St Andrews

[pendodave]

Interested in doing similar trip next year . Noticed you said you got a train to St Andrews, how did you then commute to the courses you played ?

We cabbed the whole trip. Not strictly necessary, but there were 4 of us so the per person costs were pretty low.
Our apartment was on the south side of town, so about a 25 minute walk to the links courses. If you were more central (or more lively) you could walk everywhere except use a bus to Leuchars station and either a bus or cab to the Castle course.
One minor irritation - they aren't running the shuttle bus between the eden and links clubhouse via the town this year. Because you-know-what. Quite a poor effort really.

 

[Deleted member 25575]

The first tees for the Eden and the Strath are within 50yards of each other. And the first tees for the New and Jubilee again close to each other, so if your planning to play more than once a day and transport is a consideration you could play those courses in pairs for a day each.
Depending on where you stay you could walk easy enough, ive stayed really close to the 1st/18th on the Old, so when I played the new I just walked down, but Ive also stayed more out of town and just drove.

 

[KenL]

Surprised you didn't rate the Jubilee. I thought it was at least as good as the New.

 

[pendodave]

Surprised you didn't rate the Jubilee. I thought it was at least as good as the New.

Hmmm, maybe I gave slightly the wrong impression - "Least favourite" wasn't meant to read as 'didn't rate" - I thought that they were all good fun. Tbh, there was not much to choose between the New and Jub (after all, they are next door). I just thought that there was a bit more going on around the New, particularly at the greens.
Bear in mind, we only played each once, and score bias can be a real thing...
As a general observation, I wonder if the whole St A experience isn't slightly oversold, particularly to the Americans. The courses are all good, but they're good in a natural, unfussy links way. No particular need for a caddy or a travelling photographer, just wander out with your clubs and play what's there.
Plus, the beer in the "name" pubs (jigger, dunvegan) and Links clubhouses is grim-as!

 

[rystaman]

Ticket was £180 for the 3 days.

First time I've played the Castle but loved it, played the others years ago (and the new again last year) but incredible value

Oof it's £350 now in 2023...

 

[rudebhoy]

Oof it's £350 now in 2023...

I know inflation is bad, but a 95% increase over two years is obscene.

 

[louise_a]

It really shows what good value the Eden and Strathtyrum tournaments are, £160 for a minimum of 4 rounds, one each on the New, Eden, Jubilee and Strathtyrum, more if you include the practice day or if you do well in the knockout stages

 

[Bratty]

I was very fortunate to play the New course with last year's Captain of the R&A recently. Cost me £27.50.

 

[Deleted member 25575]

Oof it's £350 now in 2023...

It’ll be a different in season as much as any inflation, we went shoulder season end Mar/ beginning of April. It’ll be more reasonable then

 

[TigerBear]

Fantastic value in 2021 as all excellent courses. Pretty steep increases since OP

So many great course up that neck of the woods.

Does Kingsbarns still do a Scottish resident's rate?

 

[rystaman]

I was very fortunate to play the New course with last year's Captain of the R&A recently. Cost me £27.50.

Rub it in eh

 

[doublebogey7]

Oof it's £350 now in 2023...

That is the high season price, the low season price this year is £240.

 

[doublebogey7]

I know inflation is bad, but a 95% increase over two years is obscene.

It would be, but the correct price this year for the same season is £240, much more realistic increase.

 

[rystaman]

It would be, but the correct price this year for the same season is £240, much more realistic increase.

Still it's a 33.3% increase, which is still pretty ridiculous. Can't say my wage has gone up anywhere near that

 

[D-S]

Still it's a 33.3% increase, which is still pretty ridiculous. Can't say my wage has gone up anywhere near that

About par for the inflation rate of green fees at ‘top’ courses. It’ll be interesting to see if they can maintain the vastly inflated fees, in particular those off the foreign tourist trail.

 

[rystaman]

About par for the inflation rate of green fees at ‘top’ courses. It’ll be interesting to see if they can maintain the vastly inflated fees, in particular those off the foreign tourist trail.

Also true when you have courses like Kingsbarns charging £374 for a round... I don't know how it'll be maintainable outside of the well-off foreign tourists...

 

[louise_a]

Also true when you have courses like Kingsbarns charging £374 for a round... I don't know how it'll be maintainable outside of the well-off foreign tourists...

maybe this is the reao nSt Andrews have raised their prices so much, so get more in line with the prices of courses like Kingsbarns

 

[Deleted member 25575]

You can comfortably get 6 rounds in those 3 days that nets out at £40 a round if you pay the £240. Even with the 33% increase, that’s still good value for the courses you can play