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Boards Trip St Andrews Sun 3rd March to Thurs 7th
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23-02-2019 11:22pm#1
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charlieIRL wrote: »Would love to be going but unfortunately the timing is wrong this time.
Maybe again next year?
maybe to the sun next time
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I don't tend to be overly impressed by "things you have to do". I seem to have a natural tendency against them. But the trip to St Andrews is one I have simply have to go, "They are dead right", hands up "you have to do it".
Normally golf trips are just about the golf , the course, the score, the winner, the fun. But there is something more going on when you visit St Andrews.
You are simply not aware of how much the place is ingrained in your mind, the history , the first memories of watching the course on tv.
I've always felt golf would do better if it was as it should be, and was in the past, part of the community, part of the town, a focus and natural thing in the day to day life. You simply realize that the "Home of Golf" is outstanding marketing, but the perfect description of how you feel in the heart of the town.
A few guys here and a few other groups that stem from The Boards Golf Society, have started a few sub groups. It is nice to have someone who will want to play golf on a Tuesday , have golfing ambitions , or things they want to do in golf. They want to play the great courses, travel, Ireland and further afield. There is a world of golf out there - but sadly not the time or money for all to do them.
We have had a great few years , of travelling Ireland and playing great courses. It is a challenge Scotland will always face versus an Irish golfer - we simply have outstanding golf in Ireland too.
So over last 4 days we played - The New, The Jubilee and the Old course. The build up was like schoolchildren at the end of the year. The nervous energy, the epic journey and delays. The preparation, the equipment, the practice, the banter, the bets.
We stayed very close to the course - all organised brilliantly by paulo. The walk down after the the Scottish breakfast is one you will not forget. You don't know where the course is, what it looks like . But you are walking in the middle of a stunning town with a golf bag and it is just bizarre , slowly the sea comes into view , the sound, the seagulls and then you turn a corner and bang. Green - miles of it. The scale is just incredible - and how on earth could you miss that fairway.
The New Course is a tough links. We played it day 1, we were blessed with the weather. There was an honest wind that made keeping the ball in play tough going. But you learn a bit - that at St Andrews courses , the real fun all starts on the greens. They are so mature and solid and dry , that you are reading greens and wind. A rare thing to links golf and I'd suggest Scottish links golf even more so. The raised green by the sea is a thing to fear.
Roadrunner took the lead with another impressive 33 points - he has turned himself into an outstanding golfer - fantastic contact with everything. Uses his strong ball flight well and his impressive short game spin to considerable advantage. I was second myself with 32 (back 9) and helped by Links experience I suppose and Space a solid player who is always there or there about with 32
We knew the first two courses were the warm up courses. They would not be much better than anything you would play at home and are more about plotting the ball around and learning the feel of the greens.
A bit of grub in the stunning clubhouse and a few drinks to toast a successful day. For a place with such history , the atmosphere is remarkably relaxed. A good few Irish courses could learn a bit from it. It is just golf , not a royal wedding. The prices are reasonable - not feeling like you have been robbed blind for a coke and a sandwich, and it is made fresh and to be honest, the nicest club sandwich you will ever have on a course.
We almost had the place to ourselves, yes we were off season, risk of nightmare weather and mats on old. But, the place must be a nightmare in the summer with 6 hour rounds and some tourists who basically can't play. My caddy on day 3 told me he watched a German player shoot 126 with a par at 17 on the old. He told me he has also watched some guys , that clearly don't play golf at all.
After the round we asked people how they rated the course the marks were from 7 to 10 out of 10 (average about 7.5). I've played a couple of the secondary courses at championship links. They have a similar feel , a little shorter , tight, condition a little off, but a fun round.
Day 2 we were in for a treat, again the weather was very good for that time of year and the place to ourselves on The Jubilee. It is a stunning little course and it was a pure joy out there. Little or no wind made for an easy day and good scoring conditions.
The fun on the course was great and amazing how better scoring can change the energy in a group. Space on top with 39 pts (countback), myself 2nd and OffalyMedic 3rd.
I had my best round in a while (3 over) and the best I felt on a golf course in a good while. A chance of an under par round - but don't be greedy.
We had a bit of a party that night (kicking off in the famous Jigger at the 17th) and there was a feeling of magic with the anticipation of the big one.
But then it rained and rained and was wet and a bit horrible as we looked out on the famous 1st and 18th the next morning. Some of us had caddies to carry , but when you seen how they were dressed, it almost put more fear in you. They had the experience of poor Scottish conditions. You could see the years of damage carved out in their faces. Weather damage and also having to watch some terrible daft golf
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I wouldn't be a fan of having a caddy myself , I love to manage my own round, read the course , see it for myself. But it was a great novelty. Golf by its nature is a routine sport. Is changing your routine good for your game ? another days debate. With the wet conditions it definitely helped and was a bit of fun. My caddy said , "we like you guys, you play golf like us, get up and hit". I know - he has the tricks of the tipping trade.
The old course - is simply unique. I don't think anyone is claiming it is the best course in the world - but it is the golf experience. The holes are very unusual , location, shape , the bunkers , the look. The scale of the holes are amazing. Considering you are sharing greens , it is strange how you rarely see other golfers.
The course set up was fairly easy , with some key bunkers GUR in winter. But it was still as tough as you get out there on the front nine. Strong winds and rain getting everything wet and you feeling a bit disappointed. But it was still great to be out in it. Fairway mats are a strange thing. I'm not a fan as a bit of a digger. But it seemed to not impact on scoring.
I'll have to offer my congratulations to so many of the golfers who went. To go out and play on a links at that level , in very tough conditions for the front 9 and play to your handicap and better - is truly a fantastic achievement.
Tiger had 46 pts , Roadrunner (43 - 75 gross) , Golfgraffix 41 pts , Space 38 pts, OffalyMedic 36pts - SeveOB 36, Paulos 36 pts, Fix 33 pts, Benny 30 pts, Kieran 28 pts.
I had a bad day myself - but was a joy to watch that energy in people coming in on 18 after a great round. The town surrounding and some spectators around them , having that final moment that they have watched their heroes do on tv.
45000 people play the course a year. but for one moment , the focus is you and that last hole. People from all over the world , different backgrounds and attitudes and experiences and skill levels. Who have one commonality. A love for this bizarre , beautiful and perplexing game.
It will take a bit more time for me to reflect on the course , the place, the experience. It was simply an amazing week. But to a degree an end of a chapter. Once you have done that Old Course experience once.
Can you ever feel that again, where do you go next ?
I don't know the answer to that yet. But I didn't know I needed to go to St Andrews only a week ago.
Thanks to everyone, one we will not forget.
(ps Overall 3 course result (no tie back rule)
1st Space
1st Roadrunner
3rd Fix.0 -
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spacecoyote wrote: »One omission Fix...Captain Benny won the wooden spoon
To be honest , could write pages . So much not in there.
Yes Benny got an actual wooden spoon , so means has to be played again .0 -
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Golfhead65 wrote: »Have ye tried The Belfry ?? 3 courses with the famous Brabazon (Ryder Cup course ) good value to be had as well
yes it was brought up as an option for net year.
this was our first trip.....first of many
i was first to leave Ireland , last to get home... an epic journey .... my write up will follow. but suffice it to say, i'm glad i'm not back in work today!0 -
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yes it was brought up as an option for net year.
this was our first trip.....first of many
i was first to leave Ireland , last to get home... an epic journey .... my write up will follow. but suffice it to say, i'm glad i'm not back in work today!
Belfry is lovely, Brabazon is a monster of a course. The inland links course there is a real challenge also. The fact that you have accommodation onsite and the history with the Ryder Cups makes it an ideal golf desitination.
Not too far from Birmingham airport either0 -
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Well as Keano rightly points out above, my post no 10,000 needs to be epic, and what a story to tell.
It all started way back early last summer when Paulos got together a group of society regulars and long timers on a WhatsApp group to sus out if there was any interest in an away trip to the Home of Golf. Of course I was in like flynn along with a few others but after we got an unfavourable draw in August and didn't get the April tee times we wished for, a few guys dropped out as we would have to play the old course off mats in March. Having made a day trip from Edinburgh a few years ago, it would be my second time off mats on the Old Course, but I knew they are not as bad as it might sound. I didn't care.... 9 guys confirmed and I was going to St Andrews for a beer a golf fuelled few days with a great bunch of lads. We did have an unfortunate last minute drop out, but it wasn't long before the spot was filled.
So Paulos had the golf and hotel sorted, all we had to do was get ourselves there. Some were driving & ferry via Norn Iron, some were flying from Cork & Dublin, I was left deciding, hymning and hawing,...... Golf was on Monday 4th, the Merseyside Derby was scheduled for Saturday the 2nd (a match I always dreamed of going to, except this was not the preferred side of Stanley Park for me
). I would be only home the previous Sunday night after a 2 and half week family holiday in Dubai. Could I really disappear again on the Saturday morning...... Feck it, I have family in Warrington, I'll pay them a visit, hope to get a match ticket and take an easy leisurely drive up to St Andrews Saturday evening / Sunday with a pit stop half way.... Decision made, Dublin-Holyhead Ferry booked.
So with thanks to a fellow boardsie over on the Everton thread
I sourced a match ticket, unfortunately stuck in with the blue nosed toffees, but I would be there, thats all that mattered. Then disaster struck, the match was rescheduled to Sunday kick off at 16:15 :mad: That meant a leisurely drive to Scotland over an evening and night would be a rush job on Sunday night, probably arriving after midnight. Feck it, how often to I get the chance to go to a premier league game, I'll make it work.
So I always said that next time I would play St Andrews that I would be well prepared golf wise, but between one thing and another I had little to no golf since the turn of the year. Maybe 3 games in early January and none in February. Not the prep I was hoping for, but the last day of the holiday in Dubai gave me a great opportunity of 18 holes with Paul Dunne and a couple of other well known golfers. Unfortunately I was merely a hanger on. Dunner wanted to know how come I wasn't playing, it would have been nice for 2 Greystones players to take on the other 2 Irish boys based in Dubai, but alas it wasn't to be. Dunner gave us a show that day, he was coasting and shot a leisurely -6 with only one missed fairway costing him a solitary bogey. In all truth he could have been -10 but for a few putts left hanging on the edge of the hole. I tipped all the St Andrews crew to back him in Oman
oooops! They'll have me for that!
So anyway, Saturday came, early ferry, spent the day catching up with family in Warrington and checked into Liverpool Hotel late that evening, beer & bed. Match day, who do I meet.....
Match didn't supply the desired result, I had a great seat, but even better it was end of aisle and right beside the steps, so once final whistle blew I was out of there like a hot snot. The hotel receptionist had put me straight on a great car park so within about 5 minutes of final whistle I was in my car heading for Scotland. Getting out early easily shaved an hour off my journey by missing the match traffic, expected time of arrival was 22:57 but I knew the really bad weather was closing in so with a strong wind my only nemesis I put the hammer down and made good time to the Scottish border. What followed was the worst drive I have ever endured as I had to drive right through the eye of Storm Freya and it's blizzards across the highlands of Scotland. There was enough traffic to keep one lane pretty free from snow. Feck stopping for a break, I decided to plough on because leaving the motorway would probably leave me stranded, another statistic on the BBC weather report. I did pass a few unfortunates but all seemed lucky enough to have some police help. I hadn't dared look at my phone from the moment I left Scouseland, this drive demanded a permanent 2 hands on the wheel, but I could hear the St Andrews WhatsApp group beeping like crazy. I wasn't aware that I was now in a Top Gear style race with the last 3 guys to leave Ireland. I think they boarded their plane about halftime but the snow put a halt to their gallop, & earned one of them his 15 seconds of fame Thankfully once I passed Glasgow, the altitude dropped and there was no more snow, just a hard wind and rain. So at about 22:50 I pulled into the town of St Andrews, not aware I had won the race I didn't even know I was in! I don't think I've ever needed a pint more than after that stressful drive so I ordered a pint of their Scottish finest in the hotel bar and I would go to bed early..... ehhh no, bar closed sorry!!!! :eek: "The Vic up the road stays open late". 2 of us headed up and the last of our guys arrived as last orders were being called about 1am, unfresh off the plane, golf clubs in tow.
So Monday in St Andrews started with a bloody awful ear piercing early alarm call. Fire Alarm Call. Somebody in room 104 decided to iron their shirt at 6:30 in the morning and jumped in the shower while letting the iron heat up. An oversensitive alarm sensor triggered an unnecessary Fire Alarm which left us a good half an hour on the street (some in their bare feet :eek:) while the hotel conducted their safety checks and roll call. 3 of us opted for an early breakfast while others went back for a rest. Somebody is Jinxing this trip.
Golf teed off at 11:04 and I was in the first group out, not feeling confident after a sneaky midweek round in a few days ago saw me score all of 20 points. Phew, I got it away off the tee. The New course I'd been told by a few people is a much better track than the Old Course. I'm not a major fan of links golf, with a high ball flight, a fear of wind and rain, it's not my forte. Well we had an completely different day than yesterday. The sun shone brightly, barely a cloud in sight, but my god it was cold and there was a gale blowing. As links courses go, it was alright, very flat, open, not to much trouble. Lovely grub after in the Links Clubhouse and a round the table bit of banter after saw rankings of the course between 7-8 out of 10. If I'm honest, I would rank it closer to a 6 and most of those ranking points coming from the whole location experience. It was a good course, not a great course. Out with 12 points, a good run on the back 9 saw me pick up a few, but closed the last 3 holes out with 1 point each to finish the day with 26. Still better than my 20 from last week
Back to the hotel, a little rest and recuperation and a pint in the bar. Then a pre night out room party. What happens in room 107 with a bottle of fine Scottish Whisky, a crate of IPA and a packet of biscuits between 7 guys and a girl who met each other on the internet, .... well it stays in room 107 The Keys is the local bar of choice in St Andrews so it was naturally ours. An epic never-ending darts match, the banter with the locals, a great night out.
The Jubilee course followed the next day. The wind was down and the clouds rolled in. Thankfully the rain stayed away save for a few spits. The wide fairways of the New Course were gone and this a bit more of a challenge to navigate. Although it does supply some gorse and rolling hills, it is far from the fantastic dunes of Ballybunion and Tralee. But most importantly I started to play golf. Out with 39 shots (21 points) and unlucky not to be level par, the solid golf I played for the first 11 holes soon failed me and I closed out the last 7 holes with only 1 par on the super difficult index 2 15th hole to finish with 34 points. Happy enough with that. Tiredness had kicked in.
The Famous Jigger Inn in the Old Course Hotel after this round, a unique bar full of atmosphere, nooks and crannies, a tasty sandwich and another post course review. A better course by far than yesterday was the unanimous verdict. Ziggys later on, joined by Boardsie no 10. A unique restaurant wall lined with some amazing rock memorabilia. A must have meal for anyone visiting St Andrews. The Keys was a tamer affair this night.... Old Course beckons tomorrow.
Quick rewind to the summer of 1988. I was 11. A day trip to St Andrews, a few photos beside the iconic 18th green and 1st fairway. A dream that one day I would return and conquer. Well return I did, another day trip in 2015, but conquer I didn't. Off 14 (I think), a poor game of golf still delivered 36 points. An easy enough course was my recollection. Off 12 now and after a brighter round on the Jubilee I set my sights high, but the rain had arrived, hard rain, wind and coldness. It really was a washout. The type of day nobody plays golf at home. I mean, NOBODY! But we were playing the Old Course, so a quick trip to the range & lets get this show on the road. WOW, what a range, Trackman in every single bay, bays that are each the size of 4 regular bays, a heap of fully equipped custom fit/lesson bays that leave Fore Golf in their dust, putting rooms and a fantastic looking short game area. A few good strikes, I was warmed up now and ready to go.
Check in and meet the caddies. I had booked the same caddie who led me around 3 years ago, a super guy, married as long as I've been alive and has hacked his way out to a 3 handicap in recent years :eek:. He hands me 3 wood to start with, no need for driver here, lets just get it down there, it's a short hole. Of course I leak it a bit right of target and find the Swilken Burn :rolleyes:. A good approach rescued a 5. I'll take that. What followed was quite simply 5 of the most shocking holes of golf I have played in years. The weather didn't help, everything was ringing wet since the second tee box, there was no grip, even the rain gloves gave up hope. Hacking it up the rough, I somehow managed to rescue point after point and on the par 5 5th somehow even managed 2 points and finally played a golf shot for my 3rd into the 6th & knocked in the par putt. Game on, a nice tee shot on 7 but a soft 3 putt. A birdie 2 followed on 8, par on 9, finally I'm starting to play and somehow I've scraped 17 points. The rain eased and the wind died on the back 9, it certainly helped matters and I found a new glove which gave me a bit of grip back..... for a few holes! A few more pars and a couple of birdies on the back 9 were joined by 2 lost ball scratches on 13 & 16. My best hole of the week was the 15th, I flushed my drive up the middle (when we get tot he ball my caddy said to be that he couldn't believe how well & far I'd hit it) and I go & stick the approach to less than 3 foot, a text book birdie. Move over to the 16th tee & I proceed to slice a garryown tee shot into the range and the witty scottish banter comes out of the caddies "where is the golfer gone who played the last hole". The other caddie was a bit more generous with his words telling me that even Rickie Fowler did the exact same thing in The Open! A highlight was when our caddies said to us on the Road Hole 17th tee to ignore the tee markers of the day and brought us into the edge so we could really talk on the corner of the Old Course Hotel, just like the Pro's do. I hit a beautiful slight fade to take the corner perfect and finish well up the left side of the fairway. A solid par on 18 to finish a very memorable day. Home with 19 points and 12 over par round of 36 points. I was happy enough with that, but I want another crack at it. This course is there for the taking. My saviour on the day was my lag putting, from on and off the green I was getting them all very close (even the caddies were impressed) and the 2 3putts I took were missing 3 footers :mad:
In summary, 3 typical Links courses, 9 holes heading out and away from the the clubhouse before you turn for home. We were thinking you could be about 2 miles away at the furthest point. I think out of the 3 courses, it might be fair to say the Jubilee is the best. However, there really is something magical about playing the old course. It wins hands down. A trip any self respecting golfer must do and dare I say it.... do again and again.
So before we reach the end the chat begins about what next years trip will be, will we come again? or will we go to the sun? maybe Donegal? maybe the Belfry? Celtic Manor? choices are abundant. The last night and what better way to finish than a leisurely pub crawl around town. A great little town. Full of students and golfers. Students who all seem to have no interest at all in golf madly enough. The first to leave Ireland, I was the last to leave St Andrews, a ferry home from Holyhead in the early hours of Friday meant could take my time leaving the town on Thursday, I even contemplated seeing if I could get another sneaky game in, but the cold and the rain just put me off so I soaked up a bit more of the towns culture instead. A nice drive through Scotland, I found it very much like a long lost twin of the Wicklow mountains, a really nice drive home. Stopped for lunch in Lockerbie, a place only up the road from where I had holidayed back in 1988, only a few short months before the village was changed forever, so visit to the memorial was a must and a very somber way to close out the trip.
Well Keano, you asked for Epic, you got Epic..... Jesus, that nearly took me as long as the trip did!0 -
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