Swilken Bridge

[Marty Bonnar]

Anyone have a photo of the turf before the change? Is it basically for aesthetics?

Tim,
There’s a photo on the press release:
https://standrews.com/articles/swilcan_bridge_approach_works

[Tim Martin]

Anyone have a photo of the turf before the change? Is it basically for aesthetics?

Tim,
There’s a photo on the press release:
https://standrews.com/articles/swilcan_bridge_approach_works

Thanks Marty!

[Jeff Schley]

People are having fun with photobucket hope its reversed before someone actually takes selfies of  their bar b que on the new approach.

That is funny Tony.  Bar B Que or a firepit would fit right in.

[John Kavanaugh]

Anyone have a photo of the turf before the change? Is it basically for aesthetics?

Tim,
There’s a photo on the press release:
https://standrews.com/articles/swilcan_bridge_approach_works

Thanks Marty!

Another example of golf taking a step backwards thanks to the photographers. No cameras, no approach needed.

[John Kavanaugh]

I’ve heard that golfers go out to that bridge late into the night. The possible slippage due to Tomfoolery is a liability on that muddy mess. Alcohol once again doing what it do to the game.

[Forrest Richardson]

Changes occur to TOC every night as we sleep. Wind, sand and the roots of gorse find their way to new places, while small streams of surface water carve new subtleties to terrain where a golfer will one day need to execute a shot. But when the hand of a human dares touch the Old Lady...my gosh there is outcry!

Can we find an article (opinion) or photo when irrigated turf was installed to replaced the worn sand and mud that was at both ends of the little bridge — back when the traders used it to bring goods to and from the town?

[David Jones]

Changes occur to TOC every night as we sleep. Wind, sand and the roots of gorse find their way to new places, while small streams of surface water carve new subtleties to terrain where a golfer will one day need to execute a shot. But when the hand of a human dares touch the Old Lady...my gosh there is outcry!

Can we find an article (opinion) or photo when irrigated turf was installed to replaced the worn sand and mud that was at both ends of the little bridge — back when the traders used it to bring goods to and from the town?

I wish 'the hand of a human' would attempt to rectify the work of previous human hands that have defiled the Road Hole bunker so...

[Forrest Richardson]

David — Hummmm....should we go back to before the ROAD was formalized with its stone wall, and before the name "Road" had been bestowed? Get rid of the sheds and hotel? Make it a par-5 again? I'm all for that, but I'm not sure it would go over well.

[David Jones]

David — Hummmm....should we go back to before the ROAD was formalized with its stone wall, and before the name "Road" had been bestowed? Get rid of the sheds and hotel? Make it a par-5 again? I'm all for that, but I'm not sure it would go over well.

No, I'm happy for them to just do the bunker!

[Mark Chaplin]

“Better than the bare earth or AstroTurf that's usually there. The area would be returfed every winter but by May the turf would be worn away again and would get returfed before every Dunhill. Most people took their pictures avoiding the bare area on the wall on. They can do the same with this. Plus, if you dig down another foot, you'd uncover more of the bridge but if you exposed it would be under water most of the time”


From Gordon Moir now retired Keeper of the Links.

[Kalen Braley]

People are having fun with photobucket hope its reversed before someone actually takes selfies of  their bar b que on the new approach.

That is funny Tony.  Bar B Que or a firepit would fit right in.

Jeff,

I like where this is headed.  Perhaps its just phase 1 of a new revenue opportunity to setup a small cart and sell haggis or liver snacks while golfers wait for their turn to cross the bridge.  Seems perfectly reasonable. 

[Pat Burke]

Shouldn’t  there be a table with an umbrella sitting there?

[Thomas Dai]

"Anyone like a glass of ginger beer?"
atb

[Ally Mcintosh]

“Better than the bare earth or AstroTurf that's usually there. The area would be returfed every winter but by May the turf would be worn away again and would get returfed before every Dunhill. Most people took their pictures avoiding the bare area on the wall on. They can do the same with this. Plus, if you dig down another foot, you'd uncover more of the bridge but if you exposed it would be under water most of the time”


From Gordon Moir now retired Keeper of the Links.

I disagree with Gordon.


There’s no ideal solution but a bit of wear and re-turfing once a year is preferable, maybe not to a course manager. But that’s besides the point.


I bet if you dig down another foot, you find an extension of the bridge, not a patio.

[Tim Martin]

“Better than the bare earth or AstroTurf that's usually there. The area would be returfed every winter but by May the turf would be worn away again and would get returfed before every Dunhill. Most people took their pictures avoiding the bare area on the wall on. They can do the same with this. Plus, if you dig down another foot, you'd uncover more of the bridge but if you exposed it would be under water most of the time”


From Gordon Moir now retired Keeper of the Links.

I disagree with Gordon.


There’s no ideal solution but a bit of wear and re-turfing once a year is preferable, maybe not to a course manager.

Ally-I think you have it right as the “patio” seems like a gross overreaction.

[David_Tepper]

St. Andrews responds:

https://golf.com/news/st-andrews-responds-changes-iconic-swilcan-bridge/?utm_campaign=forecast&utm_source=golf.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=%7Bdate%28&utm_term=GOLFcom%20Top%20Stories%20Newsletter

[Erik J. Barzeski]

As for Eric's assertion that the bridge is spelt wrong I think others have dealt with that. I have always been a Swilken man. Although Marty makes the pertinent point that this bridge, historically, was named the Golfer's Bridge. It probably didn't work as well for marketing purposes though.

Yeah, I was wrong there (and linked to Wikipedia yesterday where it lists both), but I'd almost never seen it as Swilken. But you spelled my name wrong, and there is only one spelling for that, so we're even. 

I can't remember once walking over the bridge and either thinking, or hear someone else mention, the state of the turf on the walk up. Having said that I can understand why they may want to do something.

I feel like even if they made it a slightly concrete pad or some sort of green-ish brown-ish material that might work. Will the stones weather in to match the bridge, or will that take like 10 years even if it does at all?

[Sean_A]

“Better than the bare earth or AstroTurf that's usually there. The area would be returfed every winter but by May the turf would be worn away again and would get returfed before every Dunhill. Most people took their pictures avoiding the bare area on the wall on. They can do the same with this. Plus, if you dig down another foot, you'd uncover more of the bridge but if you exposed it would be under water most of the time”


From Gordon Moir now retired Keeper of the Links.

So the old stone path is still there? I thought it strange that anyone would pull up the stones. From memory, the stone path was basically an extension of the bridge to about where the current stones are.

Ciao

[Mike Hendren]

I’d comment but suddenly feel the need to get to Home Depot for some Valspar Patio Sealer. 

[Ally Mcintosh]

“Better than the bare earth or AstroTurf that's usually there. The area would be returfed every winter but by May the turf would be worn away again and would get returfed before every Dunhill. Most people took their pictures avoiding the bare area on the wall on. They can do the same with this. Plus, if you dig down another foot, you'd uncover more of the bridge but if you exposed it would be under water most of the time”


From Gordon Moir now retired Keeper of the Links.

So the old stone path is still there? I thought it strange that anyone would pull up the stones. From memory, the stone path was basically an extension of the bridge to about where the current stones are.

Ciao

How do you deduce that from what he said? What era do you recall the stone path originating from? I suspect it was just another interim attempt to stop wear at the foot of the bridge.

[Pete_Pittock]

Looks like a barbell.  Why I never had my picture taken on the bridge is beyond my comprehension. I remember the click, click of  metal spikes. 

[Mark Pearce]

On the plus side it’s not as offensive as the additional bunkers on #2

Thank you.  All these golfing celebrities getting their knickers in a twist over this but were silent over the changes to the actual course.

[Brian_Ewen]

[Ally Mcintosh]

Hearing that it will be removed.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Hearing that it will be removed.

Yeah - https://twitter.com/MMcEwanGolf/status/1622663624719302658