The Holy Grail

Friday of the golf week is our big treat, where we play the Old Course at St. Andrews.

It's always a joy and a sense of excitement driving off on the first tee, with the clubhouse behind, the gallery watching ! and the widest fairway in the world suddenly looking quite challenging .. I love it ..

We had a lovely day - some sunshine and even the odd patch of good golf ! I started well - had a nice birdie on the 5th .. but went a bit downhill after that ! Had a visit to Hell Bunker .. and my first visit to the Road Hole bunker (well would be rude not to !).

We retired to the Dunvegan afterwards to relive another wonderful week. Then back to base to prepare for the fun and games at the Links Clubhouse on Friday night.

As always, we were treated to a wonderful meal, following a Champagne reception - and piping in of the haggis .. Old Tom Morris paid his customary visit and reminded us of his and his son Tommy's contribution to golf. This year too, we had an additional treat with a pipe band, which joined us for a few tunes .. a great addition.

Some of the teams really entered into the Scottish Spirit ....






And so to the end of another wonderful week at St. Andrews.

Thanks to Mark and all at Links Golf, Lyndsay, Leanne, Ross, Jamie, John, Scott, Colin, Kenny, Ken, Iain and Charlotte for a really great week.

God Bless and Haste Ye Back

Onwards and Upwards

Wednesday was another team game on the Jubilee and Thursday the individual Stableford on the New Course.

We were extremely lucky throughout the week not to get wet .. although the back nine on the Jubilee was really cold with a biting wind which seemed to be always against us ! Great day though and we all  particularly enjoyed the team competitions.

To the Fairways ...

Tricky Par 3 8th at Kingsbarns

The first game of the week was at Kingsbarns .. fantastic course with wonderful sea views from almost every hole. Great day. I really enjoyed the game and the fish and chips afterwards !

Tuesday, we returned to the Castle Course. I was particularly looking forward to the round here, since we saw very little of it last year in a wind and rain storm ! This time around, it was much better ! Sunny and bright, if not exactly warm. It's a really beautiful course, great to play in the team scramble format. I wouldn't like to have been playing my own ball !

This is our team for the round at the Castle : Frank (with Cedric and Mulligan - long story !), Alan and Petra.
I was delighted to be re-united with Ian, my trusty caddy. Ian was away last year and I missed him badly. He looks after me very well !

Tuesday night sees the night out at the Jigger :

It's a great night's craic, with music, chat and of course plenty of the local produce .. malt whisky etc etc.

Great music from Celine and Leo, a set from Elvis and a bar or two of Danny Boy.

Here's a blast of the craic  !

Scene of the Crime !

I've almost forgiven the Carnoustie Championship course for breaking my wrist 2 years ago !

I met up with Frank on the Sunday morning and we played Carnoustie. I always enjoy the course - it's a wonderful links, with the wind blowing from a different direction every minute. I always think of my fellow Dubliner Padraig when I play the 18th, and his heroics on the 18th where he survived first time around and came back to narrowly defeat Sergio in the playoff, to win his first Open - magic.

We then headed down to St. Andrews for the opening reception of the Golf Week.

As always, the magic of the Home of Golf kicks in as soon as I see the 18th fairway and the R&A clubhouse .. looking forward to a wonderful week's golf.