Trump int'l / Carnoustie, April/May 2016

[Liverbirdie]

Back home after a great weekend. Big thanks to everyone I played with Gary, Josh, Paul, Kenny, Simon and Ben; great company and some good golf played by all... at times! And also the guys at the curry and the pub last night!

Also big thanks to the organisers, Scott, Peter and Glyn - a fantastic job creating the opportunity for all us forummers to come and play a great course (and lots of other great courses for those in the full trip). I, for one, really appreciate your efforts.

After the first round I also had it trending towards the best course I've played but after the rematch I've knocked it down a place or two. Great layout but, for me, needs to settle in a bit more and they really need to sort some of those bunkers out.

Pretty happy with my golf, I must admit, definitely a touch harder today with the stronger wind but I slipped some shots stupidly so could have been better. Best claim to fame is probably playing all 36 holes with the same ball. Anyone else not lose any?

Hope you get some decent weather tomorrow and enjoy Carnoustie!

Weirdly enough Kaz, I didnt lose one ball on Cruden (apart from a provisional, that I only looked for 30 seconds, as my original had been found), Mur(der)car, trump (both rounds) and Carnasty.

I did lose one on the St.Olaf 9 hole course though - mad innit?

 

[Liverbirdie]

Was going great. 24pts after 13 holes. Went after my tee shot on 14, which I creamed, but something popped in my wrist. Couldn't hold a club.... Now in A&E.

Hope your OK Bri.

 

[Oxfordcomma]

I've been trying to gather thoughts and work out what to say but I'm still just grinning away every time I look at the photos, Jimaroid's last post is actually very good, very accurate and rather more eloquent than I'm capable of being at the moment. To Glyverbirchy tours, or whatever we call them, just like everyone else has said, a massive thank you, all of the effort you guys put in created an astonishingly good trip for all of us. Pete was talking to me on the course yesterday about how when you play these top tracks you're creating memories, well, thanks to you guys there are so many memories for so many people that aren't going to fade.

On the courses, I was trying to work out which one I think is my favourite and I can't.

Cruden was wonderful, the views put a massive grin on my face so many times. I posted a while back about how some golfers I bumped into in a pub in Deal had told me that, and they were so right.
Murcar I think is probably a very very good course and I totally understand why people were saying on Friday night that it was better than Cruden. The people saying that weren't those that were out at the start though! I don't think I've been that cold and wet on a course ever, when the hail is driving so hard that you can't put your face towards it you know it's a bad day. Unfortunately I never really recovered from those first aborted 4 holes, by the time we reached the turn on the second attempt I felt like I'd already played 36.
Until I saw Trump I thought Cruden was the most stunning course I'd ever seen visually but now it's the second. Not so much putting a big grin on your face (except for the top tees on 14 and 18) but such significant wow factors all the way round. Have to agree with those criticising the bunkers (too penal, I even ended up in one that had an overhang ffs) and fairways (too firm for my tastes) but those can be fixed and they really have created a great course, in terms of hole layout and challenge as well as looks.
Then finally Carnoustie - nothing at all to look at when compared to the earlier courses but just so many great holes. And of course the iconic history - I can say that I nailed a drive down Hogan's alley (probably won't mention too often that I duffed the second right up against the OOB fence, but hey, you get the idea). Next time the pros go there and they're all driving the 3rd I can say that I had a birdie on that hole. I can even say I hit my second on 18 into the same burn as VdV! (Again, I may not mention that I then knifed two dropped balls straight through the green onto the putting course)

This was my very first time in Scotland, let alone golfing in Scotland. Pretty sure it won't be the last though. To Scouser, AndyW, Wookie, Robobum, Lincoln Quaker, Jimaroid, Topoftheflop and his guest Dale, Duffers, Paperboy, HDID Kenny, Fairway dodger, Liverbirdie, Merv79 and Drive4show, I thank you for both the laughs and for putting up with my golf which alternated between pretty good and bloody awful, with a tendency towards the latter. And Karen, if you can play off the men's tees and still beat the vast majority of us, I don't care what Glyn says, you deserve your 7 shots!

See you next time!

 

[Liverbirdie]

I've been trying to gather thoughts and work out what to say but I'm still just grinning away every time I look at the photos, Jimaroid's last post is actually very good, very accurate and rather more eloquent than I'm capable of being at the moment. To Glyverbirchy tours, or whatever we call them, just like everyone else has said, a massive thank you, all of the effort you guys put in created an astonishingly good trip for all of us. Pete was talking to me on the course yesterday about how when you play these top tracks you're creating memories, well, thanks to you guys there are so many memories for so many people that aren't going to fade.

On the courses, I was trying to work out which one I think is my favourite and I can't.

Cruden was wonderful, the views put a massive grin on my face so many times. I posted a while back about how some golfers I bumped into in a pub in Deal had told me that, and they were so right.
Murcar I think is probably a very very good course and I totally understand why people were saying on Friday night that it was better than Cruden. The people saying that weren't those that were out at the start though! I don't think I've been that cold and wet on a course ever, when the hail is driving so hard that you can't put your face towards it you know it's a bad day. Unfortunately I never really recovered from those first aborted 4 holes, by the time we reached the turn on the second attempt I felt like I'd already played 36.
Until I saw Trump I thought Cruden was the most stunning course I'd ever seen visually but now it's the second. Not so much putting a big grin on your face (except for the top tees on 14 and 18) but such significant wow factors all the way round. Have to agree with those criticising the bunkers (too penal, I even ended up in one that had an overhang ffs) and fairways (too firm for my tastes) but those can be fixed and they really have created a great course, in terms of hole layout and challenge as well as looks.
Then finally Carnoustie - nothing at all to look at when compared to the earlier courses but just so many great holes. And of course the iconic history - I can say that I nailed a drive down Hogan's alley (probably won't mention too often that I duffed the second right up against the OOB fence, but hey, you get the idea). Next time the pros go there and they're all driving the 3rd I can say that I had a birdie on that hole. I can even say I hit my second on 18 into the same burn as VdV! (Again, I may not mention that I then knifed two dropped balls straight through the green onto the putting course)

This was my very first time in Scotland, let alone golfing in Scotland. Pretty sure it won't be the last though. To Scouser, AndyW, Wookie, Robobum, Lincoln Quaker, Jimaroid, Topoftheflop and his guest Dale, Duffers, Paperboy, HDID Kenny, Fairway dodger, Liverbirdie, Merv79 and Drive4show, I thank you for both the laughs and for putting up with my golf which alternated between pretty good and bloody awful, with a tendency towards the latter. And Karen, if you can play off the men's tees and still beat the vast majority of us, I don't care what Glyn says, you deserve your 7 shots!

See you next time!

Can someone tell Oxford Comma, that I'm supposed to do the longest review. Got my work cut out now.

Might leave it till tomorrow night, and drink my Cruden Whisky with it, as still plum tuckered out!

In the meantime, wouldn't mind seeing some more of the photos people took, and further reviews of the courses. Always interested to get peoples different perspectives on the same course, and at times can even change your mind, or make you look at things differently.

 

[Oxfordcomma]

Forgot to mention the food and drink.

Thanks to Cruden for the whisky. Is that not great from a starter? Here's some tees lads, some pencils, and some whisky.
Murcar: Whisky is good, but try not to let Paperboy drink quite so much of it before his round.
To Trump: Get some pastry-based goodness onto your refreshment carts! That was very disappointing, all we had on offer was overpriced cold drinks, bags of crisps, and lukewarm tea.
And Carnoustie: Richart is right, those were seriously great pies at the halfway hut. Messy as anything, I think ideally you actually want a plate, knife, fork and bib for those, but anything that tastes that good can be forgiven.

 

[Oxfordcomma]

I should probably have thought a little more about what I wanted to post before I started, but one more.

Just looked at the scores. As far as I can see, there were 196 rounds of golf started across the 5 days (I'm not including the additional courses). And ONE of them finished with a score better than handicap. You know it's been tough when the words "27? Good score, well done" are being said every day ...

 

[Hacker Khan]

Can someone tell Oxford Comma, that I'm supposed to do the longest review. Got my work cut out now.

Might leave it till tomorrow night, and drink my Cruden Whisky with it, as still plum tuckered out!

In the meantime, wouldn't mind seeing some more of the photos people took, and further reviews of the courses. Always interested to get peoples different perspectives on the same course, and at times can even change your mind, or make you look at things differently.

If you want a further review of the courses then personally I thought Trump was exactly what I wanted. I remember seeing pictures of it when it was first opened and thinking, that looks superb, I'd love to play there. I had paid a fair whack to come along and also driven 8 or so hours to get there. So I was after something spectacular, and that is what Trump gave me. I am not the greatest golfer in the world so I was after some 'bang for my buck' in that I was constantly saying 'wow', and Trump gave me that. I really liked the fact that you felt very isolated and at times it felt like you were the only ones out there. Me and my plus one got there silly early on the Saturday but that gave us a couple of hours to use all the practice facilities which were superb. I fully get that the greens and quality of the fairways are not what they arguably should be for a top 10 course in the UK and it needs time to bed in and mature a bit, but personally that did not overly bother me. I played my best golf on that day as well which always helps, plus I'm a sucker for a raised tee. As I'm shallow like that.

Carnoustie beat me up a bit to be honest. This was frustrating as on the rare occasion where I managed to hit a half decent drive I scored OK, so I could see a hacker like me could score on it. But it was still enjoyable and I completely get the argument that you could play it every day of the week and not get bored of it and due to it's excellence, it would provide a fresh challenge every day. Where as the wow factor could ware off a bit on Trump after playing it a few times. But looking purely at this trip, I'm not going to be playing them every day of the week, so I enjoyed Trump more as an one (or two) off 'wow experience', which is personally just what I was after.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Weirdly enough Kaz, I didnt lose one ball on Cruden (apart from a provisional, that I only looked for 30 seconds, as my original had been found), Mur(der)car, trump (both rounds) and Carnasty.

I did lose one on the St.Olaf 9 hole course though - mad innit?

Pretty good peter, I wouldn't have thought much chance of anyone doing that. Shame about the one on the 9 holer!

On reflection it was pretty hard to miss the massive fairways at trump!

 

[chellie]

Was too knackered to post when we got back last night. Only stopped off once for food, which may surprise some, but it took us ages to get home. Combination of roadworks, volume of traffic and speed restrictions.

What a fabulous trip. Courses were amazing. Huge thanks again to Peter, Scott and Glyn for organising it.

 

[Smiffy]

I've always said that if I had to choose anywhere to play my last game of golf it would be Carnoustie, preferably on a nice Summer's evening with hardly a puff of wind.
Absolutely fantastic course.

 

[FairwayDodger]

And Karen, if you can play off the men's tees and still beat the vast majority of us, I don't care what Glyn says, you deserve your 7 shots!

Don't want to be too critical given the amazing job and amount of work the guys did but the refusal to adjust handicaps for a mixed comp was the one misstep. I'll have to content myself with the knowledge I gave you all 7 courtesy shots per round and still beat most of you.

:whoo:

I should probably have thought a little more about what I wanted to post before I started, but one more.

Just looked at the scores. As far as I can see, there were 196 rounds of golf started across the 5 days (I'm not including the additional courses). And ONE of them finished with a score better than handicap. You know it's been tough when the words "27? Good score, well done" are being said every day ...

Given the handicapping issue its not apparent from the stableford scores but I smashed my handicap on Saturday at trump. Gross 80 net 77 vs SSS 79 on a day nobody else got anywhere near theirs. Pretty chuffed with that round.

 

[IanG]

Given the handicapping issue its not apparent from the stableford scores but I smashed my handicap on Saturday at trump. Gross 80 net 77 vs SSS 79 on a day nobody else got anywhere near theirs. Pretty chuffed with that round.

Great shooting Karen - you're right to be chuffed.

 

[TopOfTheFlop]

Can only echo what has already been said on the previous pages. A great organisational effort from the chaps that enabled us to tick a few big courses off the bucket list.
It was very difficult to choose a favourite but even though I found Trump aesthetically perfect, I've never seen more beautiful views from a golf course than that of Cruden.
Attached is a pic from the uphill climb to the tee on 9! Had to stop a few times to push Hobbit up to the top!

 

[garyinderry]

Will someone post some scores for heavens sake.

 

[Hobbit]

Can only echo what has already been said on the previous pages. A great organisational effort from the chaps that enabled us to tick a few big courses off the bucket list.
It was very difficult to choose a favourite but even though I found Trump aesthetically perfect, I've never seen more beautiful views from a golf course than that of Cruden.
Attached is a pic from the uphill climb to the tee on 9! Had to stop a few times to push Hobbit up to the top!
View attachment 19247

Can't believe you wouldn't give me that piggy back, you being an athlete an all!

Carnoustie is fantastic. Talk about having to manage your way around a course!

Cruden, apart from that stupid hill, was to die for - and nearly did me. And it had a club feel, which I didn't get from Carnoustie.

 

[Paperboy]

On reflection it was pretty hard to miss the massive fairways at trump!

Speak for yourself, try it with a dirty cut/slice

 

[rickg]

Will someone post some scores for heavens sake.

https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=AFAB0DF2315827BB!960&app=Excel&authkey=!AMspipYDQ547qG0

 

[garyinderry]

https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=AFAB0DF2315827BB!960&app=Excel&authkey=!AMspipYDQ547qG0

Tough scoring. :swing:

 

[Smiffy]

https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=AFAB0DF2315827BB!960&app=Excel&authkey=!AMspipYDQ547qG0

Did Richart only play 9 holes on a couple of days???
I know his back is a bit dodgy but it's a shame he couldn't manage 18......

 

[richart]

Did Richart only play 9 holes on a couple of days???
I know his back is a bit dodgy but it's a shame he couldn't manage 18......

I only played the down wind holes at Trump.