The Renaissance Club

[CliveW]

I'm slightly surprised that this club/course is going along okay considering Archerfield is right next door with super facilities at a fraction of the cost, still expensive though. If you take into account East Lothian has many genuine quality courses at a fraction of the cost of even Archerfield it never stops to amaze me how they all survive. That aside it wouldn't surprise me if Renaissance paid a pretty penny for this.

Archerfield and Renaissance offer membership by debenture so are accessible if you have money to invest, whereas other great East Lothian courses such as Muirfield, Gullane and North Berwick have long waiting lists and require prospective members to be proposed and seconded.

 

[seochris]

Well I hope it’s a case of the telly not doing it justice because it doesn’t look a very inspiring course to play , doesn’t shout out “come and spend £250” to play

Yup....agree with that and a few much cheaper courses with it seems a lot more character in thr north berwick area.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I've never played a modern links course, do they tend to play differently to those that have been knocking around for centuries?
The greens for example, do they play differently, having (I assume) been built in a different way to those that have been around & bedded in over the decades?

 

[Imurg]

Is the weather calm up there?
Playing the week before The Open I think Poulter would be surprised to be -10 for 2 rounds and not even in the top 5....
Too easy for the Pros or just playing easy?

 

[ger147]

Is the weather calm up there?
Playing the week before The Open I think Poulter would be surprised to be -10 for 2 rounds and not even in the top 5....
Too easy for the Pros or just playing easy?

Hardly a breath of wind for that part of the world and quite a bit of rain round here over the past 2-3 weeks so greens pretty soft for that sort of course.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Is the weather calm up there?
Playing the week before The Open I think Poulter would be surprised to be -10 for 2 rounds and not even in the top 5....
Too easy for the Pros or just playing easy?

Apparently the greenkeeper was interviewed yesterday and asked about the scoring. He said that if they set the course up to play tough on a still day it would be silly if the wind picked up. They have to set it up this way and accept it will be beaten up by pro's if the wind doesn't blow.

I haven't seen much of the course so I don't know whether those comments are fair or not. I saw a couple of holes yesterday and it didn't look very linksy to me. It looked too lush and green but maybe that was not representative.

 

[Hoganman1]

This course looks great, but I too am surprised that -14 leads at the halfway mark. It's often said that wind is essential to making links courses difficult. I've played a couple in both Scotland and Ireland. My best rounds came when it was calm. I hope they get a little weather over the weekend. Otherwise a score in the -20s may win.
On another note, I'm glad to see Edoardo Molinari playing well. I hope he can finish high enough to get in The Open.

 

[User20204]

It looked too lush and green but maybe that was not representative.

Isn't that standard for a wet summer.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Isn't that standard for a wet summer.

It has not been wet on this side of the country, I'm further down the coast on the same side. Allowing for the harshness of a drying wind on the coast I would still expect to see it faster running on the fairways, the greens harder. I saw McIlroy hit a high approach into a green yesterday and it was if he was still on a US course, it stopped dead within inches. He could not hit that on the links course near to me, it would just bounce on.

 

[patricks148]

It has not been wet on this side of the country, I'm further down the coast on the same side. Allowing for the harshness of a drying wind on the coast I would still expect to see it faster running on the fairways, the greens harder. I saw McIlroy hit a high approach into a green yesterday and it was if he was still on a US course, it stopped dead within inches. He could not hit that on the links course near to me, it would just bounce on.

no lots of Rain over the last few weeks, plus this isn't a true links only a few holes they swapped the land with Muirfield. I'm also lead to believe the players don't want them beat up the week before the open so the SO is always playable, 20 under was what won it at CS a few times it was there.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Fair enough. We are on the same coastline but 70 or so miles south. We usually have similar rainfall but perhaps not recently.

Odd not to be playing links just before the Open but then Loch Lomond was no use as preparation either.

 

[patricks148]

Fair enough. We are on the same coastline but 70 or so miles south. We usually have similar rainfall but perhaps not recently.

Odd not to be playing links just before the Open but then Loch Lomond was no use as preparation either.

they would call it a links but quite a few holes through mature tree's, more like who wants to stump up the money to put it on TBH, not many members clubs want it, 4 weeks of disruption and loss off visitor greens fee's at the busiest time of the year. Doubt they would have it up here again low turnout after the first year, far better down close to the Central belt. could see trump Aberdeen having it, depends on how much, i think Trump still thinks both could hold the Open

 

[CliveW]

could see trump Aberdeen having it, depends on how much, i think Trump still thinks both could hold the Open

Do you think Trump Aberdeen is suitable for spectators though? Large dunes lining fairways doesn't make for easy walking.

 

[patricks148]

Do you think Trump Aberdeen is suitable for spectators though? Large dunes lining fairways doesn't make for easy walking.

Once the SSI is removed won't be a problem

 

[IanM]

Just watching the South African guy with one hand hitting drives..... bloody marvelous.

 

[ger147]

Predicted cut for the weekend is 5 under. Imagine shooting back to back 69's and not making the weekend...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Interestingly enough this was being discussed at our seniors match yesterday. Apparently it was 25k to join, then became 37k then 50k yesterday the number that it is now is 80k. The guys who were knowledgeable stated they would have paid a very hefty price to have it held there so I guess ET/Scottish Golf/whoever have decided to take the money from the highest bidder and why not.

One of the great 'why bothers' about golf in the UK (maybe especially in Scotland) is that we have always (theoretically) been able to play in the footsteps of the greats of the past and today. Some very casual or non-golfers may watch and hear some of this stuff about the 'club' - or read about it - and take as confirmation that golf is a sport for the wealthy.

Yes - there are lots of counter examples and whatabooteries relating to other sports - but I am only really bothered about the image of golf and prejudices held against it which mean that, in so many ways and despite our attempts, so much about our game just seems to confirm the prejudices.

 

[KenL]

Archerfield and Renaissance offer membership by debenture so are accessible if you have money to invest, whereas other great East Lothian courses such as Muirfield, Gullane and North Berwick have long waiting lists and require prospective members to be proposed and seconded.

I hear the waiting list is not that long at NB and you can gain entry by meeting with committee/members etc.

Gullane is a long wait and who knows what you need to do or more importantly who you need to know to get into Muirfield.

 

[User20204]

I've just checked the map to see where it is, my word that is some real estate around there, never knew all those courses were so close together, Craigielaw/Luffness/Gullane/Muirfield/Renaissance/Archerfield...wow, there can't be many place like that anywhere in the country.

 

[IanG]

I hear the waiting list is not that long at NB and you can gain entry by meeting with committee/members etc.

3-4 years at NBGC ... a blink of an eye compared to Gullane....