Nine years have passed since The Courier’s golf correspondent Steve Scott estimated it would cost around £300 for a couple to spend a day at The Open.
How do today’s prices compare?
Steve did his sums when the tournament was held at Muirfield – when entry cost £75 per ticket.
This year, tickets for the 150th Open in St Andrews were £95 each.
Add £15 for parking each day and you’re already up to £205.
A programme at the gate is £10, compared to £7 in 2013.
Open Championship food prices
And then there’s food.
Steve quoted £13.10 for a bacon roll and a coffee each – that same breakfast now costs £15.80.
A burger and chips, or fish and chips for lunch, has risen from £8 each to £12.50.
And if you want a beer with that, you’ll have to shell out £7 each rather than the £4.20 back then.
Then a trip to the merchandise tent would set you back £50 for the cheapest shirt and £119 for a 150th anniversary Boss polo shirt.
Steve’s article quoted £120 for the pair.
Sandwiches for the final run and another beer each come in at £23.40, compared to Steve’s £16.40.
Add to that a replica flag for the kids, then that’s another £20 – the only price that’s stayed the same
And don’t mention the £30 Open dog bowl.
All in all, you’re looking at £443.20 for a day at the golf (not including the dog bowl) – a 47.6% increase on 2013’s £300.
And if you’re looking to go for a drink in St Andrews town afterwards, be careful where you go.
While some pubs have kept their prices the same, rumour has it at least one has upped the price of a pint by 40p during Open week.
One shocked bar owner said: “We’re here serving residents all year round and no way would we put our prices up.
“But we’re hearing of other pubs who are doing just that.
“It doesn’t seem right to me.”
Conversation