Playing the Old Course Solo...

[Oddsocks]

Any recommendations on tour operators for a group of 4/8

 

[howbow88]

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

I duffed my drive, but it still went quite a way because the ground was so hard, then put my second in the burn, then got up and down for a bogey. After that, I was away.

I can understand why some people wouldn't bother with the effort, but I think as a one off it is great fun. A bit like Glastonbury, I guess. Do you want to get caked in mud and stand in the rain for several hours to watch and listen to a musician? Not really but as a one off experience, it will be something you'll remember forever.

As for the price... I think it is too expensive now, which is a shame as I would love to play it again one day.

But I will say that a poster on here who talks about fear of playing badly there... Just do it. It's very much a Hollywood cliche and it's not always true, but in life we regret the things we didn't try - not the things we did try that didn't quite work out.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Missing out on the best experience in golf.

In your opinion. Mine differs. Neither of us is wrong.

 

[howbow88]

I think you're both wrong

Is it the best experience in golf? Not in my opinion. Should everyone try it once though? Yes, in my opinion. Saying that, the price now makes it harder to justify to anyone who isn't convinced.

The only thing that will ever make them bring the price back down will be if there is an utterly drastic change to the USD/GBP exchange rate. For the Americans right now, it's basically a bargain compared to equivalent courses in the US, eg Pebble Beach, Sawgrass, etc. All the talk of clawing back money lost from Covid is such a nonsense.

 

[rystaman]

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 here, I feel like I'd be absolutely knackered and it'd ruin the magical experience

 

[Bratty]

I think you're both wrong

Is it the best experience in golf? Not in my opinion. Should everyone try it once though? Yes, in my opinion. Saying that, the price now makes it harder to justify to anyone who isn't convinced.

The only thing that will ever make them bring the price back down will be if there is an utterly drastic change to the USD/GBP exchange rate. For the Americans right now, it's basically a bargain compared to equivalent courses in the US, eg Pebble Beach, Sawgrass, etc. All the talk of clawing back money lost from Covid is such a nonsense.

Pebble Beach is $695 in August, so the Old Course appears a bargain!

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Any recommendations on tour operators for a group of 4/8

try Morton Golf… https://mortongolf.com/

 

[IanM]

I agree here, I feel like I'd be absolutely knackered and it'd ruin the magical experience

It's easily bookable every autumn on line for the following calendar year. Plan ahead, get a comfy bed and decent food!

I'm not that bothered about score when I play somewhere special. That said, absolutely chopping it round will take the gloss off the experience!

 

[pendodave]

Pebble Beach is $695 in August, so the Old Course appears a bargain!

I know some courses in Scotland have residents' rates. Perhaps TOC and similar could offer UK rates to take account of us being jolly poor down here too.
Sadly, the golf industry is not alone in using recent events to hike up prices while pointing "over there".

 

[rystaman]

It's easily bookable every autumn on line for the following calendar year. Plan ahead, get a comfy bed and decent food!

I'm not that bothered about score when I play somewhere special. That said, absolutely chopping it round will take the gloss off the experience!

I think I need to find a mate to go round with haha. Considering I'm shooting 90-100 right now, I'd feel very upset to pay that much and chop it round

 

[rystaman]

I know some courses in Scotland have residents' rates. Perhaps TOC and similar could offer UK rates to take account of us being jolly poor down here too.
Sadly, the golf industry is not alone in using recent events to hike up prices while pointing "over there".

I bet because places like Kingsbarns charge over £300 for a round to cater for the visiting Americans so no wonder the St Andrew's Links Trust put the fees up...

Golf in the US costs a ridiculous amount and they do have much higher salaries than us over here in the UK.

 

[pendodave]

I think I need to find a mate to go round with haha. Considering I'm shooting 90-100 right now, I'd feel very upset to pay that much and chop it round

It really is a very comfortable course to chop it around on. There's not much trouble off the tees apart from bunkers, so not much looking for balls. Topped shots run for miles, and you can putt from anywhere.
The main downsides I've seen when watching from the neighbouring courses is that it gets pretty full up in the summer, which can be tiresome. Avoided by playing off season or in the evening.

 

[IanM]

Pebble Beach is $695 in August, so the Old Course appears a bargain!

You get much better rates as packages in the hotels... I was a Sawgrass in 2008. We'd paid about £1000 for a week there inc golf. Bloke in front of me in the pro shop just showed up to pay rack rate..was about 350 dollars back then!

Americans come here to play proper links with history, the price just helps! You don't see many Americans at the Belfry!

 

[Bratty]

You get much better rates as packages in the hotels... I was a Sawgrass in 2008. We'd paid about £1000 for a week there inc golf. Bloke in front of me in the pro shop just showed up to pay rack rate..was about 350 dollars back then!

Americans come here to play proper links with history, the price just helps! You don't see many Americans at the Belfry!

That was through the hotel!!!
And 2008 is a long time ago in golf price terms.

 

[IanM]

That was through the hotel!!!
And 2008 is a long time ago in golf price terms.

Yep, @Crow is now using the clubs I played that day!

 

[Crow]

Yep, @Crow is now using the clubs I played that day!

2008?
I wouldn't sully the house with clubs that aren't at least 30 years old.

 

[KenL]

In your opinion. Mine differs. Neither of us is wrong.

Give us your highlight then...

 

[IanM]

Neither of us is wrong.

Completely agree… I might not understand though!

 

[Oddsocks]

try Morton Golf… https://mortongolf.com/

There’s a good 6 day package on there but I’m scared to ask the cost………

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Give us your highlight then...

Other than playing with my sim and watching him improve. Playing a round with a major winner would be one of my highlights.

I’m not a fan of links golf. I’ve tried it, I don’t get it. I know that’s sacrilegious to some, especially those of you from Scotland.