CarNASTY

Posted by Marc Gentles on 18 August 2010 | 0 Comments | Tags: Carnoustie, Open venue, Van de Velde, Gents,

Day 222 at Carnoustie 

I am honoured to be a guest blogger for Pure Golf on day 221 of this epic adventure for the boys.  I am Gents (Marc Gentles) who the boys have previously mentioned on a few of their blogs. 

I met the boys in Dundee and after a few dodgy directions (one which took us onto a one way street, into the path of an oncoming bus) we made it to the famous links land of Carnoustie, or as it has been more aptly named since the 1999 Open "CARNASTY". 

There are a few different stories as to what the term "Links" actually means but my favourite and the one I usually tell people when asked "what dose the word links actually mean"?? Is simply that its the bit of land that LINKS the sea to the arable farm land.  I hope that has cleared that up for you readers...

Sorry to digress. Back to the golf...  Our host for the day was another greenkeeper, Mr Gary Duncan who has played here since he was a wee lad. He caddied on the course for a while and has now turned his hand to greenkeeping. So with this wealth of local knowledge there would be no excuses for steering the ball in the wrong direction!!

Golf was played here in the 1500s but the current Course was not layed out until 1842, then substantially revised by James Braid in 1926. After the 1931 Open was well received, the only problem was that the finishing holes were an insufficient test. Prior to the 1937 Open a local golfer James Wright, redesigned the last 3 holes wrapping them round the menacing "Barry Burn" creating one of the toughest finishes anywhere in golf. Just ask Jean Van De Velde.

After checking in with the starter we threw the balls up and it was myself and J.P to take on G Duncan and Mike. Evenings like the one we were experiencing are few and far between at Carnoustie. There was not a breath of wind and the sun was out in all its Scottish force.  With rarely any sea views and grim industrial areas of the grey town prominent from several positions, Carnoustie is far from the prettiest links in Scotland, but it certainly makes up for any aesthetic shortcomings with a very strategic routing.  

The first hole is a nice opener with only one fairway bunker down the right side it is then played downhill to a partially hidden green. Team M.G and J.P were off to an early lead and a birdie down the first. 

The first real taste of what to expect after the gentle first is the awesome 2nd which when playing in the flat calm proves a lot easier than playing into the gust of the prevailing wind. Especially when the pin is tucked deep on this 60 yard long green pinched in by bunkers. After a sensational birdie by G Dunc it was back to square and on to Jockies Burn...

The short third hole is a fiddly little par 4 which only measures 351yards which sounds easy but when you stand on the elevated 3rd tee its only then that you have to start making decisions. Option 1 would be to lay up short of all the bunkers and attack the green from around 140 yards, Option 2 would be to fly the double bunkers cut into the right side of the fairway but in doing this there is potential to hit a hard down slope and run into the ditch which runs up the left side of the fairway before cutting across the front of the green. Option 3 would be to smash driver and hope for the best. We all went for option 1. Although the mind games had started on the 3rd tee when J.P mentioned the word "Shank" just before Mike hit. The front portion of the green slopes from back to front so anything short spinning into this green will end up wet. The back plateau sits in 2 small bowls and anything big will end up in the back hollow leaving a tricky putt the back pin position. The match was all square after a friendly half.

Hole 4 is a little gentle dog leg left to right. There is a fairway bunker either side of the fairway and a ditch running down the left side.  With the whole of Carnoustie on the right side you should never really threaten the left side as Mike did, ending up in the ditch.  After a penalty drop and a great shot in to the only double green at Carnoustie a great par was saved.  J.P was also favouring the left side but was not quite far enough left to reach the burn. 4 solid pars from J.P meant the game was still square.

Hole 5 is again a slight left to right dog leg. From the tee you have to make a decision whether or not to attempt the 280 yard carry over Jockys Burn. I tried and failed, the other 3 were more sensible. The shot in to the green can be a 4 club difference depending on where the pin is cut on what is for me the most interesting and exciting green complex at Carnoustie. There is also a bunker in front of the green which does what so many of the hazards do here, they protrude up from dead flat ground to confuse depth perception and obscure the green sites making it difficult to hazard any kind of guess as to where the pin is tucked.  The sensible thing to do would be to glance at the pin position - located on every tee box - but generally we would forget to do this. 

Hole 6 is the famous signature hole "Hogans Alley". The name came about in1953, when winner Ben Hogan laced his drive with pin point accuracy between the bunkers and the out of bounds fence in ALL four of his rounds.   As we were playing off slightly forward tees from where the Open is played the bunkers never came into play.  The green is well guarded with 5 bunkers, one short left, three short right and one place at the back of the green catching any shots over hit through the little gap in front of the green.  The first piece of fund raising came from Goldy who made a great up and down from the shelter left of the green.  G. Duncan also managed a birdie while my partner and I could only make pars.

[JP trying to thread it down Hogans Alley]

Hole 7 is a well bunkered but bleak par 4, If you decide to take driver you are forced down the left side bringing the out of bounds into play. If you take an iron to avoid the fairway bunkers right you then bring the short left fairway bunker into play. 

Hole 8 is the first of 3 good par 3's. It only measures 160 yards but with deep bunkers either side of the green and out of bounds left there is not much room for error. The green site is slightly raised making anything that's not in the green a tricky 2nd. After hole 7 being halved in pars, J.P narrowly missed his birdie putt unfortunate for us but good for the first tee that Mike rolled his birdie putt home, After all par 3's are where you should make your score. 2 down through 8 not good for team J.P.

Hole 9 is again flat but requires a straight tee shot as its lined with 4 fairway bunkers, trees down the left and a ditch running the length of the hole right.  The second shot is always deceiving due to the flat terrain that leads you to the green. Mike took the tourist route sown 14 off the tee while my partner tried his trusty sling from right to left.   It was going good until it crashed into the face of the bunker, thinking that the worst possible scenario would be a pitch out sideways was wrong. Its the first time ever I have seen a ball plugged in the face of a riveted bunker.  With me the only one on the green in regulation and putting for birdie I thought we may have gained one back before the turn but little twinkle toes sleeved his putt from off the green for his third birdie and to go 3 up at the turn. An impressive -4 better ball score for G Dunc and Mike. Myself and J.P would have to pull our socks up to get back into this game... Although, ANYTHING can happen around CarNASTY, especially down the stretch!

Hole 10 is a flat hole running along the railway. This can be a little off putting when a train screams by you mid swing, blasting the horn...luckily this never happened!  With a cluster of 3 fairway bunkers cut down the right side and another placed down the left, this flat hole is by no means easy.  The fairway bunker left leads you to favour the right side but with a tree front right of the green it makes the second shot tricky.  There is a burn that meanders in front of, Then round the green making the left side more favourable for the approach. After two cracking shots in from G Duncan and Mike the pressure was on.  Walking down 10 was unreal. Three balls guarding the pin and the sun starting to descend - it was picture perfect.  Mike's tremendous shot in was only sitting a few inches from the hole so the pressure was on for me to hole from around 8 feet to save us from going 4 down, needless to say my Billy Mayfair like putting stroke never succeeded AGAIN and it was looking a little gloom for team J.P.

Hole 11 is a cracking little par 4 that dog legs slightly from left to right. With two bunkers on either side of the this tight fairway, I always feel that taking the driver over them is the play leaving a short pitch on the two tiered green. In the 1999 Open if you were to attempt to hit over the bunkers your landing zone would have been a mere 8 paces wide.  Mike and G Duncan were in position A from the tee, where as myself and J.P opted to take in more of the course. One right and one left.   Mike was left asking for advice after sculling it from the tightly mown fairway. After a nice routine par from J.P it gave me the chance to go for my 10 foot birdied chance and clinch a hole back.  Finally a putt sank and we were on the comeback.  

Hole 12 is the second of three par fives. Its probably more like a par four and a half. With only two fairway bunkers and a ditch both running down the right side its probably more sensible to favour the left side off the tee. There are 4 bunkers protecting entry to this shallow but wide green.  With 3 balls well positioned around the green in two.  It was down to the short game. Three birdies and some more fund raising from J.P. We were still 3 down, but with one of the hardest stretches in golf anything could happen.

Hole 13 is a daunting little par 3. The long hourglass green is well protected with bunkers at either side and in front.  Leaving it to the imagination as to exactly how close the ball has come to rest. The pin was cut front middle of the green making it very assessable. J.P hit a corker of a shot and cries of "Get In" were heard from the gallery.  The rest of us hit rather average shots although we all had possible chances. No one converted and it was on to the spectacles still 3 down. 

Hole 14 is the last par 5 at Carnoustie named the "Spectacles" After the 2 huge bunkers sitting side by side waiting to catch any shots not long enough. Before you reach the spectacles you have to make your way past the 3 left fairway bunkers and one right fairway bunker.  The further you hit the ball from the tee the narrower it gets. Making pin point accuracy with the driver vital if you fancy your chances in getting home in 2.  J.P had to lay up short of the specs after pulling his drive into the left rough. G Duncan tried going for glory but was headed right for the huge bunker sitting slightly off set from the front of the green so it was down to Mike and I who were perfectly positioned up the right side. Mike hit and nice shot in which came to rest around 60ft from the flag just off the left side of the green. My ball was sitting nicely around 15ft. G Duncan hit a average shot from the bunker and had his work cut out to make birdie.  Mike who I've noticed is a bit of a 3 putt specialist, left his putt a good 15 ft short and had some work to make birdie and raise some more funds for the First Tee. After a decent eagle putt my ball came to rest within gimme range and both Mike and G Duncan missed their putts. Back to 2 and as I have said before anything can happen down the stretch.

Hole 15 is a quality par 4 that doglegs slightly from right to left. The drive should ideally hug the left side of the fairway but with gorse running the length of the hole itâ??s hard to commit to that side. The right side is not much better, The green is again well protected with bunkers and sits in a slight bowl. The green is hidden from the fairways leaving you in suspense as to where your approach shot has ended. Anything big will end up in the thick native grass. Myself and Mike were in great position from the tee. G Duncan's second shot was right down the stick but was a club too much. From position A, Mike ended up 30 yards right of the green leaving a tricky pitch out the deep rough over a gorse bush.

As we were strolling down the fairway, I thought Miguel Angel Jimenez had come out to spectate on this glorious evening.  Turns out it was big ED, the boys mate from New Zealand. After we were all introduced and lots of excitement we made our way to the green. G Duncan's ball had ended up through the back and faced a tricky pitch shot. My ball was lying a good 50ft from the pin and not having holed one of these all season I wasn't expecting too much.  I stood over the putt and rolled it home for the birdie and to take the match back to 1. It must have been the good luck of Ed which helped me break my Duck (On the greens)...Victory, QUACK QUACK

Hole 16 is an absolute whopper of a hole.  A 250 yard par three played to a plateau green. Only a straight shot shall suffice here. There are three bunkers right and two left all short of the green so anything running up here has to be dead on line. The entrance to the green is not much wider than a snooker table. So with no room for error we hit off. Mike again favoured the right side. J.P rolled his birdie effort up just missing as did myself and G. Duncan.

Hole 17 named "Island" get this name because of the Barry Burn crossing the fairway at around 200 yards. Moving up the left side of the fairway the wrapping back across the fairway at 280 yards thus creating almost an island to place your drive. If you manage to find this generous Island off the tee then you are still left with a 200 yard shot. The green has 3 bunkers sitting to the right and one around 20 short left. Everything slopes from left to right but with that bunker there its a brave shot to take.  Luckily for us it was flat calm so play was blast it straight at the pin.  Mike decided to hit a half shank into the burn off the tee leaving him pretty much out the hole [and scrapping around painfully for the strokeplay game he was having with Jamie].  After an average drive down the right side from G Duncan which found a mound he was left with a tricky second shot,  He drew a high 4 wood in, landing it just in side of the bunker.  I knew it was going to be good.  I hit a good shot, in landing a few feet from the pin releasing on to around 10 ft. J.P had a nice little downhill left to right slider for a four net three and to more than probably keep the match alive after I missed my birdie attempt.  It was a tough putt and just slid by the side door, G Duncan then had a six footer to win the match, needless to say he holed it and it was game over.

Hole 18 needs no introduction. The boys had been challenged to beat Jean Van De Veldes 7, but wait for it..... The only club they were allowed to use was a putter. After J.P did not get his usual right to left sling ball it was down to Mike who smoked it off the tee. The second shot was unreal, It was a 200 yard â??lay upâ?? perfectly placed in front of the burn.  So that's right Mike then had to somehow loft the 4 degree putter in the air to get over the burn then stop it quick enough from going out of bounds.  He opted for the left hand option and chipped it beautifully.  It flew across the burn and settled in the back right corner of the hole just off the green.  From here all Mike needed to do was three putts or better to beat Van de Velde.  From the semi rough he stroked down the hill and towards the hole.  It very nearly went in for par, but had to settle for what could be one of the best bogeys ever. I think there should be some donations for that effort...its all on video courtesy of big ED [with footage to come].  G Duncan decided to make another birdie for a total tally of 7 and an impressive round of golf (69) at the famous Carnoustie. 

It was an absolute splendid evening of Golf.  Thanks to G Duncan for signing us on.  Carnouste is the only course in Scotland to charge the boys something to play.  Gary did tell the starter the "Pure Golf" story, the reply was "Very good, I played golf four days in a row last week"  Not quite the same mate but not to worry!!  Maybe when Carnousite read this they will get a red face and decide to donate some real cash to help 1st Tee Charity.

Its was back to mine in "St Andrews" for the night so the boys could get some shut eye before there big day at the "Home of Golf" the following morning. 

Gents!!

Scores: Jamie 78, Michael 81, Gents 72, Gary 69!!!