St. Andrews Links Trust Freezes Green Fees

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Visitor green fees 2009
 
St Andrews Links Trust today announced a freeze on visitor green fees for its seven public courses for 2009.
 
The announcement means that high season green fees for visitors to the Old Course will remain at £130, the New and Jubilee courses at £65 and The Castle Course at £120.
 
While visitor numbers to the Links courses this year have remained at normal levels and The Castle Course is enjoying a busy opening season, the Links Trust has taken the decision to freeze prices at an increasingly uncertain time for the economy and amid suggestions in some quarters that Scottish golf tourism is suffering.
 
Alan McGregor, general manager of St Andrews Links Trust, said the Trustees had decided to act proactively. “Visiting golfers have made a huge financial contribution to St Andrews Links over the years enabling the Trust to invest significantly in the courses and facilities whilst at the same time keeping other prices low,” he said.
 
“In view of this and in recognition of the economic downturn, the Trustees believe that we need to do as much as we can to encourage visitors to come to the town to play golf and to stay here by freezing green fees for the 2009 season.”
 
The move was welcomed by Colin Dalgleish, managing director of Perry Golf. He said, “Many businesses in the golf tourism sector are starting to feel the pinch as the slowdown in the American economy, in particular, starts to have an effect. The Links Trust’s freeze on green fees sets a significant lead and should help to make St Andrews and Scotland more attractive to visiting golfers.”
 
The high season green fees on the other Links courses next season will be: the Eden £40, the Strathtyrum £25 and the Balgove £12.
 
Advanced Reservations for play on the Old Course and The Castle Course in 2009 can be made from 10am on September 3.
 

[Rich Goodale]

Not unsurprising, and the Eden course remains one of the great golfing bargains in the world.  It is criminal how many Americans visit St. Andrews and never deign to see Colt and Mackenzie's genius onthe Eden.  The fact that there are a few Steel holes there which are atypical is just false snobbery, IMO.

[Brian Phillips]

Rich,

Totally agree.  Always enjoy playing The Eden and played it a couple of weeks ago when in town to visit The Castle. 

Played The New as well, both great courses although The Eden is perfect as a last round (for tired legs) before you leave the town, as it is so much fun and so easy to walk.

[Mike Hendren]

Not unsurprising, and the Eden course remains one of the great golfing bargains in the world.  It is criminal how many Americans visit St. Andrews and never deign to see Colt and Mackenzie's genius onthe Eden.  The fact that there are a few Steel holes there which are atypical is just false snobbery, IMO.

I struck my first golf shot in Scotland on the Eden and the tee box where the par threes cross to sister greens - one in the small dune, the other on top of it - is one of my favorite spots anywhere.  That said, I must be a snob because I found the new holes inexcusably atrocious, pond or no pond.  

Mike

[RJ_Daley]

I've always felt that the green fees such as in recent years (I've never been there) seems rediculously predatory at 130 pounds TOC and 65 and 120 the other two...  Yes, it is what the market will bare, I suppose.  But, it seems to me that the home of golf, so to speak, should act more like a trust in spirit of the game and make it proportionately affordable to the cost of its maintenance and a bit of profit to the trust, rather than these near "Monterey Region" gouging prices.  

People that pay that much, and chase up the price with the mentality that they will pay whatever the market to play these trophy courses, deserve what they get in the negative aspects of the game, and make that George Carlin skit, brutally true.