Trilby tour - good or bad?

hi all

i have just been reading a very lengthy and split opinion post on another forum on the trilby tour

what are golfshakers opinions on this? i know a couple of people on here have played in it and i do know that 1 made it to the final this year, although nothing has been mentioned on how he got on (is this a TT stipulation) nothing is said untill after the televised event on sky?

some views on this forum were of "vastly overpriced to play mediocre courses with cheap incentives thrown in"

the entry for the TT is £275

the courses for 2013 were majority marriott hotels

the majority of players seem to have very suspect handicaps

what are YOUR VIEWS ON THIS?

I think it does provide people with a taste of what it would be like to play in an important competition... probably one step up from a pro-am ie the type where you'd be playing with the assistant pro from your golf club. The fact that it is shown on SKY does mean there is a market and that ordinary golfers view it or it wouldn't get a slot. The price is what it is, they obviously want to make money and the demand is there as the applications for entry have gone up year on year. Handicaps? well, I think we all know what goes on there.

Having been a caddy for a qualifier (Robin Vidler) I have experienced this first hand, and although I'd caddy again at the drop of a hat I doubt I'd ever enter - apart from the fact that as a non-CONGU handicapper I'd be ineligible. The qualifier was at Worsley Park, a Marriot track which wasn't the best of courses, typical corporate really with a decent finishing hole and some lovely bits and some not so good. So for the entry fee the golfer gets a full outfit from William Hunt (inc. Trilby), my caddy overalls and hat, a personalised golf bag and freebies like range balls and drinks on course. As the golf bag was from Direct Golf it wasn't of the best quality and actually fell to pieces halfway round, looked smart though. Didn't really matter that it was a bit shoddy as qualifiers were given another for the final and non-qualifiers had theirs replaced apparently. So much for the cost, possibly worth it, possibly not, but I wasn't paying. What was amazing though was the atmosphere, certainly the closest I'll ever get to a pro tour, crowds, cameras, live leaderboards, the lot. And with around 145 players it was quite a pressured round.

The final was at Rockcliffe Hall. For those who don't know it, it's a monster of a track attached to a 5 star hotel up near Darlington. I can honestly say that it was one of the best prepared courses I've ever played (practice round the day before), manicured tee boxes, immaculate fairways and massive, pristine greens. And with the crowds and cameras one awesome event to be part of. Given the cost of the hotel, drinks and food getting a free barbecue as player and caddy probably covered the cost of the entry fee..

I wouldn't say that the majority of players have suspect handicaps, certainly some had, but by no means the the majority. However, as they all have CONGU handicaps they are all honest, truthful and beyond question as we all know (ahem). Not like us nomads, oh no.

It goes without saying that this type of event attracts a certain type of club golfer, although the ones we played with were mostly pleasant enough guys, although the pressure did show on some of then in a very obvious way. So horses for courses really.

PS - I don't think that there is a requirement not to say where you finished, I think it's just the organisation is a bit slow on the updates. Haven't spoke to Robin about where he finished, around midway I suspect, but I don't think it's any great secret. Still, look forward to seeing if I turn up on Sky, although if I do I suspect they'll pixilate my mouth when I was giving Robin some advice coming up the 18th, it could upset people who can lip read...

Sounds like a great experience Tim. Id love to find someone who was playing that I could caddy for......

I have two colleagues who both played in it this year. One got in directly the other qualified because he did not get in last year.

The fee is quite steep and also no guarantee to get in would probably put a proportion off, however the gear you get probably means you can offset some of the entry fee by selling it on if you want to.

I might think about entering for next year, but certainly not sure.

I like the look of the TT and will definitely be entering in the next few years.

In terms of people's handicaps - there will always be an element of dodgy handicaps in those kind of competitions. I played in the League to Dubai this year which had 2 people who went to Dubai last year in my group - both tonked everyone else in the group. One of those 2 was playing off 24 and -6 at my place while playing off 3/4 hcps and commenting all the way round about how hard the course was......

There will also be a number of people who have very genuine handicaps at very hard courses. For example in the Nike Matchplay I played a guy at Rockliffe who had a handicap there of 5 - fantastic player and anywhere else maybe off 0-3 or something.