Kilted Golf in the Kingdom---Scotlands finest courses, my mediocre but stylish play

[ForresterModern]

Friday Aug 13, Day 7, Round 6



Sunrise casting long shadows over the Old Course, from our hotel room window. Awoke early in anticipation of the round on the ultimate course, the oldest course in all of golf, the Old Course at St Andrews. 0700 tee time meant no time for breakfast, just enough to grab the clubs from the bus and walk across 18th fairway to the starters box by the first tee. Skies are clearer but still a little sketchy at tee time, but we are all mentally prepared for what should be the most historic round of golf in our lives:



First tee, me in my Ancient Red Douglas tank, Muirfield angora sweater, Cheviot fancy top hose, game face on. Grey flat cap because the red tam was still wet from previous rainy days play.

Actually a pretty good day, ultimately NO RAIN, another 20 knot west wind, played pretty well, hitting a lot of fairways and a fair number of greens, putting better but not great----sank one 10 footer to win a hole with a clutch par, then sank a 40 footer to salvage par later in the round. Drove OVER the green on one short par 4, 3 yards short of another, but did not make par on either. Aarrgh. Again, my game woke up on the last three holes. 16--Drove to within 5 yards of the green, but on the wrong side of a bunker, and drubbed my second shot into that very same bunker, making bogey from there.



17, the infamous Road Hole, where you have to hit your drive across a road, a stone fence, a low barn-like portion of the Old Course Hotel (used to be a line of houses there originally), then back over the fence and road to a fairway running practically 90 degrees to the apparent tee shot. Risk:reward to the max--the more you hit over the building, the more distance you cut off for your second shot, but it is all blind as you have no real idea where your ball lands until you walk around the corner to find it. I hit one of my best drives of the week, just a little fade on it, leaving it in what my caddie (former club champ in 1999) said was as good as it gets----just right of the fairway in the only level lie within 50 yards, looking right down the pipe at the long axis of the green.




Second shot to 35 feet, then the putter failed again---three putt for a bogey. Arrgh.



18th hole, across the Swilcan Burn, to the rugby field sized fairway shared with the 1st hole, on our left coming at us. Boomed another drive slightly left of center but 25 yards past the road which crosses the 1st and 18th fairways, something only about 5% of amateurs do, according to my caddie. We took the obligatory photo crossing the Golfer's Bridge over Swilcan Burn:



Unfortunately, some japanese golfer coming off number one mistook my ball for his and hit mine down number one, so I was left standing alone in 18 fairway where my ball should have been, while my caddy runs after the japanese guy to retrieve my ball, and my mates all hit their shots on up to the 18th green. Once the ball was retrieved and replaced I found myself standing alone in the 18th fairway, hitting my wedge to the green, again leaving another 40 footer for birdie.



Triumphant kilted stroll up 18 to the applause of the small crowd watching and taking pictures (probably applause for the kilt, not the shot). Disaster strikes when I bring out the putter, as I drill my put 10 feet past the hole, then miss the come back for another three putt bogey to finish the round---aarrgh




Fun day, fun round, even though again some mediocre play and my ever-failing putter. Forever etched in my mind, though, forever.

More to come.

j


P.S. I just now realized we played our historic round, my best of the week, on Friday the 13th----good think I wasn't thinking about it then, but maybe that can be my excuse for my failing putter.

j

[ForresterModern]

Friday Aug 13 afternoon, Day 7, Round 7

After our historic round at the Old Course at St Andrews, our driver took us up to another local course he liked to play, as it was more of a woodlands course, like most of ours here in the states, instead of the tightly cut links courses we had been playing all week. We had a nice lunch in the clubhouse before our add-on round. I was still basking in all the glory of just playing the Old Course, so spent most of my round in a bit of a daze. We played the Dukes Course, owned by the Kohler Group, same folks who own and manage Whistling Straits in Kohler Wisconsin, where the PGA was being played the same week. Played okay, again missing lots of putts, but had great weather and a fun time.



Me with Don, the man who oversaw my training more than 20 years ago, and who now works part time for me at my hospital (turnabout is fairplay), with the skyline of St Andrews in the background against the backdrop of St Andrews bay.

Again, another fun round, tough getting used to the different conditions of the woodlands course after 6 rounds on links courses.

More to come.

j

[Wife]

Jeff, you misdated Thursday. Should be August 12.

[ForresterModern]

Saturday Aug 14, Day 8, Round 8

Another day with beautiful weather to rival that of our first day at Turnberry. Played Kingsbarns just south of St Andrews, a relatively new coourse with a fantastic oceanfront layout and a great reputation already. Last round, last day of the trip. I am in Ancient Douglas again. Weather so nice I actually got sunburned, and had to strip off my sweater half way thorugh the round. Played mediocre again, with several moments of glory dashed by my terrible short game and, yet again, poor putting. One last aarrrggghhh.







A last spin around town to pick up some souvenirs, and a new putter, then back to the hotel for a last evening's nice supper. Glorious.

The rest is history----0400 wakeup call Sunday for the early bus ride back to Edinburgh, long day's flight home, and a week of recovering from jet lag while trying to get golf out of my head and work back into it. Just now getting back to near normal, and first chance since the return to get to sit down (during even more rain) to post this thread.

Thanks for following along. Hope all enjoyed the trip (vicariously) as much as I did in real life. More kilted golf someday. Happy to be home with my family.

j

[ForresterModern]

I knew I was going to be hearing it from Jock about the flat caps, especially the tartan ones. But I got enough compliments from everyone else to offset Jock's lament.

I forgot to mention that, after the Muirfield round, I was blessed with a telephone call from the maestro himself, Jock Scott, on the temporary pay as you go mobile phone number I had posted in another thread. It was great talking with you mate, a true pleasure and real honor. Sorry we could not get into the same shire for a bit of time together, but that just gives me more reason to come back again another day.

And, no, I did not wear the flatcaps just to get your goat. As I have said previously I really do like the look, regardless of their social propriety in the Heelands. I did wear the tams for several days though, in your honor.

j

[Jock Scot]

I have just loved your pictures Jeff and I am so pleased that you and your friends had a good time, apart from Royal Troon upsetting proceedings a wee tad.

Now I can understand the historical aspect of playing in Scotland, I can understand wanting to see another country, I can understand that these courses (that even I have heard of) are a test of skill even for the very best in the world and I am very proud and delighted that you visitors take the trouble to come here. What is it that "our" courses have that "yours" don't? You chaps can often have better weather, just as demanding courses with a sand dune or two dotted about, sea views, deep bunkers and all the rest, so why come I wonder?

Glad to talk to you and one of these days we will bump into each other, of that I wish for very much.

[Oldhiker]

I don't play the "game" anymore but these photos made me envious. Good job!! Thanks for sharing

[ForresterModern]

Now I can understand the historical aspect of playing in Scotland, I can understand wanting to see another country, I can understand that these courses (that even I have heard of) are a test of skill even for the very best in the world and I am very proud and delighted that you visitors take the trouble to come here. What is it that "our" courses have that "yours" don't? You chaps can often have better weather, just as demanding courses with a sand dune or two dotted about, sea views, deep bunkers and all the rest, so why come I wonder?

One word, Jock----History.

[Jock Scot]

One word, Jock----History.

Really! That simple? Gosh!

[ForresterModern]

Really! That simple? Gosh!

Well, that and the fact that we just can't get good haggis or tatties and neeps over here. And you chaps have something good there with that fish and chips, too.