What a day…..
Our morning started out simply enough just as it has every day… hot breakfast and off with the anticipation of a new links course and the challenges ahead. Craigielaw Links did not disappoint and play was solid coached around by 2 Splendid caddies. I hit the ball well enough to shoot under par, but after I missed multiple putts under 10ft for birdie and par I found my caddie doing a lot of staring at the ground or off into the distance. He did his job, I just couldn’t do mine. Jimmy started to tighten and shorten things up a bit which would soon pay great dividends for him. We finished up and were invited into the members lounge by our caddies “ who are also members” and enjoyed some great conversation and laughs. Had a nice fish and chips lunch, said our goodbyes and off to St Andrews.
Here is where the real story begins.
Pulling into the town of St Andrews is cool unto itself. It’s a small seaside town with a cool vibe. We managed to locate our Inn, unload our goodies and strolled along the walk above the sea shore and down the 3 blocks or so to the OLD COURSE. Like magic everything you see on TV opens in front of you… The R&A, the 18th green, the Road hole…. It’s just awesome. We planned on entering the early morning Q and walked down and spoke to an ever so polite gal named Miriam about more info on the process. No doubt this nice lady gets hammered with questions all day long, but she treated us like we were the first people she talked to all day. She had tomorrows tee sheet in her hand, and was explaining the process when she was immediately called away by two people standing aside. After speaking with them, she turned her attention back to us and said if you would like to play at 6 PM and can get back down here we can get you off. current time 547 pm. Now I’m not a runner but my ass was running… back up the hill 3 blocks plus, neck and neck like horses at the Kentucky derby with Jimmy, grabbed the sticks and back down the hill to the starters shack. Money paid and on the tee with 2 minutes to spare.
Dereck the starter says “welcome to the Old Course the tee is yours” no time for nerves and just like that we both hit it right down the middle. Glorious. 2 good seconds and we are both off and running with pars.
Our playing companions are two St Andrews university students and both are good golfers with experience here. They got us generally aligned on where to hit it from the tee and the info was invaluable. Jimmy was no doubt in his best form of the trip. With his much shortened swing his ball striking was on the money. Getting led around by these two lads we navigated famous hole after hole. Both of us made some mistakes in club selection that costs us strokes and caddies would have made a huge difference, but we weren’t playing blind. Following these guys go for broke style, Jimmy drove 2 Old Course par 4s and deftly 2 putted both for birdies nearly holing 80ft putts for eagles.
Due to our late starting time darkness was quickly encroaching as we made our way around. Everyone on the course wants to finish but it was apparent we were going to play the last two in the dark. Now there is a good deal more light here later but as we stood on the 17th tee, we were struggling to see the tee balls as they soared over the old course hotel sign. Mine was hit with extra enthusiasm after failing to capitalize on my best shot of the day, a 3-4 foot birdie putt on 16.
We both navigated 17 with minimal issues, i with par and Jimmy with a solid bogey from left of the road bunker. 18 tee is just so cool… there you stand, all the history in front of you. Both of us bombed it down the middle in near total darkness. Stopped for the iconic pic on the Swilican Bridge and briskly walked up the fairway looking for white dots in the darkness. Both were located, wedges hit into the green…. We knew the general direction of the flag… and both nearly made birdie burning the edge of the hole.
And just like that it was over. Old Tom Morris, the Golf Gods and the Powers that be definitely smiled on Mike and Jimmy today. Quite an experience.
As a footnote to Mack and Lois recovering from knee surgery…. 38,000 steps today…there is light at the end of the tunnel for you.
Cheers and tomorrow the new course.
Craigielaw Pictures:
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