Old Course Singles Ballot

[TigerTime]

I entered the singles ballot for the Old Course yesterday, I am 7th on the wait list for today. I’ve checked my live position sporadically since and it’s not moved. I had a look at the ballot results for the tee sheet and there was about 12 empty spaces. The text says:
“All tee times currently available have now been allocated. You have therefore been placed on a waiting list.”

Doe this mean that those 12 gaps have been filled up and now I’m 7th on the list behind that? Or does it mean those gaps in tee times are going to be filled with the waitlist (so I have a chance?)

I am pondering whether it’s worth potentially wasting my day driving up to St. Andrews (2hr) or if that’s just going to be a colossal waste of time and I could get a game elsewhere.

I haven’t played the Castle before, so contemplated asking for a tee time there today as an alternative so it wouldn’t be a wasted trip as such. No idea where I’d ask about that.

Any thoughts?

 

[abjectplop]

I think if you phone them and ask they'll have a good idea if you'll get out or not

 

[Trapdraw]

I entered the singles ballot for the Old Course yesterday, I am 7th on the wait list for today. I’ve checked my live position sporadically since and it’s not moved. I had a look at the ballot results for the tee sheet and there was about 12 empty spaces. The text says:
“All tee times currently available have now been allocated. You have therefore been placed on a waiting list.”

Doe this mean that those 12 gaps have been filled up and now I’m 7th on the list behind that? Or does it mean those gaps in tee times are going to be filled with the waitlist (so I have a chance?)

I am pondering whether it’s worth potentially wasting my day driving up to St. Andrews (2hr) or if that’s just going to be a colossal waste of time and I could get a game elsewhere.

I haven’t played the Castle before, so contemplated asking for a tee time there today as an alternative so it wouldn’t be a wasted trip as such. No idea where I’d ask about that.

Any thoughts?

The R&A get every other tee time I think, I would take much notice of the ballot results.
If people drop out or tee times become available, you’ll move up the list and then get a text to say to go to the pavilion ready to play. But you still might not get on.
Good luck
Go to the New Course club house and ask about the Castle course there.

 

[louise_a]

I dont know about this time of year, but it used to that if you had an advanced booking, if you were not a fourball they would ask if you minded someone joining you but you could say no. This may account for some of the gaps.

 

[Bratty]

If you're free all day, it's absolutely worth the drive up and get on one of the courses if you don't get the Old.
You should be able to call any of the courses and they'll know where spare tee times are across all their courses.
Good luck.

 

[Bratty]

@TigerTime - so, what happened?

 

[CliveW]

You certainly couldn’t have got a better day considering the time year.

 

[KenL]

The R&A get every other tee time I think, I would take much notice of the ballot results.

I don’t think they get that many times.

 

[TigerTime]

@TigerTime - so, what happened?

Sorry just seen this.

Well, I got up, checked my position on the waiting list, was still at 8. Thought I had no chance if a small one, so started looking for games elsewhere. Was sitting about 7.30 casually having my breakfast and kept an eye on it. Noticed the wait list was going down so got myself prepared and started driving towards St. Andrews. I had been in the car for about 55 minutes and I only just got through the Edinburgh traffic which would usually take 20-30 mins on a clear day, was approaching 9am. I managed to check my position on the wait list and it said '1' so I thought oh I'll maybe get one of the dark times if anything.

Was just approaching the Queensferry Crossing and they called me and offered me a time at 10am. The sat nav had me arriving there at 10:10am. I explained that I was on route but unfortunately had to say no as there was no feasible way for me to make it there in time. They said to come up to the pavilion anyway and they'd see what they could do. Got there at bang on 10:10am. Guy on the desk said he was gonna try get me on but I'd have to wait nearby. So I did, had some food and had a putt. It was then approaching about 11 and I checked with them again, they said my only hope was one of the students didn't turn up. It was too late to go anywhere else by this point so I just waited it out. Checked again just after 12, and they said all the students had checked in for their tee times so nothing they could do for me. I did speak to one of the caddies who saw me waiting around, and he suggested that they just let me go out as a single at the end on the tee sheet and then he went and spoke to the staff, but I did see the staff member shake his head in disapproval out of the corner of my eye.

I've played the the old course before, I done the singles queue last year which was a magical experience, but this experience left a sour taste in my mouth. As a Scottish resident, it made no financial sense for me to stay in St. Andrews the night before when I'm only (on a traffic clear day) 1hr 30 mins away, and especially considering I was 8th in the supposed 'random' draw. So not only had I driven up the day before just to put my name into a tablet, I had wasted another day going up there for no reason. I felt even worse when I saw the weather and the conditions. The new singles ballot basically caters to those who are in St. Andrews overnight or staying there for a period of time, and I can appreciate the reason for that, but it also caters to the golf tourist at the expensive of somebody like myself. Of course I understand the importance of golf tourism in the St. Andrews eco system - just seems a bit silly not to have a better option for people like myself who don't live so far away etc. A flaw in the new ballot system perhaps.

I definitely should've got up earlier and got up there for 7/8am or something so that's on me, but being 8th on a waiting list didn't exactly entice me to do that. Especially when I looked at the tee sheet and most of the free slots were later in the day. If they had just said to me when I got there that it was unlikely I would've went and tried to get a time for the New, Jubilee or Eden instead.

I love St. Andrews but the experience did take a bit of the shine off the place for me.

 

[TigerTime]

I should add, that there are of course other ways to play the old course.

the 48 hour ballot - I am currently 0 for 9 on this and have never been lucky with it
Advanced bookings - Never got lucky with it
Tour operator bookings - doesn't make financial sense. Why would I pay well over and above the green fee?

 

[IanM]

Tour operator bookings - doesn't make financial sense. Why would I pay well over and above the green fee?

Cos those blighters have a booking and we don't. Hence they charge a premium to those prepared to pay it. Clearly some do.

 

[upsidedown]

We're using YGT in March to play and from the Links website and hotel website were not paying massively over the odds ,for the guaranteed tee time we're happy

 

[Smokey Lomcevak]

I can’t help but feel that some of the romance of sharing the benches outside in the wee small hours with similarly aspirated golfers has been lost with the new system. Granted my only experience of is was in balmy August, but I have fond memories of both of my singles’ queue attempts - only one of which was successful.