Contemplating a 2012 trip to the home of golf - any advice?

[ArnoldArmChewer]

We are going in May as we got lucky on the Old Course Ballot, playing THe Old Course and The Castle course, looking for at least one more in or around St Andrews. We are planning our own trip, very simple. Train, taxi, B&B job done!!

If your going 16-19th May we may see you!!

 

[Smiffy]

I could see Panmure across from Monifieth, but can't see enough to see if it is great or not.

Get the 1st and 2nd out of the way (fairly flat and featureless compared with what is to come later in the round) and you are in for a treat. Loads of gorse and heather, and some pretty evil bunkering too. Greens were superb if I remember correctly. It's a nice enough course, but we only ever visited it once, so you can tell that it wasn't one of our favourites.
Letham is a nice enough course but we came away thinking that there are plenty of courses down this way that are a similar experience. Some good holes, but plenty of average ones too. We visited it two years on the trot but gave it a miss from then on.
The Burnside at Carnoustie is a cracking course in it's own right, and I could happily spend my time playing that one as my "home" course.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Get the 1st and 2nd out of the way (fairly flat and featureless compared with what is to come later in the round) and you are in for a treat. Loads of gorse and heather, and some pretty evil bunkering too. Greens were superb if I remember correctly. It's a nice enough course, but we only ever visited it once, so you can tell that it wasn't one of our favourites.
Letham is a nice enough course but we came away thinking that there are plenty of courses down this way that are a similar experience. Some good holes, but plenty of average ones too. We visited it two years on the trot but gave it a miss from then on.
The Burnside at Carnoustie is a cracking course in it's own right, and I could happily spend my time playing that one as my "home" course.

I think Panmure is about £70 in summer - worth it?

 

[CMAC]

Thanks guys - loads of really useful information and I'm going to start planning

As a kid I sometimes played golf with my golf-mad Dad until he nagged me once to often to hold the club correctly (hockey player so baseball grip). He always said I coulda been a contender and regretted me not pursuing it. I finally returned to the game a couple of years before he died and my clubs were bought for me by him (inheritance) and I think a trip to Scotland on his hard-earned would have him smiling big time.

what a fitting tribute to your Dad, plus you'll think of him a lot while your there I would reckon.

I love St Andrews, I could live there easily

 

[Dodger]

For me???

In a word,no.

Don't get me wrong,Panmure is a nice enough heathland/links hybrid type track but there are better value courses out there.

 

[AmandaJR]

what a fitting tribute to your Dad, plus you'll think of him a lot while your there I would reckon.

I love St Andrews, I could live there easily

I often feel he's with me on the course. Never much believed in that stuff before but sometimes I just know he's there and usually when I'm having a great game He'd love to think of me playing the old course and also visiting Scotland as my mum was a Scot so I guess that makes me 50% of one too !!

 

[Qwerty]

I've been to St Andrews a fair few times,and apart from getting on the old course its all pretty easy to organise yourself.
One place I would recommend is the Nethan B&B,superb value for money,great rooms and a great breakfast.
Also Auchterlonies has got to be the best golf shop on the planet.

 

[Smiffy]

I think Panmure is about £70 in summer - worth it?

Errrrr...nope.
It's nice. But not £70.00 nice.
Plus, the steward was late with our bacon rolls when we went there and we ended up having to eat them walking down the first fairway.
Not cricket.

 

[VinnyRM]

St Andrews courses

We played the New, Jubilee, and the Eden I think it was....the Jubilee is one of the most difficult courses I have ever played, including Carnoustie ch, ship...loads of REALLY difficult US courses, but the Jubilee was incredible.....12 shots, 12SHOTS to get out of a greenside bunker...and my bunker play to that point was good!!
Spoke to a ranger who said, in his opinion it was the hardest of them all....and the only reason they kept the Open on the Old was tradition! Remember that was a personal opinion...I LOVE links golf, it really is the truest test...and the nearby courses of Lundin and Levin are good tests too.....

 

[EZprophet]

My advice is ignore the naysayers and play the Castle Course. Love it or hate it you won't regret playing it.

 

[Adi2Dassler]

Thanks guys - loads of really useful information and I'm going to start planning

As a kid I sometimes played golf with my golf-mad Dad until he nagged me once to often to hold the club correctly (hockey player so baseball grip). He always said I coulda been a contender and regretted me not pursuing it. I finally returned to the game a couple of years before he died and my clubs were bought for me by him (inheritance) and I think a trip to Scotland on his hard-earned would have him smiling big time.

If you decide to come to Scotland to play golf, and if you haven't read it yet, get golf on the rocks by Mr Hopemanman G.Sutherland.It's about golf,lost dads and memories.I think it would be perfect holiday reading for your trip.

 

[19thagain]

If you decide to come to Scotland to play golf, and if you haven't read it yet, get golf on the rocks by Mr Hopemanman G.Sutherland.It's about golf,lost dads and memories.I think it would be perfect holiday reading for your trip.

Having been to one of his book readings and having met the chap, I would second that!

Super reading for any sentimental golfer.

 

[AmandaJR]

If you decide to come to Scotland to play golf, and if you haven't read it yet, get golf on the rocks by Mr Hopemanman G.Sutherland.It's about golf,lost dads and memories.I think it would be perfect holiday reading for your trip.

Ahh thanks - that sounds perfect so will buy it for sure.