Carnoustie Replacement

[Jim Dawson]

Good Morning,
We have 8 going to Scotland in 2 weeks and we literaly had the rug pushed under our feet. We just found out that when we are scheduled to play Carnoustie, we will have to hit off of mats. We will be staying St Andrews the night before our Carnoustie play date. I don't want to hit off of mats and I am looking for suggestions for a course to play.
We are already playing Old & New, Kingsbarn, Muirfield(twice) on the east side of Scotland.
I would appreciate any suggestions. We leave in two weeks.
Thanks,
JD

[Ally Mcintosh]

guess it depends where you are staying on the night after...

if you're sticking around st.andrews, why not play one of the lesser known links courses like crail balcomie, lundin links, leven links or scotscraig... you'll have a great time on any of these...

if you fancy a bit of moorland, play gleneagles kings...

[RT]

Jim,

Perhaps go inland a bit and play Ladybank.  Not far from St. A's.

Or if you wanted to get by Carnoustie area there is Montrose just to the north of it, but it is a final qualifying course so perhaps some enquiries before placing it in your rota of courses.

RT

[bbarkley]

Close to Murfield..
North Berwick - www.northberwickgolfclub.com/
Gullane - www.gullanegolfclub.com/
Near St. Andrews....
The Golf House Club, Elie - www.golfhouseclub.co.uk/ghc/
Crail - www.crailgolfingsociety.co.uk/
Lundin Links - www.lundingolfclub.co.uk/

[David_Tepper]

Try Panmure, which is not far from Carnoustie. It is where Hogan practiced before playing the Open at Carnoustie in 1953.

There have been a couple of threads on Panmure (at least one with pics) here over the past year or two.

[Mark Pearce]

Near Carnoutie you could play Panmure (Barry Links) which is well worth a visit.  In Dundee, Downfield is a fine parkland course.  In Fife, any of the "lesser" links mentioned (I'd add Elie to Ally's list - in fact it might top the list) or Ladybank would work well.

Further down the East coast, there's North Berwick, Gullane and Kilspindie.

I see that the courses you're already playing are all "championship" courses.  I really, really recommend playing a couple of "lesser" courses.  You won't have experienced Scottish golf unless you do.

[redanman]

Gleneagles or Panmure.

However:
I just spoke with the redanmanŽ and this is what he said:

"Strongly consider playing off the mats.  If you are near the rough, just kick it into the rough or if you're like me, you are in the rough at least 50% of the time anyway.

Don't be such a snob.  I forgot completely that I played on the "mats" last month until you mentioned it. Makes almost no difference at all."

I do everything that he says.

[Rich Goodale]

If I were you, Jim, I'd play Carnoustie, with the mats.

1.  Hitting off the mats you'll get to feel how it feels for a pro when he really spins the ball
2.  If you don't want to play off the mats you can always kick your ball into the rough and play from there.  This way you'll get to feel how it feels to hit out of Open rough.  If fact, if you play the course close enough to the Open the chances are that you will be hitting most or all of your second shots out of the rough anyway.
3.  None of the courses mentioned above are a patch on Carnoustie
4.  you don't get many chances to play an Open course so close to the event itself.  You will kick yourself for ages if you punt and play some relative dog track just to be able to hit off tight turf rather than rough or a mat.

Just MO

Rich

[Joe Fairey]

If you havent played before, Carnoustue is a must...a fantastic golf course...please understand that mats are required to protect the playing surface for the Open...when you watch the Open, I think you will be glad that you did play...just enjoy..

[BCrosby]

Skip the trip back and forth across the Tay and play The Old Course twice. Or thrice.

Bob

[Stan Dodd]

In regard to Panmure, they are a Final qualifying site and you may be off mats there as well. Take a drive a little bit north and try Montrose.

[Mike Nuzzo]

I'd putt off the mats to play Carnoustie in 2 weeks.

[RT]

Rihc,

It would be cruel and unusual punishment to not be able to hit off those replete links conditioned fairways John Philp and his team have prepared.

[Brian_Ewen]

Stan
As usual Montrose is a Open Qualifier also  

I cant remember them playing off mats before the event in 1999 .

I played there last week and the greens were the best I have played on in ages .

And each time I play there , I shake my head at speed of the coastal erosion on the 2nd .

Guys , dont leave a trip to Montrose for too long .

[Mike Hendren]

Brian,

Funny you should post.  I was just thinking that I'd get off the beaten path and impose upon you to host me at Stonehaven.

Kindest regards,

Mike

[Brian_Ewen]

Michael
When are you thinking about ? .

For my Sins , I am due back offshore tomorrow [8th] , which means I will be away from the place for the next two weeks .

I should then be on a regular two and two , apart from trying to wangle my schedule around Open week .

Drop me an e-mail.
Brian

[Sean Walsh]

Brian,

Why not leave a trip to montrose too long?  Erosion?



Also yet again The Eden Course gets no love.  Do yourself a favour and go and see some of the best greens the St Andrews Links Trust is entrusted with.  Start with 1, 4, 5 and 8.

[Brian_Ewen]

Sean
You are spot on with the Eden .

Yes , erosion is a real problem for Montrose . This photo was taken about 3 years ago , and I cursed I didnt have my camera with me last week for a comparison , but I reckon its has now reached the OB markers , that have now disappeared .

[Mike Hendren]

Jim,

Why not tee it up here:



Mike

[SPDB]

2d tee taken last summer.


I second Montrose. I thought it was splendid.
Its worth it just to see and play the 16th, one of the wildest
greens I've ever played:

[G Jones]

As Stan says, Panmure may well be on mats too... but you should phone and enquire... they tend not to go to such lengths until quite close to final qualifying and you may be lucky... plus the clubhouse is excellent (although we may be biased :-P).

[Matt_Sullivan]

Like some of the posters above, I would still play Carnoustie. We played off the mats in April and it was fine. If you are off the fairway, no mats are required, and even if you are on the fairway, if you are near the edge you can move it over into the rough (which, admittedly was sparse when I was there, which may not be the case for you). I hit about 9 fairways at Carnoustie, 3 or 4 of which were near the edge and I moved them into the rough anyway. I really only hit 5 or 6 full iron shots off the mats. Not a problem at all, really

[Mike McGuire]

We played Carnoutie with the mats. Everyone was glad we did. The course was outstanding and it was cool to play with the bleachers and scoreboards up.

Once again great advice from the treehouse. We would have skipped it without inquiring and missed a great experience.

[paul cowley]

We played Carnoutie with the mats. Everyone was glad we did. The course was outstanding and it was cool to play with the bleachers and scoreboards up.

Once again great advice from the treehouse. We would have skipped it without inquiring and missed a great experience.

Mike....I know you like to golf, but I am very impressed that you can take the time away from baseball to participate here.

 

[Mike Erdmann]

Others have said it and I agree: play Carnoustie off the mats....you won't be disappointed.  I had the same concerns you did before playing there in late April, but it wasn't a big deal in the slightest bit.