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Niall C

  • Karma: +0/-0
Public Apology
« on: August 29, 2012, 02:40:56 PM »
Mr Whitaker and Mr Carlton would like to apologise to the good people of Castle Stuart for any disparaging or derogatory comments that they might have previously made about the course.

Thank You
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Niall C

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2012, 02:41:35 PM »
.......but the fairways are still awfully wide  ;D.

Niall
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Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2012, 02:45:13 PM »
Niall, I haven't been there  :-\  but have to ask:

Are the fairways too wide for the resulting angles to make a difference?

If so I don't think "too wide" is possible.
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David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2012, 03:13:59 PM »
Niall -

Were the greens still as flat as Mike remembered them to be? ;)

DT
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Tony_Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2012, 04:03:50 PM »
Come on stop holding out.  What didnt you see first time?

I played you both this summer and you're both playing really well so I guess you both shot under par and now love the place?
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Let's make GCA grate again!

Michael Whitaker

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2012, 06:44:15 PM »
Niall and I both played well and the course won us over.  ;)
We are dreadfully sorry for anything negative we have said in the past.

The greens are still flat.
The fairways are still flatish.
The fairways are still super wide... although they have given them much more definition with very attractive semi-rough and fescue along the sides.
There are still very few greenside bunkers... "to level the playing field for the high handicappers" according to the GM.
They still operate on the American style 5-Star "Country Club For A Day" concept with a business model centered on corporate entertainment.

I really like the course. It is a beautiful place, fun to play and well worth a visit if money is no object. Niall had a deal for us due to his marshaling for the Scottish Open. I can't see me ever paying the full freight.
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"Solving the paradox of proportionality is the heart of golf architecture."  - Tom Doak (11/20/05)

Brett_Morrissy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2012, 02:46:32 AM »
I really like the course. It is a beautiful place, fun to play and well worth a visit if money is no object. Niall had a deal for us due to his marshaling for the Scottish Open. I can't see me ever paying the full freight.

Mike,

why the comment about repeat play? is it just the cost that is the issue?
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@theflatsticker

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2012, 05:16:52 AM »
The Old Course St Andrews is £150 and Castle Stewart £170 so the cost is an issue.
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Cave Nil Vino

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2012, 05:28:53 AM »
Quote from: Mark Chaplin on August 30, 2012, 05:16:52 AM
The Old Course St Andrews is £150 and Castle Stewart £170 so the cost is an issue.

I know its a common reality to access great courses, but whenever I see these green fees in print I gasp.  Golfers must truly be some of the biggest suckers on the planet.

I bumped into a chap from Scotland down playing two days at Sunny and one at St Georges Hill on the Volvo Amateur Tour.  The cost was over £700 for all day golf at both venues and lunch - zowie.  I guess the off-set to that is this tour is impeccably organized and operated.  The tour is actually better than any pro tour I know of and it has more events than the US Ladies tour! 

Check it out,  While expensive, these guys know what they are doing.

http://www.volvogolf.co.uk/tour/tourintro.aspx

Ciao
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New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2012, 08:20:17 AM »
Sean - unlike most of the other events the day at Sunningdale is actually cheaper than the visitor greenfee. £271 whilst not cheap for 36 holes, 3 feeds, 3 golf balls and the chance to win a prize isn't outrageous.
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Cave Nil Vino

Lynn_Shackelford

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2012, 09:17:08 AM »
Quote from: Mark Chaplin on August 30, 2012, 08:20:17 AM
Sean - unlike most of the other events the day at Sunningdale is actually cheaper than the visitor greenfee. £271 whilst not cheap for 36 holes, 3 feeds, 3 golf balls and the chance to win a prize isn't outrageous.

Guessing at Sunny a caddie would be mandatory?  Now you are up to maybe 360 pounds?
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It must be kept in mind that the elusive charm of the game suffers as soon as any successful method of standardization is allowed to creep in.  A golf course should never pretend to be, nor is intended to be, an infallible tribunal.
               Tom Simpson

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2012, 12:02:14 PM »
Quote from: Mark Chaplin on August 30, 2012, 08:20:17 AM
Sean - unlike most of the other events the day at Sunningdale is actually cheaper than the visitor greenfee. £271 whilst not cheap for 36 holes, 3 feeds, 3 golf balls and the chance to win a prize isn't outrageous.

Chappers - I expect you must be due for a fat bonus this year.

Lynn - no caddies required.

Ciao
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New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #12 on: August 30, 2012, 12:09:38 PM »
Sean -

Are you aware of any clubs in GB&I where caddies are mandatory?

DT
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Bryan Izatt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2012, 12:25:39 PM »
Niall,

Any idea how the economic model is working out at CS.  Are they attracting many people paying the full freight?  It was pretty much empty when I played there shortly after they opened.

Have they really raised the fee from the original 150 quid.  Maybe it is so successful that they're trying to manage the onslaught of players with the price.  ;)

Based on one play I thought the course was pretty good but the price is a deterrent to a return play.  That, and the fact that I could have two rounds at Dornoch or 3 at Brora for the same price.
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Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #14 on: August 30, 2012, 02:16:58 PM »
I think Queenwood maybe compulsory caddies but that's not exactly an British "club".

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Cave Nil Vino

Jaeger Kovich

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #15 on: August 30, 2012, 02:47:34 PM »
I believe the rule at queenwood is something like a 3some or more requires at least 1 caddy... I know that are not 100% mandatory although almost everyone does take them
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Mark Pearce

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #16 on: August 30, 2012, 02:54:33 PM »
Doesn't Renaissance require at least one caddy per group?  However, that and Queenwood may well be the only clubs in the UK that do require a caddy.
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In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Niall C

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #17 on: August 31, 2012, 11:38:19 AM »
Quote from: Bill_McBride on August 29, 2012, 02:45:13 PM
Niall, I haven't been there  :-\  but have to ask:

Are the fairways too wide for the resulting angles to make a difference?

If so I don't think "too wide" is possible.

Bill,

Your question could get me into dangerous territory  ;) Let me just say that I came to the conclusion, and maybe Mike did as well, that there's no point giving the course a kicking for not being something that it didn't set out to be in the first place. Its not meant to be a total challenge, its more about having a nice day out and a bit of fun about the greens. Thats not intended to damn with faint praise. What they set out to do they have achieved brilliantly.

Bryan,

When Mike and went round there was a fourball out about 15/20 mins in front of us and a four ball at our back who we quickly left behind. The fourball in front let us through at the turn and we were pretty well on our own which made it a much better experience. Speaking to the guy at the half way stop, he mentioned that they 80 on today. I assumed he meant 80 players for the total day but could be wrong. I suspect that a portion, like myself and Mike, weren't paying the total rate. No idea how that fits into their economic model with regards to break even or whatever.

Niall

Niall
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Niall C

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Public Apology
« Reply #18 on: August 31, 2012, 11:41:53 AM »
Quote from: Tony_Muldoon on August 29, 2012, 04:03:50 PM
Come on stop holding out.  What didnt you see first time?

I played you both this summer and you're both playing really well so I guess you both shot under par and now love the place?

Tony

See my response to Bill above. Plus, its whats there that wasn't previously, namely the rough. We all had a laugh at Monty when he suggested that they would need to bring the fairways in some. Not only did they do that for the Scottish Open but its made it a better course in my opinion. Its still plenty wide for those that like it that way but the rough does give it definition as Mike says.

Niall
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