Playing the Old Course Solo...

[Deleted member 25575]

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 am heading up there tomorrow on a 3 day pass.
Booked the Jubilee, Balgrove and Castle for tomorrow, Castle for Saturday afternoon, will probably play the Strath on Sat Am and finish up on Sunday on the Eden in the morning and will do the New in the afternoon.
Love St Andrews

 

[IanM]

I am heading up there tomorrow on a 3 day pass.
Booked the Jubilee, Balgrove and Castle for tomorrow, Castle for Saturday afternoon, will probably play the Strath on Sat Am and finish up on Sunday on the Eden in the morning and will do the New in the afternoon.
Love St Andrews

Get it done........we pass this way but once!

 

[howbow88]

Just to share my own experience... This was when I went in September 2018

I got to the Pavillion a couple of minutes before 5am. As I approached the small building, I didn't see anyone and so I thought 'great, I'm in here!' Only to see that a couple of guys had used the benches as makeshift beds There were a couple more in sleeping bags on the floor and as I turned the corner, there were more people waiting. I ended up being 13th in the queue - the two guys on benches had got there at 11pm!!!

The first hour went slowly but the following one flew by, as the sun starting to show and staff slowly arrived. At 7am we got inside and shortly after registering with the very friendly lady behind the counter, the Ryder Cup started on TV and so that was something to watch. Those early in the queue got out straight away, and a few more were given confirmed times for later in the day. We were told that there was an R&A comp from 9am - 11am that we wouldn't be able to join, so if we weren't out before 9am it would make sense to come back in a couple of hours and try again.

Slowly people starting to 'get lucky'. Before I knew it, I was 3rd in line and had 2 brothers in front of me... At 08:18 the helpful lady came over and said she needed 1 golfer for the 08:20 time! The two brothers weren't so keen to separate and so the slot was passed to me, and after the world's quickest stretch and £180 - I was teeing off on the 1st at The Old Course!

I didn't play too bad - 85, 1 over handicap Thanks again for the advice on here!

 

[sunshine]

Just to share my own experience... This was when I went in September 2018

I got to the Pavillion a couple of minutes before 5am. As I approached the small building, I didn't see anyone and so I thought 'great, I'm in here!' Only to see that a couple of guys had used the benches as makeshift beds There were a couple more in sleeping bags on the floor and as I turned the corner, there were more people waiting. I ended up being 13th in the queue - the two guys on benches had got there at 11pm!!!

The first hour went slowly but the following one flew by, as the sun starting to show and staff slowly arrived. At 7am we got inside and shortly after registering with the very friendly lady behind the counter, the Ryder Cup started on TV and so that was something to watch. Those early in the queue got out straight away, and a few more were given confirmed times for later in the day. We were told that there was an R&A comp from 9am - 11am that we wouldn't be able to join, so if we weren't out before 9am it would make sense to come back in a couple of hours and try again.

Slowly people starting to 'get lucky'. Before I knew it, I was 3rd in line and had 2 brothers in front of me... At 08:18 the helpful lady came over and said she needed 1 golfer for the 08:20 time! The two brothers weren't so keen to separate and so the slot was passed to me, and after the world's quickest stretch and £180 - I was teeing off on the 1st at The Old Course!

I didn't play too bad - 85, 1 over handicap Thanks again for the advice on here!

Thanks for sharing - an experience I'm sure you will remember for a long time! And you got to play it before the price went crazy!

However, that just sounds like a nightmare to me. Getting up at 4am in the middle of the night, huddling outside in the cold for 2 hours with people lying on the floor in sleeping bags or stretched out on park benches like tramps. Then after over 3 hour wait, being given 2 minutes to rush to the first tee, cold and stiff from all the waiting. I'd probably shank it OOB after that

 

[Bratty]

Sounds like I'm playing Tuesday with last year's R&A Captain. The chap who handed the trophy to Cam Smith!
And suggestions how to avoid embarrassing myself, other than staying at home?

 

[IanM]

No pink castle tees?

That'll be fun, have a great time

 

[evemccc]

Sounds like I'm playing Tuesday with last year's R&A Captain. The chap who handed the trophy to Cam Smith!
And suggestions how to avoid embarrassing myself, other than staying at home?

If you get on well with him, ask him about sponsoring your application to join the R&A also?

 

[Bratty]

If you get on well with him, ask him about sponsoring your application to join the R&A also?

Hahaha! 500 miles is a long way to go for a weekend round!
He did say he'd have taken me for a drink at the R&A clubhouse, but it's under repair!

 

[TigerTime]

Made an executive decison. Got two pairs for the ballot on the 7th and two for the 10th. Will try for both and if no luck, will head up on the Monday morning.

 

[Bratty]

Made an executive decison. Got two pairs for the ballot on the 7th and two for the 10th. Will try for both and if no luck, will head up on the Monday morning.

Good luck!!

 

[Beezerk]

Sounds like I'm playing Tuesday with last year's R&A Captain. The chap who handed the trophy to Cam Smith!
And suggestions how to avoid embarrassing myself, other than staying at home?

That’s sounds amazing.
Obviously a GM Forum meet must get mentioned at some point during the round

 

[Bratty]

That’s sounds amazing.
Obviously a GM Forum meet must get mentioned at some point during the round

Hahaha! Yeah, but it'll be a Northerner only one! I'm not coming all that way again any time soon!

 

[IJames]

Sounds like I'm playing Tuesday with last year's R&A Captain. The chap who handed the trophy to Cam Smith!
And suggestions how to avoid embarrassing myself, other than staying at home?

Even more pressure on the 1st tee shot then! (Plenty of room left btw). Just relax and enjoy the round; it will be memorable!

 

[Bratty]

Even more pressure on the 1st tee shot then! (Plenty of room left btw). Just relax and enjoy the round; it will be memorable!

At the risk of sounding like a real Richard, I have played it twice before. Once pretty well and once pretty badly! Left is best almost the whole way round from memory!
But it's good advice, thank you. I will certainly enjoy it.

 

[evemccc]

Hahaha! Yeah, but it'll be a Northerner only one! I'm not coming all that way again any time soon!

Is it your first time at TOC?

Others will have played it more and will have perhaps more specialised advice, but here goes:

1) Definitely don’t go in to the strath bunker on 11…really make sure you don’t!
2) Don’t hit an iron on the 12th tee, the driver is definitely the play
3) The Road hole tee-shot isn’t really intimidating, unless your bad-shot is a very bad fade / slice
4) Don’t three-putt from 10 ft on the 18th like I did…you likely won’t ever forgive yourself

 

[evemccc]

At the risk of sounding like a real Richard, I have played it twice before. Once pretty well and once pretty badly! Left is best almost the whole way round from memory!
But it's good advice, thank you. I will certainly enjoy it.

ahhh played it already…didn’t see this
ignore my post

 

[Bratty]

Is it your first time at TOC?

Others will have played it more and will have perhaps more specialised advice, but here goes:

1) Definitely don’t go in to the strath bunker on 11…really make sure you don’t!
2) Don’t hit an iron on the 12th tee, the driver is definitely the play
3) The Road hole tee-shot isn’t really intimidating, unless your bad-shot is a very bad fade / slice
4) Don’t three-putt from 10 ft on the 18th like I did…you likely won’t ever forgive yourself

1) agreed. I didn't go in a single bunker the first time I played it and shot 82 off 13! Birdied 1st, 9th and 11th!
2) Totally agree. Hit 4 iron 2nd time and regretted it.
3) Guess what shape my bad shot is! Clue: the windows of the hotel aren't safe!
4) Been there, done that!
Thanks for the advice.

 

[YandaB]

1) agreed. I didn't go in a single bunker the first time I played it and shot 82 off 13! Birdied 1st, 9th and 11th!
2) Totally agree. Hit 4 iron 2nd time and regretted it.
3) Guess what shape my bad shot is! Clue: the windows of the hotel aren't safe!
4) Been there, done that!
Thanks for the advice.

If you are truly skilled, you play the correct amount of fade for it to bounce off the rubber tiles on the hotel roof and end up in the middle of the fairway = easy par

 

[Bratty]

If you are truly skilled, you play the correct amount of fade for it to bounce off the rubber tiles on the hotel roof and end up in the middle of the fairway = easy par

That's what I'll go for then! Can I send the bill to you direct?
Par'd it first time with 4 iron, 4 iron, chip and putt. Easy.

 

[KenL]

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

Missing out on the best experience in golf.