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At Faraway Fairways we’ve become increasingly aware that a number of you want to ‘get away from it’, but don’t necessarily want the commitment of a long ‘tour’. In other words, you want a top golf break over a weekend with a true world class course as the focus, but have so many other things going on around you that time is a serious problem. It shouldn’t come as any surprise to learn therefore that Faraway Fairways have just the answer with our Carnoustie weekend golf break, one of six options we’re excited to offer.
The Carnoustie weekend break is designed for someone who can leave work mid-day Friday, or even early evening, so long as they can arrive in Scotland (Edinburgh) early on Saturday. Anyone taking it from the UK or continental Europe will be back at work by Tuesday morning. But here’s a twist, by virtue of flying back across time zones, so will anyone from North America.
The Carnoustie weekend golf break isn’t exactly a new concept you might suggest? True, we’ll give you that ‘short putt’! But most of these weekend golf packages tend to be resort first and golf second. Faraway Fairways’ big weekend golf breaks put the golf first. Well to no small extent in Scotland you have to, Spain we ain’t!
So it might sound a bit ambitious at first, and its probably not completely unfair to think that this type of weekend Scottish golf break is more likely to appeal to those of you with fast moving lifestyles and a bit of ‘go’, although this needn’t be exclusive. Ultimately the world is becoming a smaller a place however, and it is becoming increasingly possible to do these types of things. The more you think about it, the more you’ll come to realise it. When you walk back into work on Tuesday and someone enquires whether you “did anything interesting at the weekend?” it would perhaps be nice to reply “played golf at Carnoustie, Scotland. And you?”
3 Nights
Scotland
Transport
Self-drive or airport chauffeur transfer are equally viableLogistics
Single hotel baseNon-Golf Offer
Limited - Glamis Castle, Scone PalaceMileage
Low - Approx 150 miles. Approximately 2 hrs 45 minsTravel Class
Premier
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Saturday - Buddon Links
Carnoustie’s Buddon Links are the newest addition to the family. The investment and introduction of two new holes in 2014, increased the quality of the course significantly. Locals now refer to holes 11 and 12 as the new Amen Corner, where golfers are tested to the max. Whilst there are links elements on the Buddon course, there are other features such as a heathland stretch from the 6th where heather and silver birch trees are more reminiscent of a Highland golf course. Unusually for a links, it’s also made use of water too. Playing the 18 provides you with a lesson in British military history given the number of holes named after battles.
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Sunday - Carnoustie Championship
American media commentators wasted no time dubbing the Tayside course ‘Car-Nasty’. Few would deny the claims of Carnoustie to the crown of toughest Open venue of them all. Carnoustie has a number of challenging holes, particularly the par fives. The Spectacles’ (14) and ‘Hogan’s Alley’ (6) are the two toughest assignments on the stroke index. The par 3 sixteenth is another shocker. It’s the enduring image from the 1999 Open of Jean van de Velde paddling in the Barry Burn however, that cemented Carnoustie’s legend. Sports Illustrated described the course as “a nasty old antique brought down from the attic by the R&A after 24 years” as scoring soared. Carnoustie revels in such notoriety. If the wind gets up you’re unlikely to ever play a tougher assignment.
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Monday - - Carnoustie Burnside
Playing inside of its monstrous neighbour, the Burnside is mercilessly shorter, but otherwise the course is similar in style to the Championship course, for sharing the same terrain. Sensible driving will let you test your mid to short game as the key is working out where you think you can most effectively play your second shot from. Given that heather whins and rough come into play this needn’t always be easy. The closing two holes are normally cited as the round wreckers and better suited to the neighbouring championship course. The fifth is worth noting. A natural meander in the Barry Burn has created an island green similar to the 17th at Sawgrass. The Burnside proved to be a decent overture for Ben Hogan in 1953. He qualified here before going onto lift the claret jug.
Although this break is focused on Carnoustie we perhaps shouldn't lose sight of its proximity to St Andrews which would permit us to attempt a couple of ballot applications for the Old Course, or at the very least, just visit the town
The St Andrews Links Trust don't publish ballot strike-rates. Faraway Fairways do occasionally succeed in extracting an off the record opinion however. In addition to this, we’re also able to draw on our own evidence, and that which we’re able to extract from credible co-operative partners (usually hotels) plus what other tour operators might tell us. We have a good guideline idea of strike rates by month of the year and by day of the week
It needs to be stressed that these are indicative averages only. Different parts of a month will behave differently dependent on any end of factors. The ballot is quixotic and unpredictable, Extended runs of good or bad luck can, and do, happen. They are provided in good faith, but can of course fail, and can't therefore be used as a basis for compensation
Multiply by the number of days you are available to give you a guideline
Ballot Strike-Rates
MONTH OF THE YEAR
| APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT |
| 59% | 21% | 20% | 16% | 14% | 17% | 19% |
DAY OF THE WEEK
| MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
| 20% | 21% | 16% | 23% | 15% | 30% | n/a |
St Andrews 'Guaranteed' Tee Times
Guaranteed tee-times aren't sold for weekend slots so you'd be needing to specifically source one for the Monday and then try to arrange the mandatory second course forward of the Old course (not something the Links Trust routinely do - but possible with a bit of persuasion)
There is a heavy price premium on a guarantee a tee-time. Plus they usually involve a minimum hotel stay in St Andrews of at least three nights, playing an additional St Andrews course is mandatory, and normally a minimum food & drink spend in a specified hotel. So are they worth it? The answer to that question really is "it depends ...". If money is no object, and you don't mind paying much more than you might need to ... On balance though, Faraway Fairways wouldn't be of the opinion that it is worth even attempting to source one.
Handicap requirement
Carnoustie - operates a handicap threshold of 28 for gentlemen, and 36 for ladies respectively for the Championship course.
“A current official handicap card (Golf Club affiliated to a Golf Union/Association) record or certificate must be presented to the starter prior to play. Maximum handicaps – 24 Men, 36 Ladies. St Andrews will not accept letters of introduction from a local Club Professional”. Players who are unable to meet this standard are invited to tackle the alternatives we’ve nominated instead.
Some known issues to consider
St Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns jointly host the Dunhill Links challenge in the first week of October
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