Woohoo! 100th course...and a dream round to boot!

[John_Findlay]

Fellow forumers. I'm a very happy man.

Do you ever look forward to playing a particular course so much that the level of expectation can spoil it completely?

Well....thank heavens that wasn't the case today.

Some of you may know that I've been on a mission for the last couple of years to play the Old Course at St Andrews as my 100th course. Been putting off playing it until my golf had improved to a level where I could hopefully enjoy it to it's fullest.

So today was the day at last....and I shot a 74 I may be drunk for a week!

As if that wasn't good enough...I birdied the 17th (and the 9th and the 14th)....a dream come true.

Here's me taking the Tiger line over the hotel at 17 this morning

..and where I sank the putt from after a 2 iron into the green.

Truly SUPERB day, great weather, company, course and golf.

Soooooo many stories....but MikeH has asked if I would do a wee article about the experience, which might end up in the magazine, so I won't go into too much detail just now. But frankly I don't know if it gets any better than this. I'm buzzing and may have to be scraped off the ceiling tonight. Only a couple of weeks after my best ever score, too, and an albatross last week. What's going on?

 

[DCB]

Congratulations John. Looks like the weather was kind to you as well. That's the stuff that dreams are made of isn't it. Well played and lets raise a glass to the next 100.

Dave

 

[birdieman]

Great score John, beats my 82 by a mile, but we had 4 degrees C, those awful mats, no 11th hole and a gale to deal with!
I got an eagle on 10th and a birdie on 6th and cuffed my opponent 5&4 when I played the Old so good memories.
A birdie on 17 -impressive, I took an 8 there after skying my tee shot into the hotel grounds.
How was your tee shot on the 1st? - biggest fairway in the world but you still feel you're going to duff it!

 

[John_Findlay]

Thanks, Stu.

Erm... the 1st ? Put it this way. It's an unmissable fairway! Unless you "do a Monty" and plop it in the Swilcan Burn like I did. Adrenaline!

 

[TonyN]

How are you typing! I would be sozzled by now most definitly!

Well done mate, such an achievment, so much so its inspired me to follow n your footsteps. I hae started to compile a list of courses myself.

 

[John_Findlay]

Tony,

I've been up since 3am. Left Edinburgh at 4am. Was waiting at the starter's box at 5.30 am as a single hoping to get paired up. Teed off at 7.40 am and I'm gonna have a sleep now before having a "small sherry" with friends tonight.

Just hoping that when I wake up it wasn't a dream!

 

[Ken_A]

Congratulations John. That's the stuff that dreams are made of

As the man said - you lucky dog

 

[Smudge]

nice one mate.

 

[madandra]

Well done John, St. Andrews is the spritual home of golf and you have life long memories of how you tonked the 17th. Think of all those who have walked the fairways before you and it sends shivvers up your spine.

Am chuffed for yae !!

 

[Boabski]

Great stuff john ,glad you had a great day and the memories to tell the granweans

 

[dave_dunbar]

congratulations m8 the course looks in excellent condition I wouldn't expect anything less, the weather hold up ok did it?

 

[RGuk]

Wow....great stuff. Nice to see the photos (did you have to go over the shed?) and 3 birdies!.....how good are you getting? I'm guessing you avoided those nasty bunkers we hear so much about!
Well done, great end to a great story.

 

[shanker]

Well done JF! Great score and terrific photos. The course looks to be in immaculate condition. Realgolfer asks if you had to go over the shed? Some posters might not know that the building in front of you is a replica of the old railway sheds that the pros had to drive over until not so long ago. When I go, I want to hit my second onto the Road!

 

[OldWindy]

Congratulation JF! Well done!

 

[backwoodsman]

J-F: Very well done. An experience you'll not forget I suspect. Just think of all the big names who've been round in a greater number of shots......

 

[John_Findlay]

Thankyou guys,

An unforgettable experience. I'm a very proud...(and slightly merry) chap.

The course was in fantastic condition. Look at this.

Does it get any nicer? Was incredibly lucky with the weather. Virtually no wind. Great greens. (surprisingly subtle borrows...not the big breaks that I expected). Virtually no rough. Go left, avoid the bunkers and it's actually pretty straightforward on a day like this.

Dave, the sheds? Well....

.....do you ever have the occasional shot where the eyes blur over through nerves? I had 3. The first tee shot, that drive on the 17th and the approach to the 18th.

My caddie told me to aim over the "O" of "Old Course" but I was feeling good at +3, made sure to aim high (they're not far away) and hit it over that with a fade! Felt like Seve for a mini moment! Ended up on the right hand side of the fairway, 200 to go. The 2 iron in was even better, even if I say so myself, but Boabski knows how much I love that club!

The other 2 birdies were lovely. Drove the green on the 9th. Best drive of the day. Just missed my eagle. The other was on the 14th. Good drive, good 2nd over "Hell Bunker" and a good wedge to 8 feet which I holed.

Was actually 5 over par after 6 holes (nerves, penalty on the 1st and 2x3 putts) .........but 3 under par for the last 12. Happy days.

Here's me sizing up a 45 yard putt on the 5th after reaching the par five in 2. Needless to say, that was one of the 3 putts.

Sorry for raving about it! Can you tell that I'm still happy?

 

[birdieman]

John, I expect that handicap to tumble this year, +2 on the Old Course is not the play of a 9 handicapper!
Must be a good confidence booster going into the new season?

Despite my current injury I'm confident I can improve after the lesson I took a few weeks ago, I got to 5 hcap with a terrible grip so now that's sorted I can hit the ball a lot further now.

I have 3 days golf at Dornoch, Tain and Brora at end of May lined up so need to be fit for that.

 

[John_Findlay]

Birdieman,

Snap ! Going to Dornoch and Nairn mid May, then again to Dornoch with Tain and Brora tagged on end June. It's a hard life. Hope you enjoy your trip and make good progress this year after being out so long with the injury/ bad weather and all.

The confidence is well and truly back now after the nightmare that was the Jubilee in January!

My pro said that I just needed to go out an "play" rather than swing and a par round would be around the corner. That 67 a couple of weeks back was the turning point. It's looking like it might be my best year yet!.......and those good greens yesterday maybe made me realise I'm not such a bad putter after all. I just putt on bad greens!

 

[toonarmy]

I am speechless John!

For a +9 to go round the Old Lady in +2 is just extraordinary.

If I ever meet you, I might feel obliged to get on bended knees and chant "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy"

Note to self - never play him for money...

 

[John_Findlay]

You guys!