The 150th playing of "The Open" begins this Thursday at St. Andrews...who is your pick to win, and
will Tiger make the cut?...for me, it's Rory McElroy, and 'Yes'...
Bonus...if you've had the pleasure of playing at the 'Home of Golf', share your experience...and your score, if you'd like...
Replies to: The 150th playing of "The Open" begins this Thursday at St. Andrews...who is your pick to win, and
Played there in August 2001
Got there at 6:00 a.m. and was 5th in line for the singles list. Hit a few 5-irons on the beach to warm up.
The first guy on the list, a guy from Iceland, was called but was nowhere to be seen. They told the second guy on the list he was next when the first guy came running up. The starter told him forfeited his position and was now last behind all of us, but we unanimously said he could go.
I got into the next group when all four R&A members failed to show up. All of us were Americans. I remember picking a line off the tee was impossible as you couldn't really tell where to go on many holes. Fortunately the other three had caddies (my wife carried my bag) so they pointed out the correct lines.
Shot 41 on the front, our group took two hours and we got a slow play warning, even though the stated pace of play was four hours. I drove the 10th green and made a two-putt birdie. The tee shot on #12 is impossible with bunkers scattered everywhere in the "fairway," but I got lucky and somehow avoided all of them. Hit my 110-yard approach on #18 to 1 foot and got a nice round of applause from the 30-40 people watching around the green. 41-35 - 76. Round cost only £75 back then, today it's £250.
Great memories, Mark and thanks for sharing that story...fantastic finish!...glad the knowing Scots
gave you your well deserved applause.
If you don't mind, I'll share my own experience at St. Andrews (et al)...alas, no 1 footer for birdie on 18...
Late summer of 1984...I have a business trip to the hinterlands of Finland (Nuke Plant), but also have several weeks of vacation time saved up, so...I 'schlep' my golf clubs for use on the return home...(I made quite the sight for the Finns...no golf w/in hundreds of kilometers ;-))...fly to London, then Edinburgh...immediately rent a car and hot foot it to 'Muirfield' and figuratively (literally?) beg for a tee time...it worked! (another story)...hop in the car after the round and head straight for St. Andrews...have reservation at Rusacks Hotel, right by the 18th green...told to show up on the first tee early for a 'Walk On' opportunity...get there around 7:00am...the senior caddy (70-80 yrs old) asks my handicap...I show him my NCGA card (7) and he takes my bag...says the two of us can go right away...someone will come on a bike to collect the green fee (happened around the 3rd hole)...after just a couple of holes he has me 'sized up' and says '"just hit it where I tell you"...so somehow I do on nearly all my shots...end up with a 76...wish I could remember that caddy's name...God bless him.
I don't remember taking a noticeable divot from any fairway, nor leaving a ball mark on a green...it's an entirely different experience to play there...the bunkers are truly penal, as is the "Gorse" (even more so) that can get you if you don't hit it where your caddie tells you to...(advice...always take a caddie at St. Andrews).
This is going to be a fun tournament to watch...
I'd love to go back one more time
Would also like to play the New Course, which many locals consider the better track from what I've heard.
Awesome.....great story.
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Thanks for sharing a golf pro's perspective. Enjoyed that.
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Good for you. That's a helluva round of golf.
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Zalatoris, no Tiger doesn't make the cut, no unfortunately not.
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Kinda pulling for Morikawa. Tiger will make the cut.
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Like Morikawa a lot...but seems like he's trying to re-find parts of his game now.
Maybe St. Andrews is the place though...
Lowry. Tiger makes cut. Have not been to Scotland.
Only golf trip in my life was to Ireland when I turned 50, over a decade ago. Four of us total.
Landed in Shannon. Played Tralee, Waterville , Ballybunion, and Old Head. Still being treated for PTSD from my round at Ballybunion where it was raining sideways. The graveyard to the right of the first tee set the tone.
Played a very good round at Waterville.
But of course, enjoying Ireland’s beauty with my mates, accompanied by a few pints, some lamb stew and brown bread, made the trip. Friendship is a great treasure in life.
We’ve talked about Scotland. But, no longer have the desire to play 4 straight rounds of golf. I was unaware until recently that St. Andrews has multiple courses.
No question that a trip to Ireland with friends will keep you smiling and satisfied the whole time..
hopefully, you'll have the opportunity for one or more repeats...and while you chose wisely with the courses you played, there are more than enough of the same quality left to take advantage of.
Nothing better than a Guinness after the round...and then another at one of the town pubs, or perhaps one more with dinner...Scotland can wait just a little longer...
Fitzpatrick and No.
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Cantlay wins, Tiger misses the cut.
Maybe next year when he is completely healed.