Scotland photos

[Mickey Boland]

Pics from my first trip to Scotland.  Late August '06.  This will be the first half of the trip.  Carnoustie, Lundin, Crail Balcomie and The Old Course.

Teeing off on #6 Carnoustie


Hogan plaque #6 Carnoustie


Spectacles Bunkers from #7


#18 Carnoustie from clubhouse


#1 Lundin Golf Club


#2 Lundin Golf Club


Group at Crail Balcomie


#4 Crail


#17 Crail


R & A Clubhouse from Granny Clark's Wynd


Shell Bunker #7 TOC


Rainbow over St. Andrews


#12 TOC  


Hell Bunker.  Me jumping to see hole.


Walking back for another club after unsuccessful first shot.


Tough second shot.  Managed to get it out ..... sideways.


Unhappy camper.


Road Hole


Group at Swilcan Bridge.  We were the last group off that afternoon and squeezed all of the daylight out of that day.


St. Andrews panorama.


Tired but happy group after a 36-hole day.


Hope you enjoy the photos.  Second part of the trip took us to Royal Dornoch, Brora and Nairn.  I'll post some of those later.

[Evan_Green]

That shot of the rainbow over St. Andrews is really cool. I can only imagine that was a religious experience seeing it in person.

Thanks for the pix!

[Mike_Sweeney]

Mickey,

That is some nice air you caught jumping in soft sand in the Hell Bunker. Phil Mickelson you are not!  

[Jay Cox]

I love the Old Course pictures.  They make the course seem simultaneously vast and cluttered, a beautifully disorienting combination.

Also, more architects should copy the bunkers making up the spectacles.

[Bill_McBride]

Way to go, Mickey.  I watched the 14th hole from the greenside bunker most of Friday at the 2005 Open, and NOT ONE player was in the Hell Bunker.  I was really hoping, but the course was so firm that even at 620 they were bombing the tee ball so far that Hell was an easy carry.  It was very disappointing!

Was that the dining room at the Dunvegan where you guys were dining?

[Mickey Boland]

That was not the Dunvegan, although I do have a number of pictures from there.  (One posted below)  That was a day we played Crail in the morning and TOC in the afternoon.  By the time we were finished most of the restaurants were no longer serving.  We wandered around until we found this place, Aikman's Pub.  Our B&B hostess was pretty appalled that we had eaten there, but, as I said in the caption, to a bunch of tired, hungry guys it was great.  Actually, it wasn't a bad place.  Friendly service, good fish & chips, and great beer.  And, the kind of local flavor we enjoyed.

Dunvegan photo.

[Jim Nugent]

Among others, I especially enjoyed your picture from the 17th tee at TOC.  Shows me what the hole and shot really look like.

Ditto on Mike Sweeney's comment.  Hard to jump out of sand.  

[Bob_Huntley]

Mickey,

Great photographs and all I can say is I am glad my old sergeant-major wasn't in the pub, I remember this from almost sixty years ago.

As the Regimental Sergeant-Major would roar out to the cadets at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst Chapel, "Take yer 'at off, yer in the bleeding house of the Lord.

Bob

[Mickey Boland]

Jim,

We had one caddie in the group, and he told us that our left aiming point was the "V" in the sheds, and our right aiming point was the "O" in Old.  Three of us hit it somewhere between those two points and were all in the left rough.  Seems to me the shot calls for a power fade, a dead straight shot over the second "O", or a ballsy hook over the hotel.

Bob,

We were very conscious of taking our hats off in the clubhouses, but I guess we dropped the ball in the pubs.  Looks like I was the only sinner in both photos.  Hell, I was so tired that one night I don't think I had the energy to take it off.  I'll do better next time.

[Bob_Huntley]

Mickey,

Looking at the photos you looked the happiest guys on the planet and I wish I had been there to hoist a pint with you.

By the way who carried that bag with the Longhorn insignia? did he finish the round?

Bob

[Mickey Boland]

Can you believe it?  Me, an Aggie, and I take along two t-sip buddies.

That was at Carnoustie.  We played the day of our arrival, so we all decided to get caddies for our first round in Scotland.  It was the only day we all had caddies.  One guy took one at TOC, but other than that we were on our own all week.  We had decided not to use many caddies ahead of time, and after paying about $94 for caddie fee and tip at Carnoustie, we were glad we made that decision!!

By the way, don't think this Aggie let his Longhorn buddies off easy.  Check out the following photos.

Original #1 tee Carnoustie


Modified #1 tee Carnoustie

[ForkaB]

Great pictures, Mickey.  Reminds me of what a great summer we had over here.  Glad you could share in it.

[Jim Franklin]

If I am not mistaken, isn't the owner of The Dunvegan a Texas A&M grad? I love your photos from #1 Carnoustie. I hope you guys get them on the field too!

[Mickey Boland]

Yes, he is an Aggie.  His wife saw my Aggie ring which started up our conversation.  Got to visit with both of them.  She even played "The Aggie War Hymn" and "Spirit of Aggieland" on their sound system for me.  Pretty fun.  They were great to visit with.

[jg7236]

Great pictures Mickey!

[Bill_McBride]

Jack and Sheena are great at the Dunvegan.  My brother and I stayed there for several nights in summer 2004.  I returned with my wife a year later for the Open.  When Sheena saw me walk in with her, she yelled out, "Where's your brother?"  He's the cuter one, I guess that's why she missed him!  Or maybe not.  Any way, they are great hosts, even during the Open when it was a madhouse there and on the sidewalk in front.

Man, I'd like to be there today!  

[Jason Blasberg]

Teeing off on #6 Carnoustie

Wonderful photos and looks like you had some great weather.  

There are only two places in the United States where the breed of golfer could live that would take that hideous golf bag to the first tee at Carnoustie . . . New York City and Texas . . . my goodness that takes balls.

[Mickey Boland]

Jason,

Looking forward to showing THAT statement to my buddies!

And, yes, we did have great weather the whole trip.  Rained on us three holes at TOC, but otherwise no foul weather or high winds to speak of.