Playing the Old Course Solo...

[Orikoru]

£200?
Way more than that these days innit?

No idea, I didn't really look properly.

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

It's not for me. Don't think I'd ever want to spend over £100 on a green fee as my worst fear would be playing terribly and going home miserable - least of all trying to do so off of no sleep and virtually guaranteeing it.

 

[evemccc]

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

If you’re serious about going for the singles queue, I’d definitely do it, but absolutely maximise your chance of enjoying the day by 1) choosing to go when the forecast is very likely to be fine and 2) you arrive sufficiently early enough to all but guarantee you get a tee-time

Think of the energy spent, lost weekend, and petrol cost of a wasted journey if you didn’t get on it…that in itself is costly enough from Worcester plus the day off work if you need to
take a days leave..

If you want to do it, and only you can know if it’s worth it for you, do it properly and arrive early (take lots of warm clothes and food and a thermos of tea even!)

Edit: have a back-up plan if you don’t get on…The New or Jubilee, see St Andrews the town, play Dunbar or Goswick on the way back (both stunning courses)

 

[pendodave]

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.

I agree. I'd be utterly frazzled.
Which is why I entered the 2 day ballot, got a nice mid morning tee time and had a lovely day.
Ymmv.
I wouldn't worry too much about playing well. I didn't (worry), just really enjoyed taking in the golfing experience. It's not a hard course - when I added up my numbers at the end, I had a 76...

 

[evemccc]

I agree. I'd be utterly frazzled.
Which is why I entered the 2 day ballot, got a nice mid morning tee time and had a lovely day.
Ymmv.
I wouldn't worry too much about playing well. I didn't (worry), just really enjoyed taking in the golfing experience. It's not a hard course - when I added up my numbers at the end, I had a 76...

But you cannot enter the ballot as a solo….unless something has changed since last year

 

[Bdill93]

No idea, I didn't really look properly.


It's not for me. Don't think I'd ever want to spend over £100 on a green fee as my worst fear would be playing terribly and going home miserable - least of all trying to do so off of no sleep and virtually guaranteeing it.

There's only two places in the world that I would (unless part of a larger package)!

 

[Deleted member 29109]

There's only two places in the world that I would (unless part of a larger package)!

There are a few places I would pay three figures to play. The Old Course isn’t one of them.

 

[Maninblack4612]

I played the Old Course 3 times in the late 60s. Had a mate at university there, it cost, from memory, about £2 for residents & their guests. My mate was so fond of girls, golf, beer & folk music that he failed his finals & I got another chance to play there after his resits. Had a plan before lockdown to consult the weather forecast, enter the ballot &, if successful, find accommodation & travel up the next day. Lockdown put paid to that & the cost now is just ridiculous. Would love to play it one more time, but it would need to be on a warm, dry, not too windy day.

 

[Maninblack4612]

£200?
Way more than that these days innit?

£295 high season AND they make you book another course as well.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

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.

Playing TOC the first time is an amazing experience, the adrenalin would carry you through. I've played it and reading this thread is tempting me to try the singles route just for the experience and craic.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

No idea, I didn't really look properly.


It's not for me. Don't think I'd ever want to spend over £100 on a green fee as my worst fear would be playing terribly and going home miserable - least of all trying to do so off of no sleep and virtually guaranteeing it.

I suspect it’s down to you being new to golf

For many the Old Course is the Holy Grail , it’s the Wembley or Centre Court or Lords of Golf

A lot of us grew up watching during the 80’s when there was mainly only 3/4 events on Telly - The Open , The Masters , Wentworth and The Ryder Cup

That’s the courses we wanted to play and The Old Course was the top of tree

And that’s why people like me would happily queue to play it or join a ballot to play

It’s a bucket list for 99% of the golfers

 

[Bratty]

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

Stay with them on the way home and play Silloth!

 

[Jimaroid]

£295 high season AND they make you book another course as well.

Not quite right.

If you want a guaranteed tee time a year+ in advance the only way is through the advanced time packages. With those you’re buying a package through a tour operator or directly with the Links Trust. It’s a package by definition and tee times are generally limited. That’s a little bit different to the majority of daily tee times which are ballot only and there’s no requirement to play any other courses.

 

[Orikoru]

I suspect it’s down to you being new to golf

For many the Old Course is the Holy Grail , it’s the Wembley or Centre Court or Lords of Golf

A lot of us grew up watching during the 80’s when there was mainly only 3/4 events on Telly - The Open , The Masters , Wentworth and The Ryder Cup

That’s the courses we wanted to play and The Old Course was the top of tree

And that’s why people like me would happily queue to play it or join a ballot to play

It’s a bucket list for 99% of the golfers

What's 'new to golf' now, anything in the last 20 years? I know what you mean I just don't feel that way. Same if I paid a lot of money to play football at Wembley and then had a terrible game I would feel awful then as well. My own performance has a huge impact on my enjoyment of golf so paying 200 or 300 quid to play is a risk. I could genuinely walk away from The Old Course saying I hated it because I played cack. Just the way I am.

 

[TigerTime]

I've found a couple of people for the ballot through the site posted on the first page. Fingers crossed we get on.

Only way golf could get better for me would be Augusta or Sawgrass and I don't envision me paying for Sawgrass any soon and obviously Augusta is never going to happen.

 

[IanM]

Like most things. You either want to play there or you don't. No problem either way.

 

[PJ87]

What's 'new to golf' now, anything in the last 20 years? I know what you mean I just don't feel that way. Same if I paid a lot of money to play football at Wembley and then had a terrible game I would feel awful then as well. My own performance has a huge impact on my enjoyment of golf so paying 200 or 300 quid to play is a risk. I could genuinely walk away from The Old Course saying I hated it because I played cack. Just the way I am.

I'm with you but each to their own

In few years I plan to do st Andrews , few day trip with a golf pass for the other courses .. we will enter the ballot for a couple days and if we get on happy days Pay the fee, but I won't but queuing up at stupid o'clock

If get on or not will still be a fantastic time

 

[Deleted member 31467]

I'm with you but each to their own

In few years I plan to do st Andrews , few day trip with a golf pass for the other courses .. we will enter the ballot for a couple days and if we get on happy days Pay the fee, but I won't but queuing up at stupid o'clock

If get on or not will still be a fantastic time

I didn't play the Old course until my 3rd trip to St Andrews. If you go and don't play it you will kick yourself.

 

[sunshine]

Like most things. You either want to play there or you don't. No problem either way.

For me, it generally depends on the amount of alcohol I have drunk.

 

[IanM]

I'm with you but each to their own

In few years I plan to do st Andrews , few day trip with a golf pass for the other courses .. we will enter the ballot for a couple days and if we get on happy days Pay the fee, but I won't but queuing up at stupid o'clock

If get on or not will still be a fantastic time

Get on their website and you'll not need the ballot

 

[Bratty]

I've found a couple of people for the ballot through the site posted on the first page. Fingers crossed we get on.

Only way golf could get better for me would be Augusta or Sawgrass and I don't envision me paying for Sawgrass any soon and obviously Augusta is never going to happen.

Good luck, mate. I really hope you get to play it!