Muirfield - visitor policy

[Deucie Bies]

36 holes and lunch at Muirfield is one of the best days you can have in golf.  Foursomes in the afternoon is a lot of fun.  We met some members during lunch who were extremely hospitable and introduced us to kummel.  What a great experience!

[Kevin Pallier]

Deicie

I got my introduction to kummel by the members as well - geez they are an "influential bunch" 

It certainly keeps one warm during the first few holes of them PM round 

[Sean Leary]

I have some connections in COlumbus and last year I called a few people out on some favors owed. My request was simple, can you get me on Scioto CC?

Most replies were, "Rich, a round at Muirfield Village would be much easier." I have not given up on Scioto, as a friend knows a member who owes him something BIG. Maybe this summer.

My Dad was very close business friends with a guy who was the food and beverage manager at MVGC (I used to live in Dublin; but I got to play places like Bash GC and Twin Oaks, both are gone now and good riddance!) and he knew JN personally. True story from mid 1980's, a gentleman from Australia walked into the club house and asked to play MVGV (not the CC course either!). He was politely told that the club was very private. He then asked to join the club. He was then told that it wasn't possible to obtain a membership. He asked the initiation fee, got the reply. He then plopped down said money ( ithink around $50K) on the counter and asked to play a round. If I remember correctly, they allowed him to play the course and kept the cash! He was some multi-billionaire type playing courses all over the place on a whimisical world-wide golf tour....

Wrong Muirfield.

[Jim McCann]

As far as I know, Scottish Golf Union members get a discounted tee time on Tuesdays and Thursdays
in the winter only (£280 for four).

If you are looking to get a (slightly) discounted round in the summer, Associate membership of Musselburgh
Old Golf Club for £90 gets you onto Muirfield on 22nd July when they have reserved tee times for 60 quid
a head. They may have other dates available too, I'm not sure at the moment.

Doesn't save you much but it gives you the satisfaction of putting some of your hard earned lucre the way of
a nice wee club that playes over the oldest continuously used course in the world...
 

[Gary Slatter]

My wife didn't realize just how lucky she was to play Muirfiled until she was met at the gate and whisked away to the"ladies facilities" which she described as a shoe box.  She finally understood when she saw there were only 2 tee markers.  That day she played from the senior Men's tees.

I don't think they have Senior men's tees.  What age would be Senior      +80?
When we played in July they had two sets of tees, one for the morning round and one for the afternoon round.   It is certainly worth anything to play with a member!  18 holes in morning  lunch 18 holes in afternoon   3 hours for each result    9 perfect hours.

[Patrick Glynn]

A personal favorite:

An American gentleman arrived without notice and wished to play. He was directed to the Secretary's office. There was nobody on the course. He began with the chit-chat that it was really a very nice day etc. and was getting round to his requet to play when the Sec touched a handbell in office and an attendant came in and was told "Please take this gentleman away - he wants to discuss the weather".

[cary lichtenstein]

My Muirfield experience(s):

Our travel agent arranged for us to stay at Greywalls the night before and our tee time and as it turns out, everyones tee time at Muirfield was 4 PM.

So we played Troon in the AM and at 3:45 PM they gathered Bette and I together to walk next door over to Muirfield.

First off, we were greeted with a sign that read " Women and dogs not welcome"

Bette didn't think that was cute, neither did I.

So we get to the first tee and there are 16 of us.

So you just stand around and they call off your names. They don't give us any order, so you stand there hoping they'll call you next cuz its 45 degrees, no sun and the wind is whipping at 35 MPH.

Everyone that is called goes off in two somes with single caddies for each.

Naturally, they call Bette and I last. I steaming, but holding it together.

There are 2 caddies left. One grabs my bag and the other announces "I ain't carrying no bag for no women" The drunken SOB walks off.

Now me, having had an eternal bad back, can't carry my wife's bag.

I ask my caddy to carry double. He says "Sorry mister, if I carry your wife's bag, they'll heckle me in the bar for a month"

So they bring out a pull cart for Bette which is difficult for her to manevr on the uphill holes against the wind.

She's bitching the entire time, I'm freezing cuz it's getting colder, starting to drizzle, then rain and the wind will not quit.

Needless to say, my memories of Muirfield are not found.

Now to my memories of the other Muirfield in Ohio, Jack's place.

Our club pro called their club pro and we got the ok to play unaccompanied.

We were really looking forward to it. So we arrive in the pro shop early, shop a bit, and go to sign in.

Well, the pro behind the desk says to us, "you know, we really don't like unaccompanied guests"

Huh, what was that about? So I let it pass and ask him how I should pay for this, cash, credit card or charge it to my Florida club.

I get another arrogant answer. Then I ask him about the range, are there balls out there and he tells me he would like us to go off

immediately, as there is a gap in play.

Bette and I always like to warm up,me with the back back,  we thought we had a starting time, we're an hour early...so I just swallow and we go out to play.

The course and conditions were pristine, but all I really remember was the asshole behind the desk being so arrogant.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

The claret isn't a patch on what the members think it is.

[Bob_Huntley]

Mark,

If you go to search, you will find that I said it was more WD40 than Haut Brion.

Bob

[Bob_Huntley]

Cary,

I have never had a problem at Muirfield as I wear the right tie and have the right club affiliations. However, I have written about this before but cannot bring it up in our search application.

I was in the Secretary's office when an American husband and wife arrive to play after having gone through the ritual of writing and making an appoitment to play. Captain Paddy Hamner, he of the imperious manner and quite possibly the rudest son of a bitch that ever had a job running a golf course reduced the woman to tears. i was disgusted and decided I would do something about it.


The only thing I could do was to get my club to refuse playing privileges to any Muirfield member who applied for permission to play there. I am not sure it worked for any length of time but I got some satisfaction in putting down the canard that he was a colorful character. He was a prick.

Bob

[Kevin Pallier]

Cary,

I have never had a problem at Muirfield as I wear the right tie and have the right club affiliations. However, I have written about this before but cannot bring it up in our search application.

I was in the Secretary's office when an American husband and wife arrive to play after having gone through the ritual of writing and making an appoitment to play. Captain Paddy Hamner, he of the imperious manner and quite possibly the rudest son of a bitch that ever had a job running a golf course reduced the woman to tears. i was disgusted and decided I would do something about it.


The only thing I could do was to get my club to refuse playing privileges to any Muirfield member who applied for permission to play there. I am not sure it worked for any length of time but I got some satisfaction in putting down the canard that he was a colorful character. He was a prick.

Bob

Oh Bob - you have a way with words  

[Mark Pearce]

Is anyone suggesting that Muirfield today is the same place and the same experience for a visitor as it was in Hanmer's day?

The fact is that today any golfer with a handicap can book a tee time at Muirfield, play and have lunch and be welcomed.  That's a great contrast with any US club of similar standing in the game.  The fact is that Muirfield has changed (and like the original poster I'd love to know what drove that change).

[Carl Johnson]

O.K., here's my Muirfield experience.  I would not have played in the first place if my companions hadn't wanted to, but we signed up on the Muirfield website a little less than a year before our 2007 trip from the States to Scotland.  Handicap max is 20.  My card showed an index of 18 point something, with a home course HC 21 or so.  I was concerned.  My understanding is that the St. Andrews Old Course, with a higher max, goes by your HC, not your index.  In any case, we get to Muirfield and it is cool and pouring rain.  Very few golfers are there on that visitors day -- I expect most bailed.  The four of us went off No. 1 in consecutive two balls.  No one asked to see our HC cards or even asked us our handicaps.  My sense was that no one, not even the starters or whatever they were, wanted to be outside.

Toward the end of our two ball matches, with the course nearly empty, our trail group called to our lead group to "wait up and we'll finish together."  Out of nowhere, from about 50 yards away, a voice pops up: "No, you start as a two ball, you finish as a two ball."  So we did.  In spite of my rainsuit, I was soaked.  My wool slacks were 99 percent soaked through.  Fortunately, I'd brought a change of clothes for lunch.  But first, a hot shower.  I was the only one in our group to shower, and the others really missed something.  Muirfield has the best clubhouse showers I've experienced, by far.  If I went back, it would be to take another shower.  I have little if any recollection of the course, but I'll never forget the shower room.

As I was heading out of the locker room to lunch, another visiting U.S. golfer was paniced.  He missed the dress code, did not know the coat and tie rule for lunch, and had only his rainsuit to wear.  "Could I borrow your wool slacks?" he asked me.  I explained they were soaked.  "Doesn't matter," he said.  It was funny, but you had to be there. As it turned out the locker room attendant had a full set of clothes he could borrow for lunch, so Muirfield is apparently prepared for this sort of visitor.

Lunch was a buffet, with tables on three sides of the room, as I recall.  First thing I did, or tried to do, was take a survey of the layout just to see what was available -- I had not even picked up a plate.  (There was a seated table of four, and the four of us who had just come in.)  However, the butler, or whatever you might call him, put a stop to that.  He said, "You start here,  and then go around this way."  So I did.

In the afternoon two of our group, not including me, played one-half of a foursome.  They said they encountered no other golfers on the course. The other two of us sat out the rain in our hotel bar in North Berwick.

[Mark Pearce]

O.K., here's my Muirfield experience.  I would not have played in the first place if my companions hadn't wanted to, but we signed up on the Muirfield website a little less than a year before our 2007 trip from the States to Scotland.  Handicap max is 20.  My card showed an index of 18 point something, with a home course HC 21 or so.  I was concerned.  My understanding is that the St. Andrews Old Course, with a higher max, goes by your HC, not your index.  In any case, we get to Muirfield and it is cool and pouring rain.  Very few golfers are there on that visitors day -- I expect most bailed.  The four of us went off No. 1 in consecutive two balls.  No one asked to see our HC cards or even asked us our handicaps.  My sense was that no one, not even the starters or whatever they were, wanted to be outside.

My experience as a visitor is that I have never been asked for my handicap certificate, even on sunny days.

Toward the end of our two ball matches, with the course nearly empty, our trail group called to our lead group to "wait up and we'll finish together."  Out of nowhere, from about 50 yards away, a voice pops up: "No, you start as a two ball, you finish as a two ball."

It's a two ball course.  That is made very clear to all visitors in advance.  All they ask is that you comply with the rules.

So we did.  In spite of my rainsuit, I was soaked.  My wool slacks were 99 percent soaked through.  Fortunately, I'd brought a change of clothes for lunch.  But first, a hot shower.  I was the only one in our group to shower, and the others really missed something.  Muirfield has the best clubhouse showers I've experienced, by far.  If I went back, it would be to take another shower.  I have little if any recollection of the course, but I'll never forget the shower room.

Indeed, excellent showers.  Perhaps matched by the Berkshire, but nowhere else I can think of.

As I was heading out of the locker room to lunch, another visiting U.S. golfer was paniced.  He missed the dress code, did not know the coat and tie rule for lunch, and had only his rainsuit to wear.  "Could I borrow your wool slacks?" he asked me.  I explained they were soaked.  "Doesn't matter," he said.  It was funny, but you had to be there. As it turned out the locker room attendant had a full set of clothes he could borrow for lunch, so Muirfield is apparently prepared for this sort of visitor.

I think a lot of top UK courses carry spare ties and jackets for just such an occurrence.  Of course, they don't have to.

Lunch was a buffet, with tables on three sides of the room, as I recall.  First thing I did, or tried to do, was take a survey of the layout just to see what was available -- I had not even picked up a plate.  (There was a seated table of four, and the four of us who had just come in.)  However, the butler, or whatever you might call him, put a stop to that.  He said, "You start here,  and then go around this way."  So I did.

I suspect that he thought you looked a bit confused and was trying to help.  My experience is that no matter how pompous certain elements of top clubs can be the staff are almost always helpful and friendly, even if in Scotland that can seem a little taciturn.

In the afternoon two of our group, not including me, played one-half of a foursome.  They said they encountered no other golfers on the course. The other two of us sat out the rain in our hotel bar in North Berwick.

I don't think many visitors bail now, no matter what the conditions, with the majority of the price being paid up front.  members simply don't play on Tuesdays and Thursdays if they can avoid it, whatever the weather.

[Brett Hochstein]

Chuck,

[/quote]

The HCEG scorecard used to be a simple cardboard square, with 18 holes, yadages and pars, and an instruction, "NO FOUR BALL MATCHES ALLOWED WITHOUT PERMISSION."  Is that still true?

The card I got from there two weeks ago makes no mention of four or two ball matches.  It is still relatively simple for a course of such standing, but it does now have a color photo on the front, a list of local rules, and a simple routing on the back.

For years, the great Capt. Hanmer story was about the guy who presented himself to play, and was questioned by Capt. Hanmer himself.  (I'll paraphrase -- no doubt I'll get details wrong...)  Capt. Hanmer askes the guy who he is.  He introduces himself, says that he is a former RAF Captain, a 2-handicap, and a former Captain of the Cambridge golf team.  Capt. Hanmer says, "9 holes..."

Is this because he is only half-impressed or because Royal Worlington & Newmarket only having 9 holes?
[/quote]

I was there on a Saturday two weeks ago but had not made any prior arrangements besides getting a contact for the head greenkeeper, so I was not expecting much when I introduced myself and asked if there was any opportunity to walk the grounds and shoot photos.  The starter pointed to the paved area next to 18 and said I could take photos from there.  I grab my camera to at least do that, and he brought me into the starter hut and gave me a scorecard and two huge handfuls of tees.  He was very friendly and reasonable, and now I have enough HCEG tees to last me 5 years. 

I would love to get back down to play because, from my viewpoint, that looks like the only way to really understand the values of the course.  200 quid is an awful lot of money though, and there are still a lot of other places I need to go and see, as is especially evident in Tony's links golf photo quiz. 

[Carl Johnson]

O.K., here's my Muirfield experience.  I would not have played in the first place if my companions hadn't wanted to, but we signed up on the Muirfield website a little less than a year before our 2007 trip from the States to Scotland.  Handicap max is 20.  My card showed an index of 18 point something, with a home course HC 21 or so.  I was concerned.  My understanding is that the St. Andrews Old Course, with a higher max, goes by your HC, not your index.  In any case, we get to Muirfield and it is cool and pouring rain.  Very few golfers are there on that visitors day -- I expect most bailed.  The four of us went off No. 1 in consecutive two balls.  No one asked to see our HC cards or even asked us our handicaps.  My sense was that no one, not even the starters or whatever they were, wanted to be outside.

My experience as a visitor is that I have never been asked for my handicap certificate, even on sunny days.

Toward the end of our two ball matches, with the course nearly empty, our trail group called to our lead group to "wait up and we'll finish together."  Out of nowhere, from about 50 yards away, a voice pops up: "No, you start as a two ball, you finish as a two ball."

It's a two ball course.  That is made very clear to all visitors in advance.  All they ask is that you comply with the rules.

So we did.  In spite of my rainsuit, I was soaked.  My wool slacks were 99 percent soaked through.  Fortunately, I'd brought a change of clothes for lunch.  But first, a hot shower.  I was the only one in our group to shower, and the others really missed something.  Muirfield has the best clubhouse showers I've experienced, by far.  If I went back, it would be to take another shower.  I have little if any recollection of the course, but I'll never forget the shower room.

Indeed, excellent showers.  Perhaps matched by the Berkshire, but nowhere else I can think of.

As I was heading out of the locker room to lunch, another visiting U.S. golfer was paniced.  He missed the dress code, did not know the coat and tie rule for lunch, and had only his rainsuit to wear.  "Could I borrow your wool slacks?" he asked me.  I explained they were soaked.  "Doesn't matter," he said.  It was funny, but you had to be there. As it turned out the locker room attendant had a full set of clothes he could borrow for lunch, so Muirfield is apparently prepared for this sort of visitor.

I think a lot of top UK courses carry spare ties and jackets for just such an occurrence.  Of course, they don't have to.

Lunch was a buffet, with tables on three sides of the room, as I recall.  First thing I did, or tried to do, was take a survey of the layout just to see what was available -- I had not even picked up a plate.  (There was a seated table of four, and the four of us who had just come in.)  However, the butler, or whatever you might call him, put a stop to that.  He said, "You start here,  and then go around this way."  So I did.

I suspect that he thought you looked a bit confused and was trying to help.  My experience is that no matter how pompous certain elements of top clubs can be the staff are almost always helpful and friendly, even if in Scotland that can seem a little taciturn.

In the afternoon two of our group, not including me, played one-half of a foursome.  They said they encountered no other golfers on the course. The other two of us sat out the rain in our hotel bar in North Berwick.

I don't think many visitors bail now, no matter what the conditions, with the majority of the price being paid up front.  members simply don't play on Tuesdays and Thursdays if they can avoid it, whatever the weather.

Mark, Thanks for the insights.  Carl

[Ken McGlynn]

Cary,

I have never had a problem at Muirfield as I wear the right tie and have the right club affiliations. However, I have written about this before but cannot bring it up in our search application.

I was in the Secretary's office when an American husband and wife arrive to play after having gone through the ritual of writing and making an appoitment to play. Captain Paddy Hamner, he of the imperious manner and quite possibly the rudest son of a bitch that ever had a job running a golf course reduced the woman to tears. i was disgusted and decided I would do something about it.


The only thing I could do was to get my club to refuse playing privileges to any Muirfield member who applied for permission to play there. I am not sure it worked for any length of time but I got some satisfaction in putting down the canard that he was a colorful character. He was a prick.

Bob

Bob...you might get a kick out of this story...on how I got over on the famed Captain.

Back in the  80s, just before his retirement, a buddy and I went through the usual machinations to get a Murfield hall pass...a letter of introduction from our club and writing a year in advance. Hamner writes back we're in, bring the coat and tie...blah blah.

A week after his letter we decide the order of our golf trip is all wrong and we decide to rework it. I write back asking for a new date (still on the Tue/Thur preferred date) and maybe 11 months before our trip. He writes back that "we are booked up for the day"... basically go take a hike.

I know I'm being dissed because with the Captain you only get one chance, and if you screwed it up, that's not his problem. Ever the resourceful Yank, I come up with a plan to write him back for the date we needed using fake names and a forged letter of introduction. And sure enough we're invited back for a second time on the date that supposedly was booked solid.

When we get there to check in, even after rehearsing in the car on the way over, doesn't my friend give the Captain his real name. Confusion sets in, he can't find the name in his book, and I'm thinking we just f'ed up a day of golf at the Honourable Company...time to put our tail between our legs and head over to Gullane No. 1.

Somehow we talked our way out of the mess and the Captain let us stay. Truly a memorable day!

[Tony_Muldoon]

I was wary, having heard stories like the above. When a group of us played there 3(?) years ago I couldn't fault the civility and hospitality we encountered. Speak as you find.

[Bob_Huntley]

A small improvement in the treatment of visitors at Muirfield was made by Hamner's successor, Major Van Reenan, and a very large one by the Wing Commander who followed him. From all accounts the Club is now a veritable bastion of good mannered hospitality. I am delighted to hear it as it is Muirfield is one very special place.

Bob