Playing TOC St Andrews

[Neilds]

If you think playing the course will be boring, just think how boring it will be when your mates are still talking about it in 10 years and you are just sat there not able to join in because you didn't play it.

 

[Deleted member 35577]

A windup thread.

 

[IanM]

A windup thread.

I thought so last night when the reference point was The Belfry.

But I gave it the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

People re-write history.
St Andrews is not the home of golf.
Leith Links, Perth North Inch, Mussleburgh, Prestwick and probably a few other venues have a greater claim.

However, the town has probably the best golfing experience atmosphere in the world

 

[Yorkhacker]

If I was a good golfer and I was only going to play it once in my lifetime, then absolutely I would pay £320.
However I'm not, so would rather play 2 or 3 pretty decent courses for the same money.

Having said that, I played TOC, New and Jubilee for £190 in November in good weather (no rain) and although there was a fair amount of work being done and it was fairway mats (Old Course only) it was fantastic and I wouldn't hesitate to do it every year.

Nobody should need to be convinced as to why they should pay £320. If they do, then they probably shouldn't play it as they're unlikely to enjoy it

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I thought so last night when the reference point was The Belfry.

But I gave it the benefit of the doubt.

I played The Belfry around the year 2000 and really enjoyed the experience.
It was a hellish venue and massively overhyped when it first opened but it is now quite decent
Mud sticks.

 

[IanM]

I played The Belfry around the year 2000 and really enjoyed the experience.
It was a hellish venue and massively overhyped when it first opened but it is now quite decent
Mud sticks.

I know the head green keeper Angus. He is doing an amazing job with the conditioning these days too.

Ironically, take away the Ryder Cup "history" and you have a flat parkland next to the motorway network.

 

[D-S]

I know the head green keeper Angus. He is doing an amazing job with the conditioning these days too.

Ironically, take away the Ryder Cup "history" and you have a flat parkland next to the motorway network.

In all fairness take the “2010 effect” away from Celtic Manor and you’ve got a wet, muddy slog.

 

[Voyager EMH]

A windup thread.

I thought so last night when the reference point was The Belfry.

But I gave it the benefit of the doubt.

Not a wind-up in the slightest.
I've played with @Bamberdele2.0 and he is a very genuine guy and loves the game.
He loves playing the game.

This is an approach to golf that I share.

I think £320 is charged to keep people like me away. I got a free invitation to play the Brabazon one time. This was early 1990s at the height of it's Ryder Cup fame. Once was enough.

 

[IanM]

In all fairness take the “2010 effect” away from Celtic Manor and you’ve got a wet, muddy slog.

Yes, absolutely. But you get some nice views across the Usk Valley and towards Wentwood!

 

[Voyager EMH]

Yes, absolutely. But you get some nice views across the Usk Valley and towards Wentwood!

Still not as interesting as a visit to the Roman ruins at Carleon. And this is much cheaper than Celtic Manor.

 

[IanM]

Not a wind-up in the slightest.
I've played with @Bamberdele2.0 and he is a very genuine guy and loves the game.
He loves playing the game.

This is an approach to golf that I share.

I think £320 is charged to keep people like me away. I got a free invite to play the Brabazon one time. This was early 1990s at the height of it's Ryder Cup fame. Once was enough.

Apologies then!

It's not charged to keep anyone "out" it's charged, "Because the can get away with it and it sells out most days!"

And, your 1960s thin trolley wheels do a lot of damage!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I think it’s very clear that playing TOC would be a waste on the OP , if you have already decided it’s a boring flat ugly easy golf course then there is no need to pay anything to play it

For me it was the most nervous I have ever been on a tee box , you can feel the whole history of the sport. There is no other golfing place like it in the world and any true golfer needs to experience it ,

The course itself for me is excellent, it’s a pure links course and it’s full of wonder bumps and hollows and wonder greens and great holes

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I played The Belfry around the year 2000 and really enjoyed the experience.
It was a hellish venue and massively overhyped when it first opened but it is now quite decent
Mud sticks.

Mud is a very good word for the Belfy - it was a great potato but a poor course even if the condition during peak summer is nice

 

[Orikoru]

You could play it on PGA 2k23 on PS4/5 and see how you like the course first?

Joking aside, I do get it. Links isn't my favourite type of course to play on, and that green fee is eye-watering. And don't you have to queue up from the crack of dawn to get on still? I appreciate history a little - less than most on here I should think - but even with the Old Course the holes that stick in your mind are the first, the last two, and maybe the odd par 3 from the middle. I think there's plenty of holes that aren't particularly memorable. It would be nice to be able to say you've played there, but £300 worth of nice? I'm not sure and that will vary from person to person.

 

[Bdill93]

Personally Id play it if I had the opportunity.

If you don't value playing historic courses then I wouldn't bother, especially as you'll be playing a few other top courses during the same week.

However, will that mindset change in 10 years and you wish you had played it then? Could be £500 a round by then too...

Id take the opportunity now if it came about.

 

[Bamberdele2.0]

Difficult to reply to all but these stood out.

You could play it on PGA 2k23 on PS4/5 and see how you like the course first?

Joking aside, I do get it. Links isn't my favourite type of course to play on, and that green fee is eye-watering. And don't you have to queue up from the crack of dawn to get on still? I appreciate history a little - less than most on here I should think - but even with the Old Course the holes that stick in your mind are the first, the last two, and maybe the odd par 3 from the middle. I think there's plenty of holes that aren't particularly memorable. It would be nice to be able to say you've played there, but £300 worth of nice? I'm not sure and that will vary from person to person.

We have played TOC on virtual golf Top Tracer a lot recently.

And I will be honest, it’s my least favourite track on there. I know it wouldn’t be the same in real life but on there it’s

Drive, wedge

Drive, wedge

Drive, wedge

Big yawn

If you think playing the course will be boring, just think how boring it will be when your mates are still talking about it in 10 years and you are just sat there not able to join in because you didn't play it.

It more comes down to the fact I couldn’t afford to play it, and they would be real b*tards to rub that in my face for many years!

To me, it's lik,e eating in many of the fancy or celeb restaurants.

Food experience can be had heaps cheaper, but you're paying for the experience, which sometimes makes you happy you paid more and sometimes not.

I played Gleneagles thirty years ago and my then playing partner and I still talk about that round today.

I splashed out once and took my misses to a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris for her birthday just for the ‘experience’. I paid a fair lump for this fancy meal.

She ended up with the shits. It’s up there with one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had.

 

[Orikoru]

Difficult to reply to all but these stood out.



We have played TOC on virtual golf Top Tracer a lot recently.

And I will be honest, it’s my least favourite track on there. I know it wouldn’t be the same in real life but on there it’s

Drive, wedge

Drive, wedge

Drive, wedge

Big yawn



It more comes down to the fact I couldn’t afford to play it, and they would be real b*tards to rub that in my face for many years!




I splashed out once and took my misses to a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris for her birthday just for the ‘experience’. I paid a fair lump for this fancy meal.

She ended up with the . It’s up there with one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had.

Yeah, it honestly doesn't play well on video games, because it's really wide, perhaps shorter than a lot of modern courses, which makes it incredibly easy on there. In real life it'll be a completely different ball game which obviously doesn't come across on a game - links turf and never having a flat lie due to the bumpy nature makes it much more difficult to strike your irons well - not to mention the obvious wind factor.

Of course, paying a lot of money doesn't guarantee enjoyment. I suppose my biggest fear of paying £200-300+ for a round of golf would be that if I play terribly I will hate it, no matter what course it is, and then I'll just be absolutely gutted that I spent that much on a day and didn't enjoy it.

 

[Bamberdele2.0]

Yeah, it honestly doesn't play well on video games, because it's really wide, perhaps shorter than a lot of modern courses, which makes it incredibly easy on there. In real life it'll be a completely different ball game which obviously doesn't come across on a game - links turf and never having a flat lie due to the bumpy nature makes it much more difficult to strike your irons well - not to mention the obvious wind factor.

Of course, paying a lot of money doesn't guarantee enjoyment. I suppose my biggest fear of paying £200-300+ for a round of golf would be that if I play terribly I will hate it, no matter what course it is, and then I'll just be absolutely gutted that I spent that much on a day and didn't enjoy it.

Yes totally agree. I probably would stump up the money if I was guaranteed to shoot a PB.

Now that would be something worth investing in

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Difficult to reply to all but these stood out.



We have played TOC on virtual golf Top Tracer a lot recently.

And I will be honest, it’s my least favourite track on there. I know it wouldn’t be the same in real life but on there it’s

Drive, wedge

Drive, wedge

Drive, wedge

Big yawn



It more comes down to the fact I couldn’t afford to play it, and they would be real b*tards to rub that in my face for many years!




I splashed out once and took my misses to a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris for her birthday just for the ‘experience’. I paid a fair lump for this fancy meal.

She ended up with the shits. It’s up there with one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had.

Don’t play it , you have already made your mind up , but certainly it’s nothing like how it plays on a computer