Coach and Minibus Hire in the United Kingdom

Coach and minibus hire for golf trips

A golf trip packs several rounds into a few days and still needs everyone at the first tee on time. The vehicle has to carry the bags, the driving has to fit the rules, and the tee times set the rest.

Bags decide the vehicle

Plan on a golf bag and a suitcase for every player. On a full-size coach it all goes in the underfloor lockers. In a minibus, rear space runs out once every seat is taken. Twelve golfers with bags often travel better with spare seats than in a full minibus.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class, rear view
Mercedes-Benz V-Class, rear view

St Andrews and The Open

The 155th Open is at the Old Course, St Andrews, from 11 to 18 July 2027. Sunday is a rest day on the Old Course: no play. Tee times there come partly through a ballot that St Andrews Links runs, and players need a handicap certificate with them; the course has a maximum handicap. Build the week around confirmed tee times, not the other way round.

From Edinburgh, St Andrews is roughly 50 miles, around 1 h 15 min on the road. Dornoch is about 49 miles from Inverness. In England, Royal Liverpool at Hoylake is on the Wirral side of the Mersey; full-size coaches cross by the Kingsway tunnel, as Queensway is limited to 3.5 tonnes.

Rules that apply

  • The 155th Open is at the Old Course, St Andrews, on 11-18 July 2027
  • St Andrews Links asks golfers to bring a handicap certificate, and the Old Course has a maximum handicap limit
  • Scotland's Low Emission Zones in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee run 24 hours a day; diesel coaches must meet Euro VI

Driving limits on a touring week

A coach or minibus with more than 8 passenger seats on a private hire tour normally follows the assimilated rules: 9 hours of driving a day at most, 10 on two days a week, and 45 minutes off after 4.5 hours. If the work falls under the GB domestic rules, the cap is a 16-hour duty day and at least 10 hours off between working days. The operator will say which set covers the booking.

A 07:00 tee time followed by dinner an hour away is a long day for one driver. Keep evenings near the hotel or book a separate evening vehicle.

Questions

Do Low Emission Zones affect a Scottish golf trip?

They can. Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee run zones 24 hours a day, and diesel coaches need Euro VI. Entry cannot be paid for, so ask for a compliant vehicle if the hotel is in a city centre.

Can the driver wait at the course during the round?

Usually, if the club has room. Ask the club where coaches and minibuses park and whether they can stay until the group comes off the 18th.

Is one hotel better than moving each night?

Often. A single base keeps daily drives short and gives the driver a fixed place to rest. Moving every night adds packing, loading and road time.

Cities

Vehicles