St Andrews - Old Course

[sunshine]

They don't need to change much. Unclaimed or cancelled visitor times are automatically opened to the ballot and for the singles queue anyway. The starter will assign those tee times and with the links trust make any adjustment for managing a reduction to 2 golfers per tee if that's the advice of the government and R&A. Any free times after all that would back to the ballot and singles as usual.

I doubt very much we'll see any change in pricing. We'll find out soon though.

I think they will need to make significant changes.

The last minute approach to allocating slots, with the ballot and singles queue, encourages people to travel to St Andrews and mill around, which isn't compatible with the ethos of social distancing.

 

[Jimaroid]

I'm looking at the plan now.

It's pretty much as I expected, in the first phase of opening they're using the established booking and ballot processes with tees limited to 2 balls only and it's only open to yearly ticket holders (no visitors allowed). Not all courses are opening. Strath, Jubilee and Castle will be a phased return and remain closed. The "Singles queue" on the Old is effectively telephone booking on the day of play (same as winter) so that every tee is balloted or booked in advance.

Social golf only and no facilities are opening. The only thing stopping me playing is I live 7 miles away.

 

[BrianM]

https://www.standrews.com/play/offe...ers&esid=afa3c63b-14bd-ea11-a812-000d3a228591

Guaranteed tee times on old course for anyone interested ??

 

[abjectplop]

https://www.standrews.com/play/offe...ers&esid=afa3c63b-14bd-ea11-a812-000d3a228591

Guaranteed tee times on old course for anyone interested ??

Has anyone who registered interest heard anything yet? I think they were contacting successful applicants from yesterday but I've not heard anything.

 

[Italian outcast]

Has anyone who registered interest heard anything yet? I think they were contacting successful applicants from yesterday but I've not heard anything.

We are having a St Andrews based weekend in September as a four-ball (me, a brother, and 2 old school/uni friends)
I emailed about 2 1/2 weeks ago - thanks to the poster for the original heads up
Heard nowt and thought oh well
Got a phone call today with an offer of playing the Old course on Friday 11th and the New course on the 12th
Cost PP = 340 - 14 days to confirm
Although pricey - seems a great opportunity - We probably won't ever easily get a chance again to play together there

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

We are having a St Andrews based weekend in September as a four-ball (me, a brother, and 2 old school/uni friends)
I emailed about 2 1/2 weeks ago - thanks to the poster for the original heads up
Heard nowt and thought oh well
Got a phone call today with an offer of playing the Old course on Friday 11th and the New course on the 12th
Cost PP = 340 - 14 days to confirm
Although pricey - seems a great opportunity - We probably won't ever easily get a chance again to play together there

That does seem a lot because the official rates on the website are £195 Old and £85 New. Is this through some sort of agent?

 

[Italian outcast]

That does seem a lot because the official rates on the website are £195 Old and £85 New. Is this through some sort of agent?

It was through the StAndrews links website posted earlier in the thread by @BrianM - to get a guaranteed booking on the Old Course

https://www.standrews.com/play/offe...ers&esid=afa3c63b-14bd-ea11-a812-000d3a228591

Oh - You do get a £10 voucher for the cafe/bar/whatever and a polo top

 

[patricks148]

We are having a St Andrews based weekend in September as a four-ball (me, a brother, and 2 old school/uni friends)
I emailed about 2 1/2 weeks ago - thanks to the poster for the original heads up
Heard nowt and thought oh well
Got a phone call today with an offer of playing the Old course on Friday 11th and the New course on the 12th
Cost PP = 340 - 14 days to confirm
Although pricey - seems a great opportunity - We probably won't ever easily get a chance again to play together there

i'm sure the cost are less than that direct, seems a bit high

 

[davidy233]

i'm sure the cost are less than that direct, seems a bit high

That is direct, I saw it last week on the St Andrews Links website - their single round offer for the Old Course ends this week.

 

[BrianM]

I’ve had a couple of emails now, booked in for April next year.
Me, my Dad and brother.

 

[BrianM]

That is direct, I saw it last week on the St Andrews Links website - their single round offer for the Old Course ends this week.

Im staying at the Fairmont hotel at the moment, a lot of golfers staying here.
Peeing down all day here though, so probably not the best experience for the golf today.

 

[Italian outcast]

Im staying at the Fairmont hotel at the moment, a lot of golfers staying here.
Peeing down all day here though, so probably not the best experience for the golf today.

We're looking at playing one of their courses as well - played the Kittocks last year - so may play the Torrance

 

[davidy233]

Im staying at the Fairmont hotel at the moment, a lot of golfers staying here.
Peeing down all day here though, so probably not the best experience for the golf today.

It was gorgeous yesterday - rain all day today and 35 mph winds tomorrow - going to be lovely on Friday though

 

[BrianM]

We're looking at playing one of their courses as well - played the Kittocks last year - so may play the Torrance

Ive got to say this time the service hasn’t been that great, although I think it’s more to do with COVID.

 

[BrianM]

It was gorgeous yesterday - rain all day today and 35 mph winds tomorrow - going to be lovely on Friday though

Tomorrow isn’t looking too bad, although windy in the afternoon ?

 

[funkycoldmedina]

Tomorrow isn’t looking too bad, although windy in the afternoon ?

Playing Dumbarnie tomorrow morning, it's looking there will be a bit of a draft?

 

[KenL]

Playing Dumbarnie tomorrow morning, it's looking there will be a bit of a draft?

Good luck on their longest par 3 if into the wind!

 

[abjectplop]

That does seem a lot because the official rates on the website are £195 Old and £85 New. Is this through some sort of agent?

They've ramped up prices in the last year or two for advance reservations, you'll basically pay more than the advertised green fee if you want to book a 2 course package in advance.

 

[patricks148]

They've ramped up prices in the last year or two for advance reservations, you'll basically pay more than the advertised green fee if you want to book a 2 course package in advance.

they were advertising £195 for TOC a couple of weeks ago

 

[abjectplop]

they were advertising £195 for TOC a couple of weeks ago

Yes, that's right, it was a one off for July only due to COVID. Advance reservations which open in Autumn each year are a 2 course package.