Doak, Dinner, Hickories, Heaven and Honourable Company (some new additions)

[Tony_Muldoon]

This first entry has been revised to keep all the info together and significant new info has also been added in a separate post below.  I will keep this first post upto date so all you need to do is print it off just before departure and it will have all relevant information.

The major change is that the Visit to the Renaissance Club at Archerfield and dinner after has been detailed below.  
Our playing group at N Berwick also has a slight change of personnel and times.

Monday 26th March 2007

AM   Meet 8 am at

Hickories on Musselburgh Links,
The Old Golf Course,
Balcarres Road,
MUSSELBURGH,
East Lothian,
EH21 7SD                              http://www.musselburgholdlinks.co.uk/index.html

Again local knowledge required but last summer you could park on the road directly outside the entrance which is on the quiet road on the east side of the course.  The relaxed clubhouse here is the large wooden shed you can see!

In order to enjoy the day fully this will likely be 12 or even 9 holes so that we can enjoy ourselves and get way without stress.  As you'll see below there may be time to stagger the departure and so allow some to complete 18 if they want to. Let's discuss on the day. Please try and be there on time as it will make things easier.

Philip Gawith
Andrew Mitchell
Michael Christensen
Shane Sullivan
Matthew Sullivan
Jason Fiorita
Tony Muldoon.
Alfie Ward – our host.  (More details will be emailed to each person direct).

Also if anyone is travelling past then do drop in and walk a few holes with us.

The journey between courses by car should take about 35 minutes. For directions enter the post codes (EH21 7SD and  EH39 4bb) into the AA route planner
http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/inc/planner_places_redirect.jsp


PM
http://www.northberwickgolfclub.com/

The North Berwick Golf Club
New Club House
Beach Road
North Berwick
East Lothian
EH39 4BB

Philip Gawith
Mark Pearce
Andrew Mitchell
Michael Christensen
Shane Sullivan
Matthew Sullivan
Kelly Blake Moran
Peter Pittock.
Eric Franzen
Tony Muldoon.

All of above are definate’s (NB a slight change in personnel) and we have 3 tee times.
13.15, 13.22 and 13.30.  You will need £45 they do take CC's and we pay at the starters hut which is not in the clubhouse but right behind the first tee.

  We need to plan to be at North Berwick for 1pm tee off.  It’s very informal and you can change shoes in the back of the car and walk across in front of the clubhouse to the starters hut and pro shop. Or if you have moment more then slip in to the Clubhouse and change there. Comments welcome.  I am assuming in March we will have no trouble parking in the road adjacent to the clubhouse.


Bill McBride, James Bennett, John Krystynak and David Mulle will be teeing off ahead of us at 1pm (13.00)


Tour of the Renaissance Club at Archerfield.
Late Afternoon See post below Tom will show us round as soon as we get there (guessing 6pm) if he's there. See post below there's a chance he might not make it in which case our host will be Don Placek.
  http://www.trcaa.com/  - includes a video presentation.

To get to The Renaissance Club, you take the A198 west from North Berwick, past both exits for the village of Dirleton, and then turn right at the entrance for Archerfield Links which is about 1/2 mile further on (perhaps 4-5 miles out of North Berwick).  There is a guard on duty but perhaps not that late in the afternoon, anyway just tell him you are coming to the Renaissance Club.  Continue along their driveway past the restored Archerfield House, and make a left into the Renaissance Club construction compound about 1/4 mile later, just after the road goes through a gap in a stone wall.
Assuming we are there from 6 until 7.30ish then dinner has been arranged for 8pm.

We have a reservation at Ducks

Dinner  
Malcolm Duck (07050 350534) looks forward to welcoming us and has set aside the Green Room for our group.

I have given him the following names but he can accommodate a few more.  If you do want to join the group I would appreciate being informed in advance.  


Due to the numbers he’s arranging a special menu and this has been posted below on a separate reply.  Can you please make your choice by Tuesday 20th and IM me.

The following have confirmed or have a place reserved.

Tom Doak and or Don Placek and possible 4 others.
Bill McBride
Philip Gawith
Peter Pittock
James Bennett
Michael Christensen
Shane and Matt Sullivan
Mark Pearce
Andrew Mitchell
John Krystynak
Kelly Blake Moran
Richard Farnsworth Goodale
David Mulle
Sean Walsh
Line Mortensen
Jason Fiorta (+1) tbc
Eric Franzen - staying
Tony Muldoon
(Apologies if I’ve mangled your name)



Ducks is on the main Road from Gullane to Edinburgh in the next (?) village of Aberlady.  http://www.ducks.co.uk/    tel +1875 870682


Muirfield Tuesday 27th March
I have reserved times for the following.  We can get into the changing room form 8.05am.

We tee off at 8.30 am (?)
Philip Gawith
Mark Pearce
Michael Christensen
Tony Muldoon.


As Sean Walsh has suggested it would be great to have a match in the PM North vs. south. We can sort this out up there.


The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers
Gullane
East Lothian
Scotland
EH31 2EG                                 http://www.muirfield.org.uk/  



MY mobile number is 07973 919809 and I will be in Scotland from the Friday night please feel free to contact me but I do turn it off once I get into the clubs.   I’m staying at the Blenheim House hotel in North Berwick on the Sunday and Monday nights.

NB please check the web sites above as it’s your own responsibility to conform with handicap requirements and dress sense etc.


Only 2 weeks to wait.

   

[Bill_McBride]

Thanks, Tony.

Monday 1 p.m. North Berwick, it's James Bennett, John Krystynak,  David Mulle and me.

Tuesday 8:30 a.m. the same group at Muirfield for a fourball.  We would indeed like to mix it up after lunch for the (slightly tipsy) foursomes.

All arrangements sound great.  I think Mr. Doak has been travelling but expect we'll hear from him soon.   I'm thinking 6-6:30 p.m. at Archerfield which makes an 8 a.m. dinner quite feasible.

After flying all night before and golf at North Berwick, I'll be the one face down in the soup course.  

Wednesday morning up to St Andrews, this is all getting very exciting!

[Tony_Muldoon]

http://www.ducks.co.uk/   at Aberlady

This is a new venture for an established restaurant.  It’s just the other side of Gullane and the proprietor would love to see us that night.  We would need to allow £30-35 a head plus wine but it should make for a memorable evening.

I would like to book a restaurant whether Tom can join us or not.

Who would be interested and what do you make of the proposed venue?

[Mark Pearce]

Tony,

Really looking forward to this.  A possible fly in the ointment in that a US client of mine is threatening to visit on the Monday, in which case I would be limited to the Tuesday but I hope he can be put off.

If I can put him off the plan sounds great and a match at Muirfield would add some spice!  What are you doing about accomodation on the Monday night?  I guess I should get something sorted.

Mark

[Philip Gawith]

Tony - thanks for all the work,and great title!

All the plans work for me and I am happy to go with your dinner suggestion for Monday night; I certainly plan to be there.

My only suggestion re timing is to wonder whether we cannot finish a bit sooner at Musselburgh, so as to start and finish earlier at North Berwick, so that Archerfield is not squeezed into too short a time/too late in the day. I shall leave this to you to sort with Tom - but I suppose in some ways it is what I am most looking forward to, so I would not want to squash it if it can be avoided. Is it still light at 7.30pm then?

Where, as a matter of interest, are people staying on Sunday and, more specifically, Monday night? I have not made a booking....

Philip

[Tony_Muldoon]

Mark and Philip you do need to sort this out, rooms are becoming harder to get.  It seems to me that  either

A there’s some event on in North Berwick and the only room left that Andrew Mitchell can find, is at a B&B  - Glebe House.  My hotel above is booked out for singles.
Or
B Andrew is remembered from his many previous trips there and you are taking a risk booking into the same place as him.

If it’s for one night only you might want to consider Gullane as it’s nearer where we will probably be dining?  Also Duck’s have rooms but I’d like some feedback and people to confirm they’re in before booking anything.

[Tony_Muldoon]

My only suggestion re timing is to wonder whether we cannot finish a bit sooner at Musselburgh, so as to start and finish earlier at North Berwick, so that Archerfield is not squeezed into too short a time/too late in the day. I shall leave this to you to sort with Tom - but I suppose in some ways it is what I am most looking forward to, so I would not want to squash it if it can be avoided. Is it still light at 7.30pm then?

Any other views on this?  We can reduce Hickories to 9 holes but it wouldn't be half price as Alfie has committed his time to this before the later offer came in.

There was virtuallly no interest in having a full afternooon at Archerfield so we've ended up with a bit of a compromise.  James Bennett on the other thread did work out sunset - the clocks will have gone forward.

I'd still be keen to hear Tom's views on what would be a worthwhile visit but I understand he's travelling at the moment.

[Mark Pearce]

Tony,

Do want to make sure we get 18 holes at North Berwick.  I'm happy to be guided by Tom as to how long we need for a worthwhile tour at Archerfield but suspect that a couple of hours is the most that we could reasonably expect him to give us.

Better get busy on the accomodation.....

Mark

[Philip Gawith]

Tony - in the back of my mind i thought the course was short and that meant we could be quite quick. Is it a 9 hole course you play twice? Excuse ignorance....I leave it to you re timing.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Yes a 9 holer, we'll just have to edcuate Alfie about how we've read that people like to play fast in Scotland!

[Tony_Muldoon]

As if we wern't already trying to pack too mcuh in...

If there's a few of us about Sunday pm we could approach the guy who has the museum in Gullane who only opens on request?  Alfie knows him, any takers?

[Bill_McBride]

Tony, the Glebe House might be the nicest B&B anyone could ever stay in, it's a beatiful Georgian house just above the high street in NB.

Duck's sounds fine for dinner, count us in I'm sure.

[Tom_Doak]

Gents:

My plan is to be out at The Renaissance Club all afternoon after arriving from the US on the morning of the 26th.  Whenever you get there is fine; it would probably take 2 1/2 hours to walk the whole course but we can short-cut as much as necessary.

To get to The Renaissance Club, you take the A198 west from North Berwick, past both exits for the village of Dirleton, and then turn right at the entrance for Archerfield Links which is about 1/2 mile further on (perhaps 4-5 miles out of North Berwick).  There is a guard on duty but perhaps not that late in the afternoon, anyway just tell him you are coming to the Renaissance Club.  Continue along their driveway past the restored Archerfield House, and make a left into the Renaissance Club construction compound about 1/4 mile later, just after the road goes through a gap in a stone wall.

I appreciate the offer for dinner but I don't know how up for it I will be after the trip from the US.  I am staying with my associates at the Aberlady House Hotel in Aberlady (the next town west of Gullane) which also has a nice restaurant (Duck's) on the ground floor, Malcolm Duck the owner is a friend of ours.  Perhaps we could have dinner there and then my crew will be able to crash when ready.

Please note:  there is a slim chance that I will have to cancel this trip at the last minute, in which case my lead associate for the course, Don Placek, will have to give the tour in my place.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I am staying with my associates at the Aberlady House Hotel in Aberlady (the next town west of Gullane) which also has a nice restaurant (Duck's) on the ground floor, Malcolm Duck the owner is a friend of ours.  Perhaps we could have dinner there and then my crew will be able to crash when ready.

Excellent,  so please indicate with a clear vote if you would like a reservation. I will probably have to put down a reserve so please be quite clear.

So far it's Bill McBride and me.

[Philip Gawith]

count me in for dinner at ducks tony

[peter_p]

I'm in for the tour, afternoon golf at N Berwick and Duck's for dinner.

[Tom_Doak]

Tony:

I hope he's open on Monday night.  And, make sure you make clear you want to eat at the hotel in Aberlady ... there is also a Duck's in Edinburgh which was the foundation of Malcolm's business.

[James Bennett]

Yes for dinner et all.

James B

[Michael Christensen]

Tony,

In for everything mentioned, up for as many holes of hickories as long as we get our 18 in at N Berwick......


I will be at Greywalls late Sunday morning....so this museum that was mentioned in Gullane sounds great....if it can be done.  I was just going to sit in a pub all day or go sight seeing!  Depends how tired after the flight from Atlanta Saturday night.  

[peter_p]

The Ducks' website says they are open on Mondays until 10.

[Matt_Sullivan]

Hi Tony

My wife Shane and I can confirm that we will be there for the whole day: hickories in the AM; North Berwick in the PM, followed by the Renaissance Club and then dinner. Looking forward to it and thanks for organising it!

We are also at Muirfield the next day in a two ball spot we booked ourselves but at much the same time you guys are teeing off. We are staying for lunch (although my wife will have to be content with sandwiches in the pro shop!!) and playing again in the afternoon.

For the purposes of teaming up nationalities to battle for honour and glory, the wife and I are Aussies. But, if numbers require it, we could conceivably be roped into a ROW outfit given our 7 or 8 year tenure in Asia.

Matt

[Mark Pearce]

Subject to the above mentioned client, I'm on for everything, including dinner.

A word of warning to those without accomodation yet. I got my firm's travel people to book me somewhere and the only places they could find available were the Golf Inn at Gullane and a (very nice looking) farmhouse B&B in Drem (a little way inland).  For some reason North Berwick is very busy that night!

[Andrew Mitchell]

Tony

What a great title for a fantastic trip - the next three weeks can't pass quickly enough

My plans are as follows:
Musselburgh
I'll be there for an 8 am meet - presumably the sooner we start the better. I'm travelling up from Yorkshire Sunday night so have booked in at a Premier Travel Inn just down the road from the course. I'm happy for us to play as many holes as we can in order to get to North Berwick in time to play 18 there and then get to Archerfield for as full a tour as possible!  Looking at the Musselburgh course plan it's either 9, 18 or if it's quiet we could cut across on our second nine from say 3rd green to 7th tee.

North Berwick
I confirm the Bleinheim House refused my reservation (Tony are you sure you didn't instruct them to tell me they were full when I rang ) but the Glebe House obviously didn't have me on their undesirables list. They did however charge me a supplement for single occupancy of a twin room though . Bill, thanks for the favourable review! Confirmed that I'm on for the afternoon round at North Berwick. Either before the round or before we scoot off to Archerfield I'll have to call in at my lodgings and check in with them.

Renaissance Club
I assume we just get there as soon as we can. If it's OK with Tom Doak it should be light until about 8pm - sunset is at 7.45pm and we'll get a bit of twilight so we'll hopefully have a couple of hours.

Ducks Restaurant
Yes - count me in for this.

Muirfield
I'm in a twoball with Sean Walsh teeing off at 8.50am. I think Shane & Matt Sullivan are just in front of us. From the responses to this thread to date there looks to be two groups of fourballs as well making twelve of us in total. Perhaps we could mix things up in the afternoon.

I'm on my way home after Muirfield. I should be satisfied with all the above but I must admit to some pangs of envy for those then travelling to play the Reverse Old Course

The only thing I can't do is the possible tour of the museum at Gullane on Sunday.  The name of the chap who runs it is Archie Baird. He features quite prominently in Curtis Gillespie's book "Playing Through" about a year of his life spent living in Gullane.

[Sean Walsh]

I will be able to make it out to Archerfield on the monday and have also yet to arrange accommodation for that night.  

I can't commit to the dinner at this stage, so go ahead and book without me.  

Very much looking forward to Muirfield the next day.  For the afternoon if my maths are correct we are close to equal teams for South. Hemisphere against North.  Just an idea.

See you all then.

[Tony_Muldoon]

As we will play it.