The Old Course - New Process for Single Golfers

[srs06d]

Just an FYI for those with upcoming trips to St. Andrews hoping to secure a TOC time as a single. The days of overnight camping are no more...https://standrews.com/articles/old_course_singles_daily_draw_news_article

[cardia10]

1 hour ago, srs06d said:

Just an FYI for those with upcoming trips to St. Andrews hoping to secure a TOC time as a single. The days of overnight camping are no more...https://standrews.com/articles/old_course_singles_daily_draw_news_article

This is akin to what happened at Augusta when the Masters went from writing a yearly letter requiring some effort to apply for tickets to the online system. I would imagine a new cottage industry will pop up in St Andrews where a few locals will apply and sell won times daily.

[hammergolf]

Sad day…. So many great stories from those who made the pilgrimage and camped out. 

[El Gringo]

22 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Sad day…. So many great stories from those who made the pilgrimage and camped out. 

Thou can always apply online and then act like a refugee for the craic 💁. 

[Sean30114]

Wow. I'll be there at the end of June and beginning of July and will apply every day. 

[srs06d]

7 minutes ago, Sean30114 said:

will apply every day.

Hopefully the golf gods and/or karma sort out people that get a time and continue to enter everyday in hopes of having their cake and eating it too. Sad to see the old process of meritocracy go but alas that is today's world. Long gone are the days of wanting something so bad you actually had to make some sacrifices for it.

[lazyjk]

3 hours ago, cardia10 said:

few locals will apply and sell won times daily

Apparently the kiosk will take a picture of you so the starter can verify you were the one who filled it out.

[Sean30114]

Does anybody know if the Old Pavillion or Clubhouse is open on Sundays to apply for Monday tee times?

[Poor Mans Ty Webb]

12 minutes ago, srs06d said:

Hopefully the golf gods and/or karma sort out people that get a time and continue to enter everyday in hopes of having their cake and eating it too. Sad to see the old process of meritocracy go but alas that is today's world. Long gone are the days of wanting something so bad you actually had to make some sacrifices for it.

 

What's worse is that the new system is going to be even more competitive for golfers who really want it.  There were never any guarantees, but this was as close to one as possible for those who were willing to work for it.  It separated the seriously committed from the fair-weatherers.  There's a solid percentage of the golfing community who would have played it as a single but weren't willing to do the queue.  Now they'll all be flooding the system and it will be more of a crapshoot than ever.

 

I'm going out for the first time in July, and I'm gutted over this news.  There was never any doubt about my doing the queue - all night if necessary - and I was at least naively optimistic about my chances.  But now I'm not feeling so good about it.

[Celeras]

Leave it to the golfing community to get upset over not being able to queue up outside for 16 hours before maybe being able to play a round. Probably brought to you by the same boomers who get us $3 fitness bands repurposed as a $300 "training aid" and golf ball rollbacks. 

 

Get with the times, grandpa.

Edited March 6, 2024 by Celeras

[Hawkeye77]

25 minutes ago, Celeras said:

Leave it to the golfing community to get upset over not being able to queue up outside for 16 hours before maybe being able to play a round. Probably brought to you by the same boomers who get us $3 fitness bands repurposed as a $300 "training aid" and golf ball rollbacks. 

 

Get with the times, grandpa.

 

Yikes, what a pointless and mean spirited post.

 

Lining up has been a pretty productive way for people to get on The Old Course and you clearly haven't thought through the implications for folks that will want to get on.  Definitely sorted things out and a nice "reward" for having the commitment and spirit to try and get on that way --- the new way, not so much.

 

Nothing "grandpa" about the equivalent of camping out for concert tickets, lol, quite the opposite - intrepid folks that really love golf and want to play the most iconic course in the world.

[jatrain]

Yeah, I’m headed there in September for the first time and while I’m not sad that I don’t have to wait overnight did feel like with that system I controlled my own destiny, get there early enough and I’d get on.  
 

Now it’s just up to luck.

[jvincent]

Another lottery I can lose, just like the Masters.

 

Thankfully I've already played the Old Course.

[Quebec Club Ho]

5 hours ago, Poor Mans Ty Webb said:

 

What's worse is that the new system is going to be even more competitive for golfers who really want it.  There were never any guarantees, but this was as close to one as possible for those who were willing to work for it.  It separated the seriously committed from the fair-weatherers.  There's a solid percentage of the golfing community who would have played it as a single but weren't willing to do the queue.  Now they'll all be flooding the system and it will be more of a crapshoot than ever.

 

I'm going out for the first time in July, and I'm gutted over this news.  There was never any doubt about my doing the queue - all night if necessary - and I was at least naively optimistic about my chances.  But now I'm not feeling so good about it.

An end of an era, I agree with you 10000% I was able to play the OC everyday I was there. I knew that if I wanted it enough, I could get on. Back in 2011 the line up started at 2am. Best of luck on getting to play the OC - Karma is on your side 🙂

[StoutKing]

To all the people who grew the game - this is your fault.  Bite me

[sheppick.dan]

7 hours ago, Poor Mans Ty Webb said:

 

What's worse is that the new system is going to be even more competitive for golfers who really want it.  There were never any guarantees, but this was as close to one as possible for those who were willing to work for it.  It separated the seriously committed from the fair-weatherers.  There's a solid percentage of the golfing community who would have played it as a single but weren't willing to do the queue.  Now they'll all be flooding the system and it will be more of a crapshoot than ever.

 

I'm going out for the first time in July, and I'm gutted over this news.  There was never any doubt about my doing the queue - all night if necessary - and I was at least naively optimistic about my chances.  But now I'm not feeling so good about it.

I’m with you. We were planning on going the first night at 10pm and earlier the next if needed. Very upsetting to hear. 

[italianstallion]

8 hours ago, Celeras said:

Leave it to the golfing community to get upset over not being able to queue up outside for 16 hours before maybe being able to play a round. Probably brought to you by the same boomers who get us $3 fitness bands repurposed as a $300 "training aid" and golf ball rollbacks. 

 

Get with the times, grandpa.

If you got there 16 hours early ahead of the 6am Pavilion opening time you were guaranteed to get out. If the “times” you speak of are a culture based on chance rather than dedication then I want no part of it. I’m 34, so that’s not a grandpa take yet. 

Camping out and playing St. Andrews is the single greatest golfing memory of my life, eclipsing shooting under par, hole-in-ones, winning golf tournaments, and playing some of the most exclusive courses in the world. I had a two day window granted to me by my wife to try and get out on the Old Course, but I still lugged my golf clubs halfway around the world knowing that as long as I set my mind to getting there super early one of those days, I was going to play. I showed up at 5:45 PM the first night and was #7 in line; which also happened to be the last guaranteed single slot for the next day. I got no sleep in, but I shared food, beers, and stories with golfing nuts from around the world, all in the shadow of the R&A clubhouse. By the time 6:00 AM rolled around, there were over 50 people in line. I got a 12:30 tee time, went back to the Airbnb for a solid four hour nap, and returned for the greatest walk of my life with my wife happily in tow. If I’m granted the gift of a peaceful exit from this world, I’ll be reminiscing of that day on my death bed. 
 

As others have mentioned, this new system takes away the ‘barrier’ of having to go to such lengths to get out. Therefore I would expect more than 50 people will be entering the lottery on a daily basis for what will amount to 5-10 guaranteed slots and maybe another 10-15 no show slots a day, at best. If I went this year with a similar two day window, statistically those odds wouldn’t be in my favor. 
 

I’m truly saddened for everyone who had planned to attempt the singles queue this year. You’ve not only lost one of the game’s great meritocracies, but also the chance to experience the magical culture that was the queue line on any given night. 

 

[flognut]

are they really doing away with the overnight que line altogether ?? this new singles lottery is not 1st come 1st serve. so if overnight que is abolished completely then a single getting shut out completely the whole time there is a very  likely possibility. 

 

this is gut wrenching if 100% true

[El Gringo]

A single could have been shut out with the que system as well. I didn’t get on twice. Although, I didn’t camp out at 6pm the night before 🙄. I did play last summer with a guy who qued on. By the back 9 the poor fella was useless. 
 

I wonder if some problems happened to push the Links Trust into modernisation? 
 

As an aside, I know a few guys who are planning to cue for the final night of cueing just because it’s the final night.

[flognut]

1 minute ago, El Gringo said:

A single could have been shut out with the que system as well. I didn’t get on twice. Although, I didn’t camp out at 6pm the night before 🙄. I did play last summer with a guy who qued on. By the back 9 the poor fella was useless. 
 

I wonder if some problems happened to push the Links Trust into modernisation? 
 

As an aside, I know a few guys who are planning to cue for the final night of cueing just because it’s the final night.

whats that date for the final night? if you do know. 

[flognut]

14 hours ago, StoutKing said:

To all the people who grew the game - this is your fault.  Bite me

blame Tiger, its all his fault. anyone else wish he chose baseball instead. lol

[flognut]

10 minutes ago, flognut said:

whats that date for the final night? if you do know. 

nevermind, looks like March 11th

[flognut]

Can anyone come up with a percentage of the chance to getting picked in the singles lottery each day the 3rd week of May? id guess it gravely low

as someone whose sole purpose of going to St.Andrews was to play TOC at least once via the walkup que as the last resort if necessary i ask anyone is it still worth it?  

[sheppick.dan]

1 minute ago, flognut said:

Can anyone come up with a percentage of the chance to getting picked in the singles lottery each day the 3rd week of May? id guess it gravely low

as someone whose sole purpose of going to St.Andrews was to play TOC at least once via the walkup que as the last resort if necessary i ask anyone is it still worth it?  

 

Have you checked out Ballot buddy? It will pair you up with someone that is over there at the same time so you can enter the twosome ballot. I think it was like 10 bucks or something.

[flognut]

3 minutes ago, sheppick.dan said:

 

Have you checked out Ballot buddy? It will pair you up with someone that is over there at the same time so you can enter the twosome ballot. I think it was like 10 bucks or something.

yes. already signed up for that and paired with 3 others. seems like we enter as a foursome which seems even far less likely to get picked.  i cant see there being any open foursomes at any time or any day ever. maybe they break us into twosomes? anyway, i thought this was pot luck anyway also. i totally had the mindset i would have to do the walkup que line to get on one day during my stay. with that out the window it seems slim to none now

[sheppick.dan]

49 minutes ago, flognut said:

yes. already signed up for that and paired with 3 others. seems like we enter as a foursome which seems even far less likely to get picked.  i cant see there being any open foursomes at any time or any day ever. maybe they break us into twosomes? anyway, i thought this was pot luck anyway also. i totally had the mindset i would have to do the walkup que line to get on one day during my stay. with that out the window it seems slim to none now

 Very much. When are you going?

[shankasaurus rex]

Sounds like a great solution to the problem. You can always sleep on the street if you need the "experience."

[shankasaurus rex]

17 hours ago, StoutKing said:

To all the people who grew the game - this is your fault.  Bite me

I'm guessing all the "lesser" courses that managed to stay open because of the growth of the game disagree with your little rant. 

[StoutKing]

1 hour ago, shankasaurus rex said:

I'm guessing all the "lesser" courses that managed to stay open because of the growth of the game disagree with your little rant. 

Can't get a tee time where I live.  All the people who formerly had no life golf.  They don't replace divots of fix ball marks.  Pace of play has never been worse.  The USGA should educate them on these things.  It will all be corrected though in the next downturn though.  It's coming.

 

Edited March 7, 2024 by StoutKing

[hammergolf]

I feel so bad for everyone who has made plans and spent the money to plan a trip only to have the opportunity to play TOC taken away from them. I think this decision is actually going to backfire on them because people will not be as inclined to schedule a trip if it’s a coin toss on whether they get to play TOC. I’ve sent them an email expressing my thoughts and how unfair it is to make this change now with such short notice. I mean there are so many other solutions, but taking away one of the greatest traditions is not the answer. Hopefully they get enough negative feedback that they change their position like they did with the artificial turf by the Swilkin Bridge.