TL;DR Turned up at the Old Course on spec this week, fluked a game in perfect weather and had a blast. Thought someone might be interested

Have already shared this with the SEQGG group, and apparently I am an arsy wanker. Am in London, flying home tomorrow night, and while I pack my bags and sort things out I will put up a few posts on how this happened.

If you want to know, read on.

Back story:

Had to have minor surgery on my shoulder in December, with a ban on golf until March. Average club b grader, love my golf and missing out over summer seemed a bit harsh.

All the same, had to come to London to work for a month in January when I wasn’t going to be able to play anyway, and would have a weeks leave to look over the UK. Constantly asked if I was going up to St Andrews, I said only a crazy person would go to Scotland midwinter and I would stick to seeing some of the southeast. When the umpteenth person asked (Sandy), I cracked and looked into it – and it was feasible. So I said I would go, and wouldn’t that be a great way to come back from injury. Would have to start golf a couple of weeks before the doc said it was ok though.

BTW, The UK looked like this the week I arrived.

Not exactly hopeful …

How to get on:

There are four ways

1. Register on line in the previous September. Missed that

2. As part of a package tour. Didn’t have time, and it cost a bomb.

3. Register for the ballot 48 hours beforehand and hope to get drawn. But singles aren’t eligible for the ballot.

4. See the starter on the day, have your name put on the list to see if you can get a game.

The course is members only on Saturdays, closed for golf on Sundays (public have access to walk it), and during winter regularly closes for course maintenance and repair, as well as when it snows or when there are major events.

Tee times are allocated to groups of two or more. Times are every 10 mins from 8am to 1 pm in winter. If all times are allocated, the starter will ask groups of less than 4 if they are prepared to have a single join them. The group has the option to decline.

So, all I needed was to have no bad weather in Scotland in winter, not have the course closed, be early in the queue, have a gap in the field, and have a group prepared to take a single.

Seemed straight forward :-)

I emailed the club and they said it was certainly possible, but nothing could be guaranteed. You turn up and see what happens. Anyway, possible was good enough, and at worst I could walk the course Sunday.

Fair enough. Transport and accommodation booked.

Preparation:

- shoulder was a problem. Physio gave me a course of flexibility and strength exercises to do for 10 weeks. For the first time ever I did exactly what the physio required. Had incentive

- could not make a full swing with out risk. Did a little chipping and putting here and there, but even chipping could make it twinge – it worried me and I stopped

- brought my shoes and handicap letter from the club (required to show that you are less than the minimum), left the sticks at home because it wasn’t worth it – Callaway Razrs are the hire clubs on hand for 30 pounds

- brought a box of balls from London – it was likely to be wet and soggy so Warbirds seemed ok. and cheap. Prepared to lose a bunch.

- there’s a range at the Golf Academy across from the 17th. Figured if I got a time I could go over there to warm up/see if I could still hit a ball

- if the course was open, I would play in wind, hail or sleet. Brought stacks of cold and wet weather gear with me, and found you can buy pairs of golf gloves over here (one for each hand)

Getting a slot:

The starter arrives at 7:30, and takes names of singles first come first served and then “will give advice on the day’s play”. In summer, the queue forms from 2 am! I asked the concierge at the hotel when I should get there – he said he had no idea because he usually doesn’t get asked the question in winter. He thought 7am would be fine. Decided to get there at 6 – I wanted to be first in line.

The time sheet was already up in the window, and there were dozens of spare spots, but having come this far I wasn’t taking any chances. It had been a beautiful clear day on the Sunday, and Monday was going to be the same. What if every golfer in Fife had the same idea?

Walking down from the hotel I could see the stars, which looked like a good sign for the weather, and I was first there. About 10 minutes later Ken from Michigan turned up, we got to chatting and hit it off and agreed that if it was allowed we would play together.

Starter, George the taciturn Scot, arrived on time and gave us a grunt. He took our names, but said there was to be a frost delay (didn’t think of that!) and play would start “when God is ready”. He was grumpy because of that – it was up to him to tell the groups from 8 til 10 (as it turned out) they had lost their times. They don’t push the field back – if play is not possible when your time comes up, you miss out! I wonder what the conversation with the 9:50 group was like.

He told us to go to the Links Clubhouse and wait for announcements, but we were likely to get on after 12. He wouldn’t know exactly until play commenced.

So we had breakfast up there, and took this shot from the clubhouse verandah.

You can just make out the green keeper center right of the shot doing the 9am inspection.

Off and running:

Course was declared open at 10, and we went round to see the office as George had told us to. They rang him to find out we were off at 10:50

We just had time to get changed, hire clubs, walk back to the tee, pay the man and have two (!) practice putts before being called to the tee. George put two other singles with us – Ian, who had driven up from Leeds for the day, and Luke from Sydney who was visiting his girlfriend from Sydney. Quick introduction, and we were off.

First off as first on the tee sheet, half practice swing, lined up on the gorse bush halfway between the green and the Swilcan bridge like the playing guide said. Was so excited it barely registered that I was doing this without practice or warm up or having hit a ball for three months. Caught it half decent and on line, left with 100 in. Everyone got their first one in play, as you should with a 100m wide fairway :-)

We were playing off mats, which was expected if a little off putting. You can see it in this shot, where only after I flew the flag by 10m did it occur that the 100 in was yards, not metres.

Playing the game:

Even though I remember every one, will spare you the shot by shot.

Winter rules were in force, so mats on the close mown grass. Took a little getting used to as they are about 2cm thick.

The greens were big, and of course a lot of double greens, a bit hairy and slow – cut high for winter. We all struggled for pace, lots of putts left short. Just the one three putt on the first for me (10 ft short on the approach), and made a couple of nice 4/5 footers for pars including the last, plus a long bomb along the way. One par 3 had a temporary green, in pretty ordinary condition, but all the others in good nick.

More often than not, struggled to work out a line from the tee. The landing areas were not obvious, and you could mainly just see a lot of mounds, bunkers and vegetation. Even with a course guide in my hand I could not work a lot of holes out. Fortunately for us, young Luke had played once before and was also striping it off the tee (he had 76) so we quickly worked out to just follow his line. There is one absolutely blind tee shot, and then of course the Road Hole. This was the only time the whole day I felt anxious – it’s not hard to carry the sheds (we all did) but it was surprisingly nerve wracking. Lukey boy made birdie and was rapt, yours truly lipped out a 5 foot par putt after being in the Valley of Sin and still felt happy.

Most of the trouble off the tee is to the right, which suited my hook and generally stayed out of trouble. Blocked one into the gorse and played three from the tee – didn’t even think about searching for it, that shite is prickly. The other 9s fairways were always to the left as well, and you usually had a viable shot if you went that far left. Made a couple of nice pars that way.

Caught three of the pot bunkers. The first still had ice in it. Got one out onto the green, one I had to play backward and the other had a penalty drop from up against the sod wall (made a triple) The hire clubs had high bounce wedges and no lobby, so were useless because the sand was wet and hard packed – learnt to not go in the bunkers, and stayed clear after the 8th hole.

The only “detraction” from the links experience was absolutely no wind, but I’m not complaining. It was 6 degrees max.

The yellow tees we played off were rated 71.4 with 129 slope. Had 44 out and 41 in, but did not think of the score all the way along having such a great time. Reckon I walked all day with this look on my face

and it might stay around a while

And here’s the expected.

Yours truly, Ken, Ian and Luke on the bridge.

Absolutely fantastic day. If you haven’t already, do it. You know you want to.

That is awesome!
Playing of the matts would have been a bit ordinary.

Is that a rule for summer as well?

That is awesome!
Playing of the matts would have been a bit ordinary.

Is that a rule for summer as well?

We knew that was the go and it probably sounds worse than it was.

The grass doesn’t grow in winter, so the divots can’t repair, and I was happy not to be taking big chunks out of the sacred turf. Didn’t apply to the tee or the rough, so only about a dozen times for full shots on the way round. You don’t get many level lies anyway, and was used to the idea after a couple of holes.

Great story steve. Sounds like a place not to miss even with a busted shoulder.

Great story steve. Sounds like a place not to miss even with a busted shoulder.

One “uh oh” moment when it twinged after the first tee shot, then didn’t even think of it. Seems to be all good now.

sounds like you had a ball mate… thanks for all the updates!

sounds like you had a ball mate… thanks for all the updates!

those pictures are awesome mate
game of a life time
and the protocol of getting on sounds hectic and you still got to play.
fantastic

and a special hey to linds too :))

and a special hey to linds too :))

Brought the big fella out of retirement. Now I feel privileged.

Great story – what an experience for you.