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I have played Craighead. If you enjoy driving balls over stonewalls...Go. There are literally about 5 holes you cross stonewalls. I'd rec Elie, Leven and Lundin before Crail. I was to play Dumbarnie this past August, but Covid....so I'll be back coming August.

I vilified St Andrews based on my dealings this year and at present. Read my post. You jumped in and based on your past dealings which haven't been any time soon propositioned that the service was just peachy. I then responded with the reasons why the golf world of tour operators had issues with the past dealings of St Andrews. So quite candidly, I take exception to a Dog complaining about a write up of 2015 eff 2018 from his one visit in 1999....and you well, you have been twice....I have made vast multiples of that many trips. But we know oh so well....You know how to set up a trip...Bravo. You and Dog should go together.

Dog, Good to know. Hope you get back there soon.

Dog, The point of the post was that for 2 decades....There was a messed up system. Written 2015 applicable to 2018 changes...hence I said it already happened. Allan has a revised edition coming out, he just sent a note regarding it. Guess you didn't get that note. But then again if you haven't engaged with him since 1999.............................

This speaks to my point of view.....https://www.golfadvisor.com/articles/st-andrews-links-trust-announces-big-changes-to-old-course-guaranteed-tee-time-golf-packages

Dave, I get where you are coming from. St Andrews has changed their access methodologies. Their Old Course Experience was a sham and has been terminated. My views of dirty dealing are past tense as they have already made changes. The golf world doesn't hang out their dirty laundry so to get the real story you need to chat with those who have been in the process. The places you mention are privately owned. Wanna play you reach out and book. St Andrews is municipally owned. The system seems appropriate to most and it is getting better but for some time they had dealings which were inappropriate for a municipally run platform.

Having had the Covid cancellation to the 2020 Scottish trip. Also had another week as solo before the buds arrived. So overall I had 15 clubs I was interacting with regarding cancelling and rebooking. Every club...Every...Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, Dumbarnie, Elie, Leven, North Berwick, Panmure, Royal Aberdeen, Trump Aberdeen, Cruden Bay, Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch, Brora...They all responded in 24 hours and were a delight to deal with. St Andrews booking...They responded quickly to tell me they would respond back in two months. Fast forward two months...And I ask what's up. They respond curtly...We are going as fast as we can we are managing 7 golf clubs...Well excuse me. Who organizes a tee time far in advance on Eden or Balgrove or Strathtyrum......Uh, Nobody. So why does it take them months to respond whereas everyone else responds so quickly. The Old and all the behind the scenes dirty deals...Unraveling all of the secretive stuff takes time. So ya wanna go to Scotland, every place other than the Old is easy to arrange. Ireland, well every place is easy. The Old...Yea, like Dave so elliquently described...you write in their opening window, they write back a month later, and mean time all the other places you wanted to set up are filling their tee sheets and you will be left with the Old dictating your schedule. So as Philip has pointed out...Easy peasy with a tour operator who has paid off the R&A for Old times. Just dig deep, smile and continue on. Oh, Do you have plans for a 2021 Scottish trip....Well no new offerings of tee times. 2020 rollovers and that's it. Fresh from their website....As a consequence of the ongoing pandemic, a large number of tee times from 2020 have been rescheduled for next year. In light of this, we are currently considering options for 2021 Old Course tee time applications. Further information will be made available here in the near future. Meantime all the other clubs have had their tee sheets open and are full at the peak times....Nice work St Andrews.....

It's all about the budget....Yea, If you absolutely have to play the Old and have no problem ponying up multiples of the actual cost...By all means use a tour operator connected to St Andrews....St Andrews courses are muni's...They have manipulated the process by selling much of their allotted Old tee times to a BS system. Want a tee time to Carnoustie...Go online, click a button and bing Ya got it....Want a tee time at Muirfield...Same thing....But the Old...What a pile of crap to deal with. The system is getting better.....but for so long they were thieves. I have made many trips over there. First time I went I used a tour operator. Had a chat with several people at the hotels I stayed at...Owners...and they said Why didn't you book direct, the cost would be 1/2.....and hence I have since...I'll be in St Andrews next August. 8 of us. Have an apt booked for the week. Playing New/Castle/Kingsbarns twice/Carnoustie/Dumbarnie/North Berwick....bus/to/from and day up to Carnoustie, lodging/all golf...$2700 a head for week. Go get a quote from a tour operator and see what that costs...Ferguson golf is excellent for the do it yourselfer, get his book...I did.

I just received a 3 pack of these. Was gonna try out the 1 and for 69 more could get a 3 and 5...So went for it. Have reviewed tests by several of the internet posters and the rviews seemed good. Would love to support a US Company and the price point with the latest offer was too good. 3 shafts 3 adaptors 3 grips for 150 shipped....Sold

I have a friend who is a member there....Got a tour of the lighthouse. They spent much....just on it's renovation. Marble everywhere...

I'm making way back to Scotland next August and will play 2,3 and 5. KB is special as they let you play off any tee...Most won't let you do that. NB is the most fun anyone will ever have playing. A hand full of truly special holes. 5 is one very special place....stay across st at CB B&B and listen to Ian's stories...Then go up to the Castle and climb around in it....Troon is ok...it's next door neighbor Prestwick is far superior for us mere mortals.

I have run golf trips for a long time...Have experimented with many options. The go to game that works best is a rotational best ball of partners. We play 9 hole matches and have a system accessible which spreads out play so you partner once and play against everybody else twice. For 8 guys. 7 matches and play against everyone twice. point a hole...2 point bonus win match. 11 points per match. We also incorporated a one time press option. So any hole you can press and make that hole worth 2 points vs just 1. We play off 100% handicaps and play per 4some you play off low guy. We throw $ in kitty and pay 3 spots for 8 guys. It's a great game for 8. When you go to groups of 16 or more...basic stuff like G/N long drive, close pin.....maybe a stableford...That rewards birdies and such. and skins always good.

This is a must watch...Great interview with Mike Keiser and some great pics of the course....Also if you look there are links to other vids on Bandon...

I collect scorecards, yardage books and pencils....I also have about 300 various ball markers stuffed in a baggie...some quite nice. I made a board 2 foot by 3 foot with my top 143 pencils on it. Why 143 because as I laid it out that's how many fit. As I have played just over 800 courses I have a bag full of pencils that weighs about 10 pounds. Here's the pencil board. Zoom in....Many special places..

(7) Tourist Sauce (Oregon): Episode 3, "Bandon 101" - YouTube

That's some low spin. Overall good numbers for your SS. If you have access to a place that carries Paderson Kinetixx…...Try out a Velocity shaft.

My go to for the best insight into golf course ratings as far as a book.....Tom Doak's Confidential Guides...It is a 5 book set with each book covering a specific geographic area. Good stuff if you are into ratings of golf courses...…...

I have played about 1/2 of the top 100. I also rate courses for one of the mags. I played Hollywood in August and was shocked how good it was. they just had some renovation work and it came out wonderfully. 3rd best in NJ in my book...PV and Somerset Hills 1,2. But candidly there are so many outstanding courses. I've made 23 trips to British Isles because they let normal folk play their very best without an invitation from a member. So I have played more of the best there than in the US. Got to play Merion and Pine Valley in the same week once.....and truth be told I preferred Merion...More because my caddy at PV was a butt and I played exceptional at Merion. But on paper PV is #1 absolutely....These lists create great discussion points. Pebble for instance...It is very ordinary for 1/2 of the course. 1/2/3/11/12/13/14 you might think you are at Del Monte....Fishers Island I have had pleasure to play often...one of best days was just last Oct as I got to play it with two of my sons. First time I played there it was blah....each time back I am more impressed. Thankfully they are very rater friendly whilst many other top US places are not. Last point...I have been to Bandon 3 times. You want to see the best of US that is open to public...Go there...and each time the various guys I go with....we will argue as to which course is best....and each of them get votes...5 courses all in the same place and it is difficult to get 2 to agree which one is best...... So I have never played Oakmont. Know many who have, who I respect their opinion....I can make many places happen...Here's my offer....Get me onto Oakmont and I'll do a reciprocal at Fishers or someplace else quite noteworthy....Or if you have an in someplace else quite nice....reach out and we can make a deal....Ha

Go play it and you'll know...

The most talked about shaft right now is the Paderson Kinetixx Velocity....Loads a lot and delivers very square. I would give that a look.

Is this still available?

Overall the primary aim of the ratings are to prioritize the courses which stand out architecturally. Keep in mind that raters go to these courses and input their numbers....However, Some places care about that process and others abhor it. With 16500 courses just in the US and picking the top 100....well some will fight to be better and some take the "We know how good we are and don't care what you think"

Difficult to test the above shafts. Any utilizers of either of these shafts as a swinger of average SS vs high. Have read some great stuff on these two shafts that kick like a horse and can add a few mph to ball speed. Any thoughts?

I have played a few of the most difficult....Shattuck many times...short but every shot is target. Tobacco Road is much like Shattuck as short but precise. Played Wolf Creek but only about 1/2 of the tees on the back. But my top 5 toughest were special...and soooo looong. Had a group of guys played with and we did an annual "This course is too long event" at the Concord Monster and Rick Smith was pro then and would set the course up for us with all pins on back of huge greens and tee boxes at tip...On paper it was around 7600 but with the set up around 8000 and that was in the early 80's. Also played the Reserve at Thunder Hill once from tips...Couple times you had to look hard to find the back tee... Played Whistling Straits the last day you could prior to the first PGA there. We played the tips and it was just stupid. Bethpage Black the last day you could play prior to the first US Open there, and the course was soaked and no roll...including sleeping in the car in the numbered parking spots with spot 7 when only 6 tee times available...but guy in truck who slept there was playing the Red so my son and I got on...Hit driver from two par 3's and a few times nutted driver like 20 yards short of where the fairway started...shot 96.....But the numero uno toughest was the Pines at the International...Played the Tiger Tees once....And those tees were named before Tiger was born...The course was 8325 yards with a rating of 81.3 and slope of 155....I shot a 90.