St. Andrews

[bzotta]

Who here has played the Old course at St. Andrews? My golf team is planning a trip there in the spring. I can NOT wait. Whats it like?

[iQuest Golfer]

  bzotta said:

Who here has played the Old course at St. Andrews? My golf team is planning a trip there in the spring. I can NOT wait. Whats it like?

It depends. I've had the opportunity to play many of the courses in and around St. Andrews... including the Old Course. Been to 5 Opens too. Lot's of stories.

In 2002, I organized a trip for my son's HS golf team. We played 12 courses (8 junior matches) in 10 days and caught The Open at Muirfield on the last day when Ernie Els won and Tiger shot that awful 81 on Saturday in terrible weather. Many of our guys thought playing the Old Course was special but an ordinary round. They spent more time throwing balls in Hell's bunker and the Road Hole bunker to see who could get the best "up and down." To a man, everyone was blown-away by the 1st and 18th holes. Just being there to tee off in front of the R&A; Clubhouse and hitting that last drive and shots to a green that was surrounded by people just taking in the view... it was special. That said, many thought the more challenging course was the Jubilee Course. Now they have the new Castle course that is a killer links designed by David McLay Kidd. St. Andrew's Bay with the Devlin Course is a crack'in challenge. Other courses that were rated high... Carnoustie, Glen Eagles King's Course, Blairgowrie, Kings Barns, North Berwick, Lundin Links, to name a few. We're planning a reunion in 2010 for The Open and golf. Bottomline... you'll have a blast!

[mgresh]

I have to agree with iquest golfer's observations. Having spent a summer in Scotland earlier in life, I had the opportunity to play a few courses over there including the Old Course (and see the British Open played at Royal Birkdale that year, 1991). While the Old Course had everything I expected from a nostalgic point of view, I found the Jubilee more challenging. I also got to play Troon and a few other courses that I thought were more difficult. For the time and money though, I wouldn't trade playing the Old Course for any of the others (probably helped that I scored well too ).

I'm not sure that answers your question of what to expect as conditions vary greatly out there but there is so much publicity surrounding this course that most folks who follow golf but haven't played it probably know it as well many who have. Good luck!