The Old Course.
It is every golfer’s North Star.
It is home — the world epicenter for the game of golf.
History is embedded in the firm turf, hearts have been broken in many of the 147 bunkers that guard this wonderful links course.
Jack won here twice. Sir Nick won here, Seve too. Tony Lema treated the press to champagne in 1964. Bobby Jones won the heart of a town and nation here.
Finally it was our turn to take a walk into golf history.
Nervous? You bet.
World’s widest fairway, no way to miss it.
Off and running. Stay out of the pots, listen to the experience of St. Andrews caddy Colin Hunter.
You need help on this track. Tough sight lines, plenty of penal mounding, huge greens, the world’s largest is on this course — 1.5 acres.
The wind was up, but manageable.
By the third hole I noticed something unusual about the round.
We were being watched — intensely.
Watched by the chubby, begging crows of St. Andrews.
Comic relief.
They hop right up to you and give you this “what have you got for me?” look.
They don’t go away, either.
It was a day of simple goals.
Avoid the Hell Bunker on the 14th hole at all costs. Mission accomplished. Jack Nicklaus tangled with it decades ago and made 10 on the hole.
Putt for par on the Road Hole. Mission accomplished. Great putt, hung on the lip, refused to go in.
Hit the 18th in two. Check.
Avoid three-putting from 60 feet — no check. Three-putts for bogey, this is one of the most often three-putted greens in the world.
By day’s end, everyone wore a smile.
This was the treat of a lifetime, the walk of a lifetime.
Check another one off the bucket list.
4 Comments
RM
Great story. If anything could induce me to travel overseas again, it would be the chance to play this course. It can seem deceptively simple when viewed from the safety of a TV screen. Appears relatively level, no crazy water hazards, some huge greens, even the pot bunkers ( heck, how hard could it be to work around them?), But watching the best golfers in the world work their way around confirms that it’s far, far more grueling than it may appear at face value.
For an average golfer like myself, the idea of teeing off the first hole in the presence of these caddies who have seen it all, for decades, is intimidating.
Ski moguls always look more benign from TV and from the chair lift than from the top of the hill.
Tom Edrington
RM: Standing there in front of the old clubhouse sends goodbumps all over……in the distance, the Old Course Hotel, there are some 147 bunkers and most of them have names, staying out of them is more difficult that you can imagine….the Loop Holes, starting at nine, are where you have to score as they are relatively easy. On this day, the wind was right into us on one, I actually had to layup then was able to flip a near-perfect sand wedge over the Swilcan Burn, leaving myself 14 feet for par. Played well enough to break 90 and so wanted that putt for par at the Road Hole. The Road Hole may be one of the toughest par fours in major championship golf! If you get a chance, you’ve got to go!
RM
Very impressive, Tom. As I recall, the playoff in 2015 at the Old Course started on Hole 1, with all three players hitting up toward the Swilcan Burn on their first shot, and then hitting wedges over the Burn to get on in two. Final result was two birdies and one bogey. Your par would have put you right in the mix, and into the wind at that!
Tom Edrington
RM: I said I left 14 feet for par, sadly, I didn’t make the putt….