Help Me Plan My Scotland II Trip For 2023

[EmperorPenguin]

I forgot to add that on the 18th hole at Turnberry Ailsa there is a plaque honoring Tom Watson when he stuffed his 7 iron to two feet, beating Nicklaus who had his amazing birdie on the final hole from deep rough on the right. 

 

 

[EmperorPenguin]

Our third round was Prestwick.  Driving through I think Prestwick is a lovely little town, certainly nicer than Troon.  The day before we parked beside it and looking at the course I thought it was a cow pasture.  However, Prestwick proved to be an amazing course despite its quirkiness.  We all loved that course.  The weather was splendid, with overcast conditions early on in the round but finishing with perfect conditions on the back nine.  In our fourball match, we played strokes where they fall.  Our opponents both played better compared to the day before, but not well enough to overcome the Emperor's ham-n-egg show.  We were dormie with six to play, and after a couple bad holes we closed them out with three holes remaining (4&3).  In the series we built our lead to 2.5-0.5.

 

An example of this quirky golf course is the third hole.  You can see the view from the tee, then a view of the predecessor to the venerable Cardinal Bunker, which I heard comes into play for four or five different holes.  For the second shot on this hole, which is a par 5, you play over the far right side of the Cardinal Bunker to a small fairway covered in relentless moguls.  Some contend that Prestwick is an ugly course, but after playing it myself I would certainly play it again.  Those who dislike this course are hackers or golfers who did not hire a caddie, which I consider necessary for this course.  This is a must-play!

Edited June 14, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[EmperorPenguin]

Another great hole is the Himalayas, which is a completely blind tee shot.  This is the view from the tee.  You simply hit over the color of your tee, and after you finish you ring a bell for the group behind you.

 

[EmperorPenguin]

The final hole I want to show you here is The Alps, which is the 17th hole.  It is an original hole that was been completely untouched since the course opened way back in 1860.  Abraham Lincoln was not even elected president!  The first picture is from the tee, and the second one is from the fairway.  You hit over the hill then carry over a bunker on to a large green with humps.

 

One hole I regret not taking pictures of is the hole before the Alps, called simply Narrows.  It is a very scary hole for long-hitters.  Perhaps you can look it up somewhere.

 

Blind shots are a main reason why some golfers may dislike Prestwick, but with a caddie in tow you will understand the course much better.  We all took caddies compliments of Yours Truly, and without them we would have been completely lost.

Edited June 14, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[hammergolf]

17 minutes ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Our third round was Prestwick.  Driving through I think Prestwick is a lovely little town, certainly nicer than Troon.  The day before we parked beside it and looking at the course I thought it was a cow pasture.  However, Prestwick proved to be an amazing course despite its quirkiness.  We all loved that course.  The weather was splendid, with overcast conditions early on in the round but finishing with perfect conditions on the back nine.  In our fourball match, we played strokes where they fall.  Our opponents both played better compared to the day before, but not well enough to overcome the Emperor's ham-n-egg show.  We were dormie with six to play, and after a couple bad holes we closed them out with three holes remaining (4&3).  In the series we built our lead to 2.5-0.5.

 

An example of this quirky golf course is the third hole.  You can see the view from the tee, then a view of the predecessor to the venerable Cardinal Bunker, which I heard comes into play for four or five different holes.  For the second shot on this hole, which is a par 5, you play over the far right side of the Cardinal Bunker to a small fairway covered in relentless moguls.  Some contend that Prestwick is an ugly course, but after playing it myself I would certainly play it again.  Those who dislike this course are hackers or golfers who did not hire a caddie, which I consider necessary for this course.  This is a must-play!

Prestwick is just old pure links. Plus the history of the place and in the clubhouse is truly special.

[El Gringo]

Prestwick is essential golf. You don't need a caddie or strokesaver. Just experience the place on your terms. That's half the fun. So many great holes. What a boozer loop right out of the car.... 15-18! Prestwick is a touchstone course. If I meet someone who dislikes Prestwick I know to turn the conversation off golf. 

Edited June 15, 2023 by El Gringo

[dwboston]

5 hours ago, El Gringo said:

Prestwick is essential golf. You don't need a caddie or strokesaver. Just experience the place on your terms. That's half the fun. So many great holes. What a boozer loop right out of the car.... 16-18! Prestwick is a touchstone course. If I meet someone who dislikes Prestwick I know to turn the conversation off golf. 

 

I really enjoyed Prestwick.  It was quirky, but in a good way.  I was surprised how many of the Scots that we met kind of rolled their eyes or smirked when we mentioned we played Prestwick.  That was our first round, a few hours after getting off of the plane.  Everyone in the group liked it.

[cardia10]

I was worried Prestwick would be short and quirky yet we loved it. It was quirky but we had caddies and loved the experience. It will be a must play for us again. Turnberry is just on another level and should host many more opens eventually!

[ColinKelvin]

10 hours ago, El Gringo said:

Prestwick is essential golf. You don't need a caddie or strokesaver. Just experience the place on your terms. That's half the fun. So many great holes. What a boozer loop right out of the car.... 16-18! Prestwick is a touchstone course. If I meet someone who dislikes Prestwick I know to turn the conversation off golf. 

Agree with all of that.

 

Also, the tee shots on the 1st and the 15th ("Narrows") are not for the faint hearted.  Anywhere on short grass will do.

[dwboston]

1 hour ago, ColinKelvin said:

Agree with all of that.

 

Also, the tee shots on the 1st and the 15th ("Narrows") are not for the faint hearted.  Anywhere on short grass will do.

 

The Narrows was one of the highlights of the round for me.  4-wood to the left side of the fairway, 52* wedge to about 10 feet, and made the putt.

[EmperorPenguin]

Continuing on to the fourth course, Western Gailes.  We checked out of the Marine Troon and went straight to Western Gailes Golf Club.  This is an amazing course, and even more so because we were lucky enough to have landed one of the ten days per year of seventy degrees and no wind.  Even the caddies were amazed at how lucky we were.  The scenic holes are the middle third of the course, I think holes 5 thru 12.

 

In our match, the Emperor and his partner played as well as we could, but one of our opponents played very hot, and they rightfully closed us out 3&2, so the Emperor and his partner still leads the series 2.5-1.5.

 

Everything was great except lunch.  It was the worst meal of the trip, at least for two of us.  My meal was OK, but two of my guests were unlucky.  One ordered the cheeseburger and fries, and the burger patty was much like a hockey puck, so that burger had only one bite on it.  The other one ordered chicken curry, but because his girlfriend is Hindi, he knows what good curry is because she feeds him curry all the time.  He was polite to the waitress and said it was OK, but since he would not verbalize what was so wrong with it I asked to sample it myself, which he had no objection.  The curry was simply too sweet.

 

Despite the forgettable lunch,  Western Gailes was indeed a course to remember.  All three of my guests looked forward to playing it, and they all fell in love with the place--just not the kitchen, though.

 

After golf we head over to St. Andrews.  I think the drive took about 90 minutes.  Carnasty will be next.

 

[EmperorPenguin]

Duplicate post.  Please delete.

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by EmperorPenguin
Duplicate post

[EmperorPenguin]

Duplicate post.  Please delete.

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by EmperorPenguin
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[EmperorPenguin]

Our fifth course was Carnasty.  I did not take many pictures here because we were so caught up in the match that I only have one picture to show you.  When we arrived we had lunch at the clubhouse, bought our Carnasty gear and got ready to play.  There is no driving range, but there is a simulator by the pro shop where you can warm up.  There is a putting green by the front entrance, which is also where we met our caddies.  The weather was again near-perfect with a little wind that cooled us some, and on the last minute I bought a Pro Quip waterproof windbreaker that cost me 160 quid.

 

The course has a gentle start, but gets extremely difficult on the last five or six holes.  This match proved the most difficult and mentally draining to play.  For starters, I birdied the opening hole to go 1 up, but our opponents both got hot and by the ninth hole we were 4 down.  We stopped by the famous Tea Hut behind the tenth green, picked up a quick pizza snack and left our bag tag there.  We were fighting an uphill battle the whole time, and every time we made a par or a birdie, our opponents matched us and we were running out of holes.  Momentum shifted on our side at the hard holes, and we gave our best ham & egg effort.  After my partner won the fourteenth hole with a par we were 3 down and 4 to play.  I still thought we would lose because all they needed to do was make two halves or win one to close us out.  My fourball partner, always optimistic, cheered me on, saying, "Hey, partner, we have a chance to win this mother f*****!" so we used every ounce of energy on the finishing holes.   My partner won the fifteenth hole with a par net birdie, so we were 2 down with 3 to play.  I asked my opponents which holes do I have a distinct stroke advantage, and they answered that I stroke on holes number 16 and 18.

 

The sixteenth hole is an extremely long par 3, about 240 yards long.  There was a little wind in my face so I had no shame and used my driver.  I pulled my shot left and missed a bunker and was maybe twenty yards away from the hole, which was cut over a bank on the middle-right side of the green.

 

"You are going to chip it again, sir?" asked my caddie Allan.  "You've been chipping beautifully all day today, better than most guys I caddie for."  JINX!

 

As you guessed, I shanked my chip shot.  It ended up not too far away from the hole, about fifteen feet away and directly below it.  I usually do not putt from off the green, but as I was setting up for my chip I did not have the right thought in my mind (jinx) before pulling the trigger, so last minute I stopped and switched to the putter.  The hole was about three feet above my feet and I had to putt up a steep bank.  I gave it a good effort, but I needed a couple more feet so my ball ended up about six feet away, a slighly sidehill putt.  The A-player of our opponents hit his tee shot short right of the green, putted with his hybrid to about eight feet past because he had to get over the bank, so it was his turn to putt for a par.  Left edge putt and the ball did not break enough so it lipped out.  Allan lined me up to right center firm and, setting up, I was not thinking at all about the situation, but instead focused purely on my preshot routine and stuck with it, thinking last on the impact zone ("Forget about everything else and focus on what's happening down there").  Of course, the ball rolled into the center of the hole for a 4 for 3 and the win.  1 down with 2 to play.

 

"Partner!" my partner cheered.  However, we had the seventeenth to contend with, and I did not stroke there.  The A-player of the opponents drove his tee shot over the Barry Burn way out there in the right side of the fairway and had a small pitch to the hole.  My partner and the opponents' A-player partner (lefty) both hit their tee shots into the deep rough in the left.  They were both done.

 

Allan suggested to me specifically to carry my tee shot 170 yards to lay up because he did not think I could not carry the second Barry Burn, and I would agree with him.  He advised me to aim my tee shot at the right edge of a maintenance shed in the distance, and from the tee it looked like a totally wrong spot to aim to because it appears too far right from off the tee.  I used my 4 iron and smoothed out a perfect, straight tee shot that never left the right edge of that maintenance shed.

 

"Like that?" I asked Allan after I hit the shot. "That's perfect," Allan answered.

 

My tee shot could not have been placed better.  With the carry and roll, the ball finished at the very back right corner of the fairway where it meets the far part of the Barry Burn.  I was about one hundred fifty yards short of the opposing A-player, who easily carried it.  I think he had maybe about fifty yards left.  I had about 210 yards left, and with the helping, left-to-right wind Allan recommended about 190 carry and aim it at the left bunker.  I pulled out my Tour Cleek and aimed at that bunker, and I made a beautiful cut swing that faded and with the sun in the background it was hard to see it, combined with the green being so far away.  The ball curved from left to right and we thought the ball was rolling into the front center bunker, but it turned out that the ball barely missed it and caromed of the back of that bunker and released to the left, toward the hole and stopped about eighteen feet right of it.  On in two, putting for birdie, and I had no stroke advantage.

 

Meanwhile, the A-player on the other side hit his 50-yard pitch shot to the hole, but it released a little too hot and finished off the back left fringe.  It was puttable, so he putted it and he missed it on the low side, a couple feet away.  My partner gave him that putt, so it was my turn to win the hole.  The putt looked like it breaks more to the left than what Allan called, right edge, but I trusted him and gave it my best stroke.  The ball never left the right edge and that last six feet started breaking left and caught the right side of the hole and did a victory lap into the hole.  The match is now All Square.

 

"Partner!" my partner yelled and gave me a big bear hug.  "We're gonna win this match!"
"Don't celebrate early!" I warned, "It is not over yet.  We gotta keep working."

 

So all square on eighteen and we had the honors.  I went first and as I was setting up I lost my aiming spot and had to stop.  "Sorry, boys," I apologized, and repeated the preshot routine.  My drive started down the middle and either faded some, or the wind moved it right.  Even when you do carry the Barry Burn off the tee there are two fairway bunkers to the right.  Mine finished just short of the one near us on the tee, about a couple yards from going in.  My partner did the same and he was about one foot from falling into the next bunker.  Both of us were good.  The A-player on the opponents' side decided to go for the win and gambled with his driver.  He hooked it OB left and played a second ball far and on the right side of the fairway.  His partner, the lefty, ended up in the left rough and into a good lie about 175 yards away.  Neither I nor my partner wanted to repeat the Jean Van De Velde and we both laid up short of the Barry Burn.  Mine was in the left rough and in a good lie, and my partner was in the middle short of the green.  Lefty tried to go for it in two and hooked the ball right and it rolled into the Barry Burn, and his A-player partner nearly holed his pitch shot and left it maybe six feet away for his 5.

 

I needed a perfect 100-yard shot to the flag and I pulled my shot.  To everyone's amazement the ball hit the top edge of the left bunker and stuck there without a bounce.  I think the ball hit the top corner.  I lie 3, chipping for 4.  Ball was above my feet so I choked down on the grip and gave it a standard sand-wedge chip shot, carried to the front and the ball rolled the remainder to within a foot and lefty, out of the hole, hit the ball away from the hole and into the very bunker he wish I had put it on my third shot.  5 for 4 and the win, and we won the match 1up.  Allan told me that it was perhaps the most exciting match he has ever seen.

 

Although we won, I felt so sad for our opponents.  I really hoped we halved the match, but winning was a bonus.  As we shook hands, I told the A-player, "I'm so sorry, bro!" and I meant it from the bottom of my heart.  The Emperor and his partner leads the series 3.5-1.5.  It was the most thrilling/heartbreaking match of the series, and one I will never forget, not to mention how mentally and emotionally drained I was.  The course was very agonizing.

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[hammergolf]

28 minutes ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Our fifth course was Carnasty.  I did not take many pictures here because we were so caught up in the match that I only have one picture to show you.  When we arrived we had lunch at the clubhouse, bought our Carnasty gear and got ready to play.  There is no driving range, but there is a simulator by the pro shop where you can warm up.  There is a putting green by the front entrance, which is also where we met our caddies.  The weather was again near-perfect with a little wind that cooled us some, and on the last minute I bought a Pro Quip waterproof windbreaker that cost me 160 quid.

 

The course has a gentle start, but gets extremely difficult on the last five or six holes.  This match proved the most difficult and mentally draining to play.  For starters, I birdied the opening hole to go 1 up, but our opponents both got hot and by the ninth hole we were 4 down.  We stopped by the famous Tea Hut behind the tenth green, picked up a quick pizza snack and left our bag tag there.  We were fighting an uphill battle the whole time, and every time we made a par or a birdie, our opponents matched us and we were running out of holes.  Momentum shifted on our side at the hard holes, and we gave our best ham & egg effort.  After my partner won the fourteenth hole with a par we were 3 down and 4 to play.  I still thought we would lose because all they needed to do was make two halves or win one to close us out.  My fourball partner, always optimistic, cheered me on, saying, "Hey, partner, we have a chance to win this mother f*****!" so we used every ounce of energy on the finishing holes.   My partner won the fifteenth hole with a par net birdie, so we were 2 down with 3 to play.  I asked my opponents which holes do I have a distinct stroke advantage, and they answered that I stroke on holes number 16 and 18.

 

The sixteenth hole is an extremely long par 3, about 240 yards long.  There was a little wind in my face so I had no shame and used my driver.  I pulled my shot left and missed a bunker and was maybe twenty yards away from the hole, which was cut over a bank on the middle-right side of the green.

 

"You are going to chip it again, sir?" asked my caddie Allan.  "You've been chipping beautifully all day today, better than most guys I caddie for."  JINX!

 

As you guessed, I shanked my chip shot.  It ended up not too far away from the hole, about fifteen feet away and directly below it.  I usually do not chip from off the green, but as I was setting up for my chip I did not have the right thought in my mind (jinx) before pulling the trigger, so last minute I stopped and switched to the putter.  The hole was about three feet above my feet and I had to putt up a steep bank.  I gave it a good effort, but I needed a couple more feet so my ball ended up about six feet away, a slighly sidehill putt.  The A-player of our opponents hit his tee shot short right of the green, putted with his hybrid to about eight feet past because he had to get over the bank, so it was his turn to putt for a par.  Left edge putt and the ball did not break enough so it lipped out.  Allan lined me up to right center firm and, setting up, I was not thinking at all about the situation, but instead focused purely on my preshot routine and stuck with it, thinking last on the impact zone ("Forget about everything else and focus on what's happening down there").  Of course, the ball rolled into the center of the hole for a 4 for 3 and the win.  1 down with 2 to play.

 

"Partner!" my partner cheered.  However, we had the seventeenth to contend with, and I did not stroke there.  The A-player of the opponents drove his tee shot over the Barry Burn way out there in the right side of the fairway and had a small pitch to the hole.  My partner and the opponents' A-player partner (lefty) both hit their tee shots into the deep rough in the left.  They were both done.

 

Allan suggested to me specifically to carry my tee shot 170 yards to lay up because he did not think I could not carry the second Barry Burn, and I would agree with him.  He advised me to aim my tee shot at the right edge of a maintenance shed in the distance, and from the tee it looked like a totally wrong spot to aim to because it appears too far right from off the tee.  I used my 4 iron and smoothed out a perfect, straight tee shot that never left the right edge of that maintenance shed.

 

"Like that?" I asked Allan after I hit the shot. "That's perfect," Allan answered.

 

My tee shot could not have been placed better.  With the carry and roll, the ball finished at the very back right corner of the fairway where it meets the far part of the Barry Burn.  I was about fifty yards short of the opposing A-player, who easily carried it.  I think he had maybe about fifty yards left.  I had about 210 yards left, and with the helping, left-to-right wind Allan recommended about 190 carry and aim it at the left bunker.  I pulled out my Tour Cleek and aimed at that bunker, and I made a beautiful cut swing that faded and with the sun in the background it was hard to see it, combined with the green being so far away.  The ball curved from left to right and we thought the ball was rolling into the front center bunker, but it turned out that the ball barely missed it and caromed of the back of that bunker and released to the left, toward the hole and stopped about eighteen feet right of it.  On in two, putting for birdie, and I had no stroke advantage.

 

Meanwhile, the A-player on the other side hit his 50-yard pitch shot to the hole, but it released a little too hot and finished off the back left fringe.  It was puttable, so he putted it and he missed it on the low side, a couple feet away.  My partner gave him that putt, so it was my turn to win the hole.  The putt looked like it breaks more to the left than what Allan called, right edge, but I trusted him and gave it my best stroke.  The ball never left the right edge and that last six feet started breaking left and caught the right side of the hole and did a victory lap into the hole.  The match is now All Square.

 

"Partner!" my partner yelled and gave me a big bear hug.  "We're gonna win this match!"
"Don't celebrate early!" I warned, "It is not over yet.  We gotta keep working."

 

So all square on eighteen and we had the honors.  I went first and as I was setting up I lost my aiming spot and had to stop.  "Sorry, boys," I apologized, and repeated the preshot routine.  My drive started down the middle and either faded some, or the wind moved it right.  Even when you do carry the Barry Burn off the tee there are two fairway bunkers to the right.  Mine finished just short of the one near us on the tee, about a couple yards from going in.  My partner did the same and he was about one foot from falling into the next bunker.  Both of us were good.  The A-player on the opponents' side decided to go for the win and gambled with his driver.  He hooked it OB left and played a second ball far and on the right side of the fairway.  His partner, the lefty, ended up in the left rough and into a good lie about 175 yards away.  Neither I nor my partner wanted to repeat the Jean Van De Velde and we both laid up short of the Barry Burn.  Mine was in the left rough and in a good lie, and my partner was in the middle short of the green.  Lefty tried to go for it in two and hooked it right and it rolled into the Barry Burn, and his A-player partner nearly holed his pitch shot and left it maybe six feet away for his 5.

 

I needed a perfect 100-yard shot to the flag and I pulled my shot.  To everyone's amazement the ball hit the top edge of the left bunker and stuck there without a bounce.  I think the ball hit the top corner.  I lie 3, chipping for 4.  Ball was above my feet so I choked down on the grip and gave it a standard sand-wedge chip shot, carried to the front and the ball rolled the remainder to within a foot and lefty, out of the hole, hit the ball away from the hole and into the very bunker he wish I had put it on my third shot.  5 for 4 and the win and we won the match 1up.  Allan told me that it was perhaps the most exciting match he has ever seen.

 

Although we won, I felt so sad for our opponents.  I really hoped we halved the match, but winning was a bonus.  As we shook hands, I told the A-player, "I'm so sorry, bro!" and I meant it from the bottom of my heart.  The Emperor and his partner leads the series 3.5-1.5.  It was the most thrilling/heartbreaking match of the series, and one I will never forget, not to mention how how mentally and emotionally drained I was.

 

 

 

STRONG finish on some damn hard holes! Playing the last 5 in net par is going to win lots of matches there.

[EmperorPenguin]

5 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

STRONG finish on some damn hard holes! Playing the last 5 in net par is going to win lots of matches there.

The amount of focus, concentration, determination, grit and guts was enough to have aged me a few years.

 

I forgot to add that lefty's hooked approach shot crossed the Barry Burn near an engraving a greenskeeper etched in honor/dishonor of Jean Van De Velde.

[AltC]

Top finish Mr Penguin - birdie on 17 is very special - tough hole!! Great match and great commentary.

The steady build up of increasingly challenging holes make’s Carnoustie one of my favorites- it’s not scenic just hard as nails golf - super stuff! Glad you enjoyed it at its best in a competitive match.

Edited June 23, 2023 by AltC

[EmperorPenguin]

After Carnasty we went to St. Andrews and checked into the hotel.  The hotel was fine, except the spa was closed due to renovation, and we all were looking forward to the spa.

 

We traveled east and the weather got cooler.  We were very fortunate to have played in perfect conditions on the west.  Game Number 6 was at The New Course.  The New is an excellent course, with one double green.  The match was very competitive, which neither side higher than 1up at any point of the match.  The match came down to the final hole.  Lefty made the winning putt to win 1up.  The Emperor and his partner still leads the series 3.5-2.5.

 

This is a brief entry, as there is not a whole lot to report for this round.  I am a little sleepy anyway.

[EmperorPenguin]

The day after the New Course we played The Old Course as our seventh course.  I already played it four years ago with one of my guests, and the other two are replacements, both of whom never even been to Scotland before.  I will not post pictures of the Old Course because there are so many of the Old everywhere.  The match was straightforward and a 2&1 win for The Emperor and his partner, who now lead the series 4.5-2.5.  We checked out of the Old Course Hotel and before leaving in the van we all had lunch at Ham's Hame Pub, located just behind the 18th green at The Old Course.  Lunch was compliments of The Experience St. Andrews for all the business I gave them.  It was a very good pub and the service was good, too.  I highly recommend.

 

From St. Andrews we departed for Edinburgh to our next hotel, The Balmoral.  This hotel is reputed to be the best hotel in Scotland, and we were all amazed at it when we approached it.  The bellman told us that the hotel was founded in 1902.  It is pretty cool that the hotel has golden elevators.  My guests were very impressed with the hotel.  I think the hotel is located in the center of Edinburgh on Princes Street.

 

The next morning we head over early to Gullane to play The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, also known as Muirfield.  We play the 36-hole package, with fourballs in the morning followed by lunch and then foursomes in the afternoon.  I will write about it in the next post.

[EmperorPenguin]

I forgot to add that before departing St. Andrews we were fortunate to have one last look at the course.  One fellow we met is a member of the St. Andrews Golf Club, which is a social club right next to the Rusack's Hotel to the right of the 18th fairway.  He was kind enough to invite us in for drinks and we were amazed to see all the history and pictures on the walls.  We were also allowed to buy some gear from their pro shop, and three of us bought apparel from there.  The club is a lovely place to hang out and watch all the action, especially from the top-floor balcony.  You go up a flight of stairs to the top floor, enter a billiards room, and from that room you can squeeze out through a window into a top balcony that looks down at the 18th hole of The Old Course.  It was a very nice way to look at The Old Course one final time before we go.  I took a video from the balcony and hopefully can show you here in this thread.

[El Gringo]

It used to be the case that visitors could pay to be temporary members of St Andrews GC. I did this a few times. Maybe this is still the case? 

[EmperorPenguin]

On 6/29/2023 at 9:47 PM, El Gringo said:

It used to be the case that visitors could pay to be temporary members of St Andrews GC. I did this a few times. Maybe this is still the case? 

I did not know there was such an option for us, since we already had our member host us at the club.  It was very nice to have been there.

[EmperorPenguin]

I forgot to add a few pictures from the St. Andrews cemetery.  The graves of the golfing legends are on the back right, in case you do not notice the line of tourists going to the graves.  The grave of Allan Morris is an obelisk.  That of Old Tom is very modest, simple and cheap; I can only speculate that either he did not care for an elaborate head stone, or his surviving family were too cheap to pay for an elaborate one.  The grave/monument of Young Tom is very elaborate, to say the least, as the picture will attest.  Sadly, a bird took the liberty of relieving himself on top of Young Tom's head, and I would have dispatched it with a golf ball as Young Tom would have.

 

I will write about our experience at The Honourable Company next.

Edited July 13, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[EmperorPenguin]

This is an interesting sign I saw while walking the streets of Troon after one of our rounds in the area.  I had no idea of what fly tipping is.  Cow tipping yes, but fly tipping?

[EmperorPenguin]

Sorry for the delayed update.  I will recount our experience at The Honourable Company.

 

From The Balmoral we had to depart at a time when we would have little time for breakfast service.  Our starting time at The Honourable Company was 0930, so for us to arrive in a timely manner to get settled and hit balls before our round we had to leave the hotel at 0730, and breakfast service started at 0700.  I suggested everyone else to use room service to avoid rushing through breakfast.  Breakfast was included, so it would have been free, but there was a nominal charge of only £6 to cover the delivery charge.  I had no problems with that, but the rest of my guests were too cheap to pay for that, so they showed up promptly at 0700 at the restaurant and wolfed down breakfast.

 

We left about 0745 and on the outskirts of the city in the town of Gullane we took a somewhat blind left turn to The Honourable Company.  There is no signage from the street to the club, except a small one that points to The Greywalls Hotel.  We took the left turn and down the road we turned right into an unpaved, dirt lot.  There a shuttle driver picked us up and we passed through the famous "HCEG" gate into the club.  From there a representative from the staff asked who the fearless leader of the group was, and once identified I was separated from the rest of the group.  I met with two lovely ladies who showed me the merchandise room, the dining room and the locker room, and basically gave me a summary of what to do and what not, which was already specified on the club's website.  They also asked me to sign in their Guest Registry.

 

We were all given access to the range and practice green about one hour before our starting time.  We met our caddies and we played our morning fourballs match.  The course was not the prettiest, but it is still a very good course with very fast greens and there is no water on the course.  We played our hearts out and halved the morning match.  Our opponents had to win the morning fourballs match to keep the series alive, but we halved it and won the series 5-3 with one course remaining.  The afternoon foursomes match would serve as a tiebreaker if the series would have come to a tie after the final round at North Berwick.  However, the series ended so the afternoon match would be of no consequence.  The morning foursomes match was tense, except when we went dormie after the fifteenth hole and at that point I knew the series was over because we secured at least a halve.  We lost the last three holes and halved the match, and went to lunch.  Our caddies took their lunches off property and came back to us later for our foursomes match.

 

We went into the locker room to change, and two of my guests elected to shower before dressing up in our suits.  We all dressed very well before lunch.  The dining room has a cafeteria-style seating, and we were seated next to four gentlemen from the midwest, but we did not interact with them.  Even though cameras are not allowed in the clubhouse, I can show you a picture of the dining room.  You can see the gentleman in the sport coat in the attached picture.  To the left of him at the back of the room is where the appetizers are served, and to the right of him is the counter where the mains are served.  The mains have three options: roast beef, pork belly, and lamb.  I had all three along with mashed potatoes and vegetables and it was indeed a delicious meal.  To the right of the mains are where the delicious desserts are served.  I opted for the succulent, high-fat vanilla ice cream with strawberries, and I think the others opted for the bread pudding.  One of my guests asked for seconds and at first the waitress declined, but said that since no other guests were coming for the day, she could not see why she would deny us.

 

After lunch we dressed back to our golf clothes and on the way out I ran into the secretary of the club.  He greeted me with a very polite hello and I greeted him back, and although I did not have time to chat with him, I know I could have struck up a pleasant conversation with him.  All he did was ask if my guests and I were having a good time at the club and I answered that we were having a great time, and he was pleased to know.

 

So we met with our caddies on the first tee and played the afternoon foursomes.  One of us teed off on the even holes and the other on the odd holes.  It was very fast golf (2.5 hours), and the player who plays the next shot goes forward in anticipation of the next shot and sets up while the other walks forward and past him, anticipating for the next shot, and so on.  The rules of the foursomes match, according to the caddies, was that in the event a ball is not found, a ball is dropped and played from there; in the event of a lost-ball situation, you cannot win a hole, but halve it.  The handicapping is half the difference of the combined handicaps of each side.  As it turned out, the handicapping was correct, and we halved the foursomes match in the afternoon, so both matches were halved.

 

In the locker room, we discussed what to do with North Berwick since the series was over.  Throughout the year prior, the subject never came about because we all believed in earnest that the series would be halved.  My partner proposed going singles into the last day, with those points counting toward the final tally, but I disagreed not because we won the series, but because we had never agreed to it previously before we left for Scotland.  There were other propositions made, but none of us agreed to anything, and given that I, the host and esteemed Emperor, could not agree on anything except that the final match at North Berwick would be an exhibition of some sort.  I decided simply to propose singles matches for a simple £100 wager, which would be our tip (£100 each) to our driver when he takes us to the airport the following day.  I had never played for money before, and everyone knew this, so when I made this proposition my guests were surprised.  I play the low-handicapper and my partner plays the mid-handicapper.  "Well," my opponent said, "this is the first time you will be playing as a professional."

 

So after dressing back down to our golf clothes we bought some final souvenirs before departing.  The staff did not mind our attire, I think because we did not go into the dining room, or the Secretary went home for the day?  After buying souvenirs the gate to the club was already opened and our van was parked within the club.  I am very sure that this was allowed because the Secretary went home for the day.

 

We headed back to The Balmoral for dinner and another evening of fun.  We visited an Italian restaurant near the hotel and had a great time.  North Berwick tomorrow.

Edited August 18, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[EmperorPenguin]

Here is a picture of the 1744 first Rules of Golf, on display in the clubhouse at The Honourable Company.

[scott_Donald]

6 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

This is an interesting sign I saw while walking the streets of Troon after one of our rounds in the area.  I had no idea of what fly tipping is.  Cow tipping yes, but fly tipping?

 

essentially just dumping waster in the street. most of the horrendous stuff is done on nice country roads or fields. No idea why anyone would do it!

 

 

[Chanceman]

Thank you for that ripping yarn! Lots of fun for all. You deserve a lot of credit for observing all the traditions.

[EmperorPenguin]

Our final full day was the West Links at North Berwick.  Instead of describing it to you, watch this video instead.

 

 

North Berwick is indeed an extremely beautiful and fun course to play.  It was a magnificent finish to a great golf trip worthy of an emperor.  The series was over, 5-3, and for our last round we decided to change the format to two singles matches for money.  I play the low-handicapper, who is also a vanity capper, and my buddy plays the lefty.  We are playing for £100 each, which is the tip we will give our driver, who will take us from The Balmoral to Edinburgh Airport.

 

The matches were lopsided.  My buddy played against lefty, who simply had no more gas in the tank and could not hit good shots anymore.  Ten consecutive rounds of golf was simply too much for him, but he had a great attitude of coming to Scotland as an imperial guest.  Lefty just couldn't get off the tee anymore.  In the start of the series, he was using driver, and after one round he took it out of the bag and used 3 woods off the tee.  After a few more rounds he took the 3 wood off the tee until that stopped working.  Then he used 5 woods off the tee starting at St. Andrews until he couldn't use them anymore.  For his last couple rounds he used 5 woods and 3 irons off the tee, and on the last day he couldn't get off the tee even with his 3 iron. My buddy closed out lefty 6&5, and his match was over after the hole known as Perfection (misleading name, because the only the tee shot needs to be perfect, not both shots).  I drew the low handicapper, who is also a vanity capper, and I systematically broke him apart by laying up on nearly every hole and relying on my short game and putting to win holes, which was mostly what happened.  So many times I played short of the green and chipped up to a foot or two, and making all the putts that mattered, and several times he lost holes and directly blamed his caddie for the loss.  He came so close to firing his caddie, but realized that doing so would embarrass me, so he bit his lip.  I was dormie after Pit, lost Perfection, and closed him out at Redan with two putts from sixty feet.  The Emperor beat the vanity capper 5&3.

 

After the last putt dropped, which was my four-footer for par at the closing hole, we all embraced and congratulated each other for a wonderful trip.  The vanity capper paid up £100 soon after we walked off the putting green.  We bought some final souvenirs and before we were ready to depart, my playing partner and lefty both presented me with a prize: a black leather belt with a Scottish-flag buckle to mimic the moroccan leather belt Young Tom wore.  My partner and lefty bought two black leather belts for the winners, and the belts will be embroidered with the result of each match at each course.  It was a nice touch and a pleasant surprise.  The belts have not yet been embroidered, but as soon as I receive mine I will post a picture of it.

 

We returned to The Balmoral for our last dinner together.  We all visited an Italian restaurant just outside our hotel and walked the city some more before retiring for the evening.  Our driver picked us up and took us to the airport.  As each of us said our final goodbyes, each of us gave our driver £100 to thank him.  Because I already received my share of the gratuity from the low (vanity) handicapper, I decided to give extra because our driver was vital to our trip.  He was never late and was our most valuable human resource while we were there.  I tipped him out last, and when he saw the money he nearly fainted.  I am sure we all made his week, and he will never forget us.

 

Upon checking in to Endiburgh Airport, we had a near scare.  The low-handicapper's wife misplaced her passport after we passed through security.  I will never forget the look on her face when she was checking through her carry-on.  We thought that she dropped her passport, and after we had passed through the x-ray machines it was then she realized her passport was missing.  We had only about thirty minutes to go before the gate opens, and we had to make a last-minute decision.  It was perhaps the most difficult decision I had to make: My partner, lefty, and I, whom we all had our passports, had to proceed to the gate and after the gate closes we leave the low handicapper and his wife behind.

 

Months before departing we all had meetings and I provided them all with checklists and suggested items to bring.  One of the most important items is a passport holder, especially the one you hang on your neck.  In my experience, boarding a plane, walking between people and putting up your carry-on into the overhead bins, it is so easy to drop your passport.  With a passport holder you never lose it.  Every time I travel, as soon as I leave my car to the airport I hang my passport around my neck.  Only when I am sitting in the plane will I place my passport holder in my carry-on.  Another provision I stressed was to have reserve funds available (e.g., cash, emergency credit card, etc.) in the event something like this does happen.  Fortunately for the low-handicapper, he took that advice to heart and was prepared to stay in Scotland for a few days and buy extra tickets if necessary.

 

At our gate the boarding process had started.  I was praying to God that she finds her passport now.  We had about ten minutes of boarding time left when I received a text message from the low handicapper: "We got it, we are on the way!"  The gate was at least ten minutes away and I responded, "Good, please hurry."  With about five minutes to spare we saw them running to the gate.  Her passport was found: it somehow fell into her reading book.

So we made the flight on WestJet Airlines from Edinburgh to Calgary.  From there we had to go through Customs and Immigration, because Calgary was an American point of entry.  We were held in one room while our luggage was checked, and they called us each by name when our suitcases were checked and cleared.  We then proceeded to Immigration and Passport Control.  I have Global Entry and proceeded to the Global Entry line, but the kiosks were not working, and the border patrol guard cleared me.  Global Entry made no difference because the regular Passport Control line was no longer, so my guests took about the same time I did.

 

We arrived at the terminal to find very few services available to us.  We wanted to check out Tim Horton's, but there was none at that terminal.  There was a Burger King and one other restaurant, maybe a couple Duty Free stores, and the gates.  Nothing more except an Aspire Lounge.  There was nothing to do and I decided that because we had four and a half hours to our connecting flight to SFO, I decided to bring us all into the Aspire Lounge, which was a Priority Pass lounge, which I happened to have as a perk with my credit card.  I checked in and asked if I could bring additional guests.  I know I could bring one and one other for free, and I asked if I could pay for more.  Yes, but the charge was $32 per extra person, which I had no objection to pay.  Everyone, including I, had to produce our boarding passes to be admitted.  The lounge was a godsend because it had air conditioning, comfortable couches, bathrooms with showers, TV's, and all-you-can-eat food and drink.  We simply watched Viktor Hovland win The Memorial on TV, hung out and ate and drank.  It was very relaxing until the low handicapper lost his wallet and had to backtrack to see if he could recover it.  Here we go again!  He called security and asked them to check.  They did and found nothing, and when he asked them again to check they hung up on him.  He simply checked his carry-on luggage thoroughly and found his wallet, coincidentally also in his reading book.  Ha!

 

So we landed in SFO and we all looked for abandoned trolleys because SFO is ripping passengers off.  Just a year or so ago those trolleys were free; now they want credit card payment ($8.50?) for it.  We found several and took the Air Train to the rental car station, took our rental SUV, loaded it up and everything barely fit, and drove home.  On the way home we were all talking about the trip.  My partner could not stop talking about winning, and the low/vanity handicapper did not want to hear any more of it, and nearly snapped at us, implying that we were sandbaggers.  We simply kept our mouths shut and did not want to escalate the conversation by calling him a vanity capper.  I was close to saying, "You better show respect to the man who hosted you and your wife on this trip!" but exercised restraint and just kept my mouth shut.  I can simply not invited him to the next imperial trip, but for now I think the best thing is to cool off first before I consider inviting him again.  I think he is just being a brat, but he and I are still good friends and I know that he does not mean it.  He just needs a few days to cool off.

 

The trip ended months ago, and to this day we still talk about our wonderful memories there, even with the vanity capper's whining.  We will be getting together soon for a major barbecue: Scotland I participants together with Scotland II participants.  We will all reminisce about our times in Scotland, and most often we talk about the final hole at Carnasty.  Lefty keeps saying, "I should have laid up," and I think he will say that for the rest of his life.

Edited August 24, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[Pastit]

On 8/18/2023 at 10:08 AM, scott_Donald said:

 

essentially just dumping waster in the street. most of the horrendous stuff is done on nice country roads or fields. No idea why anyone would do it!

 

 

Simply because they’re too lazy to travel to municipal dumps. Some Geordies revel in it so much that hidden cameras are placed in hot spots by local authorities. 
 

Secondly, charges now apply around here for builders and the like to dump waste so there’s an incentive to dump into nature. 

Edited September 5, 2023 by Pastit