Playing the Old Course Solo...

[Bratty]

So you can queue up all night, choose a late tee time when the hut opens at 6am, then go to bed for a few hours?

Yep. Just set 5 alarms!

 

[Slab]

I might just do that. I'm planning on going on the 7th or 10th if possible. Might just even stay home and get up at 3am.

Isn't one or both of those easter public holidays in Scotland
Dunno if it makes any difference but best to be aware

 

[Bratty]

Isn't one or both of those easter public holidays in Scotland
Dunno if it makes any difference but best to be aware

Fair point.
Friday is a public holiday, but Easter Monday isn't a Bank Holiday in Scotland.

 

[Jimaroid]

Singles queue on the Old is something everyone should have on their golf bucket list. Yes, it can be a lottery, but this time of year the weekdays you can pretty much guarantee you’ll walk on.

When I first got my links ticket I used the single queue a lot. Some days I turned up 7am on a Saturday and walked straight into a waiting group. Other days I turned up at 5 and got told there’s no chance. It definitely gets busy around bigger tournaments and tourism weeks.

Take a look at the ballot the couple of days before play and you can get an idea of how many spaces there will be for singles. Just be aware that some groups will not permit a single to join them, that’s their right and it’s nothing to worry about.

It’s a pretty unique and adds to the magic of the whole experience. You’re looked after by the staff and they will do their best to get you on. Best of all you’ll likely meet and play with people who also feel the same. Via the single queue I’ve played with all sorts of people and never had a bad day.

 

[sweaty sock]

I agree with jimaroid, I went in august, got to st andrews about 1230am was 6th in queue. Spent the night geeking out with americans, we generally held places for tea and coffee runs, though i never left. Queue increased at a pretty steady rate with a burst at about 4am that got it to around 30 people. It was a great exoerience as the sun rose, fog rolled in, dew came and went. Starter arrived and let us in, the guys in front got a free tee time for a 4 ball, a single got out at about 1030, I was offered a time immediately, or a guaranteed time at 330pm. I also had the chance to in effect ask nicely for a few other times that were described as not guaranteed- i assume this means someone else has paid for them so could tell me 'no'. I happily took the 330pm time, slept in the car for a few hours, got breakfast in the clubhouse, explored St Andrews, went to the range, looked in the golf shops, booked a caddy and basically had a great day!

I reckon about half of the queue got to play, with the guy behind me getting the last 'guaranteed' time....

Highly recommend.

 

[Bazz]

For an idea how the queue can be sometimes, the guys at No Laying Up did it.

 

[Old Colner]

Thinking the Friday or Monday around Masters weekend would be my best bet. The website doesn't have those dates as busy days. Other option is to use the site posted above but not sure how legit it is, and of course theres no guarantees in the ballot.

I don't know if it will make any difference but just making you aware that this is also Easter weekend.

 

[Bdill93]

This thread has led me to achieving no work this morning and fully looking in to a trip to TOC

 

[Bdill93]

This thread has led me to achieving no work this morning and fully looking in to a trip to TOC

Id easily camp out overnight, not an issue at all, its the "where to sleep in the interim" that I wonder about!

 

[IanM]

This thread has led me to achieving no work this morning and fully looking in to a trip to TOC

We can get a convoy up the M5

 

[Bdill93]

We can get a convoy up the M5

I'm honestly looking into it... 10 hour drive for me from Worcester but I do have family in Carlisle so could pit stop an early overnight and then finish my drive to arrive around 2am in St andrews, then just take the earliest tee offered... If I get offered...

If I don't I'm stuck in St Andrews with no accom

 

[Orikoru]

Some of you are mental. Queuing up all the night to then play a round of golf off 3 hours kip or something? Nothing is worth that. Can't imagine how rubbish I'd play in that scenario, completely ruining the day no matter what course it is. A sleep-deprived zombie hack around St Andrews. Dear me.

 

[Bdill93]

Some of you are mental. Queuing up all the night to then play a round of golf off 3 hours kip or something? Nothing is worth that. Can't imagine how rubbish I'd play in that scenario, completely ruining the day no matter what course it is. A sleep-deprived zombie hack around St Andrews. Dear me.

Its the old course!

Id never do it for another UK course and only really for Augusta otherwise.

What are the chances of me booking a 4 ball there? Slim to none id imagine!

 

[Deleted member 15717]

When I was up there in May last year, a couple of our group got up at 4am to head down to the hut for the friday.

They were 7th in the queue, with a couple of guys having got there before midnight at the front.

I can imagine it being a cool experience to do the singles queue, if in the area....to drive up there especially for it? Got to be a nutter. Find a friend and try and ballot

 

[Bdill93]

When I was up there in May last year, a couple of our group got up at 4am to head down to the hut for the friday.

They were 7th in the queue, with a couple of guys having got there before midnight at the front.

I can imagine it being a cool experience to do the singles queue, if in the area....to drive up there especially for it? Got to be a nutter. Find a friend and try and ballot

Did your mates get on?

 

[Orikoru]

Its the old course!

Id never do it for another UK course and only really for Augusta otherwise.

What are the chances of me booking a 4 ball there? Slim to none id imagine!

So that just means it costs me £200 for a sleep-deprived hack. Great. Honestly I would be thoroughly miserable if I spent 200 big ones to barely keep my eyes open and chop it round in 120 shots or something.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Did your mates get on?

Yup, they did...fairly swiftly I believe. I think the americans in front opted for some later times, so they slipped in the early tee times and were in the first few groups going out.

 

[Bdill93]

So that just means it costs me £200 for a sleep-deprived hack. Great. Honestly I would be thoroughly miserable if I spent 200 big ones to barely keep my eyes open and chop it round in 120 shots or something.

Surely you now know a lot can be achieved on little sleep as a new dad!

The excitement of it all would keep me going, few hours kip in the car between the wait and the golf - no issue.

Its the getting home afterwards - and the getting there that put me off

 

[Deleted member 25575]

So that just means it costs me £200 for a sleep-deprived hack. Great. Honestly I would be thoroughly miserable if I spent 200 big ones to barely keep my eyes open and chop it round in 120 shots or something.

£200?
Way more than that these days innit?

 

[Bdill93]

Yup, they did...fairly swiftly I believe. I think the americans in front opted for some later times, so they slipped in the early tee times and were in the first few groups going out.

This only sells it to me more