Scotland - First Leg

This very well may be more of a history of this once in a lifetime trip for me to read and remember my trip later than actually be interesting to anyone else... Even my Mother - the sure lone reader of the Joe Welsh blog may draw the line at the golf / Scotland blog...

So I left Oregon emotionally conflicted... Wife and THREE small kids left behind as I chase the dream of the Old Course (and beyond) in Scotland... It's testament to the love and understanding my wife has that she let this boondoggle proceed!

Anyhow - here I am... The mother country of golf. I have chosen to start my stay in Ayrshire - the home county/parish to the first 12 Open Championships, starting in 1860 and run through 1873 (there was no Open on 1871)... Before playing the original Open Course we played the current host of the Open (Turnberry) and a current Open Qualifier (Western Gailes). Then we played the course where it all began - Prestwick! Here are some summary thoughts on this first leg of the trip...


Turnberry - Expensive... Had just hosted The Open Chamionship...beautiful views, but nothing that exceed Pebble Beach (from what I have been told) or Bandon Dunes/Pacific Dunes (which I have played)... And in Scotland the most dramatic
views go to the Castle Course (which I'll write about later) at this point, but it's early...

Turnberry had just hosted the Open and the grandstands were still up... It was weird to play the course with all the stands still in place... I can't imagine the electric vibe that must have surrounded the 18th as Tom Watson's 8 iron settled behind 18 green on the 72 hole of the tournament! I had a great Scottish caddie named Steven... a hard workin' guy with loads of local information... Medium wind and I shoot an 88 from the Trophy Tees (think white tees at your home club) with blue and black still behind (and the Championship tees still behind those!) - still a 71 slope and 125 rating.
For the money I would not play it again - unless it was discounted or included with another round at a discount. At over $300 for the round, I'll take a round and a half at Bandon Dunes or 2 rounds at the next course we played - Western Gailes.

Western Gailes - best value for the money. Wecoming clubhouse and outstanding caddies with charachter. The course was difficult but fair and playing conditions excellent... Winds were mild 15 - 20 MPH... And whe you finished, your lunch was included in the cost of the round...
At this point it was my favorite, ahead of Turnberry! My caddie - Tommy - is 72 years old and still carrying the bag as well as playing 3-4 times a week... A joy of a guy, gave a little playing lesson on how to play links golf... Actually threw balls out in the middle of the round and had me practice a few shots!

The last course we played was Prestwick... The home of the Open, first played in 1860 and host to their last Open in 1925... This course should be easy... Lots of irons off the tee, not a tremendous amount of rough... Alas the winds off the neighboring ocean were fierce the day we played gusting to 50MPH! And the way the course is laid out, there is only one hole that the wind is behind - and it's a completely blind shot on a par 3 over a 50 foot sand dune/washout! Every other hole is either into the wind or a cross wind... The fairways are tight and the rough is penal... It is simply (in the conditions we played) the hardest course I have ever played. Thus the 99 score from the middle tees! I would hesitate to play it again, but would recommend it to every golfer on the pilgrimage to the mother land... Just take a caddy and check your ego at the pro shop!

Next update will be on my first stay in St. Andrews...