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[Ulrich Mayring]

Hi all,

do we have any St Andrews local knowledge here? If I wanted to visit the Home of Golf and play all the courses prior to the Open, when would be the best time? Open week is July 11th - 18th, but I suspect they might close the Old Course earlier - and perhaps the other courses as well in order to put up grandstands and such. I have put this question to the Links Trust as well via email, but would especially be interested in people's opinion as to playing the Old Course in an "Open setup" - any fun for the average hacker? And when would the best time for that be?

Many thanks in advance,

Ulrich

[Adrian_Stiff]

Ulrich, I think for 2010 it will be mainy mats until after the Open, I am guessing the late April to Early June will be your best time. The other courses will be all okay though. Interesting to see what the Links trust say.

[Bill_McBride]

Ulrich, I can't help much although I was in Scotland during the 2005 Open with my wife and another couple.

We worked our way up to Edinburgh and North Berwick on Monday, played there Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning and drove on to St Andrews.

On Wednesday we played Crail Balcomie, Thursday morning we played Lundin Links, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday we were at the Open.  I don't know which of the Eden, New or Jubilee might have been available, thought they'd be tied up I guess.  There are so many other good links and parkland courses to play in the area that it was easy to set up a nice stay before and during the Open.  Leven, Elie, Ladybank, Balbirnie Park, Crail Craighead, Dundee, Carnoustie.......lots of choices.

The Old is not the best place to be in the gallery (not a lot of elevation change for vantage points), but the bleachers are really a good place to watch.  The bleachers at 13, 14, 15 and 16 give you great views of play on both halves of the double greens.  It's pretty crowded out in the loop.  You need special tickets to get into the bleachers at 17 and 18.  The tented village has huge TV screens so you can hang out at a table and quaff Belhaven's Best.  

[Ulrich Mayring]

I plan to leave once the Open starts. My timeslots would be either one, two or three weeks before the Open. Friends of mine have a tee time in late May - I think if it were mats, they'd been told!

Ulrich

[Adrian_Stiff]

I think its always mats now up until late March. I woud imagine that they wont want any divots on the fairways from say the last 4-6 weeks that lead up to the Open, so it could be closed or you use mats. Late May sounds perfect though and April and May would be your best times to play without a mat. I cant imagine you could pitch up and play the week before.

[Anthony Gray]

  Dead of winter is a sure thing.

  Anthony

[Ulrich Mayring]

But surely it will be hitting off mats and no Open setup as yet.

Ulrich