The town of St. Andrews is the golf epicenter of the world.
We come here on pilgrimages to the Home of Golf.
St. Andrews is also home to St. Andrews University, The school that has a very Ivy League feel to it.
Serious studies, international student body. This is where Prince William met Kate Middleton and the rest of that one is Royal history.
But this week there was a different vibe. It is Raisin’ Week as they refer to it. We knew something was up when we saw students running into the freezing Firth of Forth waters on the West Banks early Sunday morning. Others were prancing about, proclaiming that they began their day’s drinking at 6 a.m.
They basically did their best to take over their own town and they did a marvelous job.
Best moment we saw was our stroll up the 18 fairway of the Old Course Sunday morning. The Old Course is closed on Sundays and it becomes one massive dog park. A gang of Student surrounded me and begged: “May we serenade you?”
A quick “yes” produced a lively song session. The group then proceeded to take the flagstick from the 18th green and attempted to march off with it.
Quickly, a stodgy looking fellow came hustling out of the R&A headquarters and he was screaming at the students:
“Ay, ay Ye cannot take that PUT IT BACK, PUT IT BACK NOW!”
Thought the guy was gonna have a brain aneurism or at best a heart attack.
The student politely apologized, replaced the flag then went on their merry way.
The R&A guy stormed back inside the famous fortress.
The kids were all over the place all week. It was simply fun to watch.
Raisin’ Week?
More like Raisin’ Hell and Drinking Week.
For sure.
Ah, Youth!
