The Open Championship

FixdePitchmark

I want to play an Open Championship course.

I want to go to The Open Championship.


Has anyone done one or both, where would you recommend to go see it or to go play the course? I think this year looks a good one to get to.

k.p.h

Go play Portrush, I know it was 1951 but never the less still an Open Championship course. Won't have to cross any sea or anything.

Possibility you could be attending an Open there too if the NI boys have their way.:)

denishurley

St Andrews is quite accessible through the Winter Golf package, £150 per person to play three courses, I got it for my parents for Christmas. Only drawback is fairway mats

The_Architect

If I were to rank the current Open courses, it would go like this:

• St.Andrews
• Royal St.Georges
• Carnoustie
• Turnberry
• Royal Birkdale
• Royal Liverpool
• Royal Lythym & St.Annes
• Royal Troon

Loire

The_Architect wrote: »

If I were to rank the current Open courses, it would go like this:

• St.Andrews
• Royal St.Georges
• Carnoustie
• Turnberry
• Royal Birkdale
• Royal Liverpool
• Royal Lythym & St.Annes
• Royal Troon

Hi Architect. Have you ever played Carnoustie? I have and it was the most under-whelming course I've ever played. The last 3 holes were sublime but the rest were as boring as you'll get anywhere. Cannot for the life of me understand why this is clasified as a links....there is a glimmer (ie the narrowest stretch) of the sea standing on the first tee. After that it's like playing in a field..it's more of a parkland course than anything and feels like that too....the turf isn't even linksy.

Just my humble opinion but I wouldn't go back.

I'd love to play Turnberry though

foxyboxer

What about Muirfield?

Prices for the Open courses are HIGH though :eek:

If it's a once off it would make sense to play the Old Course.

BoardsMember

denishurley wrote: »

St Andrews is quite accessible through the Winter Golf package, £150 per person to play three courses, I got it for my parents for Christmas. Only drawback is fairway mats

That's a pretty big drawback, I would have no interest in playing a links course and having to hit off mats. I'd prefer to play a half-decent course for half the price and hit the ball off turf.

jacko

I'm playing the old Course in April. It's not too difficult to get a spot but you have to apply well in advance and its expensive but as a once off worth it. There are other ways of getting to play too, you can enter the ballot to get a chance to play, you're given 48 hours notice or option 3 is to turn up and chance your arm.

http://www.standrews.org.uk/Playing-golf-in-St-Andrews/How-to-book.aspx

I'm not sure of what your chances are with options 2 and 3. We went option 1 and got our slot :-)

PhilipMarlowe

I've played the Old Course the last few years with the winter deal and it's been great to be honest. You only tend use the mat on 1 & 18 and on the other holes just move the ball off the fairway and place at the side so it's just a minor change which is more than offset by the reduced $$$.
Some bunkers may be out of play also while they are rebuilt. I'd love to play there in season too but it's a great little trip to stay in the town and play a few courses as part of the deal.

BigChap1759

I would highly recommend Turnberry(Ailsa) - some good deals to be had and possibly the best looking course I've ever seen a championship on

k.p.h

BigChap1759 wrote: »

I would highly recommend Turnberry(Ailsa) - some good deals to be had and possibly the best looking course I've ever seen a championship on

I would love to play St.Andrews, but a lot of that is down to the history of the place combined with the course.There is no getting away from the fact that it is a bit like hallowed ground for golfers. A bit of a mecca so to speak.

But if I could remove that from the picture I would be looking at Turnberry(Ailsa) and Muirfield first.I'm only familiar from them from playing them in Tiger Woods on the old Playstation and reading about them, but all indications point to them being vastly superior courses but alas with that magical feeling that I presume St.Andrews has.

BigChap1759

If/When you play Turnberry I can guarantee you'll have a magical feeling all the way round as the course is spectacular but not as familiar as St Andrews which I guess is what you're getting at - so many famous holes, landmarks etc.

As with above post I also wouldn't waste my money playing off mats round one of these special courses.

acejeff

never played the Old Course at St Andrews but as an Open Championship venue for spectators, if you take away all the tradition and history, it is quite a poor experience. Very few vantage points, as many fairways and greens are shared you have no access into the course and are restricted to the periphery entirely, always seemto be miles away from the action.

I'm heading to Lytham & St Annes this year. It is supposed to be quite a good spectator course with excellent access to/from the course via train.

The_Architect

foxyboxer wrote: »

What about Muirfield?

Prices for the Open courses are HIGH though :eek:

If it's a once off it would make sense to play the Old Course.

Completely forgot about Muirfield.

• St.Andrews
• Royal St.Georges
• Muirfield
• Carnoustie
• Turnberry
• Royal Birkdale
• Royal Liverpool
• Royal Lythym & St.Annes
• Royal Troon

To the poster who asked if I had played Carnoustie, the answer is yes.

Loire

The_Architect wrote: »

To the poster who asked if I had played Carnoustie, the answer is yes.

Would you care to provide a quick synopsis on why you think it's so good?
Thanks,
Loire.

irish bloke

The_Architect wrote: »

Completely forgot about Muirfield.

• St.Andrews
• Royal St.Georges
• Muirfield
• Carnoustie
• Turnberry
• Royal Birkdale
• Royal Liverpool
• Royal Lythym & St.Annes
• Royal Troon

Loire wrote: »

Would you care to provide a quick synopsis on why you think it's so good?
Thanks,
Loire.

Or even a reason for your ranking order on the courses mentioned?

Thanks,
IB

liam12989

how much are we talking guys to play old course and accom? how long did you book in advance?

The_Architect

irish bloke wrote: »

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Or even a reason for your ranking order on the courses mentioned?

Thanks,
IB

St.Andrews – Full of strategy; best green complexes in the game; some great, great holes; history and loads of fun
St.Georges – Most undulating of the Open courses, huge variety in the shotmaking, also loads of fun
Muirfield – Very tough and flat but the design is magnificent. Routing and bunkering flawless. Strategy galore.
Carnoustie – Less instantly appealing but the best tough test on the rota. Repeated plays show tons of good thinking holes such as 3, 6, 14, 17.
Turnberry – Absolutely beautiful spot but lives a little on its reputation of holes 4 to 11 near the ocean (some which could be better in my opinion)
Hoylake & Lythym – Both fairly flattish, less than beautiful links courses that rely on bunkering a bit too much. Good tests with some great holes and full of tradition (especially Hoylake)
Royal Troon – A course of three thirds. The middle one (7-12) is full of interest and good to great holes. But the first six is a bit of a slog out to get there and the last six is a bit of a slog to get back

Loire

The_Architect wrote: »

Carnoustie – Less instantly appealing but the best tough test on the rota. Repeated plays show tons of good thinking holes such as 3, 6, 14, 17.

Those holes are pretty good alright, but I think what put me off was around the turn...Very inland feel ( we were putting and a train went past us about 50 feet away.). Then on the next holes there was a lake with lovely swans swimming in it...on a links?? A few big trees thrown in to the mix and for awhile it was like playing an average parkland course. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but surely a topclass links as this is rated should be a pure links.

FixdePitchmark

The_Architect wrote: »

St.Andrews – Full of strategy; best green complexes in the game; some great, great holes; history and loads of fun
St.Georges – Most undulating of the Open courses, huge variety in the shotmaking, also loads of fun
Muirfield – Very tough and flat but the design is magnificent. Routing and bunkering flawless. Strategy galore.
Carnoustie – Less instantly appealing but the best tough test on the rota. Repeated plays show tons of good thinking holes such as 3, 6, 14, 17.
Turnberry – Absolutely beautiful spot but lives a little on its reputation of holes 4 to 11 near the ocean (some which could be better in my opinion)
Hoylake & Lythym – Both fairly flattish, less than beautiful links courses that rely on bunkering a bit too much. Good tests with some great holes and full of tradition (especially Hoylake)
Royal Troon – A course of three thirds. The middle one (7-12) is full of interest and good to great holes. But the first six is a bit of a slog out to get there and the last six is a bit of a slog to get back

I know this is ironic (me wanting to be a tourist), but I get the sense that St. Andrews is a bit of a tourist trap. If you go to any of the others , can you stay clear of this and still get to play a good Open course without all the - you have to be a four ball, rangers watching you and pushing you on ?

Or are most Open courses very touristy,very busy, formal and tied up in procedure ?

dnjoyce

Don't have to be a 4-ball on Old course - we had the first tee time out as a two-ball from the ballot and they asked us that morning would we mind if a couple of people who had q'd up all night to play could join us - giving us the option to stay as a two-ball - needless to say we were more than happy to join up - Anyone who q's up all night to play is alright in my book!! St. Andrews itself is fantastic btw - both the golf and the town.

FixdePitchmark

dnjoyce wrote: »

Don't have to be a 4-ball on Old course - we had the first tee time out as a two-ball from the ballot and they asked us that morning would we mind if a couple of people who had q'd up all night to play could join us - giving us the option to stay as a two-ball - needless to say we were more than happy to join up - Anyone who q's up all night to play is alright in my book!! St. Andrews itself is fantastic btw - both the golf and the town.

Could have been that you were first group, just got the Idea it was 4 balls all over.

denishurley

When I booked it for my parents I had no problem getting a two-ball, although then another couple who they're friends with decided to come along too so now it is a fourball!

The_Architect

There is no problem booking a two-ball at St Andrews but you must always expect to play in a four-ball. They will fill vacant spots with ballots and walk-ons.

I don't believe it is a tourist trap. The place just oozes golf. It's a great experience and best to spend a few days there and soak in the atmosphere and putt on the himalayas etc... The Old Course is excellent but sometimes is not an instant hit.

For one time play instant hits, the safest bets on the rota are probably St.Georges, Turnberry and Birkdale. I forgot to mention Birkdale above. It has the largest dunes but the holes generally follow fairly flat valleys at the bottom of them, making it a little less interesting than it might be.

FixdePitchmark

The_Architect wrote: »

There is no problem booking a two-ball at St Andrews but you must always expect to play in a four-ball. They will fill vacant spots with ballots and walk-ons.

I don't believe it is a tourist trap. The place just oozes golf. It's a great experience and best to spend a few days there and soak in the atmosphere and putt on the himalayas etc... The Old Course is excellent but sometimes is not an instant hit.

For one time play instant hits, the safest bets on the rota are probably St.Georges, Turnberry and Birkdale. I forgot to mention Birkdale above. It has the largest dunes but the holes generally follow fairly flat valleys at the bottom of them, making it a little less interesting than it might be.

So a ferry to Liverpool / Holyhead and play Birkdale and Hoylake would be a good 3 day trip ?

The_Architect

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

So a ferry to Liverpool / Holyhead and play Birkdale and Hoylake would be a good 3 day trip ?

Well yes and no.

People get a little carried away with many of The Open courses. They are big and tough but there are many links courses that are better and much more fun than some of the Open courses.

I'd probably choose Birkdale, Formby and Wallasey on a quick 3 course stop of the area.

ThunderCat

The_Architect wrote: »

Well yes and no.

People get a little carried away with many of The Open courses. They are big and tough but there are many links courses that are better and much more fun than some of the Open courses.

I'd probably choose Birkdale, Formby and Wallasey on a quick 3 course stop of the area.

Hillside would be a good option if in that area also.

FixdePitchmark

Thanks all,

Did not know liverpool had such great golf, not just great football.

acejeff

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

So a ferry to Liverpool / Holyhead and play Birkdale and Hoylake would be a good 3 day trip ?

Don't forget Lytham which is not too far away either.