The Other Mike's Best of Scotland

[Mike Benham]

Last fall, the original Mike penned the follow topic:

Just back from a brief five days in Scotland and two rounds at The Old Course in addition to rounds at The Eden, Carnoustie, Kilspindie and North Berwick's West Links.  

A few quick notes:

FAVORITE SHORT HOLE:

1.  The Eden's 5th.  Falsely fronted green saddled in the dune, wonderfully juxtaposed with the crossing one-shot 8th sited to the left on top of the same dune.
2.  The Old Course's 11th.  NOW I get it!
3.  Carnoustie's 13th.  Visually, beautiful.
4.  Carnoustie's 16th.  The fun begins AFTER a 250 yards driver into the wind.
5.  Kilspindie's 8th.  A mirror image of Whistling Strait's 17th minus 40 yards and a half million dollars.

...

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=6731;start=msg128822#msg128822

I returned 2 weeks ago from Scotland, playing 10 rounds in 7 days ... and enjoying the sights and customs of the home of golf

A few quick notes:

FAVORITE SHORT HOLE:

1.  Royal Troon #8 - Postage Stamp:  I never realized it was an elevated green.  All memories pointed to a downhill shot to a green surrounded by bunkers and dunes.

2.  Old Prestwick Himalaya - Do as instructed by the caddie and you too can have a 5-foot birdie putt.

3.  North Berwick West #15 Redan - Do as John Kyrstnyak tells you and you too can have a 10-foot birdie putt (do you get the impression that on blind tee shots I can follow directions pretty well, why then don't I listen to them for the shots that I can see?)

4.  Carnoustie's 16th.  Into the wind, its a hard short par-4 let alone a par-3 ..

FAVORITE LONG HOLE (or favorite thing about the long holes):

1.  Carnoustie #6 - Hogan's Alley:  I may imitate Ben by never again returning to Carnoustie after a tap in eagle on his hole.

2.  3-irons from 250 yards out, landing 50 yards short of the green and running up the throat of the green between the bunkers ... that's a golf shot played for the past 200 years ...

BEST GREEN:

1.  North Berwick's 16th.  Much more severe than expected with both ends of the green seemingly flat and straight putts.

2.  Old Prestwick - #15 Narrows:  Blind approach shot to a green that severly slopes away from you ... when dry, there can't be a way of keeping the ball on the green.

3.  Tie:  Every double green on The Old Course.  I too was dumbstruck and awestruck by each and every one ... not only with the width of the greens, but the depth ...  

BEST COMMENTS - GREENSKEEPER CATEGORY:
"Tennets, it's no good, it's nothing but chemicals ..."

BEST COMMENTS - LOCALS CATEGORY:
"Hey, you got your bloody high beams on, you're blinding everybody ... "  ... yelled at us while in traffic in Glasgow in the middle of a sunny afternoon ...


MISCELLANEOUS:

The R&A:  Fabulous lunch with a very nice bottle of Italian Chianti Classico

Rainbow:  Over the 18th green at North Berwick

Barmaid:  North Berwick

Beer:  Belhaven Best

Fish and Chips:  TIE (only because we went there twice) - Anstruther's Fish Bar

The Prestwick Kummel and the larger than life "Prestwick Measure" ...

Roundabouts are fabulous - I would love to see one in the Bay Area at the intersection of 101/280/680 ...

Road Directional Signs - Bigger than life, informative and easy to read ...

Motorcycles would be a fabulous way to tour the country ...

The Train system - Quiet, fast and on time, why can't we do that in the USA?

St. Andrews is a college town, and that could be a good thing ...

Best accidental run-in:  Walking off the second green at Kingbarn when the caddie for a member of our foursome asks:  "Mike ... are you Mike Benham ... ?"  And it was then that I met FBD himself ...

Gorse is a beautiful shrub when in bloom ...

Haggis ... cross that off my list of things to do ...

Mike

[Mark_F]

Mike,

If you think Haggis is something to cross of your list of things to try, you should try having to make the bloody stuff.  Scrubbing out sheep guts for half an hour then mincing the revolting bits and pieces that go in it... yeccch.  No wonder the deep fried Mars Bar is such a culinary sensation in Scotland...

And I'm sure it is the traditional Athol Brose accompanient that is the attraction of Haggis, not the meal itself...

[plabatt]

 :-*In my next life I will take a Phd from St. Andrews University in Recreational Sports: sex, beer, and golf!

[Mike Benham]

BEST COMMENTS - GREENSKEEPER CATEGORY:
"Tennets, it's no good, it's nothing but chemicals ..."

At Gullane #1 with "Scotty", looking north-east with Muirfield in the background ...

[Stan Dodd]

Mike,
Nice list... bringing back memories and whetting the apppetite for this summer.  I concur with the barmaid she was great.
My two best caddy comments came from John at Cruden Bay as he told of his previous day's loop
When asked by his American loop what do you call mulligans in Scotland
"We call it hitting three from the tee"
and after a less than pleasant day with this fellow he was asked what his tip should be " I'll give you a tip... throw your clubs in the North Sea".
Cheers
Stan

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I agree with all that but the negative about tennants. It is so fun to see another GCAer live the life in Scotland.

[Mike Benham]

I agree with all that but the negative about tennants. It is so fun to see another GCAer live the life in Scotland.

Tiger -

It was Scotty's words not mine ... Tennants was my favorite until John K. introduced us to Belhaven Best ...

Mike

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Thanks Mike, Belhaven Best is loved by many. Tennants is my favorite. You have to love the chemicals comment.

[Mike Hendren]

Hooray for Mike Benham!

[Bill_McBride]

Favorite places in Scotland:

That great corner of the Balcomie Links where four or five holes converge right on the cliffs above the ocean.  Beautiful and mysterious.

Everything about North Berwick's West Links, my new favorite course.

The incredible 7-11 green on the Old Course, with Hill, Strath and Shell looking at you fiercely.  And making 3 at 11.

The first tee at the Old Course, first off at 6:30 a.m.

Can't wait to return.

Tennants (and Bell's) for me, Bellhaven for my brother Bob.  Lots of Bellhaven!

[johnk]

Every one of these Scottish memory threads makes me hugely happy just to read and remember.  

But here's how great the game of golf is -

When I come back to the US, I always wonder if I'll still be interested in crappy American golf, with carts, wet fairways, slow play, corporate outings, overabundant Technicolor green, boring layouts, golfers who roll balls over and bright white sand traps.

You know what - I still love it...  the game is that good. I can read these Scottish nostalgia threads and still look forward to my 6:10am tee time on Sunday at Poppy Ridge...

Amazing.

Thanks Mike!

[THuckaby2]

John K. - you just captured the essence of golf in a nutshell there, my friend.  I have the same exact thoughts every time I return from one of these trips... I keep thinking I won't be able to stand American golf... it happens to us all...

And then I play, and hell yes, I get excited for the 11:00am tee time at Santa Teresa, even knowing I'm gonna be lucky if I finish before dark.

It's the GAME that we love - better courses are just icing on the cake.

TH

[Mike Benham]

... and still look forward to my 6:10am tee time on Sunday at Poppy Ridge...

And then I play, and hell yes, I get excited for the 11:00am tee time at Santa Teresa, even knowing I'm gonna be lucky if I finish before dark.

... yes, it is about  the game but unfortunately, I can't get as pumped for my 6:10 AM tee time at Poppy Hills on Monday morning as usual ... although the idea of getting up at 4:00 AM to drive to Monterey is probably the deal killer.

Don't forget the people ... playing with John at Dunbar and North Berwick was a once in lifetime experience, meeting Martin on the 2nd green at Kingsbarn, forgetting to call Rihc Goodale are memories that you can't put in a scrap book.  

As my buddy Steve commented during the trip, how do you know these guys?

Now John, do you have an open slot at Poppy Ridge?

[Brian Phillips]

Mike,

Has John learnt to slow down a little?  He knows what I am talking about..

Brian

[johnk]

Brian,

Did you see my conversion to the CCC note on Rich's thread about Swinley Forest - check it out.

Mike, Poppy Ridge was last weekend - I don't currently have anything this weekend.  I far prefer Hills to Ridge though...

johnk

[THuckaby2]

Mike:

Of course the people make the game, as well.  The BEST times come with great people, on great courses... but the game can still be worthwhile even absent both of these - that's my point.

A phrase I've often used in these internet groups, for a decade now, is "I could have fun playing golf on a parking lot, if the friends are right and the beer is flowing."  I firmly believe that.  So obviously the people are very important to me!

But the main thing is that it remains the game that draws us back.  Oh, upon first returning from overseas, one does have a melancholy "is this all there is?" feeling about local golf.  It happened to me for sure - I believe it happens to everyone.  And yes, it sure is tough to get excited to drive two hours to play a decent course, especially knowing it's gonna make sense to take a cart, and it's gonna take 5+ hours.  

So THAT round might not be so great... and in fact could be skipped.

BUT... over time, well... memories fade into memory, if that makes any sense... the joy of striking the ball correctly comes back into focus... the lure of the game PERIOD calls us all back.

And so one tends to focus on the good at home, rather than pine for the great elsewhere.  And in so doing, he finds what's great about his home, if he has any wisdom at all.

And most of us here are pretty darn wise in this area.

Last summer, returning from the greatest Scotland trip imaginable, with more great friends-related memories than a married man is ethically allowed to have, my first round was a glacially-paced tournament at basically-boring Santa Teresa.  Standing in 10 fairway, 3.5 hours into the round, I swear it was the closest I've ever come to withdrawing and heading home.. 10 tee is right next to the parking lot and I could see my car beckoning.

But I figured that was dishonorable, so I soldiered on.

Then I got to 11, and damn, that's a tee shot you don't see in Scotland...

Same thing on 12... what a cool green in the hollow surrounded by trees....

There sure is stuff to like, even hear at home.  Oh, that round still was hell, but I'm glad I finished.

But I couldn't wait to play again, after that.  As I recall the next round was with more great friends, in a better place...

Sure, we have no Old Course or Carnoustie or North Berwick or Painswick.  

But the GAME remains alluring, no matter where.

TH

[ForkaB]

Tom

Next time you are in Scotland, just put on those ruby red footjoys, click them together, and repeat after me:

"There's no place like home."

"There's no place like home!"

"There's no place like home?"

You'll be back in the pub drinking Bellhaven's Best before you know it!

[THuckaby2]

Rich:

Thankfully I don't have to do that in the pub - those slippers would elicit some weird looks.  

Of course you do understand the point here.  I'm not going to argue where golf is superior AGAIN.  Hell, it's better over there - you can have it.

But home is where the heart is, for sure.  My heart can never leave California.

And golf here isn't exactly awful.

But again, the point is, if one truly loves the game, the venue is wholly secondary.

TH

ps - they have Belhaven's Best on tap at a bar 1/2 mile from my house... it's also carried in bottles at two nearby markets.  

[Mike Benham]

ps - they have Belhaven's Best on tap at a bar 1/2 mile from my house... it's also carried in bottles at two nearby markets.  

That is the best (no pun intented) news I have heard all week ... pass on this details puhleeze ...

[ForkaB]

Oh, and BTW Mike Benham......

I am overwhelmed with humility that you nominated:

"...forgetting to call Rihc Goodale..."

as one of the highlights of your trip!

[THuckaby2]

Mike:

Brittania Arms, @ Almaden Expwy & Cherry, San Jose.

Bottles at PW Markets in this area.  

Luck of the draw at each, though.  Most times it's there, sometimes it's not.  

[ForkaB]

Tom IV

Great call on the Brittania Arms.  Not a bad place to watch at Old Firm match on the satellite TV at 4 in the morning!

[THuckaby2]

They have damn fine fish and chips, as well.

Plus one can watch real FOOTBALL there also, during the day.

 

[Mike Benham]

Brittania Arms, @ Almaden Expwy & Cherry, San Jose.

Bottles at PW Markets in this area.  

I should have guessed the BA ... I would not have guessed Joey Franco's PW Markets ...