Walking The Old Course!

Finally got around to an honored Sunday tradition: Walking the Old Course at St Andrews. The famous grand-daddy of them all is closed to play on Sundays but open to the public for perambulation. Last Sunday - October 16th - was a picture perfect day! Several other PostGrads (Cathy, Denis, Sarah and Cathy's son Ben) and I decided to venture forth for a walk around of 18 holes:

The first hole - There is a box like this at every tee. There is a ball washer on the far side. Three sides have brackets things to hold your golf bag. The wooden box has a gridded top where you can throw all those tees you break when you are too nervous to get your ball off the tee to the fairway!

Ah the day! As I said, it was perfect! Everyone seemed to be out. Those last four guys on the left of the picture were German I think. They all stopped and bent down to pat the 18th hole green. I just couldn't get my camera out fast enough to catch the classic shot! Instead you get the idea of just how many people were taking advantage of the day. The right-hand side of the picture is the 1st fairway 'going out', the left is the 18th fairway 'coming in' to the tee.

'Out of Bounds' and beyond this blue sign is a putting green called 'The Himalayas' which is open to the public. If the name doesn't intimidate you go to the club house (on the right) and rent clubs and balls just so you can say you have played the Old Course. Nobody needs to know they never let you on the actual fairway!

The major difference between courses in the US and the Old Course is the undulation. That's the only way I can explain it. The course here is built on the natural terrain of sand dunes and the fairways really reflect that - this picture just doesn't show it well enough. US courses are so flat compared to the Old Course. An arrest would probably result, but I think taking a sled out on the course after the first snow would be a supreme adventure!

Oh, and the course guide we had described one of the hazard as being 'savage gorse' along the right side of fairway #4. I figured some wild beast was lurking, waiting to attack unsuspecting golfer in really bad plaid pants. Turns out the gorse bushes that line sections of the course have quite sharp barbs which make them 'savage.' Frankly I prefer my first impression but serious golfers may not appreciate my imagination.

This is a shot from about the 11th hole looking back toward town. Again, I'm not sure there is a lovelier spot on earth... when the weather is this perfect.

Walking the course took about 2 1/2 hours. So I have to end with a dramatic cloud shot! After the walk a small group of us headed to the pub for a round of hot chocolate and other beverages. Just another day in St Andrews!