Canadian-born Jim English created a first not to be copied at the Home of Golf becoming the inaugural golfer to register on-line to go in the walk-up daily ‘Singles Draw’ ballot to play the famed Old Course at St. Andrews.
English, 56, visited the booking centre located beside the first tee just after 9am yesterday (Tuesday) using a Links Trust tablet to register his personal details and hoping now he gets a tee time for tomorrow (Wednesday).
For as long as many can remember going into the Old Course ‘Singles’ ballot meant arriving in the very early hours of the morning and often bringing with you a sleeping bag, blanket and a pillow and then being awake before 6.30am in the summer months to be on the queue to register your wish for a ‘Singles’ daily tee time.
Canadian Jim English becomes the first to register online for the new Old Course ‘Walk-Up Singles’ draw – Image copyright @TourMiss
However, the Links Trust that administer the Old Course advised on March 6th it was stopping the practice of waiting in line for a tee time. The practice of queuing outside the starter’s hut prior to play was put in place in the 1990s to cater for single walk ups wishing to play however numbers have grown so much that, and as mentioned above, hopeful starters were waiting upwards of 12 hours and in all weather conditions
If fortunate, ‘Singles’ would be lucky to join a group of two or three already paid-up though you would then have to wait well past lunch for a tee time while so many others, and also all travelling in the same group, would miss out.
It’s been common for decades to arrive at 1, 2 or 3am in the morning and not be drawn to tee-up more than 12 hours later but it is the Old Course!
And in the last ‘waiting on a queue’ draw earlier today there was around 14 players in line with the starters hut was opened at 9.30am local time.
English hails from Rothesay in the east Canadian province of New Brunswick, and about an hour drive north of the Canadian town of St. Andrews. He and his wife also own a house in St. Andrews, Scotland while he also has recently joined nearby Crail Golfing Society.
He said: “I’ve played the Old Course a few times but I’ve never done waiting here overnight, as the earliest I’ve been down is before 6am seeking a ‘singles’ tee time though being a single player has always been very difficult getting an Old Course tee time.
“My wife and I came down here last Fall seeking a tee time and we ended-up teeing-off at 1.45pm with two fellows from Sweden who said they had arrived at 4.30am and were 40th in line to go into the ballot.
“We’re here a lot in the Spring and the Fall as we like to enjoy our summer in Canada, so it’s a little quieter then but still not perfect in getting a singles tee time”.
When English was asked if he felt ‘single’ players may get better access to Old Course tee times under the new online booking system, he wasn’t all that sure.
He said: “I think it is a double-sided coin. You’re desperate to play the Old Course, and it may be your only time coming to St. Andrews, so if you arrive around 7pm the night and wait all night then you should get to play.
The new online booking devices to now book a ‘Singles’ walk-up tee time on the Old Course – Check out the socks on the guy practicing his putting. Image copyright @TourMiss
“If you don’t want to do that then this new system avoids all that but then for those die-hards the old way of waiting for hours and hours is probably better.
“So, with this new system they’ve introduced from today you just might lose out.
“My wife and I enter the regular ballot all the time hoping to play but last year we were just one game for the 23 times being in the ballot.
“The good aspect about this time of the year is that it is a quieter time of year but, as you know, once summer arrives and there are golfers arriving to St. Andrews for a first and probably only time, this new singles booking system is going to make it a lot tougher”.
Jim received word late in the day he was fifth reserve to be afforded a tee time today (Wed)
