The Old Course

#1, Taking it all in!

Date: October 2012

Location: St Andrews, Scotland

Course: The Old Course- St Andrews Links

Golfers: A co-worker(Justin) and I, paired up with a Father and son from London. 

Conditions: Cold and Dry, 5-7 C (40-45 F). 

Overview: The Old Course at St. Andrews doesn't need much of an introduction. A golf mecca that attracts thousands of visitors and roughly 45,000 rounds every year. Golf trips are planned years in advance to get 18 holes in at the most famous course in the world. Naturally being in Scotland, I had tried to play in the summer without any luck. The fairway mats come into play the first weekend in November so I figured I'd give it one more shot for the final weekend of October to play the course as nature intended. I called the ballot keeper on Thursday around noon for a Saturday tee time, anytime would do. She told me to check back around 4 pm when the postings were released. I went about my day with a slim hope that I'd check back to find my name on the list.

What happened at 4:15 that day was a miracle from above in the form of an 11 am tee time. My last effort to play the oldest golf course in the world in all its glory had paid off and I was thrilled. 

Short walk to the course

Golf Details: Just arriving to the course has it's own aurora about it. We drove up right beside the first tee and were already taken back by the first views of a course that has 600 years of golf history. I pay my green fee at the small starter box next to #1, half expecting it to be a cruel joke and them saying, "I'm sorry sir, but your tee time has been given away." Thankfully, this is not the case. I relax and hit a few putts before heading to the first tee to meet our playing partners. After introductions, we decide to play the yellow tees which play about 6400 yards. 

#2, Par Four

#1 is a 355 par four that has a shared fairway with #18 and is a fairly easy opening hole. The famous Swilcan burn that covers holes 1 and 18 is present, but quite a ways down the fairway. I manage to calm the nerves and hit a good drive but a stiff approach that came up short left me walking off with bogey. #2 and #3 are more challenging par fours with accurate drives required to stay out of trouble. I warm up a bit more on a cold day but end up making bogey on these holes as well. I could've made 8's and would've still enjoyed the first few opening holes as I was like a kid at Christmas time.

#3, Watch out for the gorse

Three holes in now, I've calmed down and am feeling great walking the same steps that many greats have done before me. #4 is nicknamed, "Ginger Beer" and maybe that motivated me, because I hit a good drive, nice approach and lipped out a birdie putt to leave a tap in for my first par of the day. #5 is the only par five on the front nine and it plays 514 yards. A straight drive will find the fairway which opens up around 200 yards off the box. There is a large swale before the green that captures any balls hit short. I hit my second shot on the nose but ended up in the collection area with a tough approach to have a chance at birdie. I clip it right and end up about 6 feet for birdie, which I went on to make. Check it off the bucket list, birdie on the old course. I smile, receive my well earned high fives and carry on with the round.

#8-White, Shared Green with #10-Red

#6, 360 yard par 4

The next four holes include three par fours and the only par 3 on the course, which is #8. You don't realize it until about hole 6 that you haven't played a par three yet, but it doesn't take away from the course. #8 is a 154 par three that has a shared green with #10. I hit the massive green and two putt for par. #9 is a fun hole that plays short and always creates excitement in the Open Championship with eagle opportunities. It plays 289 and has a couple strategically placed coffin bunkers about 70-100 yards from the green. #1 and #9 are the only holes on the front nine that do not share a green with another hole. The greens were huge and in amazing shape. They may have been the best greens I have ever played on, firm and had a very good speed to them. I finish the front nine off with a par on #9 and manage to go out in 38, -1 on holes 4-9 after the three bogey's to start. I'm more than happy with my front nine result, but I don't think too much into this, because my game suits a triple bogey (or worse) at any time and I don't want to ruin an awesome round with a mid round temper tantrum if a snowman appears on the card.

#11, 164 Yard Par 3

The back nine starts off with a subtle par four that plays 311 and is fairly straightforward with a decent drive. I hit the fairway and the green in regulation, however a poor three putt resulted in a bogey. #11 is the last par three on the course (there's only one per each nine) and plays 164 with a strong cold crosswind from an estuary about 75 yards behind the green. The green is shared, as most are, with hole 7. I hit the green but was closer to the 7th hole than the 11th. I had a treacherous uphill putt that ended up in the same place it started. Why not play the same shot twice, get your money's worth! I gave it a stronger whack and ended up saving bogey. The next two holes  I managed to make par and keep a good round alive.

#14 fairway, about 200 yards from the green

#14 is the number one handicap on the course, a 523 yard par five with the famous, "hell bunker." This is the only hole that I felt played really long. The majority of the course is fair if you're driving the ball well, but 14 played into the wind and got very strategic after about 270 yards off the tee box. Thankfully I didn't test the sinister nicknamed bunker, only a brief pass by to check it out. Let's just say it's properly named as you may have to make a deal with the devil to get out of that sand box in one shot. As the fairways are so firm and tightly cut, you can putt from almost anywhere. I got a bit cocky and tried to hit a wedge just shy of the green and ended up having to make a 15 footer to save bogey. Always putt when you can on the links courses, this is a no brainer. Holes 15 and 16 are two par fours that lead you back towards the famous road hole and #18 with the Swilcan Bridge. I admit I was getting really excited for the road hole, where else can you hit your tee shot over an old shed connected to a hotel on purpose? A little business to take care of first though. I made par on 15 and  attempted to do the same at 16. #16 plays short at 345, but a tough tee shot with OB right with anything pushed makes up for the lack of distance. I overcompensate to avoid this and end up in the gorse to the left. From here I visited my first bunker and made bogey to head to the road hole.

The Road Hole Tee Shot, #17

The famous road hole, #17- 436 yards. I always enjoy watching it on TV when the pros play this hole in the Open and was taking it all in. After a few pictures, I got back to the matter at hand and made the drive count (who knows when and if I'll ever get back to play). I hit it solid directly over the old shed and hoped for the best. Walking up the fairway I was happy to see it settled nicely in the fairway. By this time there were a few crowds of people walking around the course on holes 17 and 18. I was fearful I'd hit my second long and didn't think I could pull off a shot against the road although it would be fun to try. The drive ended up the highlight of the hole as a couple of bad shots left me with my first double bogey of the day. As the excitement of 17 ended, 18 began with it's own history behind it and I'd get to cross the famous Swilcan bridge.

#18, Grand Finale

#18 is a 361 yard par four with plenty of room to the left and not much trouble off the box. I hit a low drive just to the left of center that ran out quite a ways for an easy second shot to the green. I crossed the bridge, got a nice photo souvenir and thought about all the greats who have walked over the same bridge. I walk to my ball in the fairway, taking a slower than normal pace, taking in the R & A Clubhouse and recapping the round and fun I've had. I hit a good approach leaving about a 20 footer for birdie. When we all get on the green, there's about 15 bystanders watching us finish up our round. I have big hopes on my birdie finish and a "roar" from the small crowd, but hit my first putt short and end up three putting for a 9 over 81 on the round. A 79 would've been too sweet and the golf gods couldn't let me break 80 on my first crack at the Old Course. We all shake hands with wide smiles knowing we just played an amazing and historical course.

Swilcan Bridge on 18

Favorites: The fairways were so firm and perfectly manicured that it almost didn't seem like real grass. 17 and 18 were the best back to back holes I've ever played on a course. Walking over the Swilcan bridge will be a tough memory to beat. I enjoyed the shared greens, they were so large, it didn't cramp or take away from each hole. The length of the course was not short nor incredibly long, but with the links conditions it plays very fair if you hit the fairways and take advantage of the ability to putt just off the greens. Grabbing a beer with Justin at  a stone's throw pub from the course ended a great day. We talked about the round and I had a "golf high" for another 48 hours after I left the course.

Best view of the day, coming home on 18

Final Thoughts: Undoubtedly the first question I will get from friends and golfers on living in Scotland will be, "Did you play the old course while you were there?" Adding the old course to the golf resume is something special and I'm glad I can say that I did and compare it to other great courses I've played here. In comparison to Carnoustie, the Old Course does have more allure and history behind it, whereas Carnoustie is a tougher test of golf. As the weather has turned, this may be the last "proper" golf course I play and I couldn't think of a better way to end my mini golf tour of Scotland than the Old Course at St Andrews.

A Break from the Links, Portugal Golf

Date: October 2012

Location: Penha Longa Resort, Portugal 

Course: Atlantic Course

Golfers: Kelsey and I along with a long lost friend, the golf cart. 

Conditions: Warm and windy, 20-25 C (70-80 F). 

Overview: A week long vacation to Portugal with a round of golf peppered in. We stayed about 30 minutes west of Lisbon in a small town called Sintra. I brought my clubs and they barely fit in the Peugeot 107, which is basically a smart car with four doors. It's a good thing they did fit because Kels may have never forgave me for leaving her at the airport to drop the clubs off at the hotel and return for her....only kidding, I'd drop her off first. I knew the weather would be nice and was looking forward to a warm round with plenty of sunshine and the experiencing golf in a new country with beautiful terrain. 

Golf Details: I originally told myself that I'd get two rounds in, however as this was an anniversary trip, I counted my blessings with one round and made the best of it. The course was walking distance from the hotel, so we made it down early to grab a bite and get loose before the round. I paid the extra 40 Euro for the golf cart, as I knew the course had plenty of elevation and frankly, I was looking forward to a lazy round of riding versus walking (this is vacation golf anyways!). Kelsey took the reins on the golf cart and navigated us safely around the course. After a very tasty lunch we headed out to take on the Atlantic Course. 

The course wasn't busy so we headed off solo to the first tee. As I was checking the scorecard on which box to play, I noticed the distances were in meters. No meters to yard conversion on the scorecard, so I played the back boxes and made the best of my yardage guesses throughout the round. The course played 5950 meters which equates to about 6500 yards (credit to google conversions).  The first four holes are all par fours, with not a lot of danger, but tight fairways that required accurate tee shots. The course was similar to a Texas hill country layout with hills and elevated tee boxes that provided nice views of the property. The terrain was really nice with lush fairways, thick pines and eucalyptus trees lined throughout the course.

#6, Signature Hole 

I made my way through the first four holes with a couple  of bogeys and a couple of pars, really enjoying a nice day on the course. The signature hole on the course, is #6, a 435 meter par 5. The hole played dogleg right, with water on the left side about 200 meters all the way to the green. In addition the green was surrounded by an old Roman aqueduct that dates back centuries. The hole is rated in the top 500 golf holes in the world and was definitely one of a kind.

Not Shiner, but Super Bock!

The final three holes on the front include a par 3, 4 and 5. I manage to play these at even par which warranted a well deserved snack and "Super Bock" the national beer of Portugal. I've dreamed of my beloved Shiner Bock for the last 6 months, however this would have to do as I'm a long way from Shiner, Texas. It actually was a decent beer, just a funny name. I enjoy the Mars and brew and gear up for the back nine.


The back nine opened up with fewer trees which made it tough sledding with the winds picking up to 20+ mph. #12 and #13 were two great golf holes. #12 played a dogleg right short par five, but into the wind with fairway bunkers a plenty. #13 was a straight shot, with a bunker protected fairway where two good shots were a must. I usually don't enjoy homes visible on a golf course, however the white & yellow buildings were a nice change from the grey granite scenery I'd become accustomed to. 

#12

#13

#16, Par 4

The remainder of the back nine had a few more elevated tee boxes to finish out. I really enjoy looking down off the tee to a large fairway with the entire hole visible. It's a bit of an adrenaline rush(yes from golf, I must be getting old..) and you feel like you can hit it a mile. The fact that it was warmer and the air was thinner than Scotland did allow an extra 15-30 yards on the drive which was nice. This was the equalizer from the meters to yards dilemma. #16 was a great hole with a large fairway that was open for the taking from the tee. The tee box was easily 150-175 feet above the fairway and I managed to hit a big drive that left a short approach to the green. #17 was a downhill par three that played close to 200 yards. An accurate tee shot was a must as there were trees on both sides to catch any errant shots.

#18, last but not least

The closing hole was a beauty with the hotel off in the distance to the right and old cross atop a rock bluff to the left from the monastery dating back centuries ago. This was the longest par 5 on the course and 2-3 well placed shots were necessary to have a chance at a good score here. I finished with a decent par and as always thanked the gracious caddy/cart valet Kels for accompanying me on another memorable round.

Top notch caddy/driver

Favorites: Warm weather golf has been long forgotten, so this was a treat to play in shorts and shades. The landscape was really nice, very lush and a unique assortment of trees that I hadn't experienced on a course before. There were some great views on the tee boxes, especially on the back nine. Very partial to a par three, #15, that had a large lake to the left and almost an island green. The golf cart was icing on the cake of a good round. 

Final Thoughts: Portugal is a hot spot for UK golfers as it offers a short flight, warmer weather and the courses are in great condition. I had a great experience playing in a new country that I may have never played if I didn't live temporarily in the UK. Robert Trent Jones designed a really good course in a beautiful section of Portugal. If you make it to Lisbon and are itching to play a round, I highly recommend the 30 minute drive to experience what the Atlantic course has to offer (just make sure your rental can fit the clubs). 

Trump Scotland

Date: September 2012

Location: Balmedie, Scotland

Course: Trump International Golf Links Scotland

Golfers: Foursome. I played, Kelsey caddied and we were paired up with 3 other golfers (two Americans, one Scotsman). Course was booked solid all day.

Conditions: Sunny and Breezy all day, 18-23 C (68-75 F). A very nice day to play golf. 

Overview: I heard about the Trump course early in the year and it was already raising a little controversy before it's anticipated open date of mid July. Mr. Trump is not very subtle in anything he does in the states and it seemed this would be no different in Scotland. He supposedly looked at hundreds of sites in the UK before settling on the Balmedie coastline, which house the largest dunes in the world. He built what he says is, "the greatest golf course in the world". With that kind of statement I had to make it out there and make an opinion of my own. 

#1 Tee Box, Par 5

Golf Details: After being greeted by a Scottish starter giving us the down and dirty of the course, we made our way out onto Trump's masterpiece. The first three holes are the best opening stretch on a course I've played thus far. This is a bold statement considering Maui, Vegas and other Scottish courses I've made my way around. Best can be subjective, so let's say the most fun and aesthetically pleasing. #1 is a 491 yard par five with a wide fairway and not much trouble if you don't get too aggressive. Myself and one of the Americans (both from Florida) played from the Blues. His friend and the Scot played from the whites. Blues play 6600 yards, whites 6300. I was up first and hit a good drive on the left side of the fairway. I played conservative and got on the very large green in three. Sadly I three jacked and made bogey, that's what you get for playing it safe I suppose. Heading to the #2 tee box, you walk upwards through the dunes and have a feeling it's going to be a great view once you arrive. Sure enough it was one of the best views on the course. It's a 412 yard par four and from the box you see the North Sea to the left and straight ahead, the burn that's about 300 yards out. After a quick picture, I hit one that found the fairway, nice approach and walked away with par.  #3 is a 165 yard par three that is one of the best I've ever played. You can hear the ocean as you make your way through a sunken grass cart path that leads us down and then back up to the tee boxes. The beach is only a few yards off the back left of the green and this was a really cool golf hole. 3 holes in, I walk off thinking the hype may be a reality and was looking forward to a great round in some beautiful Scottish terrain.

#2 Tee with the Caddy

#3, Gem of a Par 3

#6, Par Three

Chip or Putt?

The next three holes weren't slouches by any means, but the bar was set high with the opening three holes. #4, 5 and 6 consisted of a par five, four and then three. #4 had a burn running down the entire right side of the fairway but plenty of room to the left. Luckily I didn't hit a water ball and managed to admire it from a distance. The second par three on the course was #6. The green was surrounded by large dunes and the pin was tucked back left. I aimed over a large dune on the left and managed about 15 feet on the green but short. A nice two putt kept a decent front nine alive. The next par four was #7 and it was drivable, playing 250. The hole is a straightforward risk-reward. If you miss(shy left or right), the only trouble was the deep hollows surrounding the green. My ball collected pin high but about 20 feet below the green. I elected to putt and after 3 attempts walked away with par. The front nine was a success, Kels and I were having a great time and we were paired up with a good group which always helps. 

The course is designed American style and you pass the clubhouse on the turn to the back nine. This is the first round I've played with an actual turn and it was a nice familiarity. We made a  quick pitt stop to place a sandwich order (which they delivered by cart mid way through #10.. class class class) and made our way to the back. 

Good view of the dunes

Similar to #1, #10 is a short par five. Water right and the green was tucked behind a dune. The final 60-70 yards of fairway shrink down to about 20 yards wide with no room for error. The green was three tiered and was 48 yards in depth. Being on the green didn't mean much here and I left confused after a dismal three putt on this monster. #11 and #12 are dogleg right par fours. Both had elevated tee boxes with great views of the fairways. Not much danger on either one as long as you didn't push your drive into the dunes. The fairways were still settling as the course had only been open for a couple of months. They were a little soft but in good shape. Eventually they will firm up to the typical seaside courses such as it's neighbor 5 miles south, Royal Aberdeen.

#13, A Beauty of a Par 3

I raved about #3 earlier and I have to pay respects to #13 as well. This is another well done par three that had an amazing view of the large dunes as a backdrop. Four bunkers surround the 178 yard hole and with a constant 1-2 club crosswind, it played around 195. I hit a shot on the right line that landed on the green and ran back to about 5 feet. We won't say if I made the putt...but I walked off with par. The high fives I received on the tee box turned into boos but it was all in good fun.

#18

The final three holes didn't disappoint. #16 is a three club wind par three, #17 is par four with a deep valley in the middle of the fairway and the final hole has an elevated tee box that provides views of the coastline and the city of Aberdeen. Standing on 16 I changed clubs three times before giving it a whack. I managed the green somehow after my shot caught the wind and ended up 20 feet offline. I had a long putt, but it was a putt nonetheless. #17 was consistent with a lot of the other par fours. A lot of room with a decent drive and a good approach would land safe on the large green. Finishing the round was left with one more stunning view of the coastline and Aberdeen off in the distance. Although it was a scenic hole, it was a beast of a par 5. It played 586 in the wind which felt like 675 when it was all said and done. There's water left and fairway bunkers come into play the remaining 150 yards leading up to the green. It was the toughest hole on the course and tests the final few shots with well designed bunker placement. We finished the hole, shook hands and planned to have a beer in the clubhouse. After all, I had to pay the caddy fee of 1/2 pint of Carlsberg. 

Favorites: Getting to be one of the first to play a course that will no doubt win top awards. All of the par threes were great golf holes. #3 and #13 rival each other for better golf hole. Playing in short sleeves and sunshine in Scotland, bonus. Great foursome (and caddy) and getting to catch up with Americans was nice. No expense was spared on the course, it's amazing and the views are ridiculous. The hour in the clubhouse enjoying a pint and catching up on the round capped off a great day.

#16

Final Thoughts: I was very impressed with the course and think it may very well host an Open Championship one day. It didn't have a links feel, almost more of a desert style course with the fairways etched into the massive dunes. Is this THE best golf course in the world? I will have to play a few more courses before I can make that decision, but I can say this is one of the most fun golf courses I've ever played. 

Finale at Carnoustie

#1 Box with the Carnoustie Hotel behind

Date: July 2012

Location: Carnoustie Scotland

Course: Carnoustie- Championship and Burnside

Golfers: Cody and I 

Conditions: Overcast and cool temps, 13-16 C (56-62 F). Championship course was in great condition, no complaints there. 

Details: Four memorable courses in a seven day stint with a great friend from home. Final two rounds were played at the 7 time Open Championship venue (Part 3 of 3).

Overview: I booked a full day of golf at Carnoustie back in early May once I found out our friends would be coming to visit. The course has held the Open Championship (British Open for us Americans) seven times and most recently in 2007 where Paddy Harrington won. Naturally in the summer the tee times go quick, but I was able to get a mid morning slot for the Championship course and a mid afternoon round at the Burnside course. We were spoiled with the two great courses earlier in the week, but this didn't take away from the excitement of playing an Open venue. We headed out early to make the 1.5 hr trip south of Aberdeen. 

Golf Details: After the winding roads led us to Carnoustie, we stretched (which consists of about two shoulder leans and a weak attempt to touch my toes), hit a few putts and were now ready to take on Carnoustie. We decided to play the back boxes, which were playing around 7000 yards that day. We figured why not, it'll be a test of our games which felt pretty solid after the previous golf that week. 

#1 Green, two pars to start

#1 is a 401 par 4 with the hotel at your back when you tee off. It's a gentle test to ease into the course, a couple of fairway bunkers on either side of the fairway and a slightly sunken green. We both had a few nerves going, but managed two decent drives, approach shots and two putts for a couple of solid pars to being the round. Something about making par on the first hole of a famous course just feels good. We hoped to carry that momentum for the next 17..

Our even par round didn't last long as #2's tee shot is a cruel joke. 435 yard par four that made up in difficulty what #1 lacked. Three strategically placed bunkers along (and in the middle) of the fairway. I don't think I've ever analyzed a tee shot as much as I did here. Bunkers at 200, 220 and 260 with a sliver of fairway in between. I did hit the fairway but walked away with a bogey as my approach came up short and wasn't able to get up and down. Cody took 3 wood off the box but went astray which led to his first blemish on the card as well. #3 was a shorter par 4, 351 yards with a burn(small stream) that protected the green. The marshall gave us some local knowledge and a story about Tiger hitting the middle of the green and the ball rolling back into the burn in 2007. The green wasn't shaved that tight but Cody and I both hit just over the burn on the green and ended up in the drink. We thought we played the hole smart by taking less club off the box and hitting a safe wedge in but that wasn't the case. We walked off puzzled at the hole and a 5 on the card. 

Fairway View

The next few holes we played pretty steady and we were really enjoying the course. It has some amazing fairways that have exaggerated rolling landscape which can help or hurt you depending on the bounce you get on your drive. The fairways are far from flat which makes for some interesting shots off uneven lies!

#6 Tee Shot, OB left all day

#6 is the only par 5 on the front nine. It's short at only 512 yards but plays the second hardest hole on the course. The out of bounds fence line on the left hand side of the fairway that gives you about 8 yards of error if you tug it left. In addition, the bunkers are again strategically placed in landing areas. The fairway bunkers are basically a penalty as all you can do is chip out. We were paired up with a Swedish guy who managed to find more bunkers than Cody and I combined, lucky for us. It was tough to watch his ambitious full swings which led to hitting the face of the bunker and tricking back to his feet. It's always best to take your medicine and chip out of these monsters...he just wouldn't give in to them. I'll highlight Cody's play on #6, named Hogan's Alley, because Hogan couldn't have played it any better. After a big drive that found the fairway, Cody hit a great approach that left him about 15 feet for Eagle. The green is protected by bunkers and has sloping front to back elevation which made it even more impressive that his 200 yard shot managed to stop so sweetly on the green. He just missed the eagle and safely tapped in for birdie, well done. I bogeyed the hole with not a lot of excitement to share but that's golf sometimes. 

My tee shot on 9, too close for comfort..

The finishing hole on the front nine is a 413 yard par four, called Railway. The green backs up to the EastCoast Railway Train Tracks. This is the main train route from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, so usually quite a bit of traffic. We didn't consider it a distraction nor do I think many golfers do as it adds a little character to the closing 9. I made par on the hole after a friendly kick to the left kept me out of the fairway bunker. 

The back nine gets noticeably more difficult and starts off with a gem of a hole. #10 is a 446 yard par four that's well designed which that rewards two really good shots and penalizes anything less than that. The green is protected by a small tree and a burn that surrounds two sides of it and gobbles up any short approaches in. #13 is a great par three guarded by bunkers. Sadly I found my first, second and third bunker shots on this hole and walked away with a dismal triple.

#13, Par Three 

Drivers out on #16

Carnoustie's final three holes are arguably the best finishing and most difficult holes in golf. #16 is a 245 yard par three that just happens to play into the wind on most days. Drivers off the box on a par three just doesn't feel right, but was necessary. #17 is a 433 yard par four that has a burn sneak into the fairway twice. An accurate shot off the box is required as the burn will swallow anything pushed right or hit short of the first burn. We managed two good drives, I went astray on my approach and Cody made par. He had made par on 16 and 17 with the hopes of finishing E through the last three walking up towards the 18 tee box.

Poor Van de Velde

#18 is a great finish with the Carnoustie hotel in the background and burns coming into play on the right with out of bounds (OB) to the left. There have been a few colossal collapses, none more famous than Van de Velde in 1999. He needed a double bogey 6 to win and made a 7 to force a playoff in which he lost. This sounds familiar to some of my friendly matches over the last ten years, fortunately when I stepped onto the tee box of 18, the only thing on the line was a cold pint of Tennent's in the clubhouse. Cody tees off first, pulls one left, hits a provisional and hopes to keep the par finish alive. I push mine right but not far enough for the burn, so a sigh of relief there. I have a ways back, decide to play smart and lay up short of the burn guarding the front of the green. Cody plays the provisional and leaves himself with a decent chance at a great par. I hit my third to about 20 feet and hope to save par to finish. We circle the putts back and forth as if the claret jug's on the line but come up short and walk away with respectable bogey's on Carnoustie's final test.

#18, Home Sweet Home

50/50 of getting out of there

Round Two: We played another 18 at Carnoustie's Burnside course, which was no walk in the park, but much easier than the open venue. I would call it the Championship course's little red headed sister as she still had some fight to her. I managed to find the rough a few times and I can attest that it was just as difficult as the morning round. All in all we had a great 36 holes of golf and managed to shave 10 shots of our second round while playing similar golf, just an easier test of our skills.




Favorites: #16-18 were awesome, really enjoyed walking the home stretch of an open venue. #9 &10 had a lot of character with the train rail and design of the holes. Nasty rough, wide burns and large greens provided plenty of thought before each shot, truly a test of a golfer's skills. Finishing a great week of golf with Cody on a top ten course in the UK.

Final Thoughts: I've heard that St Andrews and Carnoustie stack up pretty close to each other, with majority of golfers picking Carnoustie for the overall better golf course. I hope I have the chance to compare the two, if not, it will be tough to beat a better links course in the world.