Old Course Mats

[ADB]

I noticed that at the Old Course St Andrews in the winter you have to play from a mat, how does this work and has anyone done it? Presumably you still tee off from the same area and all the greens are in use?

Still £64 for a round if you can get on but wondered whether it was worth the reduced rate?

Thanks

 

[Imurg]

From what I understand when you get to your ball you mark the position, put your mat down and put your ball on the mat. Then you play, pick up your mat and walk on.
Its done to protect the fairways.

 

[CliveW]

I'm not sure about the Old Course, but I play the New and Jubilee quite often through the winter. When you start your round in the winter, you take a small astro turf mat about the size of an A4 sheet and when playing from the fairway you place your ball on it and play it from there. The mat is held in position by pushing a tee through it. You also have the option of moving your ball and playing it from the first cut of rough, which in the winter is hardly longer than the fairway. This ruling doesn't apply all through the winter, only when the weather warrants it and usually if one course is on mats, the other isn't.

 

[Smiffy]

From what I understand when you get to your ball you mark the position, put your mat down and put your ball on the mat. Then you play, pick up your mat and walk on.
Its done to protect the fairways.

Yeah like I'd pay £64.00 for that

 

[stevek1969]

I'm not sure about the Old Course, but I play the New and Jubilee quite often through the winter. When you start your round in the winter, you take a small astro turf mat about the size of an A4 sheet and when playing from the fairway you place your ball on it and play it from there. The mat is held in position by pushing a tee through it. You also have the option of moving your ball and playing it from the first cut of rough, which in the winter is hardly longer than the fairway. This ruling doesn't apply all through the winter, only when the weather warrants it and usually if one course is on mats, the other isn't.

Clive dont think your meant to secure the mat with a tee thats a no no ,you could be using the tee to put your ball on it ,a guy at our place used to do it and got pulled up for it.

 

[StuartD]

I'm not sure about the Old Course, but I play the New and Jubilee quite often through the winter. When you start your round in the winter, you take a small astro turf mat about the size of an A4 sheet and when playing from the fairway you place your ball on it and play it from there. The mat is held in position by pushing a tee through it. You also have the option of moving your ball and playing it from the first cut of rough, which in the winter is hardly longer than the fairway. This ruling doesn't apply all through the winter, only when the weather warrants it and usually if one course is on mats, the other isn't.

The old course is usually mats throughout the winter.
The other courses are rotated 2 (Strathtyrum and New Possibly) of them have mats in use up till January then another 2 (Jubilee and Eden) have them from January till March. The Jubilee and New never have mats in use at the same time

 

[mjsw13]

I quite like using those mats - you can get some insane backspin!

 

[RichE]

Quite simply that is one of the main reasons i left my old golf club - the fact that they used matts in winter. I can understand the reasons why it might be necessary for a 9 hole course but it makes the game far less enjoyable and also slows play down.

I personally wouldn't part with £64 to play golf using matts - would rather wait and pay more and get the full experience - especially if i was going to play the Old Course.

 

[Dodger]

The last few times I have done the winter golf deal on the Old I used mats at 1 and 18...there was no one around so bolloxs to that, I played it as it lay but the thought hadn't actually entered my head til the caddy told me 'f##k that mate,ya no paying £59 to play off a mat,I'll keep the eyes open and you lot get on with it'.

Maybe that was wrong but I sure enjoyed the full course!

(Some of the tees were actually further back than the summers)

 

[big_russ]

We have just gone on to carrying a winter fairway mat and it doesnt bother me in the slightest. Our head greenkeeper says that the amount of damage it saves to the fairways during the dormant season is immeasurable and it is for that reason we do it.(You can take a 2 club length drop in the rough if you dont want to use a mat)
Anything that keeps up the quality of the course for the following year is OK with me.
I dont know if I would pay for the privilage of using a mat but then again I dont play away that often.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have to say I'd be pretty miffed to play the Old Course off mats even for that price. I do however understand the need for it but it makes me grateful that my own club has never had any sort of mat policy, either off the fairway or on the tee boxes. I think given the choice I'd rather play off grass from the first cut of rough

 

[birdieman]

I played the Old course off mats in March a few tears ago. It was blowing a hoolie, about 4 degrees but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. The mats aren't so bad, they guarantee a very good lie but choke down a little to account for thr thickness of the mat. Off the fairway you dont need to use them.
Greens were as normal, tees were temps but ok and didn't shorten the course.

 

[Smiffy]

the thought hadn't actually entered my head til the caddy told me 'f##k that mate,ya no paying £59 to play off a mat,I'll keep the eyes open and you lot get on with it'.

I'd have paid extra to have that particular caddy with me

 

[Faldo_Fan]

I'd be gutted if i had managed to get a slot on the Old Course and then been handed a piece of astro-turf!!!

I can stand in my back garden or go down the range if i want to hit balls from astro-turf!!!!