100. Return to Scotland, A Trip of a Lifetime, September 1-21, 2017, Part V

Return to Scotland, A Trip of a Lifetime, September 1-21, 2017, Part V

Was great to be back with Pat, and the break probably did both of us good.  She got to see her castles and gardens and I was able to run around and play all the golf I wanted (no…all that I could physically endure…18 holes a day every day walking in lots of wind and rain is very wearing). 

Gleneagles-King’s Course, September 16, 2017: After breakfast it was down to the first tee of The King’s Course.  I first played The King’s Course in 1970, and played it one other time about 25 years ago.  I have a belief that when in Scotland, one should only play links tracks, and have had to make exceptions for my bucket lists (eg…Gleneagle’s PGA Centenary which hosted the 2014 Ryder Cup) but The King’s Course is a fun round of golf even without pure links conditions.  The scenery here is awesome, and James Braid’s design includes many of the same architectural features and playing strategies that one finds on the great links courses of Scotland---wide playing corridors, wonderful use of angles, and interesting decisions to be made on most tee boxes.  I had forgotten just how hilly this course is…and frankly the round proved to be very tiring (this did make for 15 rounds walking in as many days).

The King’s has done well on Planet Golf’s World 100 having been included in all of their lists (at #69 on the 2017 list and  #75 for all earlier lists).  It made a brief appearance on GM’s 1985 list at #93, was #37 on the architect’s survey and #30 on the MacWood Spoof. 

My play this day was less than stellar…shooting a 44 – 42 = 86.  My putting woes returned and my thought processes were mediocre at best…above all, golf requires clear decisive thinking.  To some degree, I was getting ahead of myself, looking forward to our rounds the next two days back in East Lothian at North Berwick GC and Gullane GC’s #1 Course.

 

After the round, Pat and I had lunch and then drove south and east to Gullane to one of the world’s great hotel’s, Greywalls.  John and Cathy had arrived just before us and the weather was quite nice.  We unpacked, enjoyed a much-needed nap, and a delightful dinner.  Bedtime came early…we were playing the West Links at North Berwick Sunday morning.

North Berwick-West Links, September 17, 2017:  I first set eyes on North Berwick in 1981 and am ashamed to say I had never heard of it before then.  I was on a small tour of great Scottish and English golf courses, which featured Ben Crenshaw and Herbert Warren Wind, and this really was the start of my (still rather limited) education in golf architecture.  During that tour we played (in order) Preswick, Turnberry, Muirfield, The Old Course, Royal Birkdale, and Royal Liverpool (“Hoylake”).  I played with Ben at Prestwick, Muirfield, TOC, and Hoylake, and with Herb at Turnberry.  After the round at Muirfield, some of us joined Ben and Herb for a walk around North Berwick, which lies about 5 miles east of Muirfield.  This was my first chance to see the original Redan Hole (although I had played a number of adaptations before this visit).

The game of golf traces back to the 17^th century on the land occupied by the West Links. North Berwick GC was founded in 1832, and sits directly on the Firth of Forth (which influences play on six holes).  IMHO, North Berwick is the second most important course architecturally in the world (second to TOC).  It is full of quirky features but these “work” in addition of adding “fun” to the round.  And when the winds blows, this is a true championship test (even at only 6579 yards).  I believe adaptations of many of its holes may be found at great courses the world over.  For example:

o   #1…342 yard par 4 and I think CB Macdonald’s first hole at NGLA (“The National”) in Southampton NY is an adaptation of this short par 4 with a green perched atop a dune;

o   #2…433 yard par 4 with Firth to the right…considered by many to be the original Cape driving hole (angle off the tee requires decision…golfer must carry some part of the Firth and beach, but not “bite off more than one can chew” (some adaptations: #7 at Bethpage Black, NGLA #14, Royal Mebourne-W #6 and 18, Cape Wickham #18, Sakonnet #17, Portstewart #1, Tobacco Rd #13, Lost Dunes #15, Des Moines-S #13, and Blue Mound #11);

o   #6…181 yard par 3 over deep gorge (see Seminole #5)

o   #9…522 yard par 5 turning left and uphill over last 125 yards (see Maidstone #13);

o   #10 & 11…172 yard downhill par 3 and 549 yard par 5 both with Firth to left (see Seminole #17 and 18), and

o   #15…189 yard Redan hole…generally considered to be the most copied hole in the world…too many adaptations to mention.

And the above does not even include the incomparable #13 and #16.

We played in two groups.  Pat and Cathy played with Simon Holt (see The Old Course write up about three posts ago) who is a member and John and I played with David R., a remarkable young Scot, who is a member at North Berwick and the youngest member of the Honourable Company.  David has a nice game and maturity well beyond his very few years.  His father, mother and sister came out to meet us on the back nine and in the clubhouse after the round, David and his father told several wonderful stories regarding the history of both clubs (his grandfather was a member as well).  All in all, simply a glorious. memorable day.  Oh, and my game returned.  Had a 41 – 44 = 85 in tough conditions. 

After years of not being recognized, North Berwick startedgetting it much deserved due on World Top 100 listings about 10 years ago.  It first appeared on GM in 2007 as #98, and has since moved steadily upward to its current #51.  Darius Oliver’s Planet Golf has it at #21, top100golfcourses.com at #49, and its highest rating ever was on the Golf Architects survey…#18.  So so interesting and so much fun…while also challenging golfers at all skill levels.  A must stop in Scotland.

Gullane Golf Club, Course No.1, September 18, 2017:  Along the coastline of the Fifth of Forth, there is an almost unbroken row of golf courses/clubs, starting from the west in order: Craigielaw GC, Kilspindie GC, Luffness New GC, Gullane GC (Courses 1,2 and 3), Muirfield (HCEG), Renaissance GC, Archerfield GC (Fidra Links and Dirleton Links), North Berwick GC-West, and Glen GC.  This is a stretch of 12 golf courses covering an almost continuous 10 mile stretch of coastline.  Gullane GC’s No. 1 Course sits in the middle of this stretch, at the west end of the town of Gullane, and affords phenomenal views from its 7^th tee on top of Gullane Hill. 

Golf was played on this land as far back as 1650, and informal matches played in the early 1800’s.  Gullane GC was formed in 1882 and by 1910 there were three courses available for play.  Today, Gullane No.1 is considered to be the championship test of the three and when Gullane hosted the 2015 Scottish Open, a composite course was utilized featuring 16 holes from No. 1 and two from No. 2.

I first played Gullane in 1981, and have played it on almost every trip to East Lothian since then.  While lacking the pure brilliance of its neighbor Muirfield and the fun quirkiness of North Berwick, it is almost a combination of the two…with a good number of strong fair holes, as well as a few highly interesting, quirky holes.  I believe the 17^th hole of Sleepy Hollow (NY) is an adaptation of #17 at Gullane #1.

I started to really find my game this day.  After a good drive on one, there were shouts from our caddies after my 9-iron disappeared near the front pin…alas, it was behind a mound at the front edge of the green and was 6’ from the hole…and I missed the putt.  But the good ball striking continued and I finished the day with a strong 37 -39 =76.  No three putt greens certainly helped but I was swinging freely and making solid contact.

After the round, it was nap time again and for dinner, a wonderful Italian meal at Osteria, a fabulous Italian restaurant in North Berwick that Simon had strongly recommended.  Well worth the stop when you get to North Berwick.

The weather looked like it was going to turn iffy on Wednesday afternoon.  We were scheduled to play Kilspindie Tuesday at 11am and on Wednesday, Luffness New at 9:30 followed by my playing the nine-hole Musselburgh Links, The Old Golf Course.  Given the forecast I moved the Musselburgh tee time to 8:30am Tuesday.

Musselburgh Links, The Old Golf Course, September 19, 2017:  You will of course recall that Musselburgh Links was the home of the HCEG until 1891 and hosted a total of 6 Open Championships.  Mary, Queen of Scots is reputed to have played on this property in 1567 (do the math…450 years ago) and documentary evidence shows the results of a match on 2 March 1672.

Most of the 9-hole course lies within the Musselburgh Race Track.  The first tee, most of hole #4, all of the par 3 5^th hole, and the 6^th tee lie outside the track.  At 2954 yards it is quite short for today’s play, but in many ways it is like playing in a museum.  And, if you want to play the full Open Championship Rotation, you must play it.  A total of 14 courses have hosted an Open, and it was my 13^th when I first played it in 1983 (Secretary Paddy Hanmer had advised me that I needed to play Musselburgh).  On that same trip I later played Prince’s to complete the Rota (my first “bucket list”?). 

Play was slower than I expected and I had to make a mad dash back to Kilspindie.

Kilspindie Golf Club, September 19, 2017:  Talk about just in time…as I arrived at the club, Pat, Cathy and John were waiting to tee off on the first tee (a beautiful 158 yard par 3 headed north directly at Aberlady Bay and the Firth of Forth).  Located in the charming village of Aberlady (but semi-hidden down a single lane driveway), the club sits between Craigielaw GC to the south and Luffness New GC across Aberlady Bay to the east, and just above the Bay’s magnificent tidal marshes to the north.

If you think that is confusing…read on regarding the history of its golf course and the club.  The club was founded in 1867 making it the world’s 35^th oldest club (The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers founded in 1744 is the oldest and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews founded in 1754 as the Society of St Andrews Golfers being the second oldest).  When founded in 1867 the club was named Luffness Golf Club and in November 1898 these 18 holes were opened, having been designed by Ben Sayer and Willie Park, Jr.  However, the very next year, approximately half of Luffness GC’s members, wishing a club closer to Gullane, left to form Luffness New GC to the east across Aberlady Bay, and the original Luffness GC was renamed Aberlady GC in 1899.  Got that?

Hemmed in to the west, north and east by Aberlady Bay and to the south by Craigielaw farm (which became Craigielaw GC in 2001), the course could not expand and today totals a very short 5494 yards (par 69).  And as you might imagine, being this exposed, the wind can be fierce. This is a delightful, fun course to play.  After the par 3 first there is a very good par 5 2^nd that runs to the west with the tidal bay to the golfer’s right.  The best hole on the course is the 167-yard par 3 8^th, with railway ties (not installed by Pete Dye) holding up the green surface.  Pete must have been here because I have seen this hole copied numerous times in the USA…me thinks primarily in SC and FL.

The views at Kilspindie and very special…across Aberlady Bay to Gullane Hill and westward to the City of Edinburgh.  Yes, very short and will never be on a World 100, but just as long on fun as it is short on yardage.

I had my best round of the trip here…38 – 36 = 74…but really never had a chance to shoot my age as I finished strong (par-par-birdie) but still two strokes short of the goal.

After the round we had lunch at the club and then headed back to Greywalls…this would be our last night there.  Tomorrow’s schedule is to play Luffness New and then head to the Edinburgh airport for our flights home the next day.

Luffness New Golf Club, September 20, 2017:  Across the Bay from Kilspindie and right next to Gullane GC lies Luffness New.  Founded in 1894 and with a course designed by Old Tom Morris, this is one of the fine traditional clubs of East Lothian.  Today it totals 6502 yards (par 70) and is totally open to the wind.  After the first five holes, the golfers head west to cross a narrow road to play holes #6-18, and for reasons I cannot explain the wind was much stiffer on the west side of Route A198, even though there seemed to be nothing in the topography to cause this.  The course was in near perfect condition and was quite challenging and the club somehow felt more formal than Gullane or Kilspindie.  I ended the trip with a 41 – 43 = 84 finishing par-birdie-par.

The drive to the airport was easy and we returned our rental car and relaxed in the hotel where we also had dinner.  We were fairly tired.  Over 19 days, Pat had played/walked 10 rounds not to mention 6 days touring castles and gardens.  I had played 19 courses and a total of 348 holes (but who is counting), walking every step of the way.  The weather was iffy, but we played through it as one always does in Great Britain & Ireland.  The people we met were simply wonderful…not a questionable soul amongst them, and hopefully a bunch of newfound friends who we hope to see on golf courses somewhere in the future.  Being with Cathy and John is always a delight…they are wonderful friends. 

And, of course, journeys with my very special bride are just plain fun and wonderful.  Her sense of humor and adventurous attitude are just the best…I am indeed a fortunate man.

This journey came just about 47 years after my first visit to Scotland in September 1970.  Hopefully, this will not be my last trip to Scotland…but if it is to be my last, what a way to finish my relationship with this country…A Trip of a Lifetime!  I hope you enjoyed the ride, and I thank you for joining us.