Scotland trip -- Muirfield?
Douglas Siebert
since I have the time and he's getting old enough that he won't be able
to walk all those courses much longer. He's decided he wants to go so
we're tentatively looking at going for a couple weeks in the second
part of August. We'll probably do a self-drive tour for the first week,
to ease the difficulty of getting onto the Old Course, Carnoustie and
some of the other big name courses (plus they put us up at some nice
places last time, the Marine Highland in Troon, and Turnberry's hotel
when we were there) But this company can't put us on Muirfield, and
that's the one course I really wanted to play last time I was there I
wasn't able to.
If I remember the situation right, they only take tee times on Tuesday
and Thursday, and they are booked many months in advance. So obviously
there's no chance of us getting on with less than two months notice.
But I seem to remember people saying there was a chance of getting on
if you show up early on a Tuesday or Thursday morning, and hope someone
doesn't show. Anyone know what the odds are for a twosome to do this
and be able to get on in August? Yeah, I suppose it depends on the
weather to some extent. I figure we could show up in the morning at
8AM or so (or should we go earlier) and stick around until 11 or so,
at which time if we still haven't gotten on, we'd go elsewhere. Anyone
have any recommendations for a good course we could go to as a backup
plan that's nearby? It doesn't have to be a big-name course, I remember
the municipal courses we played in Troon last time were quite good.
It'd have to be something we could probably get on without much notice,
since it'd be pretty rude to make a tee time there and then not show up
if we get onto Muirfield.
Do any of these courses still let you play off the championship tees?
Last time I was there (when they were much less expensive and golf was
not quite as big -- over 10 years ago, pre Tiger) they asked to see my
handicap card to verify I was good enough (I think they wanted a single
digit handicap) at Troon and Carnoustie. St. Andrews and Turnberry
didn't even have the championship tees mowed, however. I wonder if
that is now the case everywhere, to avoid tourist hackers bringing a
fake handicap card to play off the same tees as Tiger and shooting a
110 (I broke 90 everywhere but Prestwick, and that obviously wasn't
because of the length of the layout :) )
Also, anyone know how about much it'd cost to rent a cell phone for a
couple weeks while we are there? I figure it'd be much easier to make
calls for tee times and such with a cell phone instead of figuring out
the different system for calls in each hotel and B&B we stay at. That
was such a hassle before. If we could get one with decent rates back to
the states we could avoid the hassle of calling cards for making calls
back home.
--
Douglas Siebert dsie...@excisethis.khamsin.net
I have discovered a remarkable proof which this .sig is too small to contain!
Mark Koenig
Send a letter *now* to the Secretary at Muirfield. Do *not* show up
without first presenting yourself. Their attitude is that if you had the
time to prepare for the trip, you should have taken the time to introduce
yourself.
You'll also find it almost impossible to play "the tips" at any of the
courses.
Those are for competitions, all the other times they put down the tees
"for the day" and they will expect you to play them.
Good Luck!
Mark
Douglas Siebert <dsie...@excisethis.khamsin.net> wrote in message
news:9h9e2s$h23$1...@sword.avalon.net...
Gary Young
if you cannot get on through "normal" channels don't give up. When I was at
St. Andrews, I woke up early the morning I was to play and decided to walk
the beach where the Chariots of Fire scene was shot. I passed the Starter's
Shack at 5:45 A.M. and chatted with one of over a dozen folks who did not
make the lottery for the Old Course the day before. It seems that they
almost always have a few openings for those willing to try. Two of the
fellows at my hotel, with whom I shared breakfast at 6:30, got on that way.
"Mark Koenig" <gol...@gte.net> wrote in message
news:cSZZ6.587$Gi6....@dfiatx1-snr1.gtei.net...
Iain Muir
dsie...@excisethis.khamsin.net (Douglas Siebert) wrote:
Doug, you're right about the Tuesday & Thursday deal at Muirfield. I
have heard of people turning up on spec. and being lucky enough to get
to play, although it's more likely to happen during the winter months
than summer, and is certainly something that's frowned upon in general.
Do try to make both written *and* verbal contact with them (asap) to
establish the likelihood of success. The office phone no. is: 01620 842
123 (that's the dialling code from within the UK). It's certainly worth
trying - you never know, you may be lucky!
If, on the other hand, you're not able to arrange a game at Muirfield, I
can *highly* recommend North Berwick West Links, a little further down
the coast (10-15mins drive, max). The West Links are world renowned, and
would provide an excellent and memorable alternative to Muirfield. You
could also consider either Gullane No.1 or No.2 courses, both of which
are excellent and highly enjoyable, or Longniddry (just 5mins drive
before Gullane on the coast road), which, again, has a fine reputation.
If you want to learn more about these and other Scottish courses to help
you plan your trip, you should get Tom Doak's 'Confidential Guide' - a
superb book, which is a connoisseurs guide to the world's best golf
courses, rating each one on a scale of 1-10. Another book which is
extremely helpful is 'Golf Travel's Guide to the World's Greatest Golf
Destinations' (although, curiously, it omits the East Lothian Links
courses - Muirfield included!), which gives some very useful
accommodation data and travel directions. Donald Steel's book 'Classic
Golf Links of Great Britain & Ireland' is also worth studying.
Hope this gives you some ideas for your trip! If you're going to Fife &
St. Andrews, the new links course at Kingsbarns is stunning (check out
the website!), although at £120 per round, it should be! Slightly
further inland, and about 25-30mins drive from St. Andrews, Ladybank (an
Open Championship qualifying course) is well worth playing if you can
spare the time. Definitely one of the best in Scotland.
> Do any of these courses still let you play off the championship tees?
Mostly, no. It would be highly unusual if you were 'officially' allowed
to play from anything other than the yellow tees (men's forward medal
tees). Club competitions are played from the white tees and are nearly
always reserved purely for members competition play only. Some courses,
Kingsbarns for example, will allow you to play from the championship
tees, but this is extremely rare, I'm afraid.
> Also, anyone know how about much it'd cost to rent a cell phone for a
> couple weeks while we are there? I figure it'd be much easier to make
> calls for tee times and such with a cell phone instead of figuring out
> the different system for calls in each hotel and B&B we stay at. That
> was such a hassle before. If we could get one with decent rates back to
> the states we could avoid the hassle of calling cards for making calls
> back home.
Can't offer any advice here, but it should be possible to arrange cell
phone rental at a reaonable cost.
Best of luck to both of you, and don't forget to post to RSG about your
trip when you return!
Iain