A C man says I missed something after only one play at TOC. Any guesses what?

[Brian Finn]

Walking across the Swilcan Bridge?

As you may know I followed my caddie across the simple wooden bridge built for the common man. Perhaps some day when I have earned the right to cross the Swilcan bridge as the sun shines across my face I will return.

You did cross the Swilcan Bridge at least once during the trip, no? 

[John Kavanaugh]

Walking across the Swilcan Bridge?

As you may know I followed my caddie across the simple wooden bridge built for the common man. Perhaps some day when I have earned the right to cross the Swilcan bridge as the sun shines across my face I will return.

You did cross the Swilcan Bridge at least once during the trip, no? 

Yes, sadly in the cover of darkness.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Many have said, and I experienced it myself, that on subsequent trips around TOC, you start to see (probably feel) the blind bunkers you didn't know were there the first time.  Can't experience it without playing again.

And, by all means, take a different caddie the second time around, to experience the widest variety of caddy insults you can.......they are all unique.

[Brian Finn]

And, by all means, take a different caddie the second time around, to experience the widest variety of caddy insults you can.......they are all unique.

I'm not sure John or Josh got too many caddie insults thrown their way, as they played pretty well.  I certainly (and deservedly) did.  Of all the witty and creative comments directed at me, my personal favorite was the simplest.

"Well, you advanced it, laddie."

My caddie, Ian, was the genuine article.  Over 35 years on the links after serving in the military in N. Ireland.  He stuck with me for every round in town, and knew the courses better than I ever could have imagined.

[Bill_McBride]

Quote "By common consent TOC is a great course but can a golfer really appreciate exactly what they have played after one game ? Are you really going to fully appreciate it first time round ? Not likely and that goes for any number of courses. Doesn't stop them being great."

Interesting, perhaps after a few more plays I will never purposely be right of the principals nose bunker again. Any others?

If the area left of the Principal's Nose were properly mowed as fairway, the temptation to play dangerously toward the OB would be much less.  Left is safe but 2" rough ruins the strategy.

Glad to hear you had such a great time. 

[Dave McCollum]

JK,

You asked what I missed.  As someone else said, you only get one chance to play TOC without really knowing the trouble that awaits.  Even though we walked the course on Sunday in the opposite wind that you played, our scouting trip didn’t help as much as one would think since the wind the next day was the opposite direction, the same wind you experienced.  For example, on Sunday we sat on a dune and looked at 14 for about 10 minutes and had no clue how to play it.  The next day, I was easily on the green in two (unlike you, I three putted for par).  Months later reading Mackenzie’s book with his drawings about how to play the hole, I learned that the best strategy for that Sunday wind was to drive down the 5th fairway, hit the second down 5 again, and approach from there.  We never thought of that.  The same puzzle might be presented on many holes depending on weather/conditions.

I told a friend of mine that I’d been to Scotland and played TOC because I knew he had played it years before.  His response was “Have you ever seen such a mess?” 

Dumbfounded for a moment, I saw the light:  “Too cheap to hire a caddie?”  Foolish fellow.

[John Kavanaugh]

I have to admit that I am currently at a loss on how the Hell Bunker comes into play.

[Sean_A]

When I last played TOC I didn't cover Hell by much.  Put the wind at 15mph and I wouldn't have.


Ciao

[Dave McCollum]

With wind in your face, as it was on that Sunday, Hell was a prominent obstruction.   The best we could come up with was to lay up to Hell at the very end of the Elysian Fields, however making the carry from there to the green on the third shot appeared very difficult and risky.  I was over 200 yards of rough into a strong breeze.  Like I said, playing down 5 didn't occur to us.

[Bill_McBride]

Hell has never been an issue for me because I have always been Dr. Mackenzie's player who skirts the Beardies left, but I have never played the second into the fifth fairway.  There is a lovely patch of short grass off to left toward some gorse bushes that leaves a nice 100 yard shot right into bank at the front of the green, easy bump and run. 


During the three days I spent at the 2005 Open, I spent a fair amount at 14, waiting for someone to run afoul of Hell.  No one I saw did, even from the 600 yard tee on the Eden course, everyone flew safely over Hell.   Too bad.

[John Kavanaugh]

John,

Off Tom and Sean's comments, to the degree you went left off the tee, and to the degree you successfully hugged the right side, were there any appreciable differences in the challenge coming in and / or holing out?

Or did it not make much difference?

Also, did the caddies make all the decisions for you or was it multiple choice?

Mark,


I wish I knew why I trusted this caddie. It wasn't so much a multiple choice as I asked him how far to hit the ball in the air and he told me. The most amazing thing was him knowing which greens held a wedge and which greens required a run up. I had never heard the term "holding green". I have a feeling the guy was a top flight golfer in his day but when I asked him what he did for fun he simply said "Drink and Gamble." Who knows may he was the ghost of Christmas future.