Advice on booking to play the Old Course

[Aztecs27]

O.K.

So Bob's thread the other day has made me realise that perhaps the Old Course isn't as out-of-reach as I once thought.

Can someone in the know point me in the best direction to book/enter a ballot etc...to have the chance to play there.

I could certainly muster up a 4 ball, but living nowhere near scotland, it would mean having to know ahead of time *when* we would be playing so I can organise to get up there, accommodation etc..

Any help greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

 

[DCB]

Look at the St Andrews Links Trust web site.

Ballot would be your best chance if your up on spec, but if planning a 4 ball your probably looking at 2012 and applying in Sept 2011 ( or whenever bookings open for following season) I'd have thought.

 

[stevek1969]

Check the St Andrews links website am sure they've opened the bookings up again.
www.standrews.org.uk

 

[Ethan]

Much easier as a single. You can also arrive early, really early, and put your name down with the starter for dropouts.

 

[Aztecs27]

Yea, I appreciate that rocking up as a single is probably my best best, but if I'm going to play the most famous Golf Course in the world, I'd rather wait and enjoy it/appreciate it with some of my golfing friends.

Plus, St. Andrews is a good 5 hour drive. I'm not driving up there on a whim to hope I get a tee time!

 

[richart]

I went the booking route.(Advanced Reservation) You need to e-mail your booking form when you want to play the moment bookings are taken Think from memory this was 1 September. We wanted to play in October next year. Think you get more chance if you give a few dates to play, and also apply to play some of the other courses at St Andrews. We applied for Old and New as a 4 ball, and got both courses with a 10.30ish tee off time. Booking route is heavily oversubscribed so you must send e-mail on the dot of 10.00 from memory.

Booking in September covers following April to October. October is a good time as Old Course is £100 rather than £150 in the summer. Also if you go in the winter from November, you will have to use mats.

We can't wait to play, even if it is still another 10 months.

 

[Aztecs27]

I went the booking route.(Advanced Reservation) You need to e-mail your booking form when you want to play the moment bookings are taken Think from memory this was 1 September. We wanted to play in October next year. Think you get more chance if you give a few dates to play, and also apply to play some of the other courses at St Andrews. We applied for Old and New as a 4 ball, and got both courses with a 10.30ish tee off time. Booking route is heavily oversubscribed so you must send e-mail on the dot of 10.00 from memory.

Booking in September covers following April to October. October is a good time as Old Course is £100 rather than £150 in the summer. Also if you go in the winter from November, you will have to use mats.

We can't wait to play, even if it is still another 10 months.

Right then. I'll get a 4 ball together and some dates and get my booking ready for September!

 

[richart]

No one said it was easy to get on, for some reason the Old Course is quite popular. Only trying to help mate.

 

[Aztecs27]

No one said it was easy to get on, for some reason the Old Course is quite popular. Only trying to help mate.

I know! I wasn't being sarcastic. Sorry if it sounded it.

That's genuinely very helpful!

 

[richart]

Just go for it. You may even get a game up there with some of the nice Scottish forumers !

 

[stevek1969]

Just go for it. You may even get a game up there with some of the nice Scottish forumers !

I'm sure we can sort a game out if you come up mate.

 

[njc1973]

I went up & played it in September & the owner of the B&B (Braeside House) we stayed in got us in the ballot first try, I went for a few days & bought the 3 day ticket for unlimited golf on the other courses in case we couldn't get on.

Old Course was £130 3 Day Ticket £145, the Old Course took about 5 1/2 hours to get round so I wouldn't tee off after 1 in the autumn.

 

[golfcitydweller]

aztecs. when were u thinking of coming up ,winter time is quiet and u have more chance of getting a time in the ballot , i can put in for a `local` time but it would need to be after april 1st as i`ve used up all of my points,if i sign u on i get it for a 1/3 of the green fee ,send me a pm when u decide what way u want to play it.. gcd

 

[Society_Fan]

I always thought that it would be impossible to play such a course, but having looked at the website I may make it my mission to play it next year in say October. It looks like you can ring up to get in to the ballot and know by 4pm the day before.
It may not be ideal, but it is certainly achieveable

 

[Aztecs27]

aztecs. when were u thinking of coming up ,winter time is quiet and u have more chance of getting a time in the ballot , i can put in for a `local` time but it would need to be after april 1st as i`ve used up all of my points,if i sign u on i get it for a 1/3 of the green fee ,send me a pm when u decide what way u want to play it.. gcd

Blimey, that's awefully nice of you mate. I'll let you know in due course once I've spoken to people. Thanks though! Much appreciated.

And cheers to everyone else as well.