The Old Course - is it a slow burner?

[IanG]

Prompted by another thread where folks have been super-keen to play the Old Course I mused on the following.

I've played TOC once, and as a guest of an R&A member a very nice day out it was indeed. Played ok, weather ok, course excellent so no downers there.

Is it my favourite "single play" course ? No, it's beaten by a few others which I've also only played the once (amongst them Dornoch & Gullane Nr 1).

So my question has two parts. Firstly, in contrast to some great courses which are more immediately wonderful, does TOC need a decent number of plays before one truly appreciates it ? Secondly, if yes, should visitors who are only going to play it the once best save the booking hassle and cost and play somewhere else which they might enjoy more ?

Slow Friday (brain) in the office.

Ian

 

[ColchesterFC]

I spent 5 years in St Andrews at Uni and played the Old Course over 150 times and I don't think it's great. Yes there's the history of the place but that isn't enough to make it a great course. I often wonder at how it is always so high up in the list of best courses. The Jubilee Course is to my mind a much tougher course and the New Course is a better course. I would probably struggle to put the Old Course as one of the Top 10 courses in Fife let alone in the whole of the UK.

 

[fundy]

for me its the opposite. the first time you play it with all the history, crossing the swilken bridge, the road hole, all the open memories etc its great, then decreases on the next visit as youve experienced that and focus more on the course itself, and the history is far more than the actual course imho

 

[Oddsocks]

From looks I'm sure there are nicer links courses around

 

[stevek1969]

Ive played it once and really enjoyed it and played it well, I've walked it so many times as its not far from me, have i played better more testing links courses then yes, Rosses Point in Sligo and Royal Portrush.

 

[Smiffy]

I wouldn't rush back personally.

 

[SAPCOR1]

The Eden is just as good, if not better IMHO, at a fraction of the cost.

Still think that if you love golf you have to play the Old Course at least once

 

[Oddsocks]

Still think that if you love golf you have to play the Old Course at least once

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

for me its the opposite. the first time you play it with all the history, crossing the swilken bridge, the road hole, all the open memories etc its great, then decreases on the next visit as youve experienced that and focus more on the course itself, and the history is far more than the actual course imho

I agree with this actually. The first time I went, I was so busy trying to take it all in that the golf suffered. The second time while there were still nerves on the first once I was out it was easier to enjoy, plus you knew a bit more about where you need to be putting the ball. As a place with a unique charm, almost an aura of its own, its way up there but as a course there a lots of better ones.

 

[IanG]

..... there was me hoping for a rammy and it turns our we all agree after all.

 

[KenL]

I cannot believe that anyone rates Gullane No.1 above the Old Course!

Yes Gullane is very nice (I prefer no.2 myself) but for me it doesn't have memorable holes like you find at TOC.

 

[Tashyboy]

Played it once and was massively underwhelmed, the history is something that you cannot compare, but we are not comparing history, we are comparing courses. Saying that, it did not tick many boxes for me other than the one that says "done it"

I have played others which have not history (yet) but I have come away buzzing.

PS, for the record it cost me £30 to play TOC , and i still felt I did not get VFM.

 

[quinn]

Best course in the world, travel up every year to play it and it's different every time, nowhere else like it

 

[richart]

Loved it the first time, just as good the second, and can't wait to play it again in October.

I wouldn't travel to the area if I could not get a game on the Old Course. Stand out holes for me are the 1st, 5th, 11th 14th, 17th and 18th. 14th is just about my favourite par 5 any where, the 11th a great par three, which you can not appreciate on the TV, and 18th is like no other hole in the world.

Can't wait to go back, and hopefully go one better than the first time I played there and break 80.:thup:

 

[quinn]

Loved it the first time, just as good the second, and can't wait to play it again in October.

I wouldn't travel to the area if I could not get a game on the Old Course. Stand out holes for me are the 1st, 5th, 11th 14th, 17th and 18th. 14th is just about my favourite par 5 any where, the 11th a great par three, which you can not appreciate on the TV, and 18th is like no other hole in the world.

Can't wait to go back, and hopefully go one better than the first time I played there and break 80.:thup:

17th of the back tees, not the best when you've just sliced your drive on 16, still get nerves on the first tee and walking up 18 with a crowd watching you, nothing beats it

 

[richart]

17th of the back tees, not the best when you've just sliced your drive on 16, still get nerves on the first tee and walking up 18 with a crowd watching you, nothing beats it

Simple hole. Three putt bogey first time followed by two putt par the second.:whoo:

First time I played it we had a caddie, and he had me aiming what seemed like the middle of the garden of the hotel. Still was not convinced it was the line, until I found my ball in the perfect spot right edge of the fairway. Chickened out second time and went down the left side. 16 is a nasty hole, especially when you think you have hit a nice drive over the fairway bunker, only to find another one you can't see off the tee. Second shot played backwards.

 

[quinn]

Simple hole. Three putt bogey first time followed by two putt par the second.:whoo:

First time I played it we had a caddie, and he had me aiming what seemed like the middle of the garden of the hotel. Still was not convinced it was the line, until I found my ball in the perfect spot right edge of the fairway. Chickened out second time and went down the left side. 16 is a nasty hole, especially when you think you have hit a nice drive over the fairway bunker, only to find another one you can't see off the tee. Second shot played backwards.

Starter said to us the first time " it's the bunkers you can't see that get you" he wasn't wrong, think it's the par 3 11th played it 3 times gone with 6 iron 7 iron and last time 3 wood 😳💨 according to a local it was just a breeze that day

 

[richart]

Starter said to us the first time " it's the bunkers you can't see that get you" he wasn't wrong, think it's the par 3 11th played it 3 times gone with 6 iron 7 iron and last time 3 wood 😳💨 according to a local it was just a breeze that day

My mate hit a great driver into a good 'breeze' to 11. At one point it was fifteen foot from the pin, before very slowly rolling off to the right. It finally stopped 30/40 yards from the pin on the shared green. The wind was into off the left, which probably didn't help.

 

[quinn]

My mate hit a great driver into a good 'breeze' to 11. At one point it was fifteen foot from the pin, before very slowly rolling off to the right. It finally stopped 30/40 yards from the pin on the shared green. The wind was into off the left, which probably didn't help.

work this one out, played it in October, first 9 holes into the wind back nine in the opposite direction into the wind again,

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Whilst I have been to St Andrews a fair few times I have yet to tee it up in the auld town, it's on my to do list at some point and one I reckon i will get round to within the next few years.

i think the 1st and 18th sell the story for me and it's the crowds that gather round watching, after reading the reviews I am not expecting great things from the course so I won't feel disappointed when I finally get to play there.