Scottish Open heads to the links

[David_Tepper]

Brian -

I thought there was a discount for SGU members, but it is indeed for residents of Scotland outwith the Highlands.
My mistake! Thanks for catching it and for the correction.

DT

[Simon Holt]

John C-S,

Awesome pics!  cant wait to play it.

Just for reference you can get on Archerfield and Royal Troon without a member.  RC would be with a view to becoming a member (at a cost!) and LLGC would be as private as you have indicated.

[Brian_Ewen]

Just for reference you can get on Archerfield and Royal Troon without a member.  RC would be with a view to becoming a member (at a cost!) and LLGC would be as private as you have indicated.

Simon
Not so, its not widely advertised but for Loch Lomond, each golf club affliated to the SGU is entitled to one fourball a year, at full price.

[Marty Bonnar]

Just for reference you can get on Archerfield and Royal Troon without a member.  RC would be with a view to becoming a member (at a cost!) and LLGC would be as private as you have indicated.

Simon
Not so, its not widely advertised but for Loch Lomond, each golf club affliated to the SGU is entitled to one fourball a year, at full price.

Brian,
I was always of the impression that it was ONE fourball from ONE SGU-affiliated club per year. I seem to think I can only ever remember our club having a ballot maybe ten years ago....of course, the brian is not as sharp as it once woz.
 
FBD.

[Brian_Ewen]

I agree its a while since I heard of anyone taking up the deal, which I put down to apathy.

A ballot ?

Not so democratic at mine unfortunately 

[Simon Holt]

Brian, fully aware of that as that is how I got to play back in 2000 after the Solheim Cup.  Good luck with that SGU time nowadays!!

Not sure if they have done that for quite some time unless you have heard otherwise.

[Brian_Ewen]

http://sport.scotsman.com/golf/New-courses-in-frame-to.6619825.jp

New courses in frame to host Barclays Scottish Open
10 November 2010
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
DISCUSSIONS have been held with the owners of two of Scotland's newest golf courses about the possibility of them hosting the Barclays Scottish Open from as early as next year.

European Tour officials have made visits to both The Renaissance Club, just outside Gullane, and Castle Stuart, near Inverness, to check them out as suitable venues for one of the European Tour's biggest events.

As things stand, a contract is still in place to hold next year's tournament at Loch Lomond, where it has been staged successfully since 1996.

However, it is believed that those involved in a members' buy-out there are keen to see their talks progress without any disruptions, so both the European Tour and Barclays have decided to look at alternate venues for the £3 million event.

Last night Jerry Savardi, the American behind The Renaissance Club, and Fraser Cromarty, director of golf at Castle Stuart, confirmed to The Scotsman that both venues had been visited recently by European Tour representatives.

Both courses have been open for less than two years. The Renaissance, which was designed by Tom Doak, opened in April 2008, three months before Castle Stuart, which was laid out by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse.

However, Savardi and Cromarty are confident their respective venues can stand up to the test of hosting an event like the Scottish Open, both on and off the course.

It is believed that other venues were visited by the European Tour, but, according to a spokesman for Barclays Capital, these two are the frontrunners. He confirmed: "Castle Stuart and The Renaissance Club are very much in the mix."

A decision on the venue for next year is expected within a week.

[David_Tepper]

Brian E. -

Thanks for the update. Keep us posted.

DT

[Simon Holt]

http://sport.scotsman.com/golf/Renaissance-and-Castle-Stuart-eye.6619841.jp

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/golf-news/2010/11/10/renaissance-and-castle-stuart-are-shock-favourites-to-land-scottish-open-from-loch-lomond-86908-22705691/

A couple more for you.  Obviously great exposure for RC on a personal note, cool for CS too.  No comment from me apart from that at the moment!

There was also a piece in the Glasgow Herald but I cant find it on the web.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Renaissance would be heavy favourite in my book...

[Michael Whitaker]

Gosh... I hope it does not go to Castle Stuart. I think it would be a great marketing coup for CS and I really don't want to see an Americanized over-the-top course presented as the face of Scottish golf.

Picturesque? Yes. But, the course was designed and built for 16 handicappers who spray the ball all over the place.

[Gary Slatter]

Gosh... I hope it does not go to Castle Stuart. I think it would be a great marketing coup for CS and I really don't want to see an Americanized over-the-top course presented as the face of Scottish golf.

Picturesque? Yes. But, the course was designed and built for 16 handicappers who spray the ball all over the place.

Well said Michael.  Loch Lomond and then Castle Stuart would be a bit much for a Scottish Open, however it will be the $$$ making the decision.  Your comment about CS being designed and built for 16 handicappers is a comment I have heard many times, and it makes sense as that is their market (like Kingsbarns). 

[Jon Wiggett]

Micheal,

I would be interested to see if you could shoot your handicap off the back tees at CS. You are right in that it is different to any other links in Scotland but I am not sure if the label 'American' is quite right. I would say that KB has a stronger American feel to it. I really like KB but the 18th just doen't cut it compared to the rest of the course.

Jon

[Gary Slatter]

Micheal,

I would be interested to see if you could shoot your handicap off the back tees at CS. You are right in that it is different to any other links in Scotland but I am not sure if the label 'American' is quite right. I would say that KB has a stronger American feel to it. I really like KB but the 18th just doen't cut it compared to the rest of the course.

Jon

what kind of car did Bob Marley own?

[Niall C]

If I was a betting man, I would suggest Renaissance has the better chance of the two if only for the fact that it would likely get the larger crowds. No sponsor necessarily wants their tournament to play in front of sparse crowds. If Castle Stuart did get it it would be interesting to see how well a top tournament would do up in that (sorry, this !!) neck of the woods. I'd also be very interested to see what they would do to the set up at CS given, as Mike says, that it is set up for mid to high handicappers.

Jon,

I've played CS three times, twice off what in this country would be termed the medal tees ie. second from back, and I have to say that I played and beat my handicap quite comfortably on both occasions. I could add that I had a brutal hangover at the time also. I could also add on top of that that I was playing in a group of 16 players who had never seen the course before and the consensus was that it flattered there handicap. Which is one of the reasons I think why the consensus was also that they really enjoyed it.

Niall

[Jon Wiggett]

Hi Gary,

did Bob drive a car? and what has that to do with CS?

Niall,

beating your handicap with a hangover from 7,400ish Respect!!!! I agree the course is quite open from the tee and the greens do not have as say KB but. However I do not see this as a problem or a negative. With a decent breeze, pins tucked away and quickish greens then I am sure the tour players will be pleased to break 70. Like most links courses CS is a different challenge in the wind.

Jon

[Simon Holt]

http://sport.scotsman.com/golf/Bernard-Gallacher-backs-proposal-to.6621447.jp?articlepage=1

3 page article in the Scotsman today.

[Niall C]

Hi Gary,

did Bob drive a car? and what has that to do with CS?

Niall,

beating your handicap with a hangover from 7,400ish Respect!!!! I agree the course is quite open from the tee and the greens do not have as say KB but. However I do not see this as a problem or a negative. With a decent breeze, pins tucked away and quickish greens then I am sure the tour players will be pleased to break 70. Like most links courses CS is a different challenge in the wind.

Jon

Jon

For clarification, it was nothing like 7,400 yds. I don't go that far on holiday let alone round a golf course.They obviously have other tees further so far back that I didn't see them  Can't recall the yardage but I'll ask one of the guys that wasn't hung over and see if he can remember. Pretty sure it equated to home course in terms of length though.

With regards to wind, yeah you could say that for any links but if these guys get even a mild breeze they would be scoring low 60's quite readily I would have thought.

Niall

[Jon Wiggett]

Ah Niall,

then you didn,t play it from the backs. I imagine you played it from the whites which is around 6550 ish. The blacks are just over 7000 yards but I believe there are some tees futher back which are not used but there for just in case which are 7400 ish if memory serves me correctly (I will check when I am there next week if I remember)

As with any course the pros will tear it apart in benign weather if it isn't tricked up. I don't believe CS should be criticised for this or do you think TOC or Augusta are poor. Indeed, I would say a course that is playable for a higher handicapper but challenging for the lower handicapper from the appropriate tees was a good one and maybe should be promoted more than many of the grind you down type ones seen week in, week out on the TV.

Jon

[KBanks]

Has RC built the new holes down in the dunes they traded for with HCEG?

Ken

[Tom_Doak]

No, we are still waiting for planning approval, although the indications recently have been favorable.

[Tom_Doak]

http://sport.scotsman.com/golf/Bernard-Gallacher-backs-proposal-to.6621447.jp?articlepage=1

3 page article in the Scotsman today.

The only guy to comment on the newspaper story says they should hold it at Prestwick.  And his initials are MHM

[Michael Whitaker]

Micheal,

I would be interested to see if you could shoot your handicap off the back tees at CS. You are right in that it is different to any other links in Scotland but I am not sure if the label 'American' is quite right. I would say that KB has a stronger American feel to it. I really like KB but the 18th just doen't cut it compared to the rest of the course.

Jon

Tell you what Jon, I'm going to be in the area in May 2011. If you'll cover the £200 for a day ticket I'll give it try from the back tees... twice!

Kingsbarns is far superior to Castle Stuart IMHO... including the 18th.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I'm just delighted that they are looking at links venues and that both of these courses are new.... So as I said previously, these two or the new Trump course in the future would be my ideal choices.

There are many, many golfers in GB&I who either prefer parkland golf or just see links golf as a relic of the past. Easily the majority I would imagine.

By picking a new course, it shows that links golf is current, relevant and important.

[Andrew Mitchell]

Mike Whitaker and I played Castle Stuart last May. As has been stated in earlier posts it's VERY wide off the tees and you'd expect the pros to shoot low unless the wind is up.

For those interested in playing Castle Stuart I recently received the following email from them:

You might have put your clubs away for the winter, but we are already looking forward to the next season!

We are happy to announce that our visitors’ green fee rates for May to October 2011 will be £160.00 per person for 18 holes and £200.00 per person for 36 holes (second round to be played within four days of the first round).

Please look out for our Highland Stay & Play package available for April 2011 (£295.00 per person); this includes a two night stay at the Royal Golf Hotel in Dornoch with one round at Royal Dornoch Golf Club and two rounds at Castle Stuart Golf Links or a two night stay at the Golf View Hotel in Nairn with one round at The Nairn Golf Club and two rounds at Castle Stuart Golf Links. Please contact Kerry or Stefanie in the office on (+44) (0)1463 796111 for details and bookings.

£160 for a round is too steep for my tastes, particularly given I've played it once already.  However £200 for two rounds is a reasonable deal and the packages involving accommodation and a round at either Dornoch or Nairn give some value for money.