Open Competitions 2024

[jiggins]

It's that time again - planning Open Competitions for 2024.

For the past few years me and my friends have ventured to Devon for a weekend, to play in the RND Easter Medal and Saunton Easter Challenge.

This year we are looking for a different challenge, and open to visiting anywhere in the UK. Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations on other great weekends of golf like Easter in Devon?

What Opens have you got lined up for 2024?

 

[IanM]

Did you get blown off the course last Easter? I also played in the RND Easter Medal in 2023... good event

Got a trip to the Highlands to play Castle Stuart in a 36 hole event. Playing other courses en route up and back.

Spookily I am sat at a PC right round scouring Golf Empire for this years Opens!

 

[Captain_Black.]

I'm knocking my opens back a bit this year, mainly due to almost everyone increasing their costs.
I'll probably do half a dozen at most.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I've got two opens lined up so far.

Both at my club.

 

[Billysboots]

So far got Beau Desert, Coxmoor, and Hallamshire with a couple of others in the pipeline.

 

[BiMGuy]

It would be nice if more opens were actually open rather than age restricted to seniors.

 

[KenL]

Only got Eyemouth in March booked so far.

 

[Billysboots]

I’d like to play more Opens but have to say that I am starting to see prices creeping up a bit.

The worst example is Hollinwell, which a group of us used to play religiously every year. When I first went, not that many years ago, it was around £40-50 per person, including coffee and bacon roll on arrival and a 2-course meal afterwards - a carvery or similar.

We looked at going back this year until we saw the same event (the am-am) is now £105 per person, and the after round carvery is now sandwiches and chips.

I know Hollinwell is a really top track, but Coxmoor has cost me almost half that and is every bit as good. If people want to pay silly money to play courses like Hollinwell, good luck to them. But Opens always used to be a good opportunity to play courses at a reasonable price. In comparison to others, Hollinwell is now taking the mickey.

 

[IanM]

I've got two opens lined up so far.

Both at my club.

I don't play my Home Opens. My thinking is "why pay to play my own course" while knowing some bonkers score is going to win it anyway

 

[Captain_Black.]

I don't play my Home Opens. My thinking is "why pay to play my own course" while knowing some bonkers score is going to win it anyway

Yeah, I'm the same.
I'm going to play more team golf this year, instead of opens, because everyone is charging too much.
I can play a team match home or away for about £15.00 inc food afterwards & there is loads to choose from at my club.

 

[jiggins]

Did you get blown off the course last Easter? I also played in the RND Easter Medal in 2023... good event

Got a trip to the Highlands to play Castle Stuart in a 36 hole event. Playing other courses en route up and back.

Spookily I am sat at a PC right round scouring Golf Empire for this years Opens!

Was definitely windy - stark contrast to the relatively calm conditions we had in 2022.


Definitely agree with a lot of comments on here regards the rising costs - seen some clubs really up the costs for Opens. However, many clubs know that they will still become fully booked due to the popularity.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I don't play my Home Opens. My thinking is "why pay to play my own course" while knowing some bonkers score is going to win it anyway

Because it gives me the chance to invite 3 forumers each time.

 

[upsidedown]

Bideford Pairs so far

 

[HeftyHacker]

We've booked Manchester, carden Park and fairhaven today, with Silloth planned when that goes live next week.

Will also have a look at the others we enjoyed this year such as pleasington, stockport and Bolton old links.

 

[Rlburnside]

I’m looking at booking 3 opens in Kent and Sussex, costs have gone up a lot.

 

[full_throttle]

I've got four senior Opens booked,

Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands
Painswick
Abergele
Prestatyn

and I'm hoping to partner VoyagerEMH at the Captains Charity Open.

then I have an Invitation at Copsewood, and a NHDS Charity Open at Bulwell Forest

 

[nickjdavis]

My now annual pilgrimage up to Scotland to play in the Moray Open at the end of July.

Might see if I can get in and play the Silver Barrell at Ipswich GC this year as its only three or four thinned lob wedges from my front door....usually pretty good value for 36 holes round a cracking Braid course.

Was going to give the Royal Norwich Seniors Open a go but just looked and its no longer an individual event, now its a pairs betterball for £160 a pair.

Might have a scout round Golf Empire to see if there is anything that catches my eye.

 

[Wabinez]

Might see if I can get in and play the Silver Barrell at Ipswich GC this year

Hopefully it will be better weather than last year. That morning was griiiiiim.

Got 2 booked so far - West Surrey and Fortrose and Rosemarkie. Will try for some others, but usually play Scratch opens, as that is where the good value is....but handicap has crept up since last year, so might not ballot well

 

[GG26]

Last year I tried to get into an open at Northamptonshire County, but they had dropped the HI limit to 18.0 and I was around 19.7 at the time.

As I dropped down to 16.4 in 2023 I have booked both Northamptonshire County and Copt Heath (18.2 limit) just in case I go back up during 2024.

I love playing in opens and must have played in at least 15 last year.

I agree with the comments on the prices going up, especially the better courses. Hollnwell is the one course in the East Midlands that I really want to play that I have yet to, but at over £100 a round, that's too much. Its the same with Little Aston in the West Midlands.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I've got four senior Opens booked,

Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands
Painswick
Abergele
Prestatyn

and I'm hoping to partner VoyagerEMH at the Captains Charity Open.

then I have an Invitation at Copsewood, and a NHDS Charity Open at Bulwell Forest

Just seen the diary. Our charity AmAm is the same day as Smiffy's Cooden meet.
Not even sure yet whether invitees will be allowed as they have been before, because they are making it a shotgun start this year - more limited number of teams.