[James Reader]

The first time for me was in 1991 in the Boyd Quaich; a 72-hole international event for students.  I’d worked on the scoreboards at the Open the previous year, so felt I “knew” the course pretty well (I was young and naive!) but hadn’t had the chance to actually play it.


After being completely blown away on the New course on the first morning, and then seeing the wind drop completely in the afternoon, I knew I needed a great round on the Old to stand any chance of making the cut.  I managed to play 18 holes without a single bogey. The problem was I had five doubles; on every one of the holes on which I found a bunker.  Lesson learned.


Thirty years later it’s an absolute thrill to be able to spend as much time here as I now do, and to be a member of the St Andrews GC.  I don’t have my full Links ticket yet (a few more years still to wait), so at £270 a round I don’t get to play the Old as much as I would like.  But outside of the main season, I occasionally manage to get a game with someone who’s happy to use their points to get me on at a cheap rate.  The experience of being out there will never grow old.

[Joe_Tucholski]

My first round was 10 July 2013.  I was on a month long trip where I played 40ish courses and 50ish rounds right after dental school. 

We stayed in the St. Andrews dorms.  I was 4th in line at 445am.  When I opened up my sausage roll breakfast, purchased the day before, a sea gull attacked me from behind and robbed me of my food.  I ended up playing with two "locals" (German mother/daughter, but the daughter was attending school in St. Andrews) and another american who happened to be wearing a wind breaker from a course I worked at in high school.  I walked and carried my own bag.  Somehow managed to avoid all bunkers on the front 9 but didn't have the same luck on the back 9.

As others have said the things that stood out to me were massive greens, and blind bunkers.  I also felt the conclusion of the round was awkward and abrupt when you just find yourself on a street with your clubs and golf shoes on and tourists all around.

[Cal Carlisle]

I also felt the conclusion of the round was awkward and abrupt when you just find yourself on a street with your clubs and golf shoes on and tourists all around.

I had never really thought of a guy standing on the street corner with his Footjoys and Sunday bag thinking “This is it? THIS is the top of the mountain?”

[David Kelly]

9/2/09
A friend and I got on on the ballot for an afternoon round on TOC.  The late Bob Huntley arranged for us to have lunch in the R&A before the round, which was a thrill in itself. 


During the round I played out of my mind despite being as nervous as I've ever been on my tee shot on 1. I birdied 4, 5, & 7 and made the turn at -2, 34.  On the 11th I left my ball in the Strath bunker and doubled it. I managed to make a 50 foot putt on #15 for another birdie and pumped up I drove it to about 40 yards on 16 where I proceeded to lay the sod over the ball and bogey the hole. Still pumped up with how well I was playing I decided to play a sweeping hook on #17 (I'm LH), which I did. Unfortunately the ball never stopped hooking until it bounced off the The Old Course Hotel. I reloaded, drove it down the middle and left my approach directly in front of the Road bunker on a a downslope with a tight lie (how it didn't go in the bunker I'll never know).  With the pin directly on the other side of the bunker I had visions of skulling it over the wall on my way to a 10 or 12 so I chickened out and putted around the Road bunker for a triple bogey 7.  I played the 18th in a daze but managed to get up and down from the Valley of Sin for a par and an eventful 77.


BTW, we got to see one of the rare sights in golf during that round as one of our playing partners from Sweden managed to hit it OB on #1 and #18 while still managing to play a decent round.

[mike_beene]

So I feel compelled to add this to the thread: No idea how early in my Old Course rounds this was, but typical crowd around fence on number 1. I hit a true pull hook which smothered and rolled OB left. As I tee up again, the starters shack is yelling “no mulligans “ and the caddies yell back “it’s his third shot. And I get uncomfortably close to fence again. Very rattled, with people staring, I hit 8 iron so fat it probably goes 20 yards. Hit it on and two putt for 7. I was fine after that but there is scar tissue.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Didn't play well and hit a poor driver on 18. I hit a sweet 4r to 20' and looked at the tourists at the fence behind. Too busy taking selfies for anyone to notice. I checked the kids I was drawn with, but they were far ahead looking at sprinkler heads etc.




Playing TOC is a very personal experience in a very public place. .I know I made a four but those are the only two shots I recall maybe 15 years later. There is just too much to take in, it's overwhelming.


Have been back and plan to be back again...

[John Mayhugh]

I had a business trip to Germany in 1995 and decided to go to watch the Open on my way home. Went to Thursday's first round, where I followed an amateur who turned out to be pretty good & Ernie Els. Friday played Carnoustie & Saturday Dornoch. Went to Sunday's final round, then did some sightseeing. On the Tuesday after, I queued up around 3am and went out pretty early. All of the stands and boards were still up and it was a pretty surreal walk around. I kept the ball on the ground whenever possible and loved watching the ball run. Finishing up on 18 was hard. You shake hands with the guys you played with and simply don't want to leave. Heaven.

[Kevin Pallier]

I can remember it like it was yesterday ...


23 years ago - I don't think I've ever been as nervous standing on the 1st tee.


I was paired with a couple of American's and Japanese golfer. It was interesting as they all wanted to play the aerial game. Lucky I had a fair bit of links golf in the weeks leading to my game there.


One of the weird things I remember - I had the wind behind me out and it switched and I had it behind me coming home. I played really solid - bogeyed 2 and birdied 5 - fluffed an iron on 8 and hit the next one stiff. Hit the drive on 9 and bumped a 6I to a foot for another birdie. -1 out


Drove 10 and 3 putted for par. Committed a cardinal sin and went long on 11 lucky to get away with a DB. Bogeyed 13 and parred the rest till I got to 17. I reckon it is the most difficult tee shot for a first timer and the second shot doesn't get any easier. Pulled my tee shot way left onto the second fairway / 3I in. Do you put it in the bunker and see if you can get out? Nah - save that for another day. Play away from it. Safe bogey.


Knocked one down the left on 18 and played another 6I bump'n'run up through the valley of sin. Chance for a birdie but a safe par. 4 over in. +3 overall - very happy with that.


So close to town - its such a beautiful place and probably my most memorable day in all of golf.


Should be #1 on every golfers bucket list IMO 














 

[Michael Felton]

I've played it twice. I played in the Boyd Quaich in 1998. Four round tournament for university players, one each on the Old and New and then a cut and then one more each on the Old and the New if you make the cut.


The things I remember are:


being about as nervous as I've been on a first tee on that first tee, in front of the clubhouse with the biggest fairway in christendom in front of me.


Buttoning a drive down 16 between the Principal's Nose and the wall and never finding it. I set off back to hit another and a marshal came over and told me I couldn't. I said I was playing in a tournament and he gave me a ride back to the tee in his cart.


I finished both of my rounds 4-3. Second playing of the 17th I hit a block cut off the tee, figured it was gone for sure, so I hit a provisional. Get down there and my ball was in the middle of the fairway. Must have got a generous bounce off something. Hit a 6 iron to 15 feet and lipped out. Would have been nice...


The showers in the R&A Clubhouse are the best I have ever experienced.

[Steve Salmen]

Special Congratulations to Pat Burke.  There are very few people that have ever played The Old Course on Sunday.

I can still remember a lot about that day, Saturday August 10, 1991.  I arrived around 9:30 at the starters hut and went off around 11. I was 19 and probably an 8 handicap player.


Everything went in on the practice green and everything went in on the front: 20 footer for par on 2, 40 footer for par on 4, 90 footer for birdie on 8, 10 footer for birdie on 9.


Then I started playing my normal game and sadly took a lost a ball right on 14.  I wedged to 12 ft from the Road Bunker and missed the putt. 


On the 18th tee I changed balls to a new Titleist Balata 90 and drove well.  I had about 75 yards to a back right hole.  My shot finished 4 feet right of the hole.  As I walked to the green, the hundred or so spectators clapped for me as I walked to my ball. That remains the most incredible feeling I've ever had on a golf course.  I made the putt for 76 and still have the ball.

[SL_Solow]

My memory is less about the golf and more about family. My son, then about to enter his senior year in high school was a pretty decent high school golfer.  My brother and I took our boys to Scotland but first, a couple of days in London where I wore my son out showing him the historic sites.  Then the trip to St. Andrews which took the better part of the day.  By the time we reached the Old Course Hotel, he was exhausted and threw himself on the bed.  I opened the drapes and was asked "Is that the Road Hole"?  An affirmative response energized my son and soon the 4 of us were walking past the Road Hole, over the Swilcan Bridge and then into town.  The entire trip was special, we played several great courses and confirmed one of our many common bonds, golf.  But what sticks out most in my memory was the sense of wonder and excitement in my son's voice when he first saw the Road Hole,

[Mike Hendren]

Sat on the bench in the dark waiting on the starter to arrive. When he did he asked me to return at 3 pm.  Said he had to wait until John Kavanaugh was awake to inquire whether my game was sufficient to appreciate the architecture. 

Got on with Kenny toting the bag. His nickname was Cartgate as he had once fallen into that bunker.  Left the club from my approach to the first, resulting in cries of “sack him” from all directions. 

Putted my approaches to the 10th and 16th, making par and birdie. Tugged my approach left on 17 but my low runner pitch curled around the bunker to 10 feet.  Nice bogey. I have no idea what I shot - likely 85 or so but it didn’t matter.  I’d been to the top of the mountain.

I was overwhelmed playing back into town on the finisher. Had lunch at the R&A courtesy of you know who and scored the recipe for bread pudding.

Still feel incredibly blessed.

[Ian Mackenzie]

August of 1990 was my first round at TOC.


Went over with 2 buddies.
Turnberry, Troon, W. Gailes and Prestwicj=k first before driving to St. Andrews and stayed at Rusack's.


830 am tee time.
SO effing nervous as there were about 30 people watching tee shots as they leaned on the fence.


I took a 5-wood and hit a huge "draw/hook" that went about 240 yards but WAY left yet still on the FW.


My buddy then proceeds to top his tee shot about 15 yards and then reaches into his pocket to reload when all of a sudden we hear over the starter's PA system:


"There are NO Mulligans at St. Andrews, sir."


The entire town heard it.
He wanted to crawl into a hole...;-)

[Brad Tufts]

I've played it three times, twice in 1999 as an 18-yr old, and again in 2011.


First time was with my dad and two of his friends, then I went to Germany for a week, then returned for a two-week trip with a junior golf group that included some matches against some junior teams of scottish clubs.  I was a 6 handicap then, probably in the worst third of the group.  I shot 79 and 80, both rounds with almost 40 putts.  I learned quickly that playing on small greens in New England meant by just misses went a few feet into the rough, when on TOC they rolled another 75 feet onto the wrong half of a green.


I did get revenge in 2011 with an even par round of 72, with a birdie at the last.  A guy from Detroit got the birdie on video and took a bunch of photos that he sent to me by email.  We actually played Lundin that afternoon and I shot 67, so one of my best 36-hole scoring days ever!

[cary lichtenstein]

I played it twice, 2 days in a row. I still have the scorecard, shot 76. I loved putting from way off the greens, did it numerous times during the day. I loved the huge walls in the face of the bunkers. I remember my first time in Scotland, not at Saint Andrews, I asked the caddy on the 1st hole after my drive, how many yards out are we. He handed me a 9 iron. Now he had only seen me hit a drive. I asked him again, he said 155 yards, I said that's a 7 iron for me. He said, hit the 9 iron. so I did. I never asked him yardage again that day.

[James Brown]

Did my very first trip to Scotland in June of 2009 with my father on the occasion of him just turning 65. 


We couldn’t get an advance tee time on TOC, so we booked the rest of a trip in SA for a whole week and crossed our fingers.   I still remember crying (hard!!) when I checked my phone at lunch day we were leaving and found out we won the lottery and we’re gonna play the day after we arrived.  As with many other pilgrims, imagine the pain of not playing on the one trip your Dad could do…


The day of it had rained all morning and was low 50s and miserable.  We parked and explored the Links Clubhouse and saw throngs of golfers drying out and warming up in the downstairs locker room.  Their ATM was out of service and I had to run into town in my rain gear to loom for an ATM.  I finally made it back to the tee with about 10 minutes to spare with cash for caddies and the rain clouds parted right on queue and we had the greatest time ever.


 Our caddies were college students and I was nervous as I can ever remember on the first tee.  It was down wind and my caddie handed me a hybrid and I hit a lob wedge to a foot for a birdie, but the real “welcome to TOC” moment was flushing a drive on 5 and hitting a 5 iron on the green and then finding myself 70 yards(!!) past the flag.  I think I got the first putt maybe 50 feet short and then walked off with a five and a true appreciation for the test of those greens. 


Some of my best golf memories were made on that day. 


I’ve been lucky enough played it three times since and I still find myself longing to play it so badly again.  And again. And again.  And again.




And again!

[Jeff Schley]

Played it in back to back days in June 2019 I believe. I was a single and was going to connect with our own Chappers for a round if I didn't get on TOC. Got to the line about 5 am and was somewhere around 35-40. The wind was terrible that day! Mark, who was a seasonal greenskeeper that year said it ended up being the windiest day of the season. That was great for me as I went from no chance to around a 1 pm tee time and got me out in 35-50 mph winds all day with rain coming down about a third of the time.
I loved playing in the elements, although not well. I connected with 3 other singles as the locals had cancelled their tee time. 2 were from the UK and the other a dentist from Florida whose son plays on the PGA Tour. Had no idea until after when we want back to the Old Course Hotel for some drinks. He made the entire trip solo like I and was playing in Fife for 4 total days. I don't recall any shot I hit at all, other than a low 5 wood shank slice on the first hole!  Lovely time.

Next day got to the shack at about 6 am as I felt I had already had my dream the day before and slept in. Was about 50 or so on the list. I ended up checking back and got out at around 3:30. Several things stood out this day:

• Four guys in front of me who got the 3:20 were friends and one didn't have his handicap card. Nor a way to look it up apparently. They were paying for their tee time when the 4th guy tried to plead his case as did his buddies. I totally respect the rules and the lady at the desk was extremely courteous, but in the end said sorry we need to see proof of your handicap. They were pissed, but I respect their policy as it is pretty well known. I was given the option to join the 3 and choose to pass as they were distracted and didn't want bad vibes.
• My caddie was a guy in his late 60's named Nick. Rolled his own smokes and did so every other hole. It was his second loop that day and was salty. On hole 2 I pull out the yardage book they give you complimentary and ask, "so I see the hole here, where am I aiming on this diagram?"  Nick goes, "put that f.....g thing away and I'll get ya around just fine."
• I drove 10 and birdied. It was downwind.
• One guy that was playing in my group was from Netherlands was walking and carrying a bag of clubs from the early 80's and only had 7 clubs with a putter. He had a almost molded plaid bag. Man he was a speed walker too, never talked and walked ahead and past all of us, kind of rude but didn't mind.
• Hit a great drive on 17 and 7 iron to back right of green. Missed birdie on the pro side 3 feet long and 2 putted for par and had couple claps from those walking along the road watching. Only ones I have ever gotten on a course for sure.
• I drove to the valley of sin with a good drive 18, but sculled my "bump and run" almost OB and proceeded to 4 putt with about 100 or so people milling around. So ended with a double.
• Met Chappers and his lovely wife at the Dunvegan that evening for one of the most memorable days ever certainly.

[Tommy Williamsen]

1992 with my wife. We were on a 21 course odyssey of Ireland and Scotland. I hit my first shot onto the ladies putting green. Smothered my second shot but got it around under 80. After two holes the caddies had our games sized up. I was amazed that on many holes we were given different advice.

[DFarron]

Played in the fall of 2000….standing on the tee, thinking that every great player except Hogan had played there, I couldn’t take the club back for about 2 minutes.


I went with my BF who suddenly died this year, he’s the guy who introduced me to course design …..watching The Open has been bittersweet

[Mark Mammel]

I first played TOC in June of 1977. I was 25, had the summer off, went to the UK with a buddy who had similar freedom. We had booked a room at the Old Course Hotel, at that time more like a Howard Johnson's, but they advertised "guaranteed " times on TOC. We arrived in the evening and walked from the hotel to the R&A, then to the bar at the hotel for a few pints. Bars closed at 10:00pm I think, maybe 11? but in any case we thought we could have the odd before bed. There was hard cider in the room, which one of my friends decided to try. He liked it. The next morning, we headed for breakfast before our 8am starting time. It was like an American buffet except the eggs were fried and crowded together in a slippery quilt of yellow eyes staring up at us. My cider-drinking buddy took one look and made a rapid exit, catching us on the tee looking pale. We paid our fee- L3.50!!! A good player, he rallied for the most part. When we arrived at the 18th tee, we saw that there were quite a few folks lining the low fence up near the green and around the back. My buddy promptly pushed his drive out of bounds towards Russacks. I hit a nice shot up the middle, just over Granny Clark's Wynd. He hit a second, and hit a nice iron to the green, but quite a ways from the back left pin. I hot mine to 15 feet, and was feeling pretty good about the whole deal. He stepped up to his 40+ foot putt for 5 and made it. The crowd burst into spontaneous applause, and the hair stood up on my arms. I rolled in my putt for a legit birdie, but it seemed pretty ho-hum to the onlookers by that time, with a smattering of respectful claps left. We then discovered two things- first, we could walk up and play just about any time. Tourists were few, even with the Open at Turnberry just around the corner. Second, we would have to cut the trip short if we stayed any longer at the Old Course Hotel, as it was way outside out budget. We moved to a lovely B&B.

[Philip Caccamise]

April of 2019.


Tore the sacroiliac joint the day before at Leven Links, but nothing was going to stop me from playing. Got into the queue at 5AM and my buddy and I secured a time around noon. Our third went off at about 10AM... and was paired with Paul Lawrie's son. Paul was there hosting a small event, and had the Claret Jug on the first tee- yes, I actually got to touch the Claret Jug!


Pure adrenaline got me through the round. Pounded a tee shot on 1 to about 50 yards from the burn, pitched it to a foot, and tapped in for birdie with tears in my eyes as a lifelong dream had been fulfilled. I somehow managed to navigate on one leg (with an assist from my friends on a few holes) a decent round- including hitting it to about 10' on 18 and draining the putt to cheers from about 75-100 people that had gathered around.


I have been in physical therapy since then and not been able to play much golf but I don't regret giving it everything I had that day. Birdieing 1 and 18 on TOC with the people all around will forever be burned into my memories.

[Quinn Thompson]

Pardon me if I write a bit...that's why we got fingers; to write, and to golf, and occasionally butcher a piano.


I was 22, hoping for 23, and visited the town of St. Andrews in a respectable December. I arrived on a Saturday, and like a good heathen, walked to the Old Course the following morning - forgetful of the sabbath. It was cold, and Tennents will give you a hangover, but I made my way to the New Course and found an old man hunkered in the booth reading the paper; not expecting anybody.


I remember being nervous - just asking the man if I could play golf. he folded the paper and collected my fare and I'll always remember him handing back my ticket and saying, " The course is yours...play well...and if you find yourself out on there at the end, on the Old, just tell them you got lost...happens all the time..." and then he winked ! he was encouraging me to sneak out onto the Old Course and lay a few holes and then come back to what I paid for. I like to consider myself an honest man, and, if I wasn't so lost on the New as a single, I may have taken him up on that wink...


The following morning I grabbed my clubs from the Hostel ( I remember all the young backpackers, with tilted looks: "you came here to golf ?" ) and I marched through town towards the Old Course. I can remember my irons clanking and echoing quite loudly through the stone avenues of St. Andrews - there goes the heathen.


It was maybe 9:30 ( December ) and again, I approached the Starter's hut with caution, and sincerity. It may have been just above freezing; 30 some odd degrees. I put my bag down and approached the gentleman in the booth and asked : "iMay I play the Old Course today ?"


this man was not reading the paper, and so, he studied me closely...


"Do you have a time ?"


"No sir."


"Single ?"


"Yes. Heres my handicap letter from the club. " ( It was forged, with a letterhead from a family friend at Beverly CC in Chicago. The old man never bothered to look at it...I looked like I could play back then.)


I was paired with two Irishmen; old friends, on an escapade, getting their winter rates. One of the man's name was Barry, the other, I don't recall...he was quiet. They both had caddies for the day. I carried a set of old Ben Hogan irons and a Calloway 2 wood, a Powerbuilt persimmon 3 wood, and a putter of course - all clanking around in an old Ping stand bag ( remember those ? How great were those ?)


I hit that 3 wood off the 1st ( t'was my Father's 3 wood when he was growing up ) and I smoked it, with the little fade that comes from wood. One of the caddies, as he was picking up an Irishman's bag, turned and said, "That sounded beautiful." And off we went.


Long story short: I was in awe. Felt like Mars; cold and strange. I pared the 17th, and on the 18th, as we walked over the bridge, I pulled the Hogan irons out of my bag and dipped them in the burn beneath the bridge - a "baptism" of sorts. One of the Irishmen turned around and winked ( lots of winkers in the Isles ). We putted out and shook hands and I still play those irons to this day. I bought a set of Miura's about 7 - 8 years ago and played them for 6 months ( and I hit them fine ) but, there was the occasional sting; because they weren't dipped in the drain spout of St. Andrews.


I will play those irons until the day I die.


Sorry for rambling, thanks for listening. Enjoy the g'alf this weekend.

[Jay Mickle]

In Scotland in 2016 and committed to meeting Ran, Fritz and Kate in Edinburgh by late afternoon for a pre wedding celebration I was intent on playing the Old Course. Had planned to get there by 4:00AM to insure an early tee time I couldn't sleep so I arrived at 1:30AM to be 4th in line. Out at 7:30AM with my hickories. Fondest memories are par at Eden with Bulldog Spoon and Driver, Driver, Driver par at the Long. Both perhaps unmatched in the Modern Era.

[Dave Doxey]

First time in 1995.  In Scotland for business.  The pro at the course at Gleddoch House near Glasgow arranged it all for me.   I knew very little about the place. Stayed at the Russacks Hotel.  Parked on the street in front of the hotel and wondered where the golf course was, until I spotted the Swilcan bridge.  Put on my golf spikes and just walked across the street to the first tee for my start time.  Talking and joking with the caddies was memorable.  They’ve seen it all and had a lot of great quips.  A playing partner asked “Can I get to the green with a 4 iron”.  The caddie responded “eventually”.  I drove one green and 4 putted for bogey.  Walking to the next green, the caddie said “Nice drive, sir”.


I never went in a bunker on the Old course.  I did not hit my first bunker until 18 the next day on the new course. I was amazed watching a playing partner have to take a drop away from a bunker face and then have to chip out backwards.


I enjoyed the double fairways, just playing every drive safely left.  I didn’t realize why I had trouble with my approach shots until years later when I started reading this site.   I quickly learned not to try to read putts and just follow the caddie instructions.


Perhaps the best memory was leaving the hotel after dinner and walking the course at sunset.  Having just ready “Golf in the Kingdom”.  It was a mystical experience.

[John Kavanaugh]

A beloved member of this board died just before my trip to TOC. From what I can recall he had shot 69 on his last round before he passed. Watching today reminded me that my only picture from my round was one of my ball laying in the 16thy fairway after 69 strokes. My idea as a tribute to a kindred soul.

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