Good Evening To All:
As some of you are aware, others maybe not, my father and I went to Scotland on our dream golf trip from past August 26-September 4th.
We had a great time on our trip. It was everything we expected and much more. The monetary exchange rate really hurts in the UK. Everything is so expensive due to the poor exchange rate from the US dollar to the UK pound.
Below I will list my scores, where we played, weather, etc. I wanted to list my scores first and then give you my opinion on each golf course. That way you will realize it isn't the score that made me feel one way or another about a particular golf course in Scotland.
New Course=92
(The weather was over cast, slightly windy by US standard, not by Scotland standards, and some drizzle of rain off and on through the entire round.)
Old Course=94
(The weather was over cast, slightly windy by US standard, not by Scotland standards, and some drizzle of rain off and on through the entire round.)
Carnoustie=82
(Slightly windy and some sun)
Balbounie Park Golf Club-Match play with local Fife resident and golfclubatlas observer Martin Bonnar and his boss. We played about 12 holes until it got dark. This was a great inland golf course with plenty of tree lined fairways and plenty of elevation change. Martin, thanks again for all of your hospitality at your golf club. We would love to host you sometime when you come to the states. I don't know if we can afford buying your drinks again, damn, you must of been really thirsty that night.
Gullane=89
(65 mph winds, some drizzle, and a downpour. The most extreme conditions we endured while in Scotland. My Father got a hole in one on #9. A 162 par 3 in to the wind with the North Sea behind the green.)
Kingsbarns=82
(Overcast, drizzle through the entire round, and some wind)
All the golf course were great to play. Each one was extremely different from one another, which was great. The New Course and Old Course were extremely hard, as you can see by my score. The courses had beautiful bunkers with plenty of mounding and obstacles to get to the green. I was in awe most of the round. I wasn't hitting the ball bad at all. The undulating greens and bunkers killed me. The greens weren't rolling to quick at all. I wish I could of played both of those courses again because I would of played completely different. To let you know I was hitting the ball just fine. On 17 I wrapped my ball around the Old Course Hotel right in the middle of the fairway and I got a 8 on that hole. On 18 I melted my drive past the road about 40 or so yards from the green and I got a 5.
On the first tee of the Old Course my right legged started shaking. I was so nervous with the crowd all around me while I teed off. Luckily both of us hit descent shots down the fairway. It was really something to play the Old Course. A course that has so much history and has been around for like 500 or so years.
Carnoustie was just OK in my books. There was nothing that really stood out to me to make this course better than one another. It just seemed ordinary to me. Most great courses one plays, one can remeber a few holes. I can't really remember very much, just 17 and 18 because we were almost finished. It feels good to shoot an 82 that could of been a 79 and the British Open is playing there next year.
Balbournie Park was really fun. I didn't realize Scotland had inland golf courses with tree lined fairways. I felt like I was back in Ohio on this course. The course had a great layout. The greens rolled just fine and plenty of interesting holes that one could see the pin flag but not the green. Martin Bonnar really took care of us.
Gullane had great views of the North Sea throughout the entire round. The course had lots of elevation change. The first nine was pretty tight. The back nine opened up a bit. The rough was high, high and rough. It was so windy out there when we played we had to take in consideration of the wind while we putted. The topper was my Dad getting a hole in one on #9. That was fantastic! The only bad thing about it. The Gullane staff and golf pro's didn't know what we should do to register the hole in one. The acted like it was no big deal. I guess they have had a few hole in ones in the 160 or so years they have been open. We had plenty of drinks that night.
Kingsbarns was fantastic. The golf course staff was unbelievable! The course had great views through the entire round. I can't believe the course is only like 6 years old. The layout was fabulous.
If any of you write travels books or you are Alan Ferguson, one needs to comment in these books about food in St. Andrews. We had a lot of trouble trying to get food. If we missed our breakfast at our bed and breakfast because we teed off early no restaurants opened for food until 12pm. For dinner most places one needed reservations so we would have to go to a local bar and have many drinks before we could finally eat at 9pm or later. No food is served past 10pm. I found a great pizza place that serves food pretty late. I forgot the name, probably because I was probably pretty drunk by that time of night.
While on my trip I met golfclubatlas observer Mickey Boland from Texas and his 3 good friends. By chance we were all on the same flight out to Scotland and back. It was really great meeting you Mickey and your comrades. Make sure you call me when you come out to Vegas in October.
I also ran into another golfclubatlas observer from Northern California Scott Clem. I knew he was over in Scotland the same time as I was but I didn't get a chance to speak with him before he left. My Dad went home early one evening and I was still ready to go out and have a few more pints. I was walking down an alley and I happened to run into Scott and his buddy. It was good to see you Scott. How was the rest of your trip?
I know many of you have posted questions on posting pictures. Can someone let me know how to do this and I will post some pictures for all of you to browse thru.
I got to run, I hope you all have a great evening and I will talk to you soon.
Cheers,
John