St Andrews trip

[rudebhoy]

Just back from a great trip to the home of golf.

Day 1 - Stopped off to play Burntisland on the way up. Very quirky but enjoyable. First time I've ever played a double blind hole where you have to wait for a bell before teeing off, then wait for another one before hitting your second. Some fantastic views, and a nice way to start the trip.

Day 2 - Played the Eden course in the morning. Tough enough for us high handicappers, but although the rough looks daunting, it's actually pretty sparse, and you tend to find wayward shots. A lovely course which we were lucky to play on a nice sunny day with no wind. Had 9 holes on the Strathtyrum in the afternoon, which is very average and boring in comparison to the Eden. Anyone paying £35 to play it needs their head examining.

Day 3 - Jubilee course. A bit tougher than Eden, rough a bit more challenging, but a great course. My favourite of the week, possibly because I played my best golf there! Played The Balgove in the afternoon for a bit of fun, very short 9 hole course in great nick. Definitely a good way to pass a couple of hours.

Day 4 - The Castle. We had great weather days 1-3, but a total change here. Very windy and cold. Didn't help on what was definitely the toughest course of the lot. The rough was absolutely brutal and some pretty narrow fairways. A beautiful course to look at but a swine to play. In retrospect, too tough for a bunch of high handicappers (19, 21 and 23), particularly in the conditions, and the scores reflected that.

Had a wander round the Golf Museum in the afternoon, then the long drive home.

We bought the 3 day tickets, and they worked out good value. Have to say that every single member of staff we talked to went out their way to be helpful and friendly, which was great.

Overall, a great trip, can't wait to go again!

 

[CliveW]

Normally, I play the Eden through the winter season, but because we were disappointed with the greens the last time we played we were offered a complimentary round last weekend. It was the first time I had played there in the Summer for many years and as you say it was in fantastic condition. I must say there has been an enormous amount of work carried out in removing the gorse and it is very open compared to how it used to be so it is virtually impossible to lose a ball.

I also played Burntisland today in a Seniors 4BBB. I had played a Texas there probably around ten years ago and had forgotten how quirky it is, although with local knowledge there are quite a few blind bail-out areas which would have been used if I remembered them. Overall this James Braid course was in great condition and we were made very welcome. Probably not one of the best known courses in Fife, but well worth a visit.

 

[williamalex1]

Normally, I play the Eden through the winter season, but because we were disappointed with the greens the last time we played we were offered a complimentary round last weekend. It was the first time I had played there in the Summer for many years and as you say it was in fantastic condition. I must say there has been an enormous amount of work carried out in removing the gorse and it is very open compared to how it used to be so it is virtually impossible to lose a ball.

I also played Burntisland today in a Seniors 4BBB. I had played a Texas there probably around ten years ago and had forgotten how quirky it is, although with local knowledge there are quite a few blind bail-out areas which would have been used if I remembered them. Overall this James Braid course was in great condition and we were made very welcome. Probably not one of the best known courses in Fife, but well worth a visit.

Burntisland is a fun quirky course, well worth a visit .

 

[gopher99]

Very nice, we are up in St Andrews now. We played Ladybank on Mon, Gleneagles Kings Course on Tue, playing the New Course today and the Kittocks course tomorrow.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Day 4 - The Castle. We had great weather days 1-3, but a total change here. Very windy and cold. Didn't help on what was definitely the toughest course of the lot. The rough was absolutely brutal and some pretty narrow fairways. A beautiful course to look at but a swine to play. In retrospect, too tough for a bunch of high handicappers (19, 21 and 23), particularly in the conditions, and the scores reflected that.

The Castle is my favourite of all the St Andrews courses. Of course The Old is great for the history and atmosphere, but I just really enjoyed playing the Castle, and the views up there are fantastic.

 

[Jimaroid]

I really like The Castle but don’t get to play it very often. We don’t have many comps on it - it’s not a place you want to play with a scorecard - but we do have some jolly team stablefords occasionally and its very enjoyable as a group.

A lot of guff is written about the Castle IMO. If you can’t play to the right part of some of the very large greens then you’ve got problems bigger than the 3 or 4 putts you’ll need to take, I include myself as one of those golfers with bigger problems!

Glad the OP enjoyed the Eden - it’s a much better course than everyone expects of it. But I hate hate HATE the pond. ?

 

[rudebhoy]

I really like The Castle but don’t get to play it very often. We don’t have many comps on it - it’s not a place you want to play with a scorecard - but we do have some jolly team stablefords occasionally and its very enjoyable as a group.

A lot of guff is written about the Castle IMO. If you can’t play to the right part of some of the very large greens then you’ve got problems bigger than the 3 or 4 putts you’ll need to take, I include myself as one of those golfers with bigger problems!

Glad the OP enjoyed the Eden - it’s a much better course than everyone expects of it. But I hate hate HATE the pond. ?

There was a young Japanese couple immediately behind us. The bloke made the mistake of trying to look for his ball amongst the reeds, we heard a shout and turned to see him emerging rather damp!

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I really like The Castle but don’t get to play it very often. We don’t have many comps on it - it’s not a place you want to play with a scorecard - but we do have some jolly team stablefords occasionally and its very enjoyable as a group.

A lot of guff is written about the Castle IMO. If you can’t play to the right part of some of the very large greens then you’ve got problems bigger than the 3 or 4 putts you’ll need to take, I include myself as one of those golfers with bigger problems!

Glad the OP enjoyed the Eden - it’s a much better course than everyone expects of it. But I hate hate HATE the pond. ?

If I’m remembering right, the front 9 is stronger than the back 9. Really liked the pars threes ? and the hole by the estuary

 

[need_my_wedge]

If I’m remembering right, the front 9 is stronger than the back 9. Really liked the pars threes ? and the hole by the estuary

17 is a fabulous hole, if a little daunting into the wind.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

17 is a fabulous hole, if a little daunting into the wind.

I must confess, I can't remember a huge amount about the back 9, I was very tired by that point. I'd played the Old Course in the morning having played the Jubilee and Castle the day before - fatigue was setting in!

However, I remember having a very enjoyable round of golf. I'd certainly recommend trying to fit it in to anyone that is going and has a 3 day pass.

 

[Jimaroid]

Bit bored, here's my mental map of the Eden.

1. Excellent opening hole, wonderful green, be straight off the tee, lost ball left or right.
2. Toilet. Long par 4. Meh!
3. Left to right dogleg, nice approach to green, don't thin it and kill someone waiting on 4th tee. Have a nose over to the Old.
4. Excellent risk/reward driveable par 4. Right is death. Far right is estuary. Make a decision.
5. Dinky par3. Short iron. Thin it on the green because you're still thinking about the previous hole and you ended in death.
6. Straight par 4 of nothingness.
7. Great and tricky par4, this is more like it estuary OOB left, be straight but not long, ridge in fairway, how does my ball end there. Narrow green.
8. Longish par 3. Hit and hope, better long than short. Not that long though. Sod it, bunker right will do.
9. Par 5, no danger. Stay right, flat green.
10. 200ish yard par 3. Devious green, slopes back to front. Take a 4 and move on.
11. Meh. Par4.
12. Meh. Par4. Didn't I just play this hole?
13. Meh. Oh no, this is the one with the bunker in the middle of the fairway. Happy bogey time.
14. STUPID POND. 3 wood.
15. STUPID POND. 7 iron.
16. Long hole is looooooooooooooong. Whack, whack, bunker, putt, putt, par.
17. Great hole. OOB right, Bunkers left. Placement off the tee. Where's the flag, long iron and let it feed in.
18. Whack and done. Enjoyed that. Still hate the pond.

 

[IanM]

sorry!

 

[Jimaroid]

View attachment 37331

sorry!

Pic must be a few years old as there's a lot of reeds and shrubbery in it now. The green is almost blind from that tee position, that's my main issue with it on 15.

14 is different. You're either laying up or hitting into a narrow channel between pond left and OOB right. It's all risk and little reward, so by having so few options with that hole it makes it quite a bland single strategy hole to me and a bad bounce can put you in the trees+path+OOB right.