Golfing in Scotland

#1 Hole at the Old Course - pinch me - no, don't

So, when my boss asked me in January if I would be interested in going to Scotland, my initial thought was “GOLF” – I mean what golfer doesn’t have fantasy thoughts about playing golf in Scotland – the Birthplace of golf?  Ok, I think I just inferred that I am a “Golfer”, for the record, I play golf, but I am not really a golfer – for those of you who have played with me you know I am a poster child for over-swing and swing hard at ball, but not a really good ball striker.  Some of you also know that I can get worked up about playing at a new course and just forget everything I know (which isn’t much) about how to hit the ball and end up playing 10-15 strokes over my norm.

Well, not much changed during the first three months of playing here – long holes, wind like I have rarely played in before, and lots of rain soaked ground – peat bogs to be specific.  So those things crawled in my head and have roosted well – meaning I rarely shot below 90 on a par 69 and often threaten triple digits – but lately getting better – abbreviating the swing, easy start and accelerated finish – slowly getting the scores down, actually played below bogey last weekend – one of the few times, and that was with two lost balls – something that happens with heightened regularity here.

Hat on Backwards to keep it on.  leaning into wind to stay standing.
Course says "Open" - No one was on it - 35-40 mph winds

So, I quickly learned that I had much to learn here about golf.

First, we have two courses locally, and a third about 20 miles away, so really there are choices, and when you think of the population here you can quickly figure out that getting tee times is easy – actually, let me restate that, getting tee “times” is hard, all you really have to do is show up and play – rarely anyone in your road unless you go at the times when events or classes are happening.

Reay Club House

So, my first hint that I was not in Kansas anymore is when Jodi and I stopped at the Reay course during our first week here just to check the place out.  It is a links course about 15 miles from here, along the ocean with an opening 240 yard par 3 that usually plays into the wind! So, we went in to the clubhouse to seek out information – no one at the bar, no signs of a house pro to take money, just kind of empty. 




Than a gentleman came in from outside looking like he just finished playing and saw the obvious confusion on my face and asked if he could be of assistance.  I said I was checking out the course and was looking for information on how to get tee times, how much, where the range was, etc. 

So, here is what I learned:

• You sign in to the book, put your money in an envelope with your name on it, drop it in the box, and go play golf.
• Summer round is 30 lbs, winter is 15.
• I just learned this last weekend that the winter membership (oct – mar) costs 80 lbs – that is around $100 – for six months of golf – I think it is twice that for the other six months!
• There are no riding carts (I didn’t ask about this actually, it was just obvious to the casual observer at this point).
• The course is maintained by volunteers with one part-time greens keeper
• There is no driving range, but there is a putting course -was told that the Thurso course has a driving range – so my hopes where lifted on hearing this, because now I knew which course I was going to join – the one with a driving range!

Ok, bit of a culture shock for the first introduction.  On to Thurso! My landlord is the course captain and encouraged me to go for the yearly membership of 375 pounds, around $450 – for the year!  So, I was in, sight unseen!  

The course is about 3 miles from our apartment.  I drive up, get my clubs out and seek the pro shop to get some balls to hit.  Same scenario that I found at Reay – no one home but a few guys sitting down having a draft – luck had it that one was my landlord!  He sees me and welcomes me in.  So here is how the conversation goes.

Are you going to play around?

Not today, just have an hour or so, so I was going to hit some balls.

OK – the range is over next to the green building, enjoy.

I go over to the green building – there is a singular grass mat, I see the range pins, but no balls – I go back over to the clubhouse and ask my Landlord

Ummm, where is the ball machine?

Ball Machine?

Yes, you know where you can buy a bucket of balls to hit?

Oh, we don’t have those, you have to bring your own balls.

What? My own balls?

Yes, you hit your balls down range and then go pick them up – here you can use mine, just fetch them and leave them over here when you are done.

He then explained to me that the end of the range is 145 yards where it crosses over a ditch and then you are hitting into the edge of the 1^st fairway – so stick with your short irons – but you can go into the green shed and we have three nets set up if you want to hit longer shots.

So, that night I ordered 50 used Callaway’s and a Shag bag!  Lesson one down!

Three weeks go by and I finally get a chance to go play a round – winds are blowing 20-25, I lost half a dozen balls, not to count the ones that went into the drainage ditches in the center of the fairway that I was able to retrieve at the cost of a stroke each.

About lost balls – It is very common to hit provisional shots off the tee here – why, because once you leave the fairway, you are into hedges or some thick ground cover – can’t even see your shoe tops in many places, let alone where your ball nestled down – and seeing how it is a lost ball, you are already lying in three with your provisional with little hope of reaching the green in four because you are still 240 out, into the wind!  So, to say the least, the first round was abysmal – and that is the round that is blueprinted into my head as I play each time – oh, this is the hole I got a ten on, or the last three times I was in the deep stuff on the right – so to avoid, I pull hook it into the deep stuff on the left – there is a reason golf is a four-letter word.

Rounds 2 & 3 – played the following week on the same day, in the Thurso Open – shot a 101 and a 100 – just leave it at that! But afterwards was a hoot – sat around with a bunch of Scots eating and drinking and tried to have conversation. For the most part, the conversations center around things that lend themselves to competitive discussions –– often concluding with threats of going outside and knocking your head off – followed by lots of laughs and then on to the next topic of challenge or insults. The conversation turned to Tartans all of a sudden and I saw my opportunity to join in and brought up the Tartan in my car – that led to me being counseled that the McLachlan Tartan is not the one I want, but rather the MacKay, or MacLean, or some other clan – several were weighing in apparently tempting me to defend my Tartan over theirs - i didn't take the bait.  It was then that the conversation got tense when one guy challenged another as to whether his clan even had a Tartan! And then that was quickly followed up by an apology and recognition that they did and that the colors where Green and White – apparently colors of Irish desent, which was taken as a serious insult, didn’t think they were going to make it outside to knock each other’s head off!  But soon enough they started laughing again and then the focus went to me – so how are you finding the driving here?  If you recall, this is about the time that I posted my 1 month take and shared some of my challenges around driving – so I had much to say - lots of laughs and sharing of their experiences driving on the "other side" of the road.

Reay Course - Links Style

Then we had a conversation that makes me laugh just thinking about it.  We were talking about the differences in the roads – we have long wide roads, they have narrow winding roads, we use cruise control, they have no use for it, we are becoming a society that drives automatics, they cling to their shift sticks – then one yelled out:

WE have Pawdls!

Pawdles?

Aye – Pawdles!

What is a Pawdle?

Ya kno – PAWDLES!

OK – you need to spell that out for me, not getting what a pawdle is.

PEE, OH, TEE, AACH, OOO, Ell, EE, ESSS – PAWDLES (and yes, he is speaking loud)

Oh, Pot Holes!

YES – PAWDLES!

Well, we have Pot Holes in the US.

AYE, BUT OUR PAWDLES EAT CARS!

Recognizing I couldn’t top that, I conceded without any threats of having my head knocked off – what a fun evening – couldn’t understand a 10^th of what they were saying! It has been four months here now and I am getting better at understanding, but as Jodi quite accurately states, I get this confused look on my face as I try to decipher what I just heard and she will step in and interpret for me – years of watching BBC has paid off for her.

So, the Thurso course is becoming less threatening for me, actually have parred most holes (The 440 par 4 16 avoids my attempts) and even birdied a few, just haven’t really strung a clean round together yet.  It is a layout on top of a peat bog – so it is rarely dry, lift/clean/place in the fairway is the norm – very little roll out, more often than not it is a partially plugged ball!  When you walk the ground gives a bit – like walking on a foam pad. Greens are slow, which means I am usually short more times than not.

5th Tee Box at Reay - overlooks ocean beach

Played the Reay course for the first time this last weekend because Thurso was just about flooded it was so wet – Reay is a links course with the high thin grass on the sides, much sandier ground which allows for drainage and plays rather nice.  Several ocean side holes – nice views.  Still lost a couple of balls, but all in all, enjoyed the course.  Will buy the winter membership and go when I can – temperatures here usually support year-round golf, as long as the rain isn’t coming down sideways!

In early August we drove to Edinburgh via St Andrews and walked around the 1^st and 18^th , watched a few groups play through and bought some memorabilia.  Will look for an opportunity to go play – must do activity whilst I am here.