[Bryan Izatt]

Well, actually it's the gate to the Pit, but .........

Recently played with a fellow who parred the Pit by putting his third shot through the gate across the artificial turf and down the embankment to within a couple of feet.  Is this not the definition of quirk in golf course course.





And, on to the 16th - Gate, which I played 4 times over two days and hitting two balls on the approach shot each round trying to hit the green. One day to a front pin and one day to a back pin.  Record was 0 for 8 in hitting the green.  Another definition of quirk.  Has anyone here ever managed to get their second shot onto the putting surface?  How?





And on to my personal perfection, the 18th - Home.  In the gloaming on the 4th round, a driver into the cup from 271 yards for my second lifetime hole in one.  Priceless.

[Scott Warren]

An ace on 18?! Brilliant Bryan! Well done.

I don't suppose you can post a couple of pics of 14 to give me some shivers?

[Bryan Izatt]

Sure, Scott, here's one picture of the 14th - Perfection for you.  Love the look of that fairway.  Shiver away.

[Steve Kline]

that last picture - have they cut the fairways this year?

[Bryan Izatt]

The fairways are tightly mown and firm and fast.  The foreground in the picture is semi-rough.  Such is the nature of Scottish links.

[TEPaul]

A hole in one on the 18th!!! Jesus----that is a very rare bird indeed----an albatross on a par 4 I guess you'd call it. Loads of congratulations.

On the 16th, the Gate, the only time I played that course I actually thought I hit the green but when I got up there I realized the green wasn't exactly where I thought it was. 

Those Scots are pretty sneaky that way in my opinion. I hit the ball onto one of their greens and then in the few minutes it takes me to get up there----what the hell happens but they move the green to the right of where it was or at least where I thought it was supposed to be.

And then on the way out the guy I was playing with (an American) says to me on the 4th tee; "What is that strange looking mini mountain behind us with some bunkers in it all about?" I said I had no idea. It wasn't until we got back to the 15th tee that we both realized it was part of the famous redan.

And on the 14th tee we both looked at one another and said to each other: "Where in the world do you suppose we are supposed to go next?"

All in all we both just loved the place even if we had to go into the bar directly afterwards and apologize to Mrs. Majors for hitting her in the ass at least two and perhaps three times.

[Bruce Hospes]

I'll be there in a month.  Having a hard time waiting...

[Simon Holt]

Wow!  Ace on 18 is pretty wild.  I have never even heard of anyone doing that.  Congratulations! 

Its always fun to be able to putt through the wall on 13 but my favourite shot is if the pin is cut close to the dune and your approach gets stuck up on the long grass.  A low hard 5 iron punch into the wall to bounce back to the pin is much easier than trying to get close the conventional way.  Could stay there all day....and have done.

At 16 it is always annoying to see a one time visitor hit the green and wonder what all the fuss is about.  It is one of the hardest greens to hit in 2 I know and only just over 360 yards.

[Bryan Izatt]

Simon,

How long have you been a member there?  I've only been around it 5 or 6 times, but it seemed like many could drive the green.  In fact, the night before I watched a number of matches in a local competition finish on the hole and most drove the green.  I would have guessed that aces would have been not uncommon.

Never thought of that approach to playing off the wall on 13.  I'll have to keep that in the memory banks.   

Perhaps a future GCA Buda Cup competition at sunset.  Put everyone at 90 yards and the winner is the person who requires the least number of tries to get a ball to stay on the front tier and then the back tier.  Hopefully it wouldn't get dark before someone accomplished the feat.

[Andrew Mitchell]

Congratulations Bryan. An ace on 18 - what a way to finish.

I'm there in six weeks, can't wait.

[Simon Holt]

Bryan,

15 years.  I joined as a junior when I was 14.

Yep, most people drive it unless we have a Southerly wind which is rare.  I had 2 twos in two days earlier this year having never had one before.  My best finish was a foresomes (alternate shot) tie the other night.  My partner and I finished birdie, birdie, eagle!  He put a 3 wood to 4 feet at 18 and I roled it in.  The reason I brag is that we were 2 down with 3 to play.  We won on 18- best match I have ever been involved in.

S

[George Pazin]

Thanks for the pics. This course just always seems to look terrific, no matter who is posting pics.

[Garland Bayley]

Bryan,

Congats on the albatross!

Now let's see you do something similar with a ball spinning like the balata balls of a bygone age.

[Bryan Izatt]

Garland,

Thanks.

My last and only other ace was in 1966 with the aforementioned balata ball.  It wasn't a 271 yard par 4.     But, the 18th at North Berwick was probably drivable in those days with the equipment of the day.  It is after all downhill to firm and fast ground and the wind often helps a bit.

I played many years with balata balls.  Apart from cutting easily, they were not such bad or spinny balls as many on here make them out to be.

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