Sleep in for Muirfield Tee Times + More

A new year and much to look forward to but before we do, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on twelve months of building this wee community.

A year ago I left my role as social media lead for the DP World Tour. I was travelling the world, with an inside the ropes pass to some of the best golfers and events. A dream job. From Nairobi, Kenya to Augusta National. I’d seen the golf world and had proof if I needed it that the golf I grew up playing at home was truly special.

LinksLand is a community for links golf pilgrims to celebrate the kind of golf that has endured for centuries. Its people, places, and heritage. The outdoors. Tapping into the growing subculture of wild golf and stripping the game back to what it’s always been about.

The emails from many of you have been incredibly motivating. From 1,000 word eulogies about links golf, to a number of exciting business opportunities that will further add value to this community. Both will act as key focal points as LinksLand grows.

One such email last week read,

“I made a career move into finance approximately 10 years ago. Just starting to look into Scotland golf trips for 2026. I've had some recent life changes and am looking for a bit of a solo or find-yourself adventure. Quite keen on golf history and architecture. Want to experience the connection golf has to the community in your area of the world.”

I couldn’t type my reply fast enough…

“I am building LinksLand for golfers just like you! So much in life is over planned and there is a beauty in feeling uncomfortable. Maybe that's why we both love links golf…You shouldn't make too many plans or too many tee times. Seek adventure!”

So what does 2026 look like?

More newsletters. This newsletter will drop in your inbox most Thursdays.

More long form video. Showcasing the journeys, landscapes, people and places where links golf thrives. With some luck we’ll tick these off the list…

• Machrihanish

• Carne

• St Patrick’s (Rosapenna)

• Lahinch

And anniversary celebrations at Machrihanish Golf Club for their 150th and Prestwick Golf Club for their 175th.

I might even find some time for more Duolingo Gaelic lessons. Like Irish, Scots Gaelic has seen a rise in popularity in recent years and I joined the bandwagon over Christmas. It was actually the dominant language in my father’s childhood home growing up on the island of Lewis. My own name Ru is actually short for Ruairidh (Roo-ree) and is Gaelic for Rory. 

Tweaks to Muirfield 2027 Tee Times

Here we go! Muirfield and Royal County Down continue to set pace as the first to open their 2027 tee sheets.

Muirfield will open Monday, 23 February and give trade (travel agents) priority, which they now enable amends to names on bookings.

For those booking independant (not with a golf tour operator) the changes are more drastic. A spokesperson for Muirfield explained,

“We are changing how we operate bookings from independent clients. We had some feedback on this process and decided to change it as the volume of traffic on the website didn’t make it the most reliable source and we also recognised that there are clients trying to book from all over the world/ different time zones that putting a 7.30am time on wasn’t necessarily fair.”

“With this in mind, we have now decided to open the independent diary in the same way we open the Tour Operator diary which will have an opening date and a closing date (10-day window). This means clients don’t have to set an alarm or panic if the website is being slow, they simply download our application form from our website, send it in when the diary opens and once the diary has closed, we will work through all received applications and allocate accordingly.”

Opens: Wednesday, 18 March 2026 at 7.30am (UK time)

Closes: Friday, 27 March 2026 at 3.30pm (UK time) 

• Applications must be submitted via email to [email protected]  (tee times will not be displayed online).

• One application per group; a maximum of two preferred dates may be submitted.

• Multiple applications from the same group will result in all being voided.

Green Fees: 

36-holes: £655 pp (including lunch) 

18-holes: £420 pp (golf only)

Reads, Listens & Links

Kyle Philips to redesign Irish links formerly known as European Club 

Great value Machrie day trip from Glasgow

St Andrews Links Trust to open shop in town centre

Snow covered fairways at Brora

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Cheers, Ru Macdonald