Brotherly Competition: The Brother-Brother Invitational in St. Andrews

• By Brandon Tucker
• Aug 17, 2012 11:01 AM ET

So just how deep is St. Andrews when it comes to championship links golf? Not only is the Old Course the most frequent Open Championship host (slated next for 2015), but nearby is Kingsbarns Golf Links, which along with Carnoustie and the Old Course, makes up the rotation for the European Tour's Dunhill Links Championship.

Meanwhile, the Torrance Course at Fairmont St. Andrews, located just a couple miles outside the old town center, hosts the SSE Scottish Seniors Open Championship this week, one of Scotland's most prestigious annual events. This week's field features Masters champion Ian Woosnam and the event's defending champion, Barry Lane. Even Scotland's own Sam Torrance, of which the course is named after, is in the field.

For traveling golfers, one of the best ways to enjoy a trip to Scotland is by either centering your trip around an event like the Open Championship or Dunhill Links, or better yet, competing yourself. Most clubs hold open competitions, though some are more difficult to gain entry than others. Royal Dornoch's Carnegie Shield, for example, will be staged next week, and sells out almost instantly.

You can even make your golf competition a family affair in Scotland. If you and your brother have the same kind of competitive genes, check out the St. Andrews Brother-Brother Invitational, held this year from October 19th-22nd. The three-day competition features rounds on the Castle Course at St. Andrews, St. Andrews Jubilee and finally the Torrance Course.

The trio represents three very different types of courses. The Jubilee is a classic links that plays on a similar type of low, rolling dunesland as the nearby Old Course. The Castle Course, meanwhile, is one of the country's boldest, manmade links, where you may be prone to an unlucky bounce or two. Meanwhile, the Torrance at Fairmont St. Andrews presents a more fair, modern test of its own, with some of Scotland's truest greens.

The Brother Brother Invitational package, run by Carr Golf, starts at three nights includes lodging at the Fairmont St. Andrews. For more golf, the package can be extended to five nights and includes a round on Carnoustie, Kingsbarns as well as entry into the Old Course ballot - or a consolation round on one of the Links Trust's other courses.

You can view the full Brother-Brother Invitational schedule details here. Or visit GolfNow.com/Scotland for Scotland tee times.

More Scotland Golf: Tucker's Spring Fling through Scotland.