Loch Lomond Golf Club by invitation only !

The big day came and went and contrary to my prejudgements and biased opinions it was without doubt one of the best days I have ever had on a golf course. Prior to going I was of the opinion that elitist golf does not belong in egalitarian Scotland. I could not have been further from the truth !

Yes Loch Lomond is by invitation only and yes it does have some extremely wealthy members, but once your in you could not be made to feel more welcome.

From the security at the gate to the valet service at the clubhouse we could not have been made to feel more at home, oh and as for the guy Willie in the gents changing room, thank you. Anyone that has the good fortune to go there anything you require from elastoplast to the greatest shoeshine ever, Willie is your man. Nothing is too much trouble for this kind man.

Firstly I would like to thank Ron Smart who owns a golf tour company called "Travelling The Fairways" for inviting me and secondly for allowing me to bring a couple of friends along. Chip who I was in the fire service with and Decky who I have become friends with since I have lived in St Andrews. You couldn't wish for two finer people to make up a fourball, except for Mr Moore of course.

We arrived early so we could enjoy a lunch and have a good look around the place because after all this was more than likely to be a one off occasion. To describe the clubhouse as opulent would be an understatement but I can't think of a better description.

First you have to get through the security at the gate, if your name is not on his list you don't get past the gate. Secondly we had to make my Nissan Micra disappear before we got to the clubhouse as there was no way I could let them valet park my little car, so we made a quick stop off in the car park whilst I loaded my golf gear into Deckys Lexus, which I felt would make a more appropriate impression ! Much to my dismay we were caught red handed because when we reached the clubhouse the first question we were asked was where was the missing car ? So my attempt to try not to look like Del Boy arriving at Loch Lomond failed.

The meet and greet guys at the clubhouse emptied the car and took the golf clubs off to the first tee, despite Chips attempts to carry his own clubs, it was explained in no uncertain terms that at Loch Lomond he could carry his own clubs once he reached the first tee ! Lunch was excellent then it was off to the practise range before the main event.

The course itself was everything I expected it to be, well manicured and beautifully taken care of. Much to my surprise there was a lot more space than I imagined there would be, meaning the fairways are a lot wider than they look on tv. The rough just off the fairway is not that penal, but there are definitely some areas where you will never see the ball again. As a bonus the weather was perfect, which had been a worry as the previous week we had rainstorms and gale force winds, yet here we were on a perfect day for golf.

As a bonus I took a caddy because if you are going to spend that much money to play a course you should never cut corners, and a course like this deserved to be savoured and enjoyed. Normally I wouldn't take a caddy because I have been a caddy for so many years I am uncomfortable with the situation, but as I advise tourists why come so far and pay so much then spoil your day by not knowing what your doing. Luckily Peter was the son of a caddy that I have worked with on many occasions at Kingsbarns so we had a great time with plenty to discuss.

It was without doubt one of the best days I have ever experienced on a golf course. A perk of the job that I do is that I am often invited to play some of the worlds greatest golf courses for free, Loch Lomond I had to pay for. Paying to play goes against the grain but I have to say the experience of the day was well worth the money. Plus Loch Lomond Golf Club bases its principles on Augusta, so to be invited to play there was a privilege. No amount of money is going to get you in there without an invite and that is what made the day so special for the three of us. The experience lived up to everything I hoped it would be and more.