Clark in Scotland - Day 16

Yesterday I played the incredible Royal Dornoch Championship Links course in what could be described as some serious wind. 

I’m playing in a three ball with a decent guy from Minnesota who has a rental set and a very unusual younger fellow from Seattle.

Off the first tee in front of a nice gallery of people I hit my best drive since being in Scotland right down the middle. The first hole is 302 yards and the wind is quartering off the sea to the right and down. Minnesota hits a nice drive down the middle as well and Seattle, feeling the pressure and going thru a complete mental checklist of swing thoughts hooks it badly into tall fescue perhaps 100 yards off the box. I catch his caddie rolling his eyes as he definitely drew the short straw of the group. We set off down the fairway at a blistering pace and it’s ready golf the entire way. We get up to Minnesota’s drive and he’s about 70 yards from the pin. I’m looking for my drive and fear the worst as I’m assuming I’m in a death trap bunker but not to be found. After some searching it turns out I’m 20 yards over the green in 1. That should tell you all you need to know about the wind and the firmness of the turf and greens.  I don’t hit the ball 320.

 

I flop up onto the green and 2 putt for par… great start as far as I’m concerned. Seattle has taken who knows how many shots to get to the green but this is where it really gets interesting. Before every putt, even as short as 3 feet he lies on the green to line it up. My caddie and I are dying laughing as the others in the group look on in disbelief. 

The course is spectacular but I did not have a lot of time to take a bunch of pictures. It’s hit, put your head down, walk briskly and hit again. I made a bunch of pars, 8 bogeys mainly due to crazy bounces left, right or long on what I thought were reasonably good shots and one birdie.

I did par 14th, the famous hole deemed “the fox” as well as the 446 yard 18th into the wind which required a well hit driver, well hit 5 wood and 70 yard pitch. Despite the wind and chilly temps it was a great experience and now that I have seen it I think I can do a better job of scoring. I’m playing it again on the 25th and hopefully once more before then based on availability. Hopefully there will be a bit more time for pictures of this fabulous links layout that I can share.