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Scotland's golf links have transformed me

Friday July 13, 2007 | 08:57:04 315 words, 4373 views
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In recent years, the Open Championship has become my personal favorite major championship in golf. Ever since I started playing nearly 35 years ago, I always had a fascination with that different form of the game known as links golf - usually on half-brown turf, players using bump and run shots, stacked sod bunkers that are a real hazard and wind speeds that can mean nothing at all or up to a 4 club difference. And all of the history involved in the oldest championship in the world produced an increasingly seductive allure for me as I’ve aged. But it was not until I finally crossed the Atlantic for an 11-day immersion into links golf that I became totally, impossibly in love with this event. Only now can I fully appreciate exactly what the players are facing.

Having said that, I am positively giddy that we will get a triple dose of links golf in July as this year’s Open at Carnoustie next week will be followed immediately by the Senior Open at Muirfield, then the Women’s Open at St. Andrews. I had the pleasure of a round on the Old Course but only got to look over the Muirfield links from the top of Gullane Hill when I played the spectacular Gullane No. 1 Course next door. Sadly, Carnoustie did not fit in our itinerary. I have been assured it’s a masochist’s delight, perhaps the toughest course in the world.

My buddies and I are now planning another Scotland golf vacation for 2008, this time to the Highlands and Northeast to play Royal Dornoch, Nairn, Cruden Bay and many other seaside gems. I cannot urge you strongly enough, that if you have never played real links golf, to make it the highest priority on your life’s to-do list. Anywhere in the British Isles will do. I swear it’s the most fun I’ve ever had playing golf in my life.

Comments:

Comment from: Brandon Tucker [Member] Email · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/brandon.tucker
Nairn and Dornoch are the same price - and i'd rather play Dornoch twice each once, personally...Didn't make it to Cruden Bay, which I still lose sleep over!
Permalink 07/13/07 @ 11:15
Comment from: Brandon Tucker [Member] Email · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/brandon.tucker
"than" each once, i mean :-)
Permalink 07/13/07 @ 11:20
Comment from: Shanks [Member] Email · http://www.travelgolf.com/blogs/shanks
As my plan now stands, we'll likely be playing Nairn as a mid-route break on the travel day between Dornoch and Cruden Bay, which will be our probable two "bases". Also planning to play Royal Aberdeen and Brora. The rest is still up in the air.
Permalink 07/13/07 @ 11:51
Comment from: Ron Mon [Member] Email
See, if Shanks were a chap, he'd invite Brandon along. Have either of you played Arcadia Bluffs or the links course at Bay Harbor? Those two rate up with Straits, Irish, and all three Bandon Courses on my list. My Scottish holes are limited to Old and New at St. Andrews.
Permalink 07/14/07 @ 08:46
Comment from: Shanks [Member] Email · http://www.travelgolf.com/blogs/shanks
Maybe I should go with B-Tuck! He wouldn't want to play with my crew - not very often anyway. I'm the youngest one at 51, so my boys are usually only interested in 18/day. However, they do enjoy having tons of action on the game. They prefer a slower pace with plenty of time to mingle with the locals in the always interesting Scottish nightlife.

Have not played those 2 courses but have played many faux-links courses including those at Whistling Straits. The turf is way too soft so it's not even close to the real thing. Imagine having about 100 yds to a front pin with a 30 mph wind at your back on very undulating turf that's hard as thin carpet on a cement floor. Talk about feel shots!

You picked a great place to start as St. Andrews is a wonderful "auld toon". We enjoyed our 2 days there as we played both Old & New as well. I've not been up North yet, but we spent 4 days on the West coast in Gailes, which is near Troon. The highlight of that part of the trip was our round at Prestwick, site of the first 21 Opens. A very special course with much more variety than St. Andrews. Then we went for a week on the East coast, primarily in East Lothian, where we played the wonderful links of Gullane (#1 and #2), North Berwick (West & East) & Dunbar. All courses with incredible variety, character & beauty. I'd probably commit homicide if it would get me there right now. Well, ok, maybe not, but you know what I mean!!
Permalink 07/15/07 @ 14:26
Comment from: Reagan [Visitor] Email · http://www.mulliganplus.com
Did you see the second shot of Tiger on the 17th? 230 yards with a 5 iron, fantastic. If you want a course guide to Carnoustie I found one here - http://www.mulliganplus.com/_assets/_user/File/course_guides/Carnoustie%20Golf%20Links_15.pdf

Worth having a look at.
Permalink 07/19/07 @ 10:14
Comment from: Shanks [Member] Email · http://www.travelgolf.com/blogs/shanks
Nope, didn't see it. But I heard about it!
Permalink 07/19/07 @ 10:39

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