Canfordhacker
Q-School Graduate
I was asked in my previous post to report back as others are planning the trip soon, so here goes.
Having promised the lads a "bucket list" trip last year, I was over the moon when I got the tee times back in January for the New and the Old. Starting praying for the weather, getting people to commit and cough up the cash and organising things. It's a 1,200 mile round trip from the south coast, and flying would be expensive with the clubs and local travel, so the road trip was on.
So last Sunday the 8 of us set off. Breezy but fine for a tune up round half way, at Pleasington near Preston. Good course, lots of elevation changes, good greens and a cracking clubhouse. Monday morning and up early for the 4 hour drive. Arrived very excited in St Andrews, in time for a brief wonder round the Links Club House, which is about 500 yards from the 1st on the Old, but right by the New. Weather was beautiful and sunny (April in Scotland is always like that yeah?) and we had a great time. Stableford scores in the low 30's, with one 37, getting us in the mood for the Old. Bit of bunker practice and the realisation that the greens are really, really firm, but necessarily the fastest I have ever played. Very true though.
Quickly checked into the Kinburn Guest House (recommended on here, 5 mins walk from first tee and town, thoroughly recommend it) and headed out to see what town was like. Went to the Central Pub, again recommended on here. Great atmosphere, huge range of good bitters on tap, good food and lots of banter with other tourists in town - all golfers. Thrown out at midnight and back to the B&B for a bottle of whisky and a bottle of port. Good job we had a late tee time on the Old...
So to the big day. Wondered into town, did the golf shops, stayed around the 1st/18th for some time watching people tee of and come in. Saw a wide variety of tee shots, but very few good shots into the 18th. The green slopes massively (absolutely massively), and being tucked into the corner with the valley of Sin and the road right there you have to be brave. Pin was 16 on and 12 from the right.Wondered down to the road hole, and was again stunned at the slope on the green from the right hand side (5 feet?) as well as how close the pin was from the road - about 6 paces, with a 4 foot slope off the back. Way harder than it looks on telly! We watched 3 Japanese tourists walk over the Swilcan Bridge and walk 80 yards up the fairway whilst people were playing...
Spot of lunch in the Dun Vegan hotel (recommended here, great tradition and photographs, but a bit tatty), then grabbed our gear. Parked back at the links Clubhouse, and though they said they would buggy us down they took forever so we walked back. And then it starts to hit you. You are about to play the Old Course, and it's kinda exciting!!!Sign in (handicap certs a must, though not on the New). Nice course planner, pencils, tees, pitch mark repairer and a black cloth bag to keep them in. Nowhere to hit balls, and the putting green by the caddy shack is not representative of the course greens. Weather again beautiful - what do you have to moan about up there?
And then you are on the tee. And you realise that whilst you have been taking the mick for days out of your mate who has a propensity to occasionally square cut it right off a 10 handicap, there's a damn fine chance you might just do that yourself. And asking the starter what kinds of strange things he has seen doesn't help. "Och I've seen people put it on the beach". ON THE BEACH for god's sake! But I've hit thousands and thousands of golf balls. This is no different. The burn is 230 away (hole is 355), so a three wood. "Gentlemen, play away". Tee in ground, ball on tee. Take a line on the gorse bush to the left and step in. And that's when it happens. You feel the pulse rate jump and your stomach does a little flip. I'm playing at St Andrews. Please God let me get my club on the ball. And she sails away down the right hand side. 9 iron to the left middle of the green, hole a 20 footer for birdie, and life is sooooooo sweet.
Would that it stayed that way, but it never does. Parred the 2nd and carved one right on the third. Never mind.
The greens are absolutely mahoosive. Nothing can prepare you for it. Ma-hoo-sive. The slopes in them are astonishing. The bunkers are evil. Evil. Evil. Just don't go in them. We have video of a 8 handicapper giving up in the Road Hole bunker. (The laughter in background is not supportive). I made a magical two on the 11th (164 yards over acres of bunkers). Middled a 7 iron to the back and holed a 25 footer. Felt like a pro!
On the 13th mist raced in from the sea, and it was a bit eerie for the last 6 holes.
Nailed my drive down the Road hole, faded it round the hotel. Hit a 5 iron to the front of the green and managed a 3 putt up the side of Everest. Then creamed a drive down 18. Stood over a 7 iron (it's only 6 yards longer than the first!) thinking "don't be a pussy, commit to this" and knocked it to 12 feet. Left a curling putt an inch short. Absolutely made up even though I only made 29 points!
Out on the pop in the Criterion (again excellent bitters and atmosphere) followed by curry in the Maisha (don't be late, we were the only ones in!). And a 600 mile drive home the following day still buzzing.
So apologies for the long post, particularly for those that have played it before. Ticked off the bucket list, time to plan my next course on the Open rota. Can't bloody wait!
Having promised the lads a "bucket list" trip last year, I was over the moon when I got the tee times back in January for the New and the Old. Starting praying for the weather, getting people to commit and cough up the cash and organising things. It's a 1,200 mile round trip from the south coast, and flying would be expensive with the clubs and local travel, so the road trip was on.
So last Sunday the 8 of us set off. Breezy but fine for a tune up round half way, at Pleasington near Preston. Good course, lots of elevation changes, good greens and a cracking clubhouse. Monday morning and up early for the 4 hour drive. Arrived very excited in St Andrews, in time for a brief wonder round the Links Club House, which is about 500 yards from the 1st on the Old, but right by the New. Weather was beautiful and sunny (April in Scotland is always like that yeah?) and we had a great time. Stableford scores in the low 30's, with one 37, getting us in the mood for the Old. Bit of bunker practice and the realisation that the greens are really, really firm, but necessarily the fastest I have ever played. Very true though.
Quickly checked into the Kinburn Guest House (recommended on here, 5 mins walk from first tee and town, thoroughly recommend it) and headed out to see what town was like. Went to the Central Pub, again recommended on here. Great atmosphere, huge range of good bitters on tap, good food and lots of banter with other tourists in town - all golfers. Thrown out at midnight and back to the B&B for a bottle of whisky and a bottle of port. Good job we had a late tee time on the Old...
So to the big day. Wondered into town, did the golf shops, stayed around the 1st/18th for some time watching people tee of and come in. Saw a wide variety of tee shots, but very few good shots into the 18th. The green slopes massively (absolutely massively), and being tucked into the corner with the valley of Sin and the road right there you have to be brave. Pin was 16 on and 12 from the right.Wondered down to the road hole, and was again stunned at the slope on the green from the right hand side (5 feet?) as well as how close the pin was from the road - about 6 paces, with a 4 foot slope off the back. Way harder than it looks on telly! We watched 3 Japanese tourists walk over the Swilcan Bridge and walk 80 yards up the fairway whilst people were playing...
Spot of lunch in the Dun Vegan hotel (recommended here, great tradition and photographs, but a bit tatty), then grabbed our gear. Parked back at the links Clubhouse, and though they said they would buggy us down they took forever so we walked back. And then it starts to hit you. You are about to play the Old Course, and it's kinda exciting!!!Sign in (handicap certs a must, though not on the New). Nice course planner, pencils, tees, pitch mark repairer and a black cloth bag to keep them in. Nowhere to hit balls, and the putting green by the caddy shack is not representative of the course greens. Weather again beautiful - what do you have to moan about up there?
And then you are on the tee. And you realise that whilst you have been taking the mick for days out of your mate who has a propensity to occasionally square cut it right off a 10 handicap, there's a damn fine chance you might just do that yourself. And asking the starter what kinds of strange things he has seen doesn't help. "Och I've seen people put it on the beach". ON THE BEACH for god's sake! But I've hit thousands and thousands of golf balls. This is no different. The burn is 230 away (hole is 355), so a three wood. "Gentlemen, play away". Tee in ground, ball on tee. Take a line on the gorse bush to the left and step in. And that's when it happens. You feel the pulse rate jump and your stomach does a little flip. I'm playing at St Andrews. Please God let me get my club on the ball. And she sails away down the right hand side. 9 iron to the left middle of the green, hole a 20 footer for birdie, and life is sooooooo sweet.
Would that it stayed that way, but it never does. Parred the 2nd and carved one right on the third. Never mind.
The greens are absolutely mahoosive. Nothing can prepare you for it. Ma-hoo-sive. The slopes in them are astonishing. The bunkers are evil. Evil. Evil. Just don't go in them. We have video of a 8 handicapper giving up in the Road Hole bunker. (The laughter in background is not supportive). I made a magical two on the 11th (164 yards over acres of bunkers). Middled a 7 iron to the back and holed a 25 footer. Felt like a pro!
On the 13th mist raced in from the sea, and it was a bit eerie for the last 6 holes.
Nailed my drive down the Road hole, faded it round the hotel. Hit a 5 iron to the front of the green and managed a 3 putt up the side of Everest. Then creamed a drive down 18. Stood over a 7 iron (it's only 6 yards longer than the first!) thinking "don't be a pussy, commit to this" and knocked it to 12 feet. Left a curling putt an inch short. Absolutely made up even though I only made 29 points!
Out on the pop in the Criterion (again excellent bitters and atmosphere) followed by curry in the Maisha (don't be late, we were the only ones in!). And a 600 mile drive home the following day still buzzing.
So apologies for the long post, particularly for those that have played it before. Ticked off the bucket list, time to plan my next course on the Open rota. Can't bloody wait!
