that certain Muirfieldness...

[Darren_Kilfara]

FBD - wear your jacket and tie to the club upon arrival and change into your golfing kit in the locker room. To avoid the burning sensation described by Mr. McCarthy, be sensible and have a shower after the morning round and before lunch - and enjoy the HUGE flat showerheads and the torrents of water which flow forth from them. Make sure you take a peek at the library of books in the big drawing room whilst sipping your pre-lunch drink (you're usually made to wait a few minutes before proceeding into the dining hall). And, of course, enjoy the course, which I enjoy more and more each time I see it...

Cheers,
Darren

[jg7236]

Sorry for my post, I got excited when I saw Muirfield because the Memorial Tournament is this week in Ohio.  I now realize which Muirfield you all are talking about, I should of read each and every thread.

Cheers,

John

[Marty Bonnar]

I had typed a long, boring screed about the day, but decided to let the pictures do the talking. Suffice it to say, we had a superb time. Muirfield is a truly GREAT golf venue from the golf to the service to the lunches!!!

Entering the hallowed gates...



Obligatory Ass Pics...

Me...



Mike...(in sudden unexpected sandstorm (don't know what's gone wrong here - suspect finger/lens prob.)



...and Leveille holes for EAGLE at 17...lovely running pitch from about 70 yards.



and finally, various images for the architecturally bent.....














FBD.

[Voytek Wilczak]

What is it?

and what would you advise the Muirfield tyro to look out for most.

Keep it in the short grass.

It is much better to be short and straight than long and wrong. That is true on many courses, but very much so on Muirfield.

As for Muirfieldness, I can't help but be impressed by the class of the staff and their friendliness towards this visitor.

[Jason Hines]

Great Photos and Post Martin,

Keep them coming.  Someone finally showed me a pic of a Scottish green, you cannot see that texture and makeup from this side of the pond on TV.  How did they putt?

Jason

[Philip Gawith]

Great pics Martin. I think you should overcome your bout of reserve and supplement with some impressions.

My strongest memory of Muirfield is standing in the queue for lunch and being joined by some old Member whom I had never met, who opined, apropos nothing at all: "There's only two things wrong with the world - that's greed, and homosexuality."

Quite what prompted this intervention remains a mystery, but it was certainly a lot more memorable than your average pre-lunch patter.

[THuckaby2]

Philip:

Perhaps you took an extra ladle of soup, whilst wearing "flashy" clothing?

Sorry my friend, couldn't resist.

 

As for you FBD, methinks you captured the Platonic
ideal of Muirfield... these pics say enough.

TH

[Mike Benham]

One must wonder why you took and posted this photo?

Is there a name for this view?

[Scott_Burroughs]

Is there a name for this view?

A-cup.

[Marty Bonnar]

Voytek,
I'm afraid the Rough (PHEW!) won the day. Unusually for me (Ahem!) I had slipped into my 'power-fade mode' and spent lots of time in the love-grass. On the upside I found many more ProV1's than I lost!!

Jason,
they putted just lovely in the morning and then they went and mowed them (all 18!) as we were lunching. The pm was a putt-fest. They were nothing short of outstanding! Slick, true, smooth...

Philip,
some impressions it is then:"Just like that" (Tommy Cooper). Okay, maybe a brief synopsis of the day and accompanying impressions...in my best Vitruvian philosphical mode...

Anticipation
Needless to say, building up over the last month since Mr Leveille's most kind offer.

Travel: left home at 7:30. Plenty of time to get over the Forth Road bridge and around the city bypass. Yeah, right...!  some minor panicking in various traffic jams. Still made it nicely for 9am with 30 mins to spare.

Arrival
'Through the Gates' - once you find them. I am lucky enough to know the road but for the poor first-time visitor, there's NO Signage AT ALL to the golf club. Those BIG metal gates ahead VERY closed but open nicely (automatic) as you approach. Made very welcome by Walter, the new Starter.

Preparation
No time really for any except a quick putt and a nice chat with Mike.

Play
Not too windy morning so easy going. Scoring reasonably well (mostly Bogies - a few Pars - nothing to take the shine off the day). Mike playing very well front nine then tailing off only slightly. PM - took a while to shake off the Treacle Sponge, but rallied nicely and just in time to see Mike make his Eagle ...

Celebration
Pre-Lunch Beers (Belhaven Best for Leveille, Mr Huckaby) in the Big Lounge surrounded by all those Paintings, trophys, etc. WOW!
LUNCH. home made Tomato Soup, Roast Beef and all the trimmings, huge choice of puddings, Chees and Crackers. Yum...

Departure
The saddest time. You know you MIGHT never see this place EVER again. The last moments, a wistful glimpse back in the Car Mirror or over the shoulder. (straight copy - all true)

Reminisence
looking forward to this part the most...


Huck,
I take back every (small) criticism of Muirfield I've ever uttered. I had the most serious goosebumps I've ever had crossing the threshold of that fine old clubhouse. More even than the first tee of TOC...

Mike/Scott,
I call this one 'Rhythms in the Landscape'. Okay, who am I kidding, this one is 'The Paps o' Fife'. (Paps=Boobies in old Scots). I live just below the one ad dextra. Now, if only I can convince them to build a new bridge from there to here...


FBD.

[THuckaby2]

FBD:

FANTASTIC stuff - many thanks.  I had recalled that
Belhaven Best was available there... of course you'd expect
such... but one never knows.  Just adds to the perfection,
doesn't it?

I've said it many times - whatever one might say
about the golf course, Muirfield as an experience is
one of those "must do before one dies" things.  Reading
this and seeing the pics, well... I'm gathering that
you are a believer.  Welcome, brother.

 

[Doug Siebert]

Rich,

I missed the numbered rack outside the Secretary's office for "found" balls.  I did lose one ball there, can't remember if I found any and committed the apparent faux pas of not placing it in the correct slot.  I'll have to remember that for next time!  If anyone found a Pro V1 with six black dots around the numbers about 30 yards straight through the 17th fairway in August 2001 and put the ball in the the slot for me, please let me know and I'll give you my address to post it back

I did find it summed up the place well that during lunch when everyone was talking about their experiences, scores were not mentioned, instead one was asked how many balls he'd lost.  Definitely a Shivas approved lack of score & pencil mentality there.

[Marty Bonnar]

Sorry, but,

Bumping for Mike who I see is online...

Cheers, Mike!

FBD.