Scotland > Painswick May 2004

[Bill_McBride]

Thomas, I will of course endeavor to make KPIII, but it will be tight.  I have a major business project the week before which will make a trip difficult.  But you know me.  I'll probably get there and thence to "that other place."  Did you talk to Uncle Neal about our fun outing?

[Stan Dodd]

Bill,
I have done the ballot three times in high season and I have got my time each time for exactly the time I wanted. I think you should have no problem considering the time of your trip
Cheers
Stan

[THuckaby2]

Bill:

The pressure ain't over yet.
A tour operator like my beloved Wide World of Golf could still make that happen, regardless of what Mike was told in official correspondence.  The same thing goes for Mike, btw...

But the pressure is lessened, anyway.  I'd understand if you don't want to involve a tour operator.  

The interesting thing about checking in to play TOC is really how LOW-KEY it is... the informality of it... It's a tiny little Hut, there's very little pomp and circumstance...

But then you go to the putting green clearly marked "for players of the old course only"... and then you finally get to enter the tee area... you wait and wait and wait for the "play away" call..  oh man, there is no feeling in golf like it.

Just to keep you on earth though, they won't say your name when they give the "play away" (or at least they never have when I've been there).  That was exaggeration by me, call it heat of the moment... What the starter will say is "10:20 group, play away please."  Just a tiny difference, but as I say, we want to keep you grounded a bit, Bill.

TH

ps - gotcha re TKPIII - we shall keep in touch.  Haven't talked to Neal - I should...

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Tom, You are correct on the play away this year. In the past they would say Bernhardt party on the te and then the same play away. I missed the slight personal touch. However do not forget the hand you get on 18 frokm the locals after a well played shot. It is not like anything a mere cc golfer like me experiences at home.

[THuckaby2]

Tiger:

Very cool.  I had thought that when I played TOC in 1987, they did say "Huckaby group on the tee"... but this past July it was just the time and play away please, so I erred on that side.  I guess they must have said the name way back when!

And oh yes, the cool parts of playing TOC certainly don't end on the first tee.  For normal golfers like us, getting actual cheers for a good shot, and groans for a missed putt, is pretty darn fun.  All that sure does take place on 18!

Don't get me started...

TH

[Michael Whitaker]

Bill - As I mentioned before, I am also planning a trip to Scotland/England for next summer. And, like you, we are planning to take the train from Edinburgh to London. Have you contacted Britrail about your train tickets? I have been studying their pricing structure and can't make heads or tails of which ticket or "pass" would best suit our needs. Do you have any past experience with this?

Huck - Are you getting a commission from your travel agent for drumming up buisness? You are one hell of a relentless salesman!

[Bill_McBride]

Michael, we are flying from Gatwick to Edinburgh to start our St Andrews adventure.  I was planning to take the train from Edinburgh to Painswick, but it turns out it's faster to fly to Gatwick, rent a car and drive to Painswick (2.5 hrs) and you already paid for the flight.  British Air round trip Gatwick-Edinburgh-Gatwick is 115 pounds for two, or $180.  A lot less expensive than similar flights in the US.  

When are you going to be in St Andrews?  Are you going to Painswick?  In future years, people will be saying, "If only I'd gone to Painswick..................."  

[THuckaby2]

Huck - Are you getting a commission from your travel agent for drumming up buisness? You are one hell of a relentless salesman!

Well... there are two things at work here.

1) I really do believe the day at Muirfield is so cool, it shouldn't be missed if one has a chance.  So few people get to do it, it's just not really "understood", whereas so many people do TOC, that's obvious... Thus I have become an evangelist for THCEG.  I'm sure they appreciate it.  

2) If everything breaks perfect in life, over the next year or so this golf travel thing may BE my business.  But there are a lot of IFs to overcome....

TH

[Michael Whitaker]

Bill - We were planning to go over in June, however (according to the Links Trust) there are very limited ballot opportunities at TOC in June. So, with the Open being played in mid-July, we have decided to visit either the last week of July or the first week of August, after things calm down a bit. I would very much like to join everyone in Painswick, but I simply can't go at that time. My travel companions must wait until school is out at the end of May. Bummer.

Huck - I hope you can live your dream! You'd make a great travel host. Here is a poem by Shel Silverstein I used to read to my son that seem's appropriate:

Listen to the mustn'ts, child.
Listen to the don'ts.
Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...
Anything can happen, child.
Anything can be.

[THuckaby2]

Michael - that's a heck of an inspirational poem and yep, right on point for me.  I am trying like heck to make this happen... life realities may well preclude it, but if it ends up that way, at least I will be able to be honest with myself that I did try.

Thanks for this, and the kind thoughts.  I'd hope this would be my "bag", as some say...  

TH