enjoy it, rather than assuming a forest visit is just a brief stop on the way to somewhere else.

For visitors near Dún Laoghaire and the Women's Irish Open, Discover Ireland lists Killiney and Dalkey Hills for walking and views. The climb and surfaces deserve attention if anyone has limited stamina. These are separate outings from championship access at the golf club. Compare Kildare accommodation and Dún Laoghaire bases with the confirmed event venue, since an attractive outdoor plan should not pull the golf day into an unreasonable commute.

Porthcawl and Lytham: seaside time

Visit Wales identifies Rest Bay as a Porthcawl beach, with the wider coast offering walking possibilities. For a Senior Open visit associated with Royal Porthcawl, the coast can provide a shared non-golf day without needing another major attraction. Use current local beach information for conditions and facilities.

At Lytham St Annes, Visit Lancashire identifies St Annes beach, Fairhaven Lake and Lytham Green as distinct outdoor options. They fit naturally with Royal Lytham travel, including a future Open visit, but should be chosen according to the group's interests rather than bundled into one long walk. Read the local stay guide and check the route from your room to the particular shore or lake you want to visit.

Évian: quayside and water gardens

Évian's tourist office identifies the lakeside quayside walk and the Pré Curieux water gardens as ways to enjoy the setting away from golf. The gardens have their own boat-access arrangements, so check the official booking information instead of assuming you can walk in from the road whenever you wish.

The lake can make a rewarding part of an Evian Championship holiday, especially when one person wants a shorter or different day. A crossing to Lausanne is a separate transport decision with a timetable, not simply an extension of the promenade. Use the Évian stay guide to keep your evening return simple. Choose one lake outing you can enjoy unhurriedly and leave the more ambitious excursions for a free day.

More coastal golf places worth a separate day

For Royal Portrush, Tourism Northern Ireland identifies East Strand, West Strand and the wider Causeway Coast as seaside options. Near Royal County Down, its Newcastle and Murlough guidance gives walkers a different coastal setting. Discover Ireland identifies Velvet Strand at Portmarnock and Lahinch Beach as specific Irish alternatives for visitors building a broader golf holiday.

These places deserve time rather than a hurried detour after a tiring tournament day. Read the Portrush, Portmarnock or Lahinch guide alongside the relevant official visitor page. No beach listing guarantees safe swimming or unrestricted access in all conditions. Keep clear of eroding edges, follow local signs and check tide and weather information before choosing a route close to the water.

Make the outdoor plan genuinely usable

Write down the destination, access point, transport, facilities and return arrangement. Give the person taking the outing the information directly rather than leaving it in the golf booker's phone. If the weather changes, agree a simple alternative and a way to reconnect.

Pick accommodation that supports these choices. A base with independent transport and nearby food can make a mixed-interest holiday far easier than an isolated room chosen only for the course. Our first-visit guide helps set the golf day's limits; the calendar helps match the event to the place. With both halves planned, the non-golf programme becomes a reason to take the holiday together rather than an afterthought.

Sources and useful official links

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