Help Me Plan My Scotland II Trip For 2023

[EmperorPenguin]

Bad news, guys.  We are seventeen days from departure and I got an infection on my left thumb.  This is terrible because the left thumb supports the club at the top, and as of right now the pain is such that I cannot put any pressure on it.  For now I cannot practice, so I am hoping that somehow I will be able to recover in time to play golf by Day One at Troon.  I will need to act swiftly.  Is there a dermatologist in the house?  Awful timing.  Can't I get this infection after I come back?

[stanford88]

You have paronychia. I would advise you to Call your PCP and get a course of oral antibiotics. Should have it better in a few days. You will be able to play on your trip without any hesitation. With some luck, you should be able to practice before then too. 

[scott_Donald]

5 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Bad news, guys.  We are seventeen days from departure and I got an infection on my left thumb.  This is terrible because the left thumb supports the club at the top, and as of right now the pain is such that I cannot put any pressure on it.  For now I cannot practice, so I am hoping that somehow I will be able to recover in time to play golf by Day One at Troon.  I will need to act swiftly.  Is there a dermatologist in the house?  Awful timing.  Can't I get this infection after I come back?

 

Ouch, to add to the above; neosporan from a US pharmacist is good for that too. It needs a prescription here so I am getting my friend to take more back here with him at the end of next month. I get ingrowing toe nails often(I wear thongs as much as I can, socks don't like me).

 

It will be a quick fix, no worry about the golf

 

I am disappointed that you don't have a live in doctor in your compound to just quickly get you sorted!

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by scott_Donald

[Chanceman]

In case you or others in your entourage need help for this kind of thing while on tour, I can recommend the locker room attendant at Turnberry who is a trained hospital nurse and he can fix you up pronto. Or he did when I passed through a while back. 

[EmperorPenguin]

I just came back from the urgent-care clinic.  The nurse practitioner told me this is a common procedure and she has done a lot of these procedures.  She made a small incision and squeezed out all the pus.  She subsequently gave me two antibiotic prescriptions: Bactroban, which I must apply topically for three times per day for seven days; and Keflex, which I must take every six hours for seven days.  I hope it will work!

 

Urgent-care clinics are far cheaper and better alternatives to the ER room.  Had I went to ER I would have paid thousands.  I have very good insurance, so all I paid for today was about $40, $35 for the clinic, and about $5 for the antibiotics.

[hammergolf]

4 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

I just came back from the urgent-care clinic.  The nurse practitioner told me this is a common procedure and she has done a lot of these procedures.  She made a small incision and squeezed out all the pus.  She subsequently gave me two antibiotic prescriptions: Bactroban, which I must apply topically for three times per day for seven days; and Keflex, which I must take every six hours for seven days.  I hope it will work!

 

Urgent-care clinics are far cheaper and better alternatives to the ER room.  Had I went to ER I would have paid thousands.  I have very good insurance, so all I paid for today was about $40, $35 for the clinic, and about $5 for the antibiotics.

Hope it heals up soon. If it flares back up maybe pour a wee dram on it to clear up the infection…. Lol Have a great trip!

Edited May 13, 2023 by hammergolf

[EmperorPenguin]

Today is the second day after treatment.  There is still pus I must drain out twice a day, but hopefully it will soon stop and I will be able to swing a club fully by the first round at Troon.   Right now, the skin above the swelling is dead and wrinkly, but I will not remove it to avoid another infection.  Oral antibiotics are making me a tad woosy, but no side effects so far.  I am optimistic I will be well enough by the time we depart.  The goal is to be pain-free by departure.

 

One of my guests knows a fellow who has played Muirfield many times.  He says that although according to the dress code golf attire is allowed before 1030, he advises arriving at the club in suit and tie, then change to golf attire, then change back to suit & tie after golf for lunch, then back again to golf attire for afternoon foursomes.  Otherwise, we will be ushered away swiftly from the public areas.  True?

Edited May 14, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[El Gringo]

46 minutes ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Today is the second day after treatment.  There is still pus I must drain out twice a day, but hopefully it will soon stop and I will be able to swing a club fully by the first round at Troon.   Right now, the skin above the swelling is dead and wrinkly, but I will not remove it to avoid another infection.  Oral antibiotics are making me a tad woosy, but no side effects so far.  I am optimistic I will be well enough by the time we depart.  The goal is to be pain-free by departure.

 

One of my guests knows a fellow who has played Muirfield many times.  He says that although according to the dress code golf attire is allowed before 1030, he advises arriving at the club in suit and tie, then change to golf attire, then change back to suit & tie after golf for lunch, then back again to golf attire for afternoon foursomes.  Otherwise, we will be ushered away swiftly from the public areas.  True?

Not true. There is a room where AM coffee is served. 

[hammergolf]

2 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Today is the second day after treatment.  There is still pus I must drain out twice a day, but hopefully it will soon stop and I will be able to swing a club fully by the first round at Troon.   Right now, the skin above the swelling is dead and wrinkly, but I will not remove it to avoid another infection.  Oral antibiotics are making me a tad woosy, but no side effects so far.  I am optimistic I will be well enough by the time we depart.  The goal is to be pain-free by departure.

 

One of my guests knows a fellow who has played Muirfield many times.  He says that although according to the dress code golf attire is allowed before 1030, he advises arriving at the club in suit and tie, then change to golf attire, then change back to suit & tie after golf for lunch, then back again to golf attire for afternoon foursomes.  Otherwise, we will be ushered away swiftly from the public areas.  True?

Yes, you do need a coat and tie to enter the dining room or any other “public rooms” after 10:30am. Every time I’ve played it we had an early tee time and arrived in golf clothes and never had an issue.
 

 https://www.muirfield.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dress-Code.pdf

[ND2005]

18 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Yes, you do need a coat and tie to enter the dining room or any other “public rooms” after 10:30am. Every time I’ve played it we had an early tee time and arrived in golf clothes and never had an issue.
 

 https://www.muirfield.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dress-Code.pdf

 

We arrived in coat and tie and I'm pretty sure were the only ones the whole morning to do so. Everyone else I saw was in golf clothes. 

[EmperorPenguin]

I am reviewing the Dress Code.  Some things I need to clarify, given that I do not fully understand British English.  Do trousers mean simple, straight-leg pants?  That is my understanding.  One of my guests likes to wear the disgusting jogger pants (sample attached) I am starting to see among the youth.  Maybe I should use this as an excuse for him to wear straight-leg pants.  The Dress Code also specified no tracksuits and no shell suits.  Any idea what those mean?  Please chime in, all ye Englishmaun.

The one that surprises me is that no vests are allowed.  I have a very elegant Ashworth golf vest I would like to wear on the days when it is between cool and warm.  It is legitimate golf attire.  Does a "vest" in British English mean something else?

[stanford88]

Like Hammergolf said, you can arrive in golf clothes. If you're playing 36 holes, you're going off earlier anyways.

 

I doubt joggers would be allowed there. I don't think they sell hoodies because that is not allowed either.

 

 

[buckI]

Not sure where you saw no vests but I wore a Zero Restriction vest multiple days at multiple clubs. 
 

Rain jackets and pants (really any outerwear jacket) were not allowed in various areas of the clubs but could use the locker facilities and track suits to me are items you would wear to the gym unless you are Pete Davidson.

 

Suits were not needed to be worn at Muirfield or other clubs until you change for lunch in my experience.

[scott_Donald]

7 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

I am reviewing the Dress Code.  Some things I need to clarify, given that I do not fully understand British English.  Do trousers mean simple, straight-leg pants?  That is my understanding.  One of my guests likes to wear the disgusting jogger pants (sample attached) I am starting to see among the youth.  Maybe I should use this as an excuse for him to wear straight-leg pants.  The Dress Code also specified no tracksuits and no shell suits.  Any idea what those mean?  Please chime in, all ye Englishmaun.

The one that surprises me is that no vests are allowed.  I have a very elegant Ashworth golf vest I would like to wear on the days when it is between cool and warm.  It is legitimate golf attire.  Does a "vest" in British English mean something else?

 

 

 

I wear mostly under armour golf shorts and trousers; this is an email we just sent out asking if we want some member only kit for the season. The jogger pants are a no at my club certainly. I have never seen anyone wear them. Some clubs you must wear knee length socks with shorts. hoodies are certainly getting more popular and you seem to be getting away with them. Shirts must have collars; I have managed to wear Tiger collars but some clubs don't allow them. The Vest thing you pictured, my dad wears them all the time and no way they would be banned. I have my windproof Gillet in my bag to wear in a couple hours when golf. Vest is a top a girl would wear or my dad wears under all his clothing for a layer. I have never worn a UK vest since I was a baby; I put a vest on. my 1 year old under his top and pants this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ajgoodal.704]

Just for clarification.  Vest in American English is a "beater".  😆

[hammergolf]

18 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

I am reviewing the Dress Code.  Some things I need to clarify, given that I do not fully understand British English.  Do trousers mean simple, straight-leg pants?  That is my understanding.  One of my guests likes to wear the disgusting jogger pants (sample attached) I am starting to see among the youth.  Maybe I should use this as an excuse for him to wear straight-leg pants.  The Dress Code also specified no tracksuits and no shell suits.  Any idea what those mean?  Please chime in, all ye Englishmaun.

The one that surprises me is that no vests are allowed.  I have a very elegant Ashworth golf vest I would like to wear on the days when it is between cool and warm.  It is legitimate golf attire.  Does a "vest" in British English mean something else?

To be safe I would advise your friend to wear traditional slacks. The terrible jogger trend (I completely agree with you) may be interpreted as a track suit bottom so I would steer away from them. Your vest will be fine. It’s actually my go to in Scotland and Ireland. I generally wear a long sleeve mock and a vest over it. Never had an issue anywhere I’ve played.

[njlam]

5 hours ago, hammergolf said:

To be safe I would advise your friend to wear traditional slacks. The terrible jogger trend (I completely agree with you) may be interpreted as a track suit bottom so I would steer away from them. Your vest will be fine. It’s actually my go to in Scotland and Ireland. I generally wear a long sleeve mock and a vest over it. Never had an issue anywhere I’ve played.

Thanks for this clarification, as a member of our group only wears the pajama golf pants and this post may send him to the pro shop before the trip, rather then the morning at Muirfield...

Our trip is over the last ten days of July...what should the shorts/pants ratio be?

[EmperorPenguin]

13 hours ago, ajgoodal.704 said:

Just for clarification.  Vest in American English is a "beater".  😆

Ah, thank you.  Here in America, they are known colloquially as either tank tops or wife beaters.

 

As I researched more into trousers, I learned that in British English, "pants" mean underwear.  "That's pants!" is also a more polite way of saying "Boll*cks!"

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, njlam said:

Thanks for this clarification, as a member of our group only wears the pajama golf pants and this post may send him to the pro shop before the trip, rather then the morning at Muirfield...

Our trip is over the last ten days of July...what should the shorts/pants ratio be?

Normal temps are highs in the mid to high 60’s and lows in the mid 50’s. Depending on sun or wind it will feel warmer or cooler. I would say 60/40 pants to shorts would work. 

[scott_Donald]

7 hours ago, njlam said:

Thanks for this clarification, as a member of our group only wears the pajama golf pants and this post may send him to the pro shop before the trip, rather then the morning at Muirfield...

Our trip is over the last ten days of July...what should the shorts/pants ratio be?

 

I have honestly never seen anyone wear them here, certainly just get normal ones. Shorts also make sure they are smart ones and not too short. 

 

I wear shorts every day in normal life in Scotland, got so used to doing this in Texas. Shorts when it snows etc outside but will change in to the appropriate attire for the cold outside if out for a long time. 

 

In the summer here for a full round of golf, unless it is really warm 22*C or 75*F or above I would just wear pants. A few reasons; Bugs in the long grass(ticks in particular), gorse hurts and you get splinters easily, you get really itchy in the longer grasses, you look smarter. I have very breathable under armour pants so fine with them in the heat normally. I practice in shorts every time about 15*C; chipping practice, a few holes, driving range etc for comfort and it's fine. 

 

8 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Ah, thank you.  Here in America, they are known colloquially as either tank tops or wife beaters.

 

As I researched more into trousers, I learned that in British English, "pants" mean underwear.  "That's pants!" is also a more polite way of saying "Boll*cks!"

 

So you get it right

 

 

6 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Normal temps are highs in the mid to high 60’s and lows in the mid 50’s. Depending on sun or wind it will feel warmer or cooler. I would say 60/40 pants to shorts would work. 

 

The wind is huge, yesterday it was 15*C about a 25mph wind from the North West and the ball was not flying at all, so weird. I was chilly in a summer jumper, polo so had to wear my wind proof Gillet until the sun came fully out. I cycled later on and wow it was cold at 7pm with the same cold wind and the temp had dropped to 10*C. Both things without the wind I would have been fine. Today the wind is from the South and its much warmer!

[hammergolf]

6 hours ago, scott_Donald said:

 

I have honestly never seen anyone wear them here, certainly just get normal ones. Shorts also make sure they are smart ones and not too short. 

 

I wear shorts every day in normal life in Scotland, got so used to doing this in Texas. Shorts when it snows etc outside but will change in to the appropriate attire for the cold outside if out for a long time. 

 

In the summer here for a full round of golf, unless it is really warm 22*C or 75*F or above I would just wear pants. A few reasons; Bugs in the long grass(ticks in particular), gorse hurts and you get splinters easily, you get really itchy in the longer grasses, you look smarter. I have very breathable under armour pants so fine with them in the heat normally. I practice in shorts every time about 15*C; chipping practice, a few holes, driving range etc for comfort and it's fine. 

 

 

So you get it right

 

 

 

The wind is huge, yesterday it was 15*C about a 25mph wind from the North West and the ball was not flying at all, so weird. I was chilly in a summer jumper, polo so had to wear my wind proof Gillet until the sun came fully out. I cycled later on and wow it was cold at 7pm with the same cold wind and the temp had dropped to 10*C. Both things without the wind I would have been fine. Today the wind is from the South and its much warmer!

I prepare for anything from 0*C to 25*C. And sometimes you may get that temperature range in one round…. Lol

[thecraw]

On 4/29/2023 at 8:16 AM, scott_Donald said:

wow you lucked out on September 26 2022… historically is roughly 1.50 so you can’t really complain at all. Stupid brexit. 
 

 

 

Stupid Tories!

[Chanceman]

No politics gentlemen!

[EmperorPenguin]

Just back from vacation a couple days ago.  I will post a few pictures and give a few insights and remarks at various points of the itinerary.  For starters, here is the postage stamp at Troon.  We played a nine-match fourball series with the afternoon foursomes match at Muirfield used as a tiebreaker if the series results after the ninth fourball match is 4.5-4.5.  Handicap formats alternate, with one day strokes where they fall (so it favors high-handicappers), and the next stroke off the low man (so it favors low-handicappers).

 

The flight to Glasgow went not so well because one of my guest's wife had a major problem at the airport: her bag did not arrive.  I specifically avoided LHR and connected in Dublin instead, and we still lost luggage.  Furthermore, our flight from Dublin to Glasgow was delayed three hours, so our driver was left there at the airport waiting all that time for us.

 

The Experience St. Andrews has many vans and shuttles, but the ones with The Experience St. Andrews logo are used for only within St. Andrews.  For transport outside St. Andrews, they contract out to outside transport company, and the one assigned to us was Elite Golf Transport, based in St. Andrews.  Dean Barber was our driver and proved to be the most important help for all of us throughout the week.

 

We checked into The Marine Troon and the rooms were a little smaller and old, but they were just fine.  Service was very good and at the hotel has two restaurants: The Rabbit and The Seal.  Both have very similar menus, and The Seal stays open one hour longer, closing at 10:00 PM. 

 

Our first match was at Royal Troon, with strokes where they fall.  The weather was perfect, about 70 degrees with no wind.  All the caddies told us that this was a rare day.  Here is a picture of the Postage Stamp.  I topped my opening tee shot into the tall junk in front of the tee, since I had not swung a club in at least a couple weeks due to the paronichia.  We struggled from the start and was never up at any point of the match until the end when momentum shifted in our favor and we had a final charge and was one down after the 17th hole and needed to win the last hole, which we did with my partner and I both making birdies.  The series started with a halve, and 0.5-0.5.

Edited June 11, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[EmperorPenguin]

This is our van.  Because we had five (four players and one player's wife), we needed a larger van.  This seats eight and is fully stocked with soft drinks, beer, liquor and snacks.  This is our van for the week, and it proved very comfortable.  Dean Barber was our driver and was most helpful in our trip.

[stanford88]

this post is going to be epic!

[hammergolf]

5 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Just back from vacation a couple days ago.  I will post a few pictures and give a few insights and remarks at various points of the itinerary.  For starters, here is the postage stamp at Troon.  We played a nine-match fourball series with the afternoon foursomes match at Muirfield used as a tiebreaker if the series results after the ninth fourball match is 4.5-4.5.  Handicap formats alternate, with one day strokes where they fall (so it favors high-handicappers), and the next stroke off the low man (so it favors low-handicappers).

 

The flight to Glasgow went not so well because one of my guest's wife had a major problem at the airport: her bag did not arrive.  I specifically avoided LHR and connected in Dublin instead, and we still lost luggage.  Furthermore, our flight from Dublin to Glasgow was delayed three hours, so our driver was left there at the airport waiting all that time for us.

 

The Experience St. Andrews has many vans and shuttles, but the ones with The Experience St. Andrews logo are used for only within St. Andrews.  For transport outside St. Andrews, they contract out to outside transport company, and the one assigned to us was Elite Golf Transport, based in St. Andrews.  Dean Barber was our driver and proved to be the most important help for all of us throughout the week.

 

We checked into The Marine Troon and the rooms were a little smaller and old, but they were just fine.  Service was very good and at the hotel has two restaurants: The Rabbit and The Seal.  Both have very similar menus, and The Seal stays open one hour longer, closing at 10:00 PM. 

 

Our first match was at Royal Troon, with strokes where they fall.  The weather was perfect, about 70 degrees with no wind.  All the caddies told us that this was a rare day.  Here is a picture of the Postage Stamp.  I topped my opening tee shot into the tall junk in front of the tee, since I had not swung a club in at least a couple weeks due to the paronichia.  We struggled from the start and was never up at any point of the match until the end when momentum shifted in our favor and we had a final charge and was one down after the 17th hole and needed to win the last hole, which we did with my partner and I both making birdies.  The series started with a halve, and 0.5-0.5.

Pictures just never show how small the green really is. 

[EmperorPenguin]

For the second day of the trip we played Turnberry Ailsa.  Again we had perfect conditions.  Seventy degrees and with little wind on the front nine and perfect weather on the back.  Unlike the usual wispy Scottish rough at most other courses, the rough was very dense and thick at Turnberry, much like an American course.  Maybe Mr. Trump wanted real rough.  Turnberry proved to have the toughest rough and the most penal for errant tee shots.  Today's match-play format was stroke off the low man, so it favored our opponents, one of whom is a self-purported 3 handicap.  Despite the format favoring our opponents, the Emperor and his partner ham-and-egged it better than our opponents, and we closed them out 6&4.  Quite frankly, the Turnberry round was merely a matter of who hacked less, and that honor went to us.

 

The wife who tagged along with us drew more bad luck.  The Aer Lingus rep told her specifically that her suitcase was found and was on the way to Glasgow Airport.  We dispatched our driver Dean to the airport to retrieve it, but when he arrived he came when the suitcase was supposed to arrive, but it never did.  Dean inquired and was told that, contrary to what was told, the suitcase was not found.  Why the heck did the Aer Lingus rep tell her that the suitcase was found and on the way?  We sent our driver to drive 45 minutes and waste his time.

 

Here is the picture from the ninth tee at the Ailsa course.  The lighthouse here looks much smaller than it appears in this picture; in person the lighthouse looks enormous, so you need to zoom in on the picture to see what we saw.  This view is perhaps the most stunning view in golf.  I spent the next thirty minutes deciding which view is better: the view from the 18th tee at Pebble Beach, or this one?  This hole is a long par 3.  Only the Emperor hit the green and was left with a 40-footer.  After misjudging the speed and passing the hole 15 feet, our opponents thought they would either lose or at worst tie, but my putting stroke was good and I drove the dagger to their hearts when I made the comeback putt for a par and winning the hole.  The Emperor and his partner won the match leads the series 1.5-0.5.

[stanford88]

Turnberry turned out to be the favorite on our trip too.

[EmperorPenguin]

After golf at Turnberry it was warm outside, so we decided to take a walk into the town of Troon.  We walked through South Beach and it had very much a Venice Beach feel to it.  Even Scottish girls were wearing bikinis!