| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1077.1 | Try Troon | IE::SELL | Peter Sell UIA/ADG - 830 3966 | Mon Sep 17 1990 05:34 | 18 |
| If you go to Troon early, you should be able to get a booking for later in the
day. I would suggest not Royal Troon - which is expensive, and you may need an
invitation - but the municipal courses of Darley, Lochgreen and Fullarton. These
three are next to each other (they tee off within 100 yds of each other) and are
administered by the same starter steward.
The courses are a bit difficult to find, but are not very far from the centre,
and most passers-bye will be able to give you directions. Or ask your hotel.
Darley is tight, Fullarton is easy, and Lockgreen is everything that a good
course should be.
Just make sure you keep your eye on the ball and follow through fully when
hitting from the heather :-)
Have fun,
Peter
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| 1077.2 | Royal Troon, Si !! | ASABET::VARLEY | | Mon Sep 17 1990 11:31 | 9 |
| Most Scottish/Irish courses block off one weekend day for member play
only. I'd suggest you work through the club Secretary only. I
DEFINITELY (!!) recommend Royal Troon and Turnberry's Ailsa course.
You'd probably also like Western Gailes and Prestwick, and if tough is
important, Carnoustie is brutal ! Don't go all the way over there to
play a publinx - play Royal Troon. Let me know how you make out with
Troon; if you absolutely strike out, I might be able to help.
--Jack
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| 1077.3 | Turnberry...take your VISA card | SPEEED::HARGUS | | Mon Sep 17 1990 11:46 | 42 |
| Eric...i played at Turnberry last June. The only way I could
play was to stay in the Turnberry Hotel. The cost was exorbitant
($235 american per nite) but it was worth it. I flew from London
into Glasgow friday nite and arrived in Turnberry about 6pm. It
stayed light until 11:00 so I was able to get a round in.
I played 18 on the AILSA course that evening which is the championship
one and is where the British Open is played. The following saturday
I played 36...18 again on AILSA and 18 on ARRAN which is less
difficult but is still a good example of a typical Scottish Links
course. They will not let you play the blues no matter what your
handicap is...take your handicap card with you if possible.
Green's fees for AILSA were 25lb ($45). They let me play both courses
for 25lb on saturday. I rented clubs...14lb. A sleeve of balls were
6lb. Take everything you can with you on your trip. If you have to buy
anything it will cost you a fortune. The Scotts have no problem
taking your money...after all they are allowing a heathen from
the States access to their beloved course. I played by myself both
days. Members that I could have been paired with played in front
and back of me. It was pretty strange but the its their course and
their rules. You can rent a caddy which i recommend unless you never
hit into the rough. The rough is absolute JAIL. Take plenty of balls.
My trip was short...tail end of business in REO. I would go back
in an instant. I spoke with many people on the plane back sunday
who had completed golfing oddessies at all the famous Scottish
courses...St Andrews, Troon, Turnberry etc. The only way to play
at any of those courses is to go on a sponsored tour or to stay
in one of the hotels associated with a course. At St Andrews you
may have to ask a Club member if you can play along with him. You
will not be allowed on the course without a member in your group.
Give me a call if i can be of further help...226-5706.
Regards,
/stan
P.S....are you still playing hoops?
|
| 1077.4 | Turnberry - not necessarily residents only... | SQGUK::NOCK | Something for the weekend? | Mon Sep 17 1990 13:28 | 28 |
| I took a trip to Ayr last Autumn and played at both Troon and
Turnberry. Turnberry was �35 for the day (one round on each course) and
Troon was �40 pounds for the same (cashing in on last year's Open I
supsect). I played in the week and everything was OK, but I'd recommend
ringing the starter beforehand.
The pro-shops at both were generally �10 (at least!) over the odds
compared to any other pro-shop or golf shop - browse only!
I had no problems at Turnberry. There was no need to be a resident (and
thank goodness at those prices!) Mind you, it was October and not too
good weather (probably only a light breeze by their standards!). I
hardly saw anyone except the starter, the greenkeeper and a seagull.
There were more people at Troon, but again no problem getting in. I
played the shorter course with a couple of members and the main course
with 2 American tourists ;-)
IMO, Troon was a much nicer Golf _Club_. Turnberry is part of a hotel
chain, and it shows. Troon is much more like a real Golf Club
atmosphere - tasty and very reasonably priced Lunches in the club house
(with real members ;-)), rather than the 'Grand-Met Cafe' style at
Turnberry.
As far as the golf then: stay out of the bunkers and on the fairway
at both of them.
Paul
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| 1077.5 | Plenty of choice | AYOV18::OPS | A mans a man for aw that.. | Tue Sep 18 1990 14:36 | 19 |
|
Courses worth playing on the West coast, outside the championship
courses, are Western Gailes, Barassie/Kilmarnock, Glasgow Gailes,
Old Prestwick. There are no restrictions during the week at any
of these courses, although obviously a phone-call in advance would
not go amiss. These courses are within 20 minutes drive of each
other.
regarding note 3, it is not the case that you have to play with
a member at the courses you mentioned. At Troon and Turnberry you
may have to book in advance to ensure a good tee-off time. At St.
Andrews you just have to turn up and you will get a tee-time except
at the weekends when a ballot is held. You do not even need a handicap
certificate or any of that nonsense. St. Andrews is still a public
golf course.
Danny
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| 1077.6 | Turnberry + Troon = One Tremendous Weekend! | PINGS::OGREN | | Fri Sep 28 1990 12:53 | 26 |
| Mangled woods and all, this was great!! I'll give a better "trip
report" later this week, but for now ...
Arrived at 2 AM Saturday (ugh!). Woke up early to play Gleddoch
House and then Turnberry! Sunday was a good day at Greenoch. I was
going to play Western Gailes Sunday afternoon, but that disappeared
somewhere in my third pint ;-). Wrapped up the trip playing Royal
Troon Monday morning before shuttling to London for afternoon business.
I must say that Turnberry is really magical (and Troon is not far
behind). There are no trees, but you feel as if you're all alone
as you weave in and out of the dunes. Great memories of golfers
and caddies silhoetted on a distant tee, then trudging silently
down into the fairway ... Parring the best hole I saw - the 129
yd postage stamp at Troon ... Hitting a good drive 10 yards short
of the "Norman Bunker" on Troon's 18th ... combination of giddiness
and spookiness playing the same turf as the greats ... pretending
I'm in the Open ...
Aye, I want to go back! More later. Many thanks to the encouragement
from all the re:'s - I might never have tried the biggies without
you!!
Fore!
Eric
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| 1077.7 | fond memories | YUPPY::MCSKEANEP | | Mon Oct 01 1990 09:27 | 3 |
|
What state was Gleddoch in when you played it? Only it used to be my
home club for 6 years before I moved down south 4 years ago.
|
| 1077.8 | The Gleddoch Club - Good Shape Now | PINGS::OGREN | | Fri Oct 12 1990 15:54 | 132 |
| I was very pleasantly surprised that the Gleddoch Club was quite nice. When I
checked into the hotel at 2:00 AM I was told that I had a 9:38 tee time that
morning. Ugh. I had been picturing an Ayrshire course and figured that the
hotel booked me into a local muni. Visions of pastures and playing through
sheep were dancing through my head ;-). Anyway I woke up around 9:00 and
was glad that Gleddoch was only 2 motorway exits away!
The golf turned out to be a lot of fun. The asst pro was sending me out by
myself until I asked to be teamed up. I ended up playing with the gentlemanly
Bill Atkinson, who was almost as much fun to watch as the golf! (In fact,
Bill invited me back the next day but I had other courses in mind).
The course itself is on a beautiful piece of hillside. I remember terrific
views up and down the Firth of Clyde - all of Glasgow was laid out in the
distance.
The course was in very good shape (except for a few holes on the back). There
was never a need to even think of a preferred lie, and all of the greens
putted well. Naturally all of the greens were hard and the wind (Bill called
it a breeze ;-) whipped over the hilltop from the west. There aren't many
trees so there is no escape from the wind. Craig, the assistant pro, said
that the course had come a long way in the past 3 years - from talking with
people at Greenock that is probably true!
There were about 4 holes on the hill in the back 9 where preferred lies
were premitted due to rocky fairways. I never had to drop, but I could see
that the fairways were a bit spotty. Maybe they'll start on the back soon.
With the hills and the wind the course plays to a pretty decent 6375 (3082
out, 3275 in) par 72.
Hole #1. 319 straight uphill into the wind. I hit 3 wood into a fairway
bunker, then a good 7-iron short of the green! I don't believe
the yardage, but I'm happy as hell to be there and take my bogie
to the next tee.
Hole #2. 181 slight downhill downwind to a green carved into the side of the
hill. Missing left or very long is history. I tag a 6 iron into the
hillside right of the green, nicely run a wedge to 3 feet, and gag
the putt!
Hole #3. 517 back uphill into the wind. There is a good shoot from the tee
and two burns are in play! The burns here suck in everything within
6 feet, but looking down into them shows only about a 12 inch wide
trickle of water! I played a 3 wood to the right rough (my driver
is busted), 4 iron to the front of the burn, and another 4
iron left of the green. Two putts gives me my par!! 517??
Hole #4. 389 downwind with garbage to the right, the hill running left, and
a burn fronting the green. I played an 8 iron second short and right.
My soft flop wedge runs smartly past the stick to the far side of the
green. Bogie.
Hole #5. 476 par 5 doglegging right down the hill. Two trees frame the landing
zone and trees run all down the right side. The green is guarded by
side bunkers and a large swale across the front. By now I'm ignoring
yardages anyway (are they metric?). My drive, such as it is, falls
next to the right tree. A 2 iron and sandwedge leaves me on the upper
tier with the flag safely on the lower ;-(. I manage to keep my ball
on the green and escape with only 3 putts. This is the best hole on
the front - wished I could've played it again.
Hole #6. 408 dogging left into the wind. I pasted my 3 wood past the right
fairway bunker, only to find that I still have 200 to the green. Wow!
I then drill a 2 iron (did that feel nice!) only to watch my sandwedge
land just short of the green and roll back a good 30 feet. Bill was in
the same spot - I wedged again and got 6; he putted to the green and
got 5! He may be onto something ...
Hole #7. 145 downwind over a pond. I hit a 9 or wedge to the back edge and
routinely (ahem) par. The wind knocked Bill's ball down into the pond.
Hole #8. 270 straight uphill upwind. The tee is next to the clubhouse so there
is a bit of a gallery here. Only real difficulty is not seeing the
green on the approach. My drive is nowhere near the green (damn - I
can get close to a 320 yarder at Marlboro!) but I par the second hole
in a row!
Hole #9. 377 dogging left into the wind. The tee is back next to the fourth
green and we continue away from the clubhouse. There is trouble right
in the form of wild grass and shrubs. I rise to the occasion by popping
up a drive - just clearing the burn in front of the 4th! As quickly as
I can I hit a 4 iron back where I belong, but again miss the green
with my approach. This time I putt successfully for bogie.
I don't remember much of my shots on the backside (honest!).
Hole #10. 314 dogging right climbing further up the hill. Wind behind with
pastures and a burn to the right. The green is well elevated from
the landing area, but not a tough hole. Also not 314.
Hole #11. 524 downwind. The hole is narrower than the others with woods on the
left and a burn crossing in the middle. This is the first fairway that
is in need of sod. Not a difficult par 5 though.
Hole #12. 172 downwind through a shoot. Bill says in the spring when the wind
turns around he hits 4 wood! With the wind behind I hit 8 iron to 4
feet and smartly lag for my par ;-). Bill bounces his teeball out of
the burn to 15 feet for his par!
Hole #13. 496 back up the hill into the wind. I don't remember too much of
this. Though I can't see reaching it in 2 like most other 496 par 5s.
Hole #14. 185 straight uphill upwind. The shot must carry a bunker on the
left front, and all kinds of unkept landscaping on the right. What
a great hole! I jump on a 3 iron and just come within 30 yards of the
green! Wow!
Hole #15. 372 doglegging downhill to the right. This tee is at the very top
of the hill - trmendous scenery! The landing area slopes left down
the hill, but holds enough for a 7 iron in. Farmland to the right
(baaa)!
Hole #16. 396 downwind and straightahead. One of Gleddoch's better holes!
Being a guest I felt obliged to yank my drive left onto the 13th tee.
I then block a 5 iron right into trees and brush. I didn't travel
3000 miles to take no stinkin' drop ... but I did take 5 stinkin'
strokes to get out ;^)!
Hole #17. 423 downhill sharply dogging left around woods. Bill said that
Seve (yes, *the* Seve) drove the green here. I don't know how. The
tee is well elevated so I did feel as if I could hit it a mile.
Which I did. Straight up. This fairway was back to a real good
condition, though I did notice a bunker doubly as a holding tank.
Hole #18. 393 sloping downhill to a well guarded green. A very nice finishing
hole! The driving range is to the right, but there is plenty of room
here. I fly the fairway bunker on the right and leave my second down
the hill to the right of the green. I try on last flop shot with my
wedge again hitting it just right ... and again rolling it 20 feet
past the hole. I end with a bogie, but only 1 lost ball, one bunker,
and no burns!
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