Time to leave the heat behind.
Time to head across the pond, time for some “real” golf — links golf.
Most of us don’t have the means to hop on a private Gulfstream 550 and jet over to the U.K. but starting Thursday we can do the next best thing — get up early and tune in to the European Tour.
Thursday begins the run to Carnoustie and the 147th Open Championship — perhaps our favorite major simply because it is played in places where time stands still, places where there are different attitudes, perhaps more respect for the game and its history.
These are places where people still walk, places where the game is played on foot — no dreaded cart golf.
It is the way golf was meant to be and for the next three weeks we can take a break from the summer heat because odds are, right now, you’re probably sweating and sweltering on a daily basis — Hot Time — Summer In The City.
Rory McIlroy is the host of this week’s Irish Open. We’re traveling to northern, northern Ireland, where we find the Ballyliffin Golf Club with two amazing links courses that look out on to the North Atlantic.
Jon Rahm is there to defend his title on the Glashedy, big brother of the Old Links course.
Ballyliffin is a relative youngster compared to many of the links courses in the U.K. It came about in the late 40s and has survived the ups and downs of golf in Ireland.
What we have this week is a visual treat and an escape from the temperatures here in the states.
Here’s the high-low temperatures for the four days of the tournament:
Thursday: 65-47.
Friday: 71-56.
Saturday: 74-57.
Sunday: 73-56.
If the forecasts hold up, the tournament should not see any rain and only mild wind.
Perfect.
The Glashedy Links is the newest of the two links brothers. It was opened in August of 1995 and became an instant favorite of all those who teed it up on the scenic land.
And this is only our first stop.
Next week we’ll head to Scotland and go west out of Edinburgh in the East Lothian region, straight to Gullane Golf Club for the Scottish Open. There’s also a tasty links treat just down the road from Gullane — North Berwick — one of the great links courses you may or may not have heard about. The town of North Berwick is a treat in and of itself. It is one of my personal favorites, second only to The Old Course.
After that, we can head back to Edinburgh for some time on the town (more pubs than you’ve ever seen) then head northwest, past Dundee then make a right and head straight for Carnoustie.
Just two weeks until the 147th Open Championship.
As a special treat, we’ll have our special correspondent — PGA Professional David Stewart — on the grounds at Carnoustie for some first hand reports.
So in the meantime, let’s beat the heat, get up early Thursday morning and head for Northern Ireland.
Absolutely time for some links golf!
