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| #1, Taking it all in! |
Date: October 2012
Location: St Andrews, Scotland
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.
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| 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.
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| #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.
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| #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.
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| #8-White, Shared Green with #10-Red |
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| #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.
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| #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.
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| #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.
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| 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.
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| #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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
