Hearing tanker crew complaining about others getting better accommodation is a bit rich in my experience. I never complained about it when I saw others getting a better deal. I just took it as a mission to get myself the better deal next time.
As for the Old Course Hotel I obviously do not know the particulars of your story but I would bet the Old Course may well have subsidised the occasion and the Reds were probably ‘working’ whilst there.
Maybe you could have got the same deal but I doubt that for the hotel to advertise an opportunity to mingle with/play golf with a miserable git had the same ring as mingling with the Reds.
You can see I am being slightly mischievous but as I said, perception is key.
BV