There was an interesting article about Scotland in the Travel and Leisure section of the New York Times yesterday. To see the article click here.

D.Lux of Washington

St Andrews Day

Euan MacHaggis wishes you all a Happy St Andrews day. Consume something scottish tonight.

Reckless Abandon

I read an article in Golf Digest a few years ago concerning gold trips to Scotland. The author had experienced many trips to the the land of haggis and heather. He told the story of his favorite trip.

He went without a plan. Well actually he had a plan, not an itinerary. He remembered seeing a course on his way to the Highlands along the A9 highway. His plan was to go and play that course and talk to the members afterwards in the grill room. There he explained what direction he was headed the next day and ask them if there was a course they would recommend. This he did this day after day and played only those country courses recommended by the locals. He didn't play a single course that anyone in the US had ever heard of, yet he claimed it was the best trip to Scotland he ever had.

I believe him.

DLux of Maine

Heavy hearts, and a promise all around

We started this site ten months ago with the dual purpose of keeping ourselves motivated (i.e. keeping our budgets on track) and continuing to build excitement for the eventual trip. 

For months things progressed as planned but as we went from 70-weeks-out time frame (where everything was hypothetical) to crossing the one-year barrier, to the point at which booking reservations and flights came on to the immediate timeframe, it became apparent that with an honest look at where we all stood, 2012 wouldn't be as practical as hoped.

In the end, it was with heavy hearts, and a promise all around that we would not er again, that we decided collectively that the pilgrimage would have to wait one more year.

I feel disproportionately responsible. Making the decision to take a job transfer to Seattle put me in a particularly poor position to take an expensive international trip, but I am confident that we will make this trip happen in the spring of 2013.

-DLux of Washington
formerly DLux of Arizona

Picking a date

Fellow pilgrims,

The St Andrews Links Trust has published the Busy Dates for 2012. We can now set about planning our journey.

The follow days in May should be avoided 7,8,9,10,12, 20, 24 (and of course Sundays).

I propose we request a tee time between the 14 and 31 of May and see what we get. We only have a month to get our application together which means I need handicaps.

Now it's getting very real!!!!

DLux of Maine

The Heat is ON

Although a scattering of storms has the temperatures below 110 (for the most part) the weather here has hardly been conducive to golfing...

I don't really have a good excuse for my lack of activity on this site, just the general tasks of life I suppose. Looking forward to seeing you guys, and God willing, playing a round or two of golf at the end of this month!

-DLux of AZ

Count Down Counter

I received an email from DLux of AZ. He noted that the count down counter is below 300. That is a significant milestone.

Summer has brought my posts to a virtual halt. I apologize for that. Check out the European Tour Golf at the Scottish Open played a Castle Stuart new Inverness. You can catch in on the Golf Channel on Saturday and Sunday morning. It is a pretty new course, built within the last five years if I'm not mistaken. It is in the north, near Inverness, one of my favorite Scottish cities. "Capital of the Highland"

Absurd defined:

A $500 million dollar golf course being built in the Maldives...

If only all golf courses were as pure and natural as the windy links courses of Scotland... Sigh.

D.Lux of Arizona.

Gives me ideas!

Do you think we could do better? I know the Old Course for a back drop would be a great start!



DLux of Ohio

Burns

I dug out my hardcover Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary this morning and looked up the word burn to found quite a number of definitions, but not the one I was seeking.

It can be a verb: to consume fuel..., to be hot ..., to undergo alteration or destruction by the action of fire..., to force or make a way by or as if by burning ..., to receive sunburn ..., to transform by exposure to heat or fire ..., to cause or undergo combustion ..., to injure by exposure to hear or fire ..., irritate, annoy ..., to wear out.

It can also be a noun: the injury or damage resulting from exposure to heat or fire ..., the firing of a spacecraft or rocket engine ..., anger ...

All of these were quite unsatisfying because I know that in Scotland and northeastern England a burn is a wee stream. In my experience burns that cross linksland are often highly engineered with vertical walls, often containing very little water and are usually the only water hazards on links courses. In many places they are difficult to see, but elsewhere there are berms built up on one side or the other. The club will sometimes provide long poles with a metal cup on the end to retrieve a misplayed ball. Burns rarely result in a lost ball, only a lost stroke.



Some are famous. We all know of the Swilcan Burn and the bridge that spans is on the fairway of the eighteenth hole on the Old Course at St Andrews. Others are infamous. Who can forget the image of Jean Van de Velde standing barefoot in the Barry Burn on the eighteenth hole during his meltdown at Carnoustie?

D.Lux of Maine

Counter

You've noticed I'm sure that there is a countdown clock associated with this blog. It counts down the days, minutes and seconds until departure on the Pilgrimage. It isn't exact because we don't have tee times on the Old Course yet, and we haven't booked our flights. However, it is pretty close to our planned departure time. Notice anything different about it?

Royal Dornoch Golf Club: Part 2

The weather here in Bangor, Maine has improved and the sun is setting later everyday. Consequently, more activities both work and play, have occupied my time. So in the evening I’ve been either busy or tired and the result is my blogging has lagged behind. (How often do you get to write a sentence with two words with double g’s in it?) Back to RDGC.

The 4th, 5th and 6th holes at Dornoch all play along the slope of the raised beach. The fifth, much like the third, as a gaggle of bunkers down the right side and three bunkers right in front of the long narrow green. It’s only 353 yards but it’s one of my favorites on the course. Whinny Brae is the name of the par 3 sixth hole. Hook your shot left and your in the whins, go right and you're far below the green surface. You must climb to the raised beach to tee off on seven. It’s a straight away par 4 of 423 yards (yellow tee). The bunker on the front left of the green can be treacherous, trust me!

Eight plays out and off the raised beach back down to the lower level. At nine you turn and head for home on a par 5 with the North Sea at your left. A number of the inward holes play with ocean on your left, but some are separated from the water by grass covered dunes. Number 10 is a 145 yard par three with five bunkers fronting the green. Don’t be short. Eleven is a longish par four with a wide forgiving fairway. It is the last hole to play directly along the ocean until the tee box on 16.

Twelve is a challenging par five and thirteen an inviting par three. Then comes Foxy, the only hole on the course without a bunker, but it is still the second handicap (stroke index) hole because of the devilish raised green. Fifteen is a short par 4 with a massive mound in the middle of the fairway. If memory serves me correctly, it is where the slain Danes were buried after the battle in 1260 A.D. At 16 you tee off with the North Sea at your back and play uphill all the way, back on top of the raised beach. Seventeen is a bit like #8 in that you drive off the raise beach to the lower level. However, you must choose your line and club wisely lest you go through the fairway on this dogleg into the whins. The second shot is uphill over a patch of gorse to an immense undulating green. And finally Home, the eighteenth, gets you back to the clubhouse.

Don’t forget to go in and thank Andrew Skinner, the pro, for perhaps the most fun you’ve ever had on the golf course. Support his efforts by purchasing a towel, or hat or coffee mug. Then go upstairs to the lounge bar for a pint and a gaze upon the Carnegie Shield!

I was going to include some of my own photos here but instead I’ll just direct you to what looks to me like a newly redesigned website for the Royal Dornoch Golf Club.

A Taste of Scotland

It's 4pm on a Friday and although the pilgrimage is still over a year away, for the next 12 ounces, I'll pretend I'm in Scotland!

Much like Four Peaks Brewery's Kilt Lifter (the local Scotch Ale of choice) Sam Adams Scotch Ale is a very malty beer with a rich mahogany color and a creamy mouthfeel. It's a little smokey at first but finishes with a pleasantly acidic kick that wets your mouth and leaves you thirsty for more. Well done Sam, well done.

DLux of Arizona

Royal Dornoch Golf Club

In 2009 Golf Digest ranked Royal Dornoch Golf Club as the sixth best golf course outside the United States. Only three courses on the Open rotation were ranked higher. Yet Royal Dornoch Golf Club will never host the Open, even though the course is perfectly suited to do so. One might ask why not?

RDGC is in the Royal Burgh of Dornoch that only has a population of about 1250 people. The government district (county) of Sutherland has only 13,500 people. There are a few small hotels and some B&B’s. The fare of the local restaurants is very good, but there aren’t many from which to choose. So in spite of being one of the best golf courses in all the world, there is insufficient infrastructure to host a major championship. This is a tragedy!

I’ve not played every golf course outside the United States, and only one of the five on the Golf Digest list that are ranked above Dornoch. Now that I mention it, I haven’t played every golf course in the US. So my ignorance of world golf courses is clearly documented. However, if I weretold that I could play but one course for the rest of my life, without the slightest hesitation, I would choose Royal Dornoch. I’d choose it over all courses, Augusta National, Pebble Beach, you name it, RDGC would be my pick. I’ve played it four times. My best score is an 86, my worst a 92, never coming close to my handicap. It’s even worse when you consider that par is 70. I’ve had some sub-40 nine hole scores, but the other nine always got away from me.

My first time there was with my wife. I’ve never seen anyone so nervous when preparing to play golf. She understood the greatness of the course and felt unworthy. Her knees were knocking on the first tee, literally. The first is a straight, short par 4, only a little over 300 yards. All I can say it that wasn’t pretty. She duffed it down the fairway and reached the green after 11 swings. Thenext thing I know she blasted it past the green into the gorse bushes. I asked her what she was doing, and she responded “The starter said the 150 marker was yellow”. So was the flagstick! The second is a 165 yard par three with a treacherous green guarded by two cavernous bunkers, a much more difficult hole. She score a 3.

The third is a par four that plays to about 400 yards. The tee shot plays down hill to a fairway that is cantered left to right. It’s an incredibly beautiful view. However there is a line of fourfairway bunkers all in a row down theright side. You had better draw your tee shot into theslope. Two more fairway bunkers fame the view of the expansive undulating green that is guarded by two green side bunkers. This hole is etched in my memory, perhaps my favorite hole on the course.

Looking over old score cards I see that I’ve only parred it once, but it still one of my favorite holes at RDGC.

I think one of Suzie’s concerns during that first round back in October of 2002 was pace of play. She was so concerned about holding people up. There was an English couple in front of us and a foursome behind, two German couples. The English pulled away immediately, and once we finished the first, the Germans were left far behind. For the next 17 holes we were essentially alone on the best golf course in the world. Come to think of it, I don’t ever remember being rushed or running up anybodies tail on RDGC.

To be continued.....

DLux of Maine

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Nairn, Seaside Resort

The town of Nairn is in the Highlands, about 16 miles to the northeast of Inverness on the A96 highway. It is a seaside resort town with two golf courses, the Nairn Golf Club and the Nairn Dunbar Golf Club. Sort of like Myrtle Beach, only different. It isn’t the warmth that makes it a resort area, it’s the relative lack of rain. You see Nairn only gets 24.5 inches of rain a year. Here in Bangor, Maine it isn’t unusual for us to get a tenth of that in a single big rain storm. Though the average temperatures in Nairn are only in the mid-60’s Fahrenheit in July and August when the children are out of school, there’s a pretty good chance that it will be relatively dry, a big plus in the UK.

The Nairn Golf Club is a links course, originally routed by Archie Simpson and Old Tom Morris but later modified by James Braid. That sounds a bit like a broken record, doesn’t it. In the true spirit of links courses it’s an out and back affair. Many of the holes run east-west and are next to the Morey Firth, the arm of the North Sea that extends to Inverness. Only a few holes venture north and south, inland and slightly up and down hill.

We played it in 2007 and my memory is a bit clouded by time. I remember it as being very well maintained, the gorse was in bloom and the bunkers were deep. We played the yellow tees (they tell you which ones to play) and the twelfth is a par 4 that played 401 yards. I was pin high in two, but on the wrong side of a deep bunker on tightly mown turf. I intended to putt around the bunker so I would take no more than a bogey. However one of my fellow competitors urged me to take out a lob wedge and feather a shot over the bunker saying; “you got that shot!”. I took the bait and in the bunker it went. I descended into the sandy pit and hitched up my trousers, much like Arnold Palmer. That was the only thing that even remotely resembled “the King”. The first attempt to extricate my ball from the bunker failed. The ball rebounded off the bunker face and hit me, thus incurring a penalty. After much thrashing and cursing I finally got the ball on to the putting surface and after three putts I had scored a 10. After the round we were welcomed into the clubhouse and treated like members, maybe better.

NGC hosted the Walker Cup in the late 1999 and this is documented in the clubhouse with plenty of photos of the teams. Jonathan Byrd, Luke Donald and Bryce Molder were among the competitors. Nairn is scheduled to host the Curtis Cup in June of 2012. Who knows, maybe Natalie Gulbis will be there playing a practice round when we’re in Scotland. Natalie’s presence make no difference to an old timer like me, but you young fellers might be interested.

DLux of Maine


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Visiting Scotland

I know the pilgrimage is still more than a year away, but we pilgrims need to define our goals. The Old Course at St Andrews? A visit to Dunrobin Castle? The Hard Rock Cafe in Edinburgh? Braveheart, the William Wallace Monument in Stirling? The Clynelish Distillery in Brora?

What is a "must"? What is a "do if we have time"?

For the pilgrims or anyone else out there who wants to chime in, what do you want to do in Scotland?

DLux of Maine

Book Review: The Greatest Game Ever Played

I add books to my reading list and cross them off at a ratio of about 3:1 and for that reason The Greatest Game Ever Played written by Mark Frost sat untouched on my book shelf for over a year.

In the spirit of preparing myself mentally for what is no doubt going to be a most glorious golf trip I recently bumped it to the top of the list and I’m couldn’t be happier that I did!

The reviews for The Greatest Game Ever Played set my expectations dangerously high but after reading the book, I’m happy to report that every ounce of the praise it received was well deserved!

In The GGEP Mark Frost presents sweeping insight into not only the game of golf, but into an entirely different America. The sport in contention is the same as it is today, and--aside from a handful of rules--is played the same way today, but the way of life at the time that this novel takes place couldn't be more different.

Reading this account and acknowledging the fact that this book--set a hundred years ago--frequently makes reference to the even then a long and storied history of the game really puts into perspective the scale of the games history. I don’t think there is any one thing that struck me more about this book, than the fact that golf, with it’s centuries of storied history, truly is a royal and ancient game.

After enjoying the book so thoroughly, I decided to bump Disney’s theatrical interpretation to the top of my Netflix list. Unfortunately the movie was a bit of a let down.

Normally it’s my policy to read a book before seeing the movie so that I don’t spoil the books ending but in this case I think that I spoiled the movie by reading the book. It had nothing to do with knowing the ending, rather the book was simply too good. There was no way for the movie to live up to my expectations!

Clearly that the book was made for a much smaller audience than the movie. Disney is a business and movies are a lot more expensive than books to make so I suppose if you’re going to make one, you had better do everything you can to get the greatest ROI possible, even if that means making rather liberal changes the original story. The result? From a book that is written by and for a lover of golf, you get a move that appeals to people who like golf, romance, history, music, drama, etc, etc, etc...

From a historical standpoint the movie trimmed all the fat and kept just the lean bits. If there’s anything I’ve learned as a lover of good food, fat equals flavor, and if you're cutting it all out, you're going to have a bland meal!

The bottom line: Read the book, and expect greatness! See the movie if you want, but don’t set your expectations too high.

-DLux of Arizona

Himalayas

I suggest we go to the Himalayas. Mountaineering in Scotland? No, the St Andrews Links Trust is home to many golf courses. We all know the Old and New courses. Many also know the Jubilee, Eden and the Castle Course, but how many know of the Himalayas?

So what pray tell is the Himalayas other than a mountain range in India? Why it’s the putting course in St Andrews, home to the Ladies Putting Club. In the old days women weren’t permitted to play golf on the Old Course but they were allowed to putt on the Himalayas putting green that is near the second tee on the Old Course, separated only by a few gorse bushes.


Competitions are still contested on this ground and I was lucky enough to witness one. The ladies take it quite seriously. When a relatively short putt was missed, you’d have thought it was to loose the Open. It’s a vast area with many bumps, ridges and swales as it’s built on old dunes. The entire area is cut to the same height as the greens on all the other courses. Therefore it’s a good place to have some fun as well as to get a feel for the greens. I recommend we take full advantage of this before we venture on to any of the other courses. Perhaps a pint will be wagered?

DLux of Maine

Linksland

.... Linksland is the old Scottish word for the earth at the edge of the sea - tumbling, duney, sandy, covered by beach grasses. When the light hits it, and the breeze sweeps over it, you get every shade of green and brown, and always in the distance, is the water. The land was long considered worthless, except to shepherds and their sheep and the rabbits, and to the early golfers. You see, the game comes out of the ocean, just like man himself! Investigate our linksland, get to know it. I think you’ll find it worthwhile....

The above is almost an exact quote from Michael Bamberger in his book To the Linksland: A Golfing Adventure, another title on the required reading list before we depart for Scotland.


Links – traditionally linksland, is coastal ground with unproductive soil. Therefore linksland is not used for agriculture, so it separates the farm fields from the sandy beaches and is said to link land and sea. Water moves readily through the porous, permeable, sandy soil producing the characteristic dry, firm turf. The indigenous grasses are a blend of fescues that many say forms the perfect surface on which to play the game of golf.

It’s common in the States to refer to any golf course, or at best a treeless course as golf links, but unless the course found on windswept coastal land with grass covered sand dunes, characterized by dry, firm, turf it's a misnomer. Most Americans are totally unfamiliar with links golf, and that’s exactly why we are headed to Scotland.

Linksland has no trees, so you are subjected to the full force of the wind that can easily blow 30 mph. In addition to the wind, bunkers, gorse, grass and burns are the only hazards, but they're plenty enough.

Because the turf is firm and uneven, expect bad bounces when you play links golf, but expect good ones as well. Golf on the links involves chance. Embrace links golf and realize that neither golf nor life is fair, just get on with it and embrace the challenge!

DLux of Maine

What to bring to Scotland

Passport, $$$, Reservations documents, (see Travel Essentials part one).

As golf is one of the main objectives of this trip, one would obviously want to bring golf implements. Clubs, a light weight carry bag if you have one (you’ll nea be on a buggy (cart) in Scotland without a letter from your physician stating a medical need), golf shoes, waterproofs, umbrella, golf balls, and a valid handicap card. Why waterproofs? Duh! Why golf balls? Can’t you buy them there? Yes you can, but they’re twice as much as here at home. And the valid handicap card? Don’t leave home without it! You nae get on the Old Course, Royal Dornoch or a variety of other courses without one.
Beyond this, my motto is travel light. You’ve got a jacket already (see waterproofs). The hight temperatures is going to be in the 50’s or 60’s but the lows will be in the upper 40’s or low 50’s, so a jumper (sweater) or sweater vest, and a polar fleece is a good idea. Jeans are not permitted on most of the golf courses or in most clubhouses. One pair, primarily for travel or for the pub at night is all you need. Two or three pairs of trousers, khakis or Dockers, are a good way to go. A pair of shoes other than hiking or trainers (athletic shoes) is necessary if you want to go into the clubhouse after the round. Golf shirts or long sleeve polo shirts are a good idea, and we might get some weather that would allow us to wear one without a fleece. Underwear, socks, under shirts, etc.

How much of this stuff do you need? Depends on how long we stay, but I say keep it to a minimum. The only people that will see us on a regular basis are us, and we don’t care if you wear the same sweater every day. If you run out of clean underwear, socks, or whatever, the Caremore Laundry Service is located on Woodburn Terrace in St Andrews and will happily to do a service wash for you.

Bring necessary toiletries, in small quantities, in a one quart plastic bag (for the security folks). Keep them all together in one place. If you forget something in this area don’t worry, the Tesco or Boots on Market Street in St Andrews has all this stuff. Don’t forget any prescription medications. Something to read in the airports and on the plane is a necessity. Camera!!!

How to transport the gear? You’ll need two pieces of luggage, a travel bag for the golf clubs and a small carry-on bag. Besides golf implements, the travel bag can easily hold any and all of your large bulky items like polar fleece, rain gear, shoes, sweaters, etc. There will be a weight limit. Last time I went over seas it was 50 lbs (22.5 kg). Actually, there isn’t a limit, you just have to start paying extra when you exceed a given weight. I carry necessary items in the carry on bag; medications, socks, underwear, shirts, book, passport.

My experience is that people tend to over pack, bring stuff you don’t really need. Keep it simple boys.

ODL

Sure I've heard of Haggis...

I mean, who hasn't??

That said, I couldn't tell you much about it save for the fact that it's disgusting. After ODL's post I decided to do some searching on Youtube to see if I could get a more graphic look at this cultural dish. What I found didn't exactly endear me to the idea of trying Haggis, but it was enlightening nonetheless.



My favorite quote from this video "it's been said that only dying has a worse reputation than Haggis"

The whole time I watched this I was telling myself, if even Zimmern doesn't like it, forget it--I'm not trying it! Well, as you see, he was quite fond of the Haggis he tried and although I know he has a very daring palate, I feel like after watching this I have to try it at least once.

In my Youtube searches I also came across this clip from "So I Married an Axe Murder"



I like the line at the end "I think most Scottish cuisine is based on a dare"

Well, if that's the case, than I accept the dare!

-DLux of Arizona

Haggis

What’s the deal with haggis? I know one thing for sure, it’s the butt of many jokes directed at the Scots. Haggis is often portrayed to tourists as a mythical, small, furry animal, about the size of a hedgehog, that roams the Highlands. It’s the Scottish equivalent of a jackolope.

Many years ago on my first trip to Scotland, I made the rounds of shops with merchandise designed to open tourist pocketbooks. Tea towels with printed images of all things Scottish were the rage. Come to think of it, they probably still are. One of the towels was emblazoned with the recipe for haggis. I distinctly remember beginning to read the first line, “Stuff a sheep’s stomach .......”. That’s as far as I got. Some things are better left to the imagination.

I have since learned that a casing, traditionally a sheep’s stomach, is stuffed with bits and pieces of sheep’s internal organs (typically heart, liver and lungs), mixed with oats and suet. Basically, it’s a type of Scottish sausage. If you can get past this imagery, and get the haggis past your lips, it’s not bad at all. You will find it as an appetizer in restaurants offering traditional Scottish fare.

It can also be the main course in traditional Scottish meals, such as a Burn’s supper, along with neeps and tatties, (aka turnips and potatoes). Of course a Burn’s supper would nae be complete without whisky and shortbread following the main meal.

We’ll see who among us is up to consuming the wild haggis.

-ODL

It's been too long...

We should have a picture of the three of us on this sight wouldn't you agree?

In search of such a picture I looked back through my digital photo album and was both shocked and saddened to realize that the last time Dylan and I were even in the same room for a photo op was January of 2008... over three years ago (Scotland or no Scotland we're due for a damn reunion!)

In any case, the pictures that I did come across were quite entertaining and well worth sharing.

We'll have plenty of great photo ops at Neenee's wedding this fall, but until then, these will have to suffice.

-DLux of Arizona

P.S. Dylan, we'll have to try to get one or two this fall where alcohol doesn't play such a prominent role!

Dornoch, Royal Burg

Dornoch is a beautiful, wee village and perhaps my favorite place on the planet, full of friendly, kind, welcoming people. To top that off it’s designated a Royal Burgh. I don’t know exactly what that means but it sure sounds cool. It’s a magical place where witches were once burned at the stake, Andrew Carnegie retired, and Madonna had her child christened.

I’ve been there at different times of the year, October, November and May but the many small businesses always seem to have plenty of patrons. There’s a beautiful cathedral, a jail (now an upscale shop with lots of branded merchandise), and a castle (now an upscale hotel and restaurant). The beach is spectacular and there’s an old quarry where stones for the many of the town’s old buildings were obtained.

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It’s located about 45 miles north of Inverness, the traditional Highland Capital, an easy drive up the A9 highway. This place is almost at 58° north latitude, only a little more than 8° from the Arctic Circle. Therefore the winters are long and dark, but not that cold thanks to the Gulf Stream. In mid summer the sun barely sets but because of the northerly location the

temperatures are moderate to cool. The good news is that Dornoch gets only about 25 inches of rain annually, but I’ll still pack my waterproofs.

Dornoch is rich in history. The cathedral, founded by Bishop Gilbert, dates to the thirteenth century though it’s be sacked and rebuilt several times. In the year 1260 or thereabouts, William, Earl of Sutherland, lead an army against the Danes in the Battle of Embo contested on the linksland. The Danes were vanquished. Legend says that William slew the Dane’s leader when he bludgeoned him to death with the leg of a dead horse. The Royal Dornoch Golf Club commemorates this ignominious achievement with a horse shoe as part of the club’s crest. A large mound out on the fifteenth hole is said to hold the graves of the slain Danes.

Finally and more pertinent to our trip, is the Royal Dornoch Golf Club, always ranked among the top twenty in all the world. The remote location and relative lack of lodging prohibit it from ever hosting the Open. However if I could play but one course for the rest of my life, this is the one I would choose. It’s brilliant! The Scots have always know how great a course it is, yet it was largely unknown here until Herbert Warren Wind published his article “Northward to the Links of Dornoch” in the New Yorker Magazine in 1964. Since then it’s fame has grown steadily in America.

Required reading; A Season in Dornoch Golf and Life in the Scottish Highlands by Lorne Rubenstein.

ODL

How else would I start

A little old lady was walking down the street dragging two large plastic garbage bags behind her. One of the bags was ripped and every once in awhile a $20 bill fell out onto the sidewalk.

Noticing this, a policeman stopped her, and said, "Ma'am, there are $20 bills falling out of that bag."

"Oh really? Darn it!" said the little old lady. "I'd better go back and see if I can find them. Thanks for telling me officer."

"Well, now. Not so fast," said the cop. "Where did you get all that money? You didn't steal it, did you?"

"Oh, no no," said the old lady. "You see, my back yard is right next to a golf course. A lot of golfers come and pee through a knot hole in my fence, right into my flower garden. It used to really tick me off. Kills the flowers, you know. Then I thought, 'why not make the best of it?' So, now, I stand behind the fence by the knot hole, real quiet, with my hedge clippers. Every time some guy stick his thing through my fence I surprise him, grab hold and say, 'O.K. buddy! Give me $20, or off it comes!"

"Well, that seems only fair," said the cop, laughing. "O.K. Good luck! Oh, by the way, what's in the other bag?"

"Well, you know," said the little old lady, "not everybody pays."

DLux of Ohio

Glasgow

There was an interesting article in the Economist a couple of weeks ago about renewable energy in Scotland...

For the full story click anywhere on the screenshot above.

-Young Dan Lux

Dealing with Scottish Weather...

ODL,

You discussed 'waterproofs' in a dispatch last month... If we do come across inclement weather, perhaps we should consider one of Scotland's older methods of managing cold and rain. Mark Frost touches on the method in The Greatest Game Ever Played*

*Full book review coming soon!

-Young Dan Lux

You know what, I think it needs a splash of color!

Better?

Let me know what you think by commenting below!

-Young Dan Lux

Official Lux Golf Pilgrimage logo?

Here's my best stab at a logo for our trip. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below!

-Young Dan Lux

Eden

Eden, the garden in which everything was perfect, that is until Eve caused all that trouble. The St Andrews Links Trust has a perfect little golf course as part of it’s offerings. The Eden course is shorter, 6250 yards, than the championship courses but is maintained to the same standards. It’s next to the Old course, in fact the famous Hell Bunker on the fourteenth hole of the Old Course is only a little more than 200 feet to the right of the first green on the Eden. Heck, I’ve sliced many a ball that far but usually on a drive, not an approach shot. Often overlooked by visitors, it is very popular among the locals. It’s also the most affordable. The Eden course has it’s own clubhouse with locker rooms and lounge bar, and it’s located near the practice facility.



We played it in 2008 and my journal says that the fairways are generous, with difficult tricky greens and a few quirky holes. My fondest memory of the round was that I drove into a pot bunker on the twelfth hole, a short par four, only 341 yards long. I was unable to advance the ball very far down the fairway from that position and had a shot of over 50 yards to the green. As the fairways play hard and fast, I putted the ball and it wound up pin high. That’s the beauty of links golf, there are many ways to play the shots. No one way is any better or worse than another.

A truly unusual feature of the Eden is that it has a water hazard other than a burn, extremely rare on links courses. A pond guards the left side of the fourteenth hole and you must drive back over it on the par 3 fifteenth hole.

I’d say this would be a perfect venue to sneak in a quick 18 some evening.

ODL

Travel Essentials Part 1

Whenever I leave for an international trip I always do one final checklist before I lock my front door. The three things I make sure I didn't forget are:

1. Money, and a way to get more (i.e. credit/debit card, travelers check, etc),
2. Reservation Documents (air tickets, hotel vouchers, etc) or a way to print them out electronically, and
3. My Passport 

Regardless of what I remembered to pack, if I have these three things, I'll be just fine. Headed to a rainy climate and forgot your umbrella? Guess what, if the locals constantly deal with rain, odds are there are plenty of stores that sell umbrellas (and likely for less than they cost back home).

Money is a given, and I'll touch more on that in a later entry.

In the electronic age, remembering my Reservation Documents usually means making sure that I have receipts printed for any hotels I've booked, and a print out of my confirmation number/details for my flights. This stuff can almost always be retrieved electronically from an Internet cafe but having a printed copy can save precious vacation time/stress with very little effort.

Finally, and maybe the most important thing on my short list, is making sure that I have My Passport in hand. Not remembering your passport is the one-surefire way to insure your trip fails before it even gets off the ground. Passports during travel are like beads during Mardi Gras. For a brief period they are the most precious items in the world--the pinnacle of importance--and the rest of the time they have little or no importance whatsoever. Always keep your passport in a safe place. Well in advance of your departure make sure that your passport is where it should be, make sure that it is valid for at least six months after your scheduled return, and when you go to the airport... keep it in hand!

One final note on Passports--and this goes out to you specifically Dylan--is that when you get your first passport, budget an obscene amount of time for the process. Issuing new passports is pretty low on the State Departments priority list and although their website quotes 4-6 weeks to process a standard passport, I have friends who attest that it took substantially longer to receive theirs.

Fortunately the State Departments website is really pretty great, and has and has loads of easy to read information about how to apply for a passport.

Although we are still over a year away, now would be a great time to get the ball rolling on your passport application. Standard Passports are valid for 10 years so if you get your passport now, it will be valid for this trip, and who knows maybe many more Scotland pilgrimages to come!

All the best,

Young Dan Lux

Anstruther

We should go see Anstruther, and no Anstruther isn’t a woman. It’s a town in East Neuk on the coast of Fife. Traditionally it was a fishing village but now tourism is the most important industry. It's home to the Scottish Fisheries Museum, the Ship Tavern (interesting local color), and a nine hole golf course that I’m told is quite good. So which of these draws us to Anstruther?
None of the above. It’s the Anstruther Fish Bar, voted the best fish and chip shop in all of Britain in 2001-2002 and 2008-2009. Check it out! All the fish is caught and processed locally. We can eat in the restaurant, unusual for a Scottish chippy, or our fish and chips can be consumed take-away across the street near the harbor. I guess that’s one meal we don’t have to worry about!

-ODL


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Slaughter of Danes

About 25 miles north of Aberdeen along the North Sea coast is a small village called Cruden Bay where the Cruden Bay Golf Club is found. It derives it’s name from Scots Gaelic, Croch Dain, literally slaughter of Danes (the second hole is called Crochdane). It seems that in 1052 a Danish expeditionary force landed here to meet the army of King Malcolm II but they didn’t fare too well. There is a small burn that flows though the links, for which the 6th hole is named, Bluidy Burn. Supposedly it ran red with the blood of the Danes for several days after the battle. I suffered a similar fate taking a 9 on Bluidy Burn, the 525 yard par five. It was straight into a gale, I swear. Cruden Bay is now a sleepy little bedroom community, or dormitory community in the vernacular of the Scots, as most residents work elsewhere in places such as Aberdeen or Fraiserburgh.


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There is evidence that golf was played on the links as early as the late eighteenth century but the present golf course, laid out in partnership by Old Tom Morris and Archie Simpson, opened in 1899 and has been only modestly altered since. The Great North of Scotland Railway company developed Cruden Bay as a tourist and golf destination and opened the 55 room Cruden Bay Hotel in 1899. Unfortunately the railway line closed in 1932 and the hotel several years later. However, the Cruden Bay Golf Club thrives.





I played there in 2007 on a brilliant, bright, sunny day without a cloud in the sky. The only drawback was a sustained wind that exceeded 30 mph. At times it was hard to stand. The golf was brutally hard, but the companionship and scenery was second-to-none. Two of our group took caddies who were asked if the wind was always so strong. Their answer was predictable. “No sir. Some days it’s much stronger.” There isn’t a tree be found, the hazards are just fescue and rye grasses, sand and gorse. The ground near the clubhouse is irregular and rolling, but nearer the sea the dunes must be close to one hundred feet high. The holes are routed through the valleys but some of the tees are up high on the dunes making for spectacular down hill shots.

One of the more memorable holes is 15, Blin’ Dunt, a 200 yard, downhill, par three with a blind tee shot over a dune. We asked the caddie about club selection and he recommended a 7 iron. Not being Bubba Watson, I asked him to clarify this choice. He stood by his selection and gave me the line. I was astounded to find my ball on the green. It was down hill and down wind, I guess. The three putt was most unfortunate.

The long par four (424 yards) seventeenth hole, Bilin’ Wallie, has a split fairway with a massive sand dune between them. I inquired about the best route and was told to choose one side or the other. I chose left and upon striking the ball the caddie exclaimed “Well played!” as it sailed down the fairway. Unfortunately when the ball struck the mound on the ground it kicked dead right into the long grass that covered the dune. I had no play but to pitch into the fairway.



That’s links golf. Sometimes you get a favorable bounce, sometimes not. Roll with the punches and just have a blast!



-ODL

The St Andrews Golf Club

Here in the States we typically think of a golf club as a place, not as the members. We think of it as being a specific golf course, and that any one course is only affiliated with one golf club. That ain’t necessarily so in Scotland. In a previous post I mentioned the two clubs that jointly manage the Leven Links. St Andrews in no different. The golf courses at St Andrews are not managed by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in spite of their imposing clubhouse right behind the first tee. The St Andrews Links Trust was created by an act of Parliament in 1974 to insure wide access to the links golf courses by all. Members from a number of different golf clubs play golf on the St Andrews links.

One of these is the St Andrews Golf Club, located on Link Road across from the 18th fairway. A unique feature of this club is that they welcome golfers to become temporary members. For £5 you can become a member for a day and £25 will get you a week long membership. Will this membership get you preferred access on the Old Course? I’m afraid not, but it will get you access to the club restaurant and changing rooms if you make arrangements in advance. (email: sec@thestandresgolfclub.co.uk).

Another St Andrews option is the New Course Clubhouse (left). This facility was built in 1995 to provide changing rooms and dining options for visitors to the links and it's every bit as nice as upscale resort facilities in the States. Before it was built it was trunk slamming and a walk to the nearest pub to get a bite after your round, without a shower. Golfers are welcome to use the changing rooms at no charge, though you’ll need a £1 coin for a deposit for individual locker keys. For a £1.50 fee you can also use the lockers for overnight club storage (see the folks at the information desk on the bottom floor).

Many clubs make you a temporary member on the day of your round. You are awarded full privileges of the course and clubhouse, including use of the lockers, showers, and lounge bar. If you remember to bring a jacket and tie you just might get invited into the members dining room. Be aware that most clubs have a dress code typically described as ‘smart casual’, consistent with private clubs in the US. No jeans or athletic shoes, shirts must have collars, no athletic shirts (football jerseys etc.). You can’t go wrong with a golf shirt (± sweater or vest), khaki pants, and leather shoes. Remember to remove your hat when entering the facility. If you respect the rules of their club you will be treated very well indeed.

ODL


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Scotscraig Golf Club

Just ten miles north of St Andrews is found Scotscraig Golf Club which dates to 1817, believed to be the thirteenth oldest golf club in existence. Originally the club competitions were to be contested in three rounds of their six holes. However in 1835 the club was abandoned for 52 until 1887 when the club was reconstituted and the original six holes were extended to nine. The clubhouse was built in 1896 and in 1923 the course was extended to eighteen holes and redesigned to it’s present form by none other than James Braid.

The clubhouse is on the small side, not overbearing. It is painted white and the clubs symbol, a mounted knight with shield and lance, is displayed on the front. The pro shop was small and crowded but the staff couldn’t have been nicer. I haven’t played this course since 2007 and my recollections of it are incomplete, there was no journal that year. I remember it as a quirky layout, part links, part heathland, part parkland course. It’s not a true links course as it is removed from the sea, but much of the land has all the characteristics of linksland.
Also, it’s not a traditional links out and back course. They both nines loops back to the clubhouse like American courses. The ninth is a relatively short par 5 called Flagstaff. The green is near the clubhouse and has a large picture window that is way to close for comfort, especially if you happen to be slicing. I remember asking one of my playing partners where he aimed as he approached the ninth green. His response was “way to the left”, precisely how I approached that shot. It’s probably not that close at all, but it seemed that way the day we played.


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I remember the holes nearest the clubhouse as having broad fairways separated by gorse, bushes and heather. As one got farther from the clubhouse the whins and heather grew thicker and the holes got a little more peculiar. The second nine had a stretch of relatively open holes with a water hazard and could be easily mistaken for holes at the Augusta Country Club here in Maine. Like St Andrews, the seventeenth hole is also called Road.
Scotscraig is used for final qualifying when the Open is contested at St Andrews. On their website they drop the names of many famous players who have played or qualified there. It plays to 6670 yards for championships competitions, however visitors and members alike play it at 6310 yards. Believe me there is enough trouble that this yardage is plenty.
They have a very useful website (Scotscraig Golf Club) with all the information we need concerning fees, specials, dress code, pictures of all the holes including stroke saver information (yardage book), and the like. I found this Youtube video about golf courses of Fife that includes some video of Scotscraig. This is certainly a course we should consider during or visit.

ODL

Radox

Shower gel or bar of soap? I’m an old school guy and prefer the latter. Give me a bar of Old Spice or Irish Spring deodorant soap. However, in spite of this preference, one of the first things I’m going to do after we get settled at St Andrews is go to the Tesco on Market Street and buy some Radox for men. It’s a 2 in 1 shower gel and shampoo. The fennel and sea minerals formula is truly refreshing! I always bring a few bottles home. Learn more here! Radox

ODL

I couldn't help but add a little something to your post ODL,



-Young Dan Lux

North Berwick Golf Club

What can I say? This is one of the finest courses in all of Scotland, but because is doesn’t host the Open, few Americans have even heard of it. That’s really a shame because this course should certainly be on your must play list when you visit Scotland.

North Berwick is a picturesque small town on the southern side of the Firth of Forth, about 20 miles east of Edinburgh. On a clear day you are afforded views of Bass Rock and several other nearby islands, as well as Fife to the North. It’s pronounced Bear ick, and I learned this by chance before going there in 2007. One of our caddies told me I was the first American he ever met who pronounced Berwick properly. The golf course is a traditional links course in every sense of the word. Like the Old Course at St Andrews, the first tee and eighteenth green are essentially in town. The course plays away to the West and then back home.



North Berwick has three most interesting holes; two are peculiar, perhaps interesting is a better way to say is, and the other is world famous. The thirteenth hole is called The Pit and is a short par 4, 367 yards. After a good drive you will require just a short iron into the green. The interesting (or quirky) part is that the green is separated from the fairway by a dyke (stone wall). If you should push your approach shot slightly to the right, you could be on the wrong side of the dyke. You may only be able to play away from the hole with the hopes of getting a better chance on your next swing. You would never, ever see a golf hole designed this way in the US; truly lamentable.

The second offbeat hole is number sixteen, Gate. Again a short par 4 only 381 yards. The elongate, raised green is separated into two distinct halves but a valley about three feet deep and ten feet across. The valley is part of the green, mowed to green height, poses a significant putting challenge. You want to be on the correct half of the green. Our caddies told us that when attempting to qualify for the Open at Muirfield, Phil Michelson took an eight on this hole, and failed in his bid to qualify. I took four and didn’t really find it that hard.

The world famous hole is number 15, Redan. The name comes from a style of fortification. This hole is perhaps the most copied hole in the world. Pay attention during professional tournaments that are played on classic courses and you’ll likely hear mention of a redan hole. Redan is a par three, 192 yards, though I believe the tees were up quite a bit the day we played it. It has an elongated green, oriented oblique to the line of play, front right to back left with a bunker in front. Sounds like it would favor a draw, doesn’t it? However the green slopes front to back making it very difficult to hold. I parred this one as well, but you’ll have to get several pints and a few drams in me to hear the full story. Let’s leave this one alone. Here is a Youtube video from the course manager at North Berwick. How did you do with his accent?

In September of 1875 there was a challenge match at North Berwick; Old and Young Tom Morris versus the Park brothers, Willie and Mungo. During the match word came that Young Tom’s wife had gone into labor and that neither she nor the baby was doing well. The Morris’ were provided a schooner to take them back to St Andrews. Tragically they arrived and found that both had died. It is said that Young Tom was broken hearted and this four time Open champion died three months later on Christmas Day at the age of only twenty-four.

I like the club crest for North Berwick Golf Club almost as much as the one for Panmure. It has a sailing ship flying a Scottish Flag, some crossed golf clubs and a few other embellishments. At the bottom is the founding date, 1832. When I was there in 2007, I purchased a golf towel, with the club crest in color and gave it to a dear friend. I stopped in the pro shop in 2010 with the intent to buy one for myself and found they only had various two color versions, black and white, blue and white, not the full color style that had been available in the past. I regret that I didn’t buy two in 2007. They have a great website (http://www.northberwickgolfclub.com/) with lots of information about the course, greens fees, menus for the lounge bar, dress code and the like.
Lastly another Youtube video, this one from Hidden Links Golf Tours, provides some more background about the west link and the North Berwick Golf Club.

ODL


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If you simply can't wait to go to Scotland

Don't fret, Scotland will come to you...

Later this month the Caledonia Society of Arizona is hosting the 47th Annual Scottish Highland Games!

Should be loads of fun and although I'll miss the first day (I'll be in Cancun for work) I will definitely be in attendence for the second day!

-YoungDL

Waterproofs

Waterproofs: in North America we tend to call them rain gear. I’d venture to say most American golfers don’t even own waterproofs. Why bother? If it rains, don’t play. Wait until tomorrow. That’s not an option in Scotland, because you don’t know when the next sunny day will come. If it rains the Scots just suit up and go, make the best of it!

Scotland has the reputation for always being cold and rainy, but that’s just not fair. Scotland is cold in comparison to an American summer, but at least for the northern part of America, Scotland is more mild during the winter. Now the chill in the summer would be no issue for hearty individuals who live in four season regions like Maine and northern Ohio. Only if you have a disorder like thin blood, related to living in an oppressively hot environment like Phoenix, would you find the summer in Scotland even the slightest bit unpleasant.


So what’s the truth about rain and Scotland. It can be rainy, no doubt. However, it’s not as rainy as you might expect. In the US the rain often comes in torrential downpours, whereas eastern Scotland often gets more frequent, light showers. St Andrews gets about half as much rain as Bangor, Maine. In 2007 during eight rounds of golf, it only rained on three holes. That’s two percent of the time. By the time you got your waterproofs on, it was time to take them off. In 2008, it didn’t rain at all during our seven rounds, although there was light rain at other times. It probably rained 25% of the time during the four rounds in 2010.

So the message is to get yourself some good waterproofs before you go to Scotland, and then hope you don’t need them. If your going ‘across the pond’ to enjoy golf on the links you can’t sit out because of a little rain. I’d feel cheated if there weren’t some adverse conditions. It’s certainly somewhat difficult to put rain pants on during the round, so a good solution is to put them on before the round. Just wear them over shorts or light trousers. Often that extra layer helps keep the chill at bay. Then stuff your rain jacket in your bag, just in case.

ODL

Panmure Golf Club

Now to the many readers of Lux Golf Pilrimage, you have probably noticed a pattern. Weekends are about a golf course, midweek something else. This will end eventually as I’ll run out of golf courses about which I have any personal knowledge long before I run out of other stuff I can philosophize about.

This week we are leaving Fife and crossing the Firth of Tay to Angus. Here we will find many great courses along the coast, the most famous of which is Carnoustie. However the subject of today’s blog is Panmure Golf Club It is situated between the fine courses at Monifieth and Carnoustie. Founded in 1845, it was laid out on land leased from Lord Panmure, thus the name. The original architect is unknown but the present design is largely unchanged since significant modifications in the 1930s based on the recommendations of James Braid.


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My favorite part of the club’s storied history concerns Ben Hogan. Mr. Hogan made only one trip to Britain to compete in the Open. It was in 1953, that glorious year in which he won the US Open, Masters and Open tournaments. Mr. Hogan was unaccustomed to the smaller British ball and to the peculiarities of links golf. So he arrived at Carnoustie several weeks early. Remember he didn’t fly on a jumbo jet, he took an ocean liner. Talk about a time commitment. His practice times became common knowledge and consequently were drawing large crowds. To escape the spectators and media at Carnoustie, Mr. Hogan asked if he could practice at Panmure Golf Club where he was warmly welcomed. The conditions here were virtually identical to Carnoustie. He used the seventeenth fairway and green as a practice area. Finding the greens weren’t as fast as those at Carnoustie he asked if he could cut the seventeenth green shorter, to match the pace at Carnoustie. He was granted permission and it is said that when he was done mowing, he thoroughly cleaned the mower before returning it.

He played a round with the club secretary and commented on his fondness for the sixth hole but pointed out that a bunker on the front right side of the green would appreciably strengthen the hole. Shortly thereafter a bunker was constructed that is still referred to as ‘Hogan’s bunker’. The hole is named ‘Hogan’; what else could it be called? Mr. Hogan went on to win at Carnoustie and following that great victory he was asked what was his favorite hole. He responded it was the sixth, at Panmure!

The sixth is a delightful hole, a dogleg left that plays to 414 yards from the back tees. It offers classic risk-reward elements. If you limit your drive to 250 yards or less, there is a broad landing areas, shared with the seventh hole. From here you need a long shot into a slightly elevated green guarded by Hogan’s bunker. However, if you choose to drive beyond this landing area where the fairway narrows considerably, you’re rewarded with a much shorter approach to the green.

Sorry I have no photos of the course as it was a dreary day when we played. It has aspects similar to links, parkland and heathland courses. There are holes like ‘Hillocks’ (#8) that have a true links feel, but others like ‘Pines’ (#3), seem more heathland or parkland.. However the only labels that needed is that it is an enjoyable and challenging course. Coming inward on holes like 14 or ‘Lucky Daddy’ you’ll see high speed trains flying by on the rails to the right. I recently found this Youtube video about Pamure from the folks at Hidden Links Golf Tours.

Another thing I really like about Panmure is the club’s symbol or crest. Club crests may be simple or complex and often take into account some historical aspect of the club, town or region, and often the date that the club was founded. At Panmure it’s a simple inverted scallop shell with the date 1845 across the top. I regret that I didn’t buy a golf towel or jumper (sweater) when I was there in 2008.

To learn more about Mr. Hogan I recommend ‘Ben Hogan ‘An American Life’ by James Dodson. If you are a fan of Mr. Hogan like myself it’s required reading. To learn about Panmure go to their website: www.panmuregolfclub.co.uk .

ODL

Auchlea B&B and Fiona Garvie

In the fall of 2002 I spent three months working at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre. Well, I didn’t work the entire time. Suzie joined me in Scotland me for a little over two weeks, and one of those was spent in Dornoch, my favorite village in the world. We rented a self-catering bungalow for the week. Among other things, we golfed at Royal Dornoch, toured Dornoch Cathedral, went to the Glenmorangie distillery, and shopped at the Dornoch Jail, a trendy, upscale shop located in of all things the former Dornoch jail. Suzie eyed a beautiful necklace and after we headed back to Glasgow she regretted that she didn’t buy it. Immediately I knew it would be the perfect Christmas gift, but it would require that I go back to Dornoch, and as long as I was there I’d would have to play Royal Dornoch again. I’ll stop at nothing to make her happy.

As I planned my trip I called several B&B’s in Dornoch before I spoke with Fiona. When I asked if she had any vacancies she told me to quit fooling around. I was surprised but it turned out that she thought I was her cousin from Canada playing a practical joke. I finally convinced her that I was really looking for a room and booked it. I arrived after dark on a Friday in November. I checked in and went down to the 1 Up restaurant for dinner. Saturday I played Tain Golf Club and bought the necklace. Upon returning, I showered and got ready to go out to dinner. Auchlea has a common room where I first watched the Scotland versus Romania international rugby match. Then the inquisition began. I was joined by Fiona’s husband John. He is headmaster at the local school and was curious to know more about what I did and what brought me to Dornoch. To make an already long story shorter, the Garvies invited me to join the family for dinner. They made me feel right at home and since then I consider them my friends.

I’ve been back to stay at Auchlea several times, during the 2007 trip with Don, Greg and Ed, also last year with Suzie and Dave and Robin McMahon. Fiona (in the middle) had heard quit a bit about Suzie and was quite eager to meet her. During breakfast, Fiona asked if she could join us as she ate her breakfast. Of course! She said that she felt unprofessional as an innkeeper. Poppycock! It was as though she was part of our group. It’s always a pleasure to stay at Auchlea and see Fiona and John if he really still lives there.

I haven’t seen John since 2002. Fiona swears he still exists and that he’s always at work. I’ll take her at her word. Since I first visited Auchlea, Fiona has won several awards for outstanding service. One even involved meeting Prince Charles and she has a photo to prove it. If we get to Dornoch, we have to stay at Auchlea.

Though this is my best experience at a Scottish B&B, there are many other great examples. Hazel and Laurie Crane at Burness House in St Andrews treated us well and Hazel taught us the ropes about tee times on the various Links Trust courses. In Inverness Margaret and Angus Noble and their miniature Schnauzer Archie at Glendoune B&B treated us well, directed us to great restaurants and Angus gave us detailed directions to Cruden Bay. B&B’s are great places to stay because you get to know the people who are so friendly and helpful.


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