St Andrews to the Colonels House in Gullane

Today is a busy day arrived at the hotel just before 10am to load the luggage, hopefully everyone remembered everything ! First stop was back to Kingsbarns as Paul needed to change something he had bought. Then next stop the Castle Course for an 11.18 tee time. In the picture the guys are milling around the first tee, what they are asking is do we really have to play in this wind ? However as will be revealed later these guys got the best of the day.

The other four guys played the Old Course at 1.40pm. At the time the weather was both sunny an fine, in fact despite my protestations both Kelly and Bill gave me their umbrellas to put in the van, bad mistake. One thing you never do in Scotland is go out on the golf course with no waterproofs and umbrella, never !

By 4pm I had got the appropriate beer stocks and ice so I went back to The Castle Course to collect the first group of four, they were in the clubhouse having some lunch. As we sat there we watched a rain storm travel over the harbour and too much laughter after I explained how the guys had given me their umbrellas. We have some before and after photographs below. As one of the group commented "I hope it's raining sideways" and indeed it was. So after the storm finished we went to collect the drowned rats from the Old Course.

Rain or no rain I believe that a fourball should never take more than four hours to play a round of golf, and after all is said done I know the guys can do it. They played the Old in under four hours last night when they thought it was going to get dark and they might not finish in time. So why did it take five hours and ten minutes ?

A very rare event happened to the four guys playing the Old course and I don't mean the weather. Apparently there was a bit of a hold up on one of the holes and the fourball behind asked if they could play through as they were playing in a competition. No problem said the guys even though their good manners would later cost them their dinner due to our late arrival in Gillane. It turned out that the fourball were members of the R&A and to repay the guys they invited them in for a drink. An opportunity no visitor should turn down. Now the irony of the situation is this, Bill earlier in the week had asked what are the chances of getting in the R&A clubhouse, "nil" I replied as you can only get in there at the invitation of a member. Even if I could have found one of the members I know it still means getting dressed up with a jacket, shirt and tie etc. So here was four guys achieving the impossible in their golf shirts, shorts, golf shoes and soaking wet underwear, amazing !!

So much later than planned we set off on the two hour drive to Gullane. Needless to say by the time we got here every eating establishment was closed, so the last option the good old fish and chip shop was put to the test. Bruce was brave enough to try the traditional delicacy, but the rest wimped out and ordered pizza.

The Colonels House meets with everyone approval but to me it's a drivers nightmare because it is out on the edge of town and guess who will be driving the guys home after dinner ? So no more early nights for me and I can't even drink.

Kingsbarns Golf Links (yesterday)

Yes Mrs Twigg you are correct ! They have kept the driver that busy he hasn't had time to write the daily tour blog. So I'm now playing catch up but more importantly trying to remember where we have been and what we did, and I'm the sober one!!

Tuesday was a 9am tee time at Kingsbarns Golf Links, personally my favourite course. It's both fair and pleasing to the eye, also boasting that you can see the water from every hole, which is true.

Two main talking points this morning. Firstly all the guys enjoyed a good meal at Ziggys, and some are keeping to their threat of keeping the bar open. However attempts to get back into the Russell Hotel, the scene of dinner the night before failed. Why because the staff did not want them back ! Only joking when they passed the hotel on their way home the bar was closed. For those wives that maybe a little concerned I would like to point out that bars close to the public at 11pm in St Andrews.

Secondly it has been brought to my attention that one member of the group has seriously let the side down. He drank lemonade all night and went to bed early, some people have no shame, but we will not mention names as we don't want David to feel embarrassed !

After golf at Kingsbarns the guys had lunch in the clubhouse where they met Ron Smart the owner of Travelling The Fairways, the company that put together this trip. Free caps and T shirts were given out by Ron.

Now the reason why there was no blog yesterday is because six of the guys thought it would be great if we could get on The Old Course in the afternoon. You know there is a reason why they have a lottery everyday for people to play the course and that's because it is always oversubscribed ! So the Twigg Party think the driver can fix everything, thanks guys !!!! Well we did fix it and I am not going to say how we did it, but it was all legal and above board. The only catch was that I had to play and no disrespect to the guys but at this time of the year there are a thousand other jobs that need doing before I can play. However we played and enjoyed the company, even Bruce and his constant whining about being given the wrong information. David (the lemonade kid) and Rick sat out the opportunity. David, well we know why, and Rick has a painful ailement.

The golf finished around 9.30pm, which mean't that the guys had missed there dinner reservation at The Seafood Restaurant. Nobody seemed too concerned except Ron the tour operator whose credit card was debited £10 per head for the eight that did not show. S0 beware of the invoice when you get home guys, but still the experience was worth the £10.

The guys then went back to Ziggys for their dinner again, burgers, steaks, chilli etc. Once again seven of the guys went back to the hotel and haunted the bar, and one went to bed early. God bless the lemonade kid !!!

St Andrews Links Old Course and Castle Course

Today is a bit of an unusual event, as we have two groups of four playing on different courses, due to the fact that this was originally a group of four which later became an eight. Old Course tee times are difficult enough to buy as it is, but to get two times together when the size of the group increases, well that's impossible.
So we have a situation whereby a fourball is teeing off on the Castle Course at 11.18am and the four pictured here (almost minus feet) teeing off on The Old Course at 1.40pm. To balance things out we will do the same on Wednesday with the two groups changing places.
Today it was important to get all the guys names correct as when you play the Old Course the name on the handicap certificate must comply with the name on the ballot sheet. If this is not the case you will not be allowed to play. Personally I am next to useless when it comes to remembering peoples names and being the person responsible for checking them in at the Starter this could prove to be a problem. So between us all we devised a number system so we could get it right. Numbers one through four were playing The Castle Course and numbers five through eight would play The Old Course. When I look at the photograph I know that these guys have lied to me because above is not numbers five to eight !
As I am writing this a great shower of rain has just soaked St Andrews and I think there just maybe some divine justice in that !
Tonight I have arranged dinner a Ziggys for the guys at 9pm, it is slightly different from the usual St Andrews restaurants as it has a rock music theme and not golf like almost everywhere else. It's also a very laid back place where denims fit in well.
Whilst on the subject of food everyone enjoyed dinner in The Russell Hotel last night and according to the guys they stayed till closing, then continued their nightcaps till 1am. As this was pointed out to me they insisted that I apologise for labelling them a typical American bunch that peak early then spend the rest of the week moaning about vacations being tiring ! Well my bunch of John Waynes are three days into their trip and still keeping their hotel bar open ! As for apologising not a chance they can kiss my a**. If your still keeping bars open on Friday well I will give it some consideration.
The last picture is guys one to four using the warm up facilities at The Castle Course

Carnoustie and The Russell Hotel

So today the guys get to really test their golfing abilities, round the championship course at Carnoustie. Unlike many groups the guys were ready and waiting outside their hotel at 11am, we were not supposed to be leaving till 11.3o. So they either have very strict wives or were very keen to get going.

We had a good journey to the course the roads were very quite and it was too early for cocktails ! When we arrived the weather was perfect for playing sunshine and no breese, so therefore no excuses for not playing well. Although after a couple of tee shots I'm pretty certain not everyone was going to bring the course to its knees.

Four hours and twenty minutes later they were coming down eighteen, which is not too bad time wise for Carnoustie. Some of the guys (not mentioning any names) didn't think the course was as difficult as they were told it would be. Others are being very quite for the time being. Still after a couple of beers in the hotel they may have a different story to tell.

Tonight dinner is booked for 8pm at The Russell Hotel, which fortunately for me it is almost next door to the hotel where the guys are staying. So I get away with not driving them ther back, and they don't have too far to stagger home !

Tomorrow the guys split into two groups, the first are playing the Castle Course at 11.18am and the second group play The Old Course at 1.40pm.

Dalmahoy to Gleneagles then St Andrews

So today is the start of a new tour, this week I have the Twigg Party on behalf of Travelling The Fairways. Picked them up at The Dalmahoy Resort in Edinburgh and you could tell that one or two of the gents had visited a couple of bars last night. However we managed to leave on time for their next stop which was an 11.10am tee time on The Kings Course at Gleneagles.
The picture is the guys outside the starters kiosk on The Kings.
Some interesting tee shots, followed by some breakfast balls, not all the players but a few !
When they finish here we heading for St Andrews where the guys are staying at The St Andrews Golf Hotel. I also believe that they will discover that the bars in St Andrews are a lot less busy than those in Edinburgh.
It's always the same with American guys, particularly those making their first trip. They are very quick out the blocks wanting to do and see everything. In a couple of days it will be golf, dinner and bed. Especially after Carnoustie tomorrow !
Football season starts today, that's the one for real football supporters, not the premier league aficionados. Blackpool kick off at QPR, so my nine months of worry start now. Surely they can't avoid relegation again. Its been a great two seasons punching above our weight in the Championship. Long may it continue.....please.

Dalmahoy Golf Course

New trip starts in the morning a group of eight Americans I pick them up at Dalmahoy at 9am. Last time I had clients there it was because their air miles paid for their stay. That tells you all you need to know about that group, needless to say at the end of that trip the respect paid to the driver was minimal. And he was a member of the US Senate !!
This group get to start their trip with a game of golf at Gleneagles then travel onto St Andrews where they are staying at The St Andrews Golf Hotel. which has been recently taken over by the Malmaison group (according to local gossip so I could be wrong)
Then it's Carnoustie, Old Course, Kingsbarns, Castle Course. They then move on to stay at The Colonels House, Greywalls Gullane, playing Gullane No 1, North Berwick (a personal favourite)and Muirfield and depart next Saturday.
Let you know what they are like tomorrow, they have a lot to live up to after last week !

Turnberry to Glasgow Airport, then home.

This was the scence on the 18th on the Ailsa Course at Turnberry this morning. The guys played there yesterday and said it was an eeerie feeling coming down the 18th. You think that's bad imagine how Tom Watson is feeling every time he looks at the hole. From 1977 till the last day of The Open it must have been one of Toms greatest places to be, now he must feel a little different about the place. What a win it would have been, at 59 years old. What he achieved that week gave us all hope, so thank you Tom.
This morning was also the end for my guys from Manilla, vacation over and time to depart. They have been a great bunch of guys to work with, never a moments bother and no nasty suprises to check the drivers abilities. Some of you out there will know what I mean by that sentence. I still have nightmares about the Wilkes Party from three years ago !!
So I wish Jeffery, Henry, Robert and Merrick good luck and I hope I see them again, especially after the respect they showed their driver at the end of the trip.
Is it just me or does anyone else believe Lee Westwood can win a major. I'm tired of losing money on him. Still with Billy on the bag he has a better chance than ever, so I'm off to the bookies to give him my usual deposit and who knows I may see a return by the end of the P.G.A.