[Stan Dodd]

The Pacific Grove High School Golf Team just returned from our trip to Scotland and it was a tremendous life expereince for our kids.  We were treated like kings by the members of Panmure Golf Club who hosted us, arranged housing for kids and arranged play at a variety of courses.  A brief summary:
Day 1 - arrive at Panmure and are hosted to a sumptous buffet lunch with welcoming speeches and individual matches with club members.
Day 2 -  The Captain of Panmure leads our caravan to Cruden Bay for a match with Aberdeenshire juniors.  A glorious clear day.  Our team got out of the cars and you could see their eyes widen with a "this is links golf look".  Lunch hosted by Cruden Bay  We then drove to Royal Aberdeen with more matches on a GREAT course.  Dinner hosted by RA.
Day 3 - Golf at Carnoustie Burnside and Championship.
Day 4 - Tourist visit to Edinburgh.
Day 5 - Kingsbarns as guests of Kyle Phillips. Visit to the R&A with a visit by George Pepper and a former Rules Chairman of the R&A and the ASST. Director of the technology oversight Comm.  Late afternoon putting at the Himalyas and dinner at the Old Course Hotel hosted by Herb Kohler.
Day 6 - Final match at Panmure playing with former Walker Cupper Gary Hay and other members of Panmure.  A farewell dinner in which they pulled out all the stops, special menu with or names, gifts for all our group, our gifts for Panmure Golf Club as well as for ourr host families,wonderful speeches about this great game by Captain and Secretary.
I was blown away, completely, so much so that when it was my turn to talk I was a blubbering fool, choked up with emotion.
It was without a doubt the best golf experience of my life.
The men involved are the true custodians and keepers of this great game.
My deepest thanks go out to Panmure,  who arranged all our golf.  If in the area stop in and play it is a fun course and a great club
Cheers
Stan

[Tom Huckaby]

That is so fantastic...   And this has nothing to do with the fact I just finished reading a Bobby Jones biography, but... did you tell the Panmure members that you could take away all of your experiences save those at Panmure and still have led a rich, full life?

 

If not, sounds like you should have.

I hope to God the kids appreciated what they received and experienced... please tell me they did... I want to have hope for the future.

One final question, not at all meant to be cynical, just curious as to how American kids fare at links golf... but how did the matches come out in terms of wins and losses?

TH

[David_Tepper]

Stan -

Thanks for a wonderful and gratifying post and a major thanks for all those who made it possible.  I just hope your students appreciated the experience half as much as you obviously did!

DT

[Stan Dodd]

As the Captain at Panmure said our kids were great ambassadors for golf, for Pacific Grove and for themselves.
I think it will sink in as they grow older.

We had some great rounds a 70 at Cruden Bay in 25 mph wind. A 71 at Royal Aberdeen.
Our girl made a 2 at 16 at Carnoustie form the mens tees (3 wood to 2 feet), and a freshman eagled Hogans Alley at Carnosutie.
Gary Hay gave a clinic in links golf with a 68 at Panmure.
We broke even with the juniors we played and got it handed to us by the older guys, who stepped up to the challenge.
i asked Gary hay if he played any competitive golf now and in a wonderful Scottish turn of phrase, he nodded at our team and said  "this is the strength of my challenge these days."
All world trip.

[Tom Huckaby]

Stan - perfect - my faith in the future is restored, and my national pride is soothed.

All-world?  Make that all-universe.

It's gonna be hard to meet the standard when you host the Scots.  But methinks a few nearby courses will be enough to do the trick.

 

[Bill_McBride]

Those lucky few who played in the GCA Ryder Cup at Painswick will remember how our friends of the British Isles can host an event and a ceremonial dinner with an incredibly breezy charm!   It sounds like your kids have the trip of a lifetime, one they'll be able to tell their kids about.

As we say here in the South, the Panmure folks really did put the big pot in the little pot!

[A_Clay_Man]

Stan, Thanx for sharing that. I know when I was there in PG, many of the high school kids would play often. I remember a young man, little Mikey Wilson, showed great potential. Last I heard of him was a year or so ago, when the golden bears won the ncaa. He was pictured with the team as they were crowned champs. Another child of interest was a young lady who played for the boys. She could be seen playing the blue tees working hard on her game. I don't remember her name but I believe she was of latin origin.

[ed_getka]

Stan,
  What a fantastic experience. Thanks for enriching the lives of some great kids. Sounds like those Panmure guys were trying to one up the Painswick guys.

[Bill_McBride]

But Ed, did they have a poet write an epic for their matches, like Delia at Painswick did?  And recite it during the dinner?  That created a rush for the bar!

[Bob_Huntley]

Stan,

Did you have a girl on the team? If so, did she go into the the R&A Clubhouse?

Bob

[Marty Bonnar]

Stan,
great to hear you've all returned safe and sound. I especially want to thank you for bringing such fine Californian weather with you to these Scottish April shores! What a glorious week!

It was a real pleasure meeting your students - fine young boys and girls one and all. Seeing them dressed up in their coats and ties was a particular pleasure. Very impressive!

Please say Hi to Scott and Shaun for me and especially to Larry who I managed to miss before you guys left.

Bestestest,
FBD.

[Stan Dodd]

Bob,
Yes we had a girl and yes she did go in the R&A Clubhouse.  We just did a bit of tour and had a coke but no lunch.  This was all set up by Charles Phillips from Panmure, also an R&A member.  I made it clear that we all went or none of us went.  I would not want any student to feel left out.

Martin, will relay to the others.
Always good to see you and Nancy. Julie enjoyed her day with Nancy. Hope to see you again soon.

[Bob_Huntley]

Stan,

Good on you.

Bob

[Mike Benham]

Stan -

Well done.

Please let us know if the golf team will be making similar trips in the future.

Either I will re-enroll in high school or apply for the coaching position at avery less exorbitant salary than the current coach.

Mike

[Stan Dodd]

http://www.panmuregolfclub.co.uk/index.html

Here is a link with a picture of our squad.

[Tom Huckaby]

VERY cool!

Only who's that handsome dapper guy on the far right (as one looks at the pic) and how much did you pay him to stand in for the real Stan Dodd?

 

[Stan Dodd]

Do you mean the bald, portly fellow?

[Tom Huckaby]

Do you mean the bald, portly fellow?

Of course it's all a matter of perspective.  

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