Why are individual opens not very popular in England?

[scottyc]

I'm in the North East and it seems like no clubs around here do individual opens and any that try them don't seem to get many numbers so they get cancelled. Looking around elsewhere in England they don't seem that popular either despite the number of courses but all offer 4BBB.

But in Scotland, most courses seem to offer an individual open and often Strokeplay. In my experience they tend to be better organised too.

 

[Jigger]

I’m sure we have one over the summer at ramside.

 

[scottyc]

I’m sure we have one over the summer at ramside.

Not for hackers though.

 

[Jigger]

Not for hackers though.

You’d be surprised at some of our handicaps mind. If you want something shorter Sharpley do one around July I think but it is mid week. Also Westerhope maybe. Other than that I’m afraid I’m out as we tend to play team opens.

 

[KenL]

I'm playing the Goswick Open tomorrow. Entry fills up very quickly.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I think you have answered your own question, they aren't very popular with people. I play a good number of 4bbb Opens, first of the season tomorrow, and they are fun, relaxed, social rounds. That ticks all of the boxes for why I play golf in one go.

I suppose I could reverse the question, why are most Opens in Scotland individual?

 

[nyckuk]

Think its the opposite down our way , most do them and get booked up quickly .
Might depend how they are priced .. ie the one we are playing at the end of the month is normally £80 per round or £40 as a guest , the open price (2 from 4 Stableford ) is £50pp inc Golf , Coffee and bacon roll on arrival and 2 course meal after play + prizes for top 6 teams

 

[KenL]

...

I suppose I could reverse the question, why are most Opens in Scotland individual?

Not sure that is true, most clubs in Scotland that have opens also offer team events such as mixed, scrambles etc.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Not sure that is true, most clubs in Scotland that have opens also offer team events such as mixed, scrambles etc.

Fair enough. It's just a comment I've seen made before so I made an assumption, frequently an error . Mind, the only open I'm playing in Scotland this year is an individual one so maybe my assumption was correct (or maybe not )

 

[D-S]

Certainly not the case down here, almost all clubs have a scratch individual men’s Open and a separate net individual men’s Open as well as pairs, mixed and Seniors individual Opens not many individual Women’s Opens though as they are not popular.

 

[Crow]

There aren't many which I think is a pity.
I enjoy singles comps but have only managed to get my name down in three so far this year.

Maybe a lot of people are wary of playing with strangers, outside of their comfort zone, so only enter as a group. But you can enter as a group if you're quick and get the same tee time, I assume that the organisers wouldn't split members from the same club, but perhaps they would?

 

[KenL]

I've never played a pairs open but so far this year I am booked into Eyemouth, Goswick, Harburn, the Glen, Kings Inverness, Boat of Garten.
Will enter Kilspindie and Gullane 2 when their entry opens.

 

[IanM]

Many of the clubs I look at have a variety of opens including singles. Wasn't aware of a shortage!

 

[BiMGuy]

There aren’t many of any open other than mixed and seniors pairs round here. It feels a bit like the people running them have a bit of a closed shop.

 

[Wildboy370]

I play a series called green golf events. Ok not run by a club but these are all qualifying singles with option of 4bbb on the day. These are always very well supported over 100 at some events. Maybe reason singles don’t get supported is the qualifying side, folk play pairs mopping up prizes off a HI not up to date rather than risk a one off prize then get pulled. We had two over winter playing all over off 30 handicap racking up 49 points time and again. Now qualifiers started one of them not been seen since.

 

[D-S]

Not sure where the OP was looking but a brief glance at Golf Empire suggest that there are hundreds.

 

[jim8flog]

In recent years I have only played in Seniors Opens all of which have been singles. Many of them are filled very quickly.

Funny thing is that our club has opted for pairs ever since I can remember in both club and seniors.

Several clubs in this area have Open weeks with a variety of formats.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

It could be that people don’t all like putting cards in at courses they don’t know.
Or, that courses like 4 balls as that means more people playing, so more cash in the bank for the same number of tee times.

 

[SteveJay]

Surprised no one has mentioned WHS and bandits........surely that might be a reason to put off many from entering an open. Certainly if it offers the chance to play at a nice course for a decent price then great, but if you want to have a chance of competing, then I suspect those with dodgy handicaps might deter people from trying them!

 

[Old Colner]

I personally don’t think it is anything to do with WHS as available open events haven’t changed much in the last twenty years I have been attending them.
I think it is mainly 4BBB events because historically they have been better attended than individuals events be it because you go with a mate and play together or that if you loose a ball on a hole you may never have played before you are still in with a chance of posting a score, overall it’s a bit more laid back than an individual medal, at the end of the day it‘s about enjoying it.