Playing St. Andrews Old Course

[SkyMark]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Wow - u have been lucky with weather just now! Although the courses are struggling with no water - the links are running as they should...very vary fast

Yes still here. Played the old course Monday. All the St A courses are playing like race tracks. Every shot now is a knock down, even down wind. Every ball runs out a long way. If I'm on the fairway within 50 yds I grab my putter. It's a lot of fun to play the game this way. I even enjoy the daily beatings we take at the Castle Course.

[Playthru]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Yes still here. Played the old course Monday. All the St A courses are playing like race tracks. Every shot now is a knock down, even down wind. Every ball runs out a long way. If I'm on the fairway within 50 yds I grab my putter. It's a lot of fun to play the game this way. I even enjoy the daily beatings we take at the Castle Course.

Just curious which of the St Andrews courses besides the Old Course you would recommend playing. I have played the New Course and trying to decide between Castle, Eden or Jubilee.

[SkyMark]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Just curious which of the St Andrews courses besides the Old Course you would recommend playing. I have played the New Course and trying to decide between Castle, Eden or Jubilee.

Eden is a fun but challenging course. It's only 6200 from the medal tees but plays longer. I don't like Jubilee, but half the group does.

Castle is a beast. I would not recommend playing for the first time on a windy day. Keep in mind that the wind out there is always much stronger than in town. However, if you don't mind taking your medicine off the tee, you can play it with a long/driving iron. I've played it 11 times now and I know where I can miss. So I hit driver more often. If you want an idea of what the greens are like, play the Himalayas putting course beside the OC first.

Have fun!

[Playthru]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Eden is a fun but challenging course. It's only 6200 from the medal tees but plays longer. I don't like Jubilee, but half the group does.

Castle is a beast. I would not recommend playing for the first time on a windy day. Keep in mind that the wind out there is always much stronger than in town. However, if you don't mind taking your medicine off the tee, you can play it with a long/driving iron. I've played it 11 times now and I know where I can miss. So I hit driver more often. If you want an idea of what the greens are like, play the Himalayas putting course beside the OC first.

Have fun!

Thanks for the advice. This is helpful. Have you by any chance played Lundin Links? An off site course also recommended.

[bobby Jones]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Thanks for the advice. This is helpful. Have you by any chance played Lundin Links? An off site course also recommended.

Lundin is a nice little course. Prefer it to leven which sits adjacent. If playing and need a bite for dinner, try upper largo hotel.

Lundin and leven were once one course. Split into two with each club taking nine. Both have nice seaside holes.

[Playthru]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Lundin is a nice little course. Prefer it to leven which sits adjacent. If playing and need a bite for dinner, try upper largo hotel.

Lundin and leven were once one course. Split into two with each club taking nine. Both have nice seaside holes.

Thanks for the info!

[RobertThompson]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

I'm a bigger fan of Elie, which has some tremendous ocean holes, and Crail is certainly worth a round. To the north, Montrose is really solid, especially if you're up visiting Carnoustie already.

[Playthru]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

I'm a bigger fan of Elie, which has some tremendous ocean holes, and Crail is certainly worth a round. To the north, Montrose is really solid, especially if you're up visiting Carnoustie already.

Just took a look at Elie on the website - beautiful holes. Thanks for the tip. We are there 4 playing days and already playing the Old Course, Carnoutie and Kingsbarn. So really only one open day for something else. Also considering the 2 hour drive to North Berwick as another option.
Too bad I am getting too old to walk 36 in one day - although I might try it on the last day!

[RobertThompson]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Berwick is a special course. There are two there -- so make sure you play the right one, which is in the Top 100 in the world and among the best I've ever played.

[golfunderpar18]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Berwick is a special course. There are two there -- so make sure you play the right one, which is in the Top 100 in the world and among the best I've ever played.

The "other" berwick has awesome views and my group of 12 had a blast there. Some of the nicest photos I've ever taken on a course. Price great too and the pro shop staff were super nice. They gave our group a pin flag for free as a nice gesture.

[golfunderpar18]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

I'd actually recommend you not get a caddie. The Old Course is considered to be among the great strategic golf courses in the world... enjoy trying to figure out for yourself, don't have a caddie who has seen the course 1000 times tell you what to do.

Not getting a caddie is a huge mistake..... If your group gets up on the tee and has no idea where to go you'll be screwed and you'll likely lose some or all of your balls of you don't get lucky. You need help to know what your line of site off the tee is as On some holes you'll have no idea. You also need help to find your ball once you get off the tee. They know the exact lines in the greens too but that is where the adventure should be yours alone.

Also great opportunity for you to take photos while they carry your bag.

No harm in someone telling you to hit it at xxx window in xxx building in the background. A fun experience. It sucks losing a ball when you hit your target but having a tough time understanding where the landing zone is since you can't see it.

[stevedimebag]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Not getting a caddie is a huge mistake..... If your group gets up on the tee and has no idea where to go you'll be screwed and you'll likely lose some or all of your balls of you don't get lucky. You need help to know what your line of site off the tee is as On some holes you'll have no idea. You also need help to find your ball once you get off the tee. They know the exact lines in the greens too but that is where the adventure should be yours alone.

Also great opportunity for you to take photos while they carry your bag.

No harm in someone telling you to hit it at xxx window in xxx building in the background. A fun experience. It sucks losing a ball when you hit your target but having a tough time understanding where the landing zone is since you can't see it.

I'd agree - of all courses to use a caddie, this is the one. There are many blind tee shots/approaches and plenty of gorse around to swallow a ball up, never to be seen again. They are very helpful and even if you only have one or two for the group, they will help everyone.

[golfunderpar18]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

I'd agree - of all courses to use a caddie, this is the one. There are many blind tee shots/approaches and plenty of gorse around to swallow a ball up, never to be seen again. They are very helpful and even if you only have one or two for the group, they will help everyone.

When I played there for the first time I was paired with a 3 some from the USA who all had individual caddies. I didn't have a caddie. On the tee I was able to get great info on where to aim, etc. Once off the tee I was in my own as the caddies were helping their golfer look for their balls, provide insight in shot #2 etc. I lost tee balls that should have been in play and not far off the short stuff.

Don't do what I did!

[SkyMark]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

Not getting a caddie is a huge mistake..... If your group gets up on the tee and has no idea where to go you'll be screwed and you'll likely lose some or all of your balls of you don't get lucky. You need help to know what your line of site off the tee is as On some holes you'll have no idea. You also need help to find your ball once you get off the tee. They know the exact lines in the greens too but that is where the adventure should be yours alone.

Also great opportunity for you to take photos while they carry your bag.

No harm in someone telling you to hit it at xxx window in xxx building in the background. A fun experience. It sucks losing a ball when you hit your target but having a tough time understanding where the landing zone is since you can't see it.

I actually agree with passing on the caddie.

I've played it twice, with no caddies in the group, and I did ok. Last Monday I shot a 90 in a tough westerly wind. There's are a couple of rules to follow on the Old: other than 9, 10, and 12, missing left is best and right is sh!te. And now matter how high, soft, and the amount of spin, you'll never hold the 17th with an approach shot, even a wedge from the fairway. Run it up. Aim above the O in Old Course Hotel on 17 tee, and the clock on the R&A building on 18 tee. Don't forget a pic on the swilken bridge.

One thing I love to do is learn on my own how to play links golf. If find it a lot more rewarding than having someone tell me where and how to hit it. I've played over 30 rounds of links all over Scotland and I'm always learning something new through experience.

Before you play the OC, play a practice round on the New Course late in the day when its empty. The courses are very similar. Practice hitting long irons off the tee and get comfortable with a low stinger type shot that will run out. Practice chipping on from 150 yds, putting from 70 yds, and hitting sideways out of a sodwall bunker. If you can, get a SW with as little bounce as you can find. A 56.14 is useless around the greens. Figure things out there before you hit the OC.

But most of all, have fun and enjoy the moment!

[bobby Jones]

Re: Playing St. Andrews Old Course

I think taking a caddy is part of the entire experience. Do it once. Second time, fine do your usual carrying or pulling a cart. They are valuable and personally I love how the back, legs, knees feel after having someone loop for me for 18.