"currently battling with my dear friend, the Silverstripe CMS" - 18 hours ago
"is thoroughly relaxed at another Irish farmhouse B&B, this time one run by a character and a half, Sharon Moore.... http://fb.me/Fd1zVe5z" - 1 day ago
"Is this the Nellie bunker you were talking about mate? Safely avoided I'm pleased to report http://fb.me/EHAvCmyU" - 2 days ago
Whilst JP was off performing his duties as an usher and celebrating the wedding of his old mate Hamish to his bride Gillian, Ed and I were chilling out in Burntisland and guarding the homestead of Dunerne – Hamish' family digs. Waking up and looking out the window across the Firth of Forth visibility was limited. Panic overcame me (briefly) as I’d seen the delays simultaneously playing out across the pond at Whistling Straits for the PGA Championship. But as the day progressed and we packed our belongings the fog burnt off and we were treated to possibly the finest day yet of the Scottish summer. Public had flocked to the water below and folk were out sunbathing left right and centre. It was 25 degrees Celsius.
So Bouden and I went sight seeing on the way to pick up the Patton clan from the pleasant wee village of Bridge of Allan where the after match of the wedding was taking place. On the way we visited the William Wallace monument [2 below] and took in some views across the ‘bonnie’ Scottish countryside out across Stirling, Bridge of Allan and right out across the country to Loch Lomond in the distance.
At Bridge of Allan we picked up Jamie and Connor and crammed in to the wee mercedes aka the tank en route to Gleneagles for take two – the Queens course. Connor took the front seat as it’s just not practical any other way – monster of a man.
At Gleneagles we FINALLY met the famous Mr Graeme Pook who had dug us out of trouble on a couple of occasions during our Scottish leg to date. A banterous chap from these parts who has plied his trade a golfing professional growing up in Sterling and then living in Gleneagles as he took on the European tour for some 6 years or so. But now, as you may have read if paying any attention in prior blog posts, Mr Pook runs a golf touring company called Executive Golf & Leisure. Pooky as we quickly knew him as is one of those guys who it’s bloody hard not to get on with. Quality chap, great humour and is very much on the wave length of us two traveling golfers. Knows his stuff as well – as he has helped golfing enthusiasts travel the globe playing some special tracks.
So the three of us set out at to tackle the Queens layout which is much more feminine the than the neighbouring Kings track. At par 67 and measuring barely 6000 yards it is a different type of golf to the lengthy layout that beat us up yesterday. Needless to say after losing a swag of golf balls on the Kings (and subsequently being low on our collection) it was a case of ‘keep the driver in the bag’ and knock it around with 2 iron keeping the ball in play.
[the par four 12th cracking hole to a blind green protected by bunkers / hills AND trees!!]
[looking back down the sole par five on the front nine - check out that conditioning]
Keeping it in play was the the least of our worries on the Queens as the defense of the course primarily lay around the greens and surrounds. Holes like 3 and 9 had some gnarly greens with slopes (often away from you) that made a birdie a fine feat indeed. More than a few par threes also made life tough as more than a few of them required a 6 iron + off the tee. JP had the added bonus of having a caddy as younger bro Connor did a fine job carrying his sticks. Reminded me of that caddy from Happy Gilmore at times as he peacefully wandered around the course looking a little worse for wear after a blinder at the wedding. Wouldn’t dare say that to Connor though. He’s bigger than me – heard he had a good debut for his new rugby side Celkirk this weekend so hopefully we see him at higher honours at some stage soon. Speaking of caddies – Ed – well he did not carry any bags - simply enjoyed the walk and asked the odd inquisitive question of the type that could be expected of a lawyer intrigued by a smart and affable man like Pooky who makes a living out of something as extraordinary as running golf tours. Brilliant.
[Ed]
[the rolling hills in the background behind this drivable par four 15th which all of us birdied]
So as you can imagine the 5 of us lads had a fair bit of fun out on the course and in my instance it was helped by the skins match that happened to be falling in my favour. Perhaps the quiet night in (as opposed to the other two) had something to do with it. Also, I there were no excuses with the course – lush conditioning, greens as pure as they come and some sparkling local knowledge from Mr Pook. The kind of high standards that are associated with a place like Gleneagles. You're not going be disappointed by the simple things out here at this high end establishment.
[looking back down the par three 14th - one of three short holes on the back nine, and this one has a huge tier in the green. A cheeky 2 helped the fundraising efforts too]
On the last we learnt a trick shot - a first for puregolf2010. Pooky said to us in his Scottish brogue, ‘when it’s really windy boys, you need to lower your centre of gravity’ and with that his 5 foot 4 frame shrunk to merely 3 feet high as down on his knees he swing his driver with all his might 230 yards straight down the middle of the fairway. From his knees!!! We both tried thie trick – JP put his back out, and I had a gin shot. All class. Respect for our man Graeme.
We finished the last with three pars and crammed our gear into The Tank and nicked up to Graeme’s place on the hillside overlooking Gleneagles and Anstruther for a quick beer in his conservatory which enjoyed a magestic view across 60 miles of countryside. You can see why this area of Scotland attracts the rich and famous. It's pristine and best of all peaceful. And only a short trip from the main belt of population in Scotland between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Chatting in the conservatory we rang an old mutual friend - Brian Dorn from the Bay Hill Club in Florida and bantered about golf and his impending trip to Gleneagles. A fitting way to end a great day. Thanks Graeme for helping us out with a couple of days of golf, thanks to Gleneagles for having us and congratulations Hamish on the wedding and the whanau for having both Ed and I to stay during this hectic time Another great weekend completed although here golf was not always the top priority - but I guess that’s a good thing for a change!!! Now off to Edinburgh to enjoy the festival and some golf down on the East Lothian coast.
M
We seem to have packed in all sorts of extra-curricular activities this year. Like sight seeing. Or even milking cows. It wasn’t until today that I’d also squeezed in a wedding. Not just any wedding either – this was the day my oldest friend, Hamish (whom I’ve known really since birth) tied the knot. And I was one of his ushers. So I had lots to do before, during and after the Main Event! Plus, of course, there had to be some golf in there too.
As fate would have it, one of the nearest golf spots to the wedding venue was a place called Gleneagles. It’s quite good. Pooky kindly organised for us to play The Kings Course at 7.50am, giving me 4 hours and 10 minutes to get round; get cleaned up; and get myself 20 minutes down the road to Dunblane where everyone was to congregate before the wedding. That didn’t sound like enough time for me, so we set off at a shade before 6 from Hamish’s parents place in Fife, to arrive at Gleneagles before 7 (the thinking being that we might be able to swap our tee time for an earlier one). Luck was on our side: someone had cancelled their 7am tee time, so Michael, myself and Big Ed got off first thing with no one ahead of us. Perfect.
We met with the Starter; got our little goody bags, yardage books and the like; then teed off on that familiar first hole. I’d been here once before as a 9 year old to watch the Bell’s Scottish Open, and remember being quite impressed with the whole thing. In those days it was Monty & Woosy doing battle – now those boys will soon be on the Seniors Tour if they aren’t already (I don’t watch much golf...).
It wasn’t a bluebird day, but the sun was certainly threatening to reveal itself. Once you reach the elevated 2nd tee you get the first of many stunning views across the Perthshire region; Gleneagles seems to sit in the middle of a huge basin which reminded me at times of New Zealand. On the estate were beautifully mature trees, red deer and a bunch of birds that wouldn’t shut up while I was putting. So I had them shot.
Walking down (or up, rather) the first fairway I remember thinking to myself how surreal the whole experience was, playing The Kings Course at Gleneagles early in the morning on the day when your oldest pal is getting married. The excitement combined with my mild exhaustion (Hamish and I had sat up the night before with a bottle of whisky to have a proper catch up on life) was an unusual one – almost like Christmas morning as a kid when you’d woken up at 4am to open your presents.
The exhaustion side of things however appeared to be causing problems with my putting (at least that’s my excuse anyway) - right from the outset. On the 1st I had 10 feet for birdie across a rather severe slope, and missed my 6 footer coming back to card a frustrating opening bogey. Then I 3 putted the 3rd. And the 4th. And so on and so forth. Good ball striking doesn’t help much when you can’t tap the wee thing in the hole with a respectable number of strokes (1 or 2). My putter might’ve got confused and thought Ed was using it. Ah well – I just enjoyed the company of my cursing friends (Ed having seemed to pull hook his first tee shot off every tee then snap cut the next) and the bonnie scenery all around me. Gleneagles as I said before is quite beautiful.
The Kings Course isn’t a forgiving creature. James Braid laid out a very varied course with undulations aplenty and trouble even more so. The bracken is omnipresent and trees in play every now and then. Not a course for driving it like Big Ed did. It was almost a surprise when after hitting a shot he didn’t have a yelp. I think the amusement softened the blow of all the 3 putting...
Pooky names The Kings as his favourite course in the world, just ahead of Pine Valley. While I wouldn’t tend to agree with him on that one, I do think it’s something of a masterpiece. It’s the sort of course that ankle taps you (something I’ve talked before in posts on clever layouts), and because it’s reasonably short it can be played by most golfers. You’ve just gotta be a bit straight. And not 3 putt every green!
Our skins match was honours even between Goldy and me going down the 18th, Goldy snatching a bunch of skins down the stretch with back-to-back birdies after doing nothing spectacular for the first 14 holes or so. (We played that annoying format where the first 6 are worth 1 skin each, the second 6 worth 2 and the final 6 worth 3). Then the icing was laid on the cake. He pulled his drive 30 yards over the bracken on the huge hill at 270 yards, into what looked Hell. I hit a sensible 3 wood down the middle then another one down near the green. The bracken however stopped at the crest of the hill and Mike found himself in good shape. He knocked a long iron into the greenside bunker then flopped it out to 25 feet. I had an easy pitch but it checked up early on the front edge. Then I 3 putted one final time to hand him the match. To be fair the writing was on the wall from the start. Bah humbug.
But I had a wedding to go to. And some plush facilities to make the most of beforehand. So off to the amazing showers I went, then into the sauna (I passed on the Turkish Baths). To keep up appearances I even had a shave! While all the other chaps in the locker room were chucking on their spikes and Titleist caps, I was strapping my kilt on and doing my best to look like an authentic Scot. These boys must’ve wondered what the hell was going on.
With plenty time to burn we jumped into the car and found ourselves at Dunblane hyrdo, where I was duly dropped. Then all hell broke loose and in the midst of it all Hamish got married. But I won’t bore you with all of that. Here's a photo of Hamish & his gorgeous bride Gillian though, in the red Morgan he hired for the weekend. Doesn't the lad look happy.
Not that you read the blog Hamish, but if you are - congraulations my friend. I can't believe you managed to find a girl crazy enough to marry you, but fair play to you and commiserations to Gillian all the same...
JP
This post is going back a few days as we’ve been busy lads entertaining our mate Ed Bayley who has been spending the last 10 days with us. I’m pleased to report that Ed is currently on the train back to his haunt in Oxford, where he is recovering from his puregolf2010 stint with ‘four days on the couch playing playstation’.
Last Friday we dragged Ed kicking and screaming out to the St Andrews Castle Course. Arranged by Gents and courtesy of the Links Trust this day was our swansong of golf in the golf-mecca that is the St Andrews region. And the weather gods again did not disappoint. Here is the four-ball and we're loud mouthing it.
The Castle Course sits high on the cliffs overlooking the ocean and the views are nothing short of spectacular. It kind of reminded me of Castle Stuart although here the views swept across the St Andrews township and the Firth of Forth and across to East Lothian.
Before the fun and games began out on the course we were given our goodie bags filled with Castle Course tees, markers, pitch repairers and crucially a detailed course guide. Golf balls are belted out on the range whilst the array of starters politely suggest you should have a few putts on the practice putting green so you can brace yourself for the fun ahead. Probably the only thing I got from this brief warm up was that, no matter how hard I tried it was going to be difficult to hit a left to right shot shape playing back towards the township with the wind whipping in from the ocean on the right.
Unlike the other courses in the Links Trust portfolio, the Castle course is a modern design and has received mixed reactions throughout the year from folk we’ve come across. The main reason for this is the greens that are at best entertaining and at worst like a sick and twisted mini golf course. I’m not the best of putters on a good day so the triple breaking putts out here were as mouth watering as 8 day old haggis. At least we had the local knowledge of Gents who gave us an idea of where to hit the ball into the greens – using the slopes to our favour so we could (at times) actually get it quite close to the pins. Despite these ‘tricked up’ greens (to use an ‘ocker Aussie phrase) I thought the course was an awesome test of golf.
Firstly, it was a test off the tee – many of the landing areas appeared tiny but were actually generous, provided you hit the right club off the tee!! If you carelessly bomb driver all day you’ll probably end up in at least one or two patches of rough that are found in the middle of the fairways. Not to mention the fairway bunkers. Check out one such cheeky spot of rough below.
Secondly there were great contours throughout the course. And it didn’t feel like they’d move 875 million tonnes of soil in the creation of the course. Holes like the 6th – seen below play significantly downhill to the ocean meaning you could bunt it out of the rough and end up quite close to the green. Or if you’re Gents you can bomb it most of the way to the green 430 yards away from the tee!!
Thirdly, the routing of the course is like Castle Stuart as it maximises the panoramic views below. Holes 6 through 9 play sensationally along the cliff tops and made me go wow. The par three 8th is very exposed – you can’t just stand up on this tee and hit a smooth iron – a bunt or punch under the wind is always going to be the play! On the 9th tee we heard a kiwi twang from across the tee block and were introduced to a greenkeeper mate of Gents’ called Joe. Top man. Got a good gig as well and soon heading off to keep Royal Melbourne in decent nick. The back nine plays up higher on the hill where the views extend to the St Andrews Bay courses along the coast (which we’re not playing…. not on this trip anyway!). Then the final two holes are again along the coast with the signature par three 17th across a huge ravine to the gravelly beach below and then (another) par five closing hole around the cliffs to the right.
And fourthly, the greens for all their sins were rolling nicely and more than a few of the complexes were great and a good fair test. For example the severe false fronts on the 2nd (below) 6th and 16th holes with a relatively flat green beyond (it’s all relative here..) And what I did like was that they gave you a chance if you knew where to go. According to Gents it’s a course which gets better and better the more you play it and his guidance helped immeasurably – for example when we used the bowl on the 11th hole or had we followed his advice to play left of the par five 5th hole and let the ball roll back to the pin in the centre of the green.
[the 11th hole with a bowl green]
We were engrossed in another four-ball match – as are the ways for us competitive kiwi lads. Jamie and Ed were paired up against Gents and I and after some considerable horse trading on the first tee (and over a pint the night before) the shots were dished out and the match ended up a closely fought affair. It was a shame that at times we all lost interest and concentration as the round took no fewer than 5 hours 15 minutes to complete which is simply far too long. Aside from losing out on revenue from fewer people being about to get around per day, having a very slow pace of play is not a great reputation to have. I should say that the opposite can be said about The Old Course where we breezed around in four hours even whilst every man and his dog soaks in the atmosphere, takes photos left right and centre and has to work out where exactly to go! This is probably due to the excellent caddy program at The Old, and whilst there were caddies marching down the fairways alongside their players (it is rather intimidating when you see 8 guys striding down the fairway at you) they were a bit prickly when Gents hit a drive about 330 yards on the 12th which got close to them & was subsequently trodden on and embedded into the soil.
The round slowed when we got to 17 because of the stunning views.
No-one is too phased at this point – it’s like the 15th & 16th at Cypress Point where camera’s are almost compulsory and facebook posts and photographs are being flicked up to tell the world about the grand cliff tops that we find ourselves on. Down the last the match was still in the balance but finally I strung a couple of shots together and should have knocked in my 5 footer for eagle – but for a small issue called LOFT.
[the closing hole a par five with a double green adjoining the 9th]
We made a speedy exit as JP was due at a wedding rehearsal but we thanked the friendly crowd, jumped in the tank and were off to Burntisland.
Thanks again to the Links Trust for having us, for Gents and Jamie having us to stay with them and Ed for making the trip up to see us. Oh, by the way mate – get a haircut.
Jamie and Mike have afforded me an opportunity to write a guest blog…I hope I don’t disappoint. Aberdour Golf Club was on the agenda for day 224. Upon arrival we were warmly greeted by the Club Captain, Frank, and the Club Secretary, Brian. Making up the fourball with the boys were Jamie and Sam, the respective Mens and Ladies Club Champions. Aged only 19 and 17, Jamie and Sam appear to have a promising golfing future in front of them. After a few photos were taken for the local rags, it was down to business. The Jamies were to take on Michael and Sam in an off-the-stick bestball matchplay.
Despite being nestled against the water, Abedour is a parkland course. A number of the holes offer magnificent views of the Firth of Forth and across to Edinburgh. The par 67 course is by no means long but is nonetheless deceptively challenging. Many of the approach shots appear straightforward but the greens are undulating. A two putt is by no means guaranteed and a missed green will therefore make for a difficult up and down. I also don’t know of any course that opens with two par threes and finishes with a par three – a rather unique attribute. The second [below] is especially demanding, requiring a shot over the water and enough club to clear the steep bank short and left of the green. Sounds easy but anything long leaves a slippery chip or putt back down the slope. Most should be pleased to escape with a three.
There’s a taboo word amongst golfers. I’m loath to use it, but I feel I must…Shank. It brings tingles down the spine. And I’m sure it brought tingles down Mike’s spine (and fingers) when, in front of the local press photographer and a small crowd of onlookers, he managed to shank an eight iron off the first tee. Needless to say, it was an awkward moment for all involved. It didn’t help that Goldy lost his ball or that he accomplished the same feat of golfing blunder on the par three seventh. Perhaps it was karma for all the abuse that has been dealt my way in these blogs regarding my putting abilities.
Shanks aside, some reasonable golf was played by all (but not necessarily simultaneously or consistently). The Club Champions lived up to their name. Both had sound all round games and Jamie was particularly accurate off the tee whereas Sam impressed with the sheer distance she could nudge the ball. She played off the same back tees as the boys and usually wasn’t far behind them in length. The match remained tight throughout but Mike and Sam managed to pip the Jamies on the last to win one and none.
After the round, we were treated to a few pints and dinner in the Club House overlooking the Firth. The curry, pie and fish and chips ordered by each of us went down well. Cheers to Brian and [ ] for their warm hospitality. We certainly left Aberdour conversed and content!
On a more personal note, I would like to thank Marc Gentiles (more commonly known as Gents) and his better half Jamie for having us to stay at St Andrews and inviting me to play on the Castle course. I really do hope Gents can join the boys in the latter stages of their adventure. He’s certainly a quality golfer and I’m sure he’ll keep them on their toes. I’d also like to acknowledge John and Phillipa Low for generously having us to stay for a few days and allowing us to raid their pantry, particularly at a hectic time when their son Hamish was getting married. Likewise, I must thank Jamie’s Aunt and Uncle, Gillian and Ian, for housing us in Edinburgh at a time when, due to the Edinburgh Festival, accommodation in the area is few and far between.
I’ll be sad to leave the boys. It’s been over a year since I last saw them and I’ve enjoyed every second of the fun and banter that I’ve had with them whilst I’ve been staying. I cannot wait to see them back in New Zealand in the latter stages of the year.
At last: The Old Course blog. (It's been a manic few days, sorry).
___________________________________________________
We'd been looking forward to this day all year. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. In recent weeks it was looking like we wouldn’t get a chance to play The Old Course; in fact we’d almost resigned ourselves to the fact that it wasn’t going to happen. As most of you will know it’s not the easiest ticket in golf to get. The uncertainty of the ballot doesn’t sit comfortably with our imperative of having to play golf every day. And so it was a very welcome surprise indeed (very welcome doesn’t quite cover it) when one Graeme Pook fired through an email that went something like this:
“Chaps are you fixed up to play either of the below? I can help if you’re interested...
10th August: St. Andrews (Jubilee) - 7.36am
11th August: St. Andrews (Old) - 7.30am...”
Well blow me down. Graeme’s a champion among men who runs Executive Golf & Leisure, and he’s been good natured enough to help tee up a few of our fixtures in Scotland (The Carnegie Club, Gleneagles King & Queen, Machrihanish & Machrihanish Dunes). Then came Possibly The Most Exciting Email Ever Sent. I replied that sorry, but I was planning on having a lie on the 11th. 7.30 is a terribly anti-social time to be walking some old links where the greenkeepers have always been too lazy to cut 18 individual greens. Then good sense prevailed and I took him up on his kind offer.
I remember back to The Early Days of puregolf2010, when Mike would always answer the “what course are you looking forward to the most” question with St. Andrews. (My answer was and continues to be Royal County Down). Well fair enough: it’s The Home of Golf; the site of many a historic moment and one or two rounds of golf across the centuries. I won’t delve into the history of the place because 1. It would take too long; and 2. There’s too great a risk that I’d fudge a detail or two, thus being condemned to wearing the dunce hat by the 6 billion golf afficionados Out There. Suffice to stay it’s steeped in history and something of a golf Mecca. Golfers talk about their pilgrimages here for years, even decades. Pooky helps make those pilgrimages possibile, which must give him a buzz.
[Mike and me by the Starter's Hut]
[Mike, Ed and me in front of the R&A clubhouse]
On Old Course Eve, I must confess, I hardly gave a thought to the fact that we would be on that famed first tee in the morning. Because I was playing Carnoustie. Which was Brilliant. But when the alarm went off at some unGodly hour, I knew. I knew that I was about to tee it up in front of the widest fairway in Open golf; play over the Swilken Burn; do my best to dodge Hell and Shell bunkers; hit a few 100 feet putts; tee off blind over what looks like an endless stretch of gorse and tussock; blast one over The Old Course Hotel; dig myself out of The Road Hole Bunker; try to drive the 18th green; pitch over The Valley of Sin; then finish out in front of some of the most recognisable buildings in the game.
[Swilken Burn in foreground; 1 and 18 behind]
Yes The Old Course lived up to the hype. It was an equally unique and magnificent experience, something we’ll both remember until we stop breathing. Our playing partners were a lovely Swiss couple – Duri and Elizabeth – over on one of Pooky’s tours. They too had played a few of the courses that we’ve been fortunate enough to visit in recent weeks; and they had plenty of chat to boot. Among the better humoured Swiss that I’ve met. So we had a famous time. Big Ed walked around with us too, taking a snap or three along the way (but not unfortunately carrying my bag). Lazy blighter.
The South African (?) gentleman who might be described either as The Starter or as a maitre de was a gentleman, putting us at ease as much as he could. Scores of photos were taking of us on the first tee, in front of the R&A clubhouse – in a myriad number of poses. They know what it means to stand on the 1st at St Andrews with a 2 iron in your hand, about to get under way. With 2 iron in hand I then took a few deep breaths and tried not to sh*nk one into the still standing grandstands. Much to my delight – or relief, rather – the wee white thing disappeared somewhere off to the left onto the 18th. Not a vintage golf shot but In Play and that was all that counted at that moment. Mike took a much more dicey line down the right but ended up safely within bounds. 17 and a half holes to go; this game is easy.
The way the fringes are mown at The Old Course, it can be hard to make out the border between fairway and green. So you find yourself opting without much thought for the putter from quite significant distances. Most people that have played the course would’ve hit a 30 or 40 yard putt I’m sure. I struck my first on the first, after a punch 7 iron caught the wind and only just flew the Swilken Burn. At this point you still can’t quite believe you’re playing The Old Course. You’re looking around; the holes look like the holes you’ve seen on TV or even at The Open; everything is familiar – yet you still have that This Must Be Happening To Someone Else feeling. At times you wish it was someone else standing over your putts.
[2nd green]
[A nasty pot bunker]
We didn’t take a caddie, but Elizabeth did. Chris was an Edinburgh lad of few words – in fact the first time I think I heard him speak was on the 3rd when he told Duri to stop looking for his ball in the rough because we had to keep up with the group in front! Duri wasn’t best pleased; Chris was quite insistent, to the point of being stern. I wondered whether Chris would be getting a gratuity at the end. He had a point though.
On the 2nd hole you walk past that big mustard building with the words “The Old Course Hotel” scribbled across it. A very impressive sight let me tell you. You’re also gazing across to the 17th, wondering what it’s going to have in store for you in a couple of hours time. In the back of your mind are a few less than optimistic scenarios. But you focus on the task at hand and try to avoid the myriad pot bunkers – some of which face “the wrong way” (because the course used to be played the other way around). Ed utters a word or two of encouragement but still shows no aspirations to carry a bag. I tell him what I think of his laziness but our friendship remains intact for the moment.
The blind tee shots you hit along the front are intimidating to say the least. You soon realise though that the fairways behind the gorse – being double fairways – are as generous as Bill Gates. Gents’ advice to stay left proved useful, and thankfully the driver was behaving relatively well. From the fairway all you need to do is knock it onto the gargantuan greens and sink the odd putt. Easy enough. Ha!
Come the 6th hole I had my first Old Course moment. By that I mean I couldn’t have been playing anywhere else. After one of my better tee shots I had lob wedge in hand and birdie in my head. The uphill lie under my eyes must’ve made me overcompensate because I thinned the ball 50 yards long left of the pin. It was still on the edge of the green! It’s a weird bringing your putter head back more or less parallel with your waist but that’s what was needed. Got it within 10 feet but left the par putt in the jaws. Sod it.
Shell Bunker is a terrifying creature of sadism that I’d glared at in disbelief during The Open. It sits on the short 7th hole at about 295 yards from the (blind) tee. After 3 putting the 6th there was no doubt that the big stick was coming out – Shell Bunker or No Shell Bunker. Wind slightly at my back I killed one more or less on the line I had intended (which rarely happens after a 3 putt) and expected to be in the sand or near it. Marching over the hill my ball was nowhere to be seen so my fears heightened. A 50 yard bunker shot out of That – to a green as undulating as the 7th, especially at the back where the pin was tucked – could be tormenting. But. 5 yards long and left of Shell was a wee swail. In that swail was my pill – HOORAY! Not that I managed to get up and down for birdie through the Alps but never mind that.
By the end of the front 9 the clouds were starting to roll in from the south west. Not nice clouds either. Our spirits unlike our clothes couldn’t be dampened though, no Sir. We were hacking it ‘round the most famous course in the world. There were even some good shots being played too.
[Approach to 10]
[11 tee - Shell Bunker visible on right of picture, guarding 7 green (and very errant shots on 11 for that matter)]
[Zoomed in shot of 11, a gnarly par 3]
Part of the thrill of playing St. Andrews is the anticipation of what exactly is going to happen to your ball once you hit it. On shots where you can see it land there’s invariably enough undulation to keep it running in one way or another for as long as it flew. Hidden trouble – like the bunkers in the middle of the 12th fairway – also adds to the tension. Then there’s the totally blind shots where you have no idea what’s going on until you march over gorse or dune. Never a dull moment.
[Goldy on 13 tee]
[Hell Bunker on 14]
Elizabeth God Bless Her was doing wonderfully well for someone who doesn’t hit it as far as others. Thanks to some very deft short game she ground out a few pars and bogeys when phone number scores could’ve been possible.
[16 green; Old Course Hotel in background]
Eventually we arrived at The Road Hole. There’s no other tee shot like it. I was standing one over par thinking “if I birdie 17 and 18 I card Under Par Round #1 for the year...at The Home of Golf.” Then I got real. And pulled it into the thickest rough on the course! My provisional sailed handsomely over the apex of the Hotel, probably landing somewhere in the garden of The Jigger. Mike hit a memorable Phil Mickelson like power fade down the middle – a very impressive blow indeed. Whether sadly or otherwise, I found my first and tried to hack out with an 8 iron. Some grass I pulled up went further than the ball, then I hacked out again into the road bunker. I was almost willing it into the bunker as I saw it fly left. Such things you must do at least once.
[17 tee - the most thrilling in golf?]
[Elizabeth on 17 tee - dressed for the occasion like a Navy Seal...]
To add to the comedy, my ball was up against the lip, requiring an almost vertical flip to get out onto the putting surface. It wasn’t even any easier to come out the wrong way. My heels were dug into the revetted face (the pin being front right); then I closed my eyes and hoped for the best. Gracious it flew up and out, to about 20 feet. A left to right putt isn’t usually my strength, but this one ducked mercifully into the middle of the cup, giving me an agricultural 5. Poor Mike 3 putted from off the front for the same score. What a great hole though.
[Looking back down 17 from behind the green]
It’s quite a sensation standing on 18 where you’ve seen Watson and Woods and Nicklaus and the like standing. A huge fairway lies ahead; it almost seems too big to miss. Almost. My miss in recent times has been the block, which could’ve been destructive. I aimed at the right edge of the R&A clubhouse and swung for dear life. Close but no cigar – I came up about 50 short. Mike hit a good one too and was a few yards away from me. Could we finish with a memorable birdie to round off a special special day?
[Ed and me on the Swilken Bridge]
The march over the Swilken bridge was, well, like walking over a bridge. I’d walked over it before on past visits to St Andrews, but I suspect Goldy had a few more hairs on the neck given it was his first time here. Being good Japanese tourists we took a good few obligatory snaps then hurried along as the rain was falling harder by the minute. Rusacks Hotel and the famous club rooms were on our right, as was the Old Tom Morris shop. The grandstands were still to our left. And the R&A clubhouse was ahead, next to that big sandstone building whose name escapes me. A real stadium feel.
50 yards over the Valley of Sin to a back left pin. Thin lob wedge anyone? Things could go wrong. But they didn’t and I managed a memorable birdie for a 73. Mike missed out but had a respectable 77 nonetheless. More importantly we had a phenomenal time and can now say we’ve played at The Home of Golf. For this we owe a huge thank you to Pooky and The Golfing Gods. And to our new Swiss friends for a lovely lunch in the New Clubhouse afterwards, once we’d got dried off.
[18 green]
To All Yous Golfers: if you love the game, do your level best to get here at some point. It’s a hallowed place and a tremendously fun golf course to play. Take photos by all means, but the memories will be etched vividly in your psyche for years to come. I can remember every second. Fond memories indeed.
JP
Shinnecock
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