Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf

Subject: Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:29 am

I am still excited after returning from St Andrews this afternoon and feel the urge to share pics with the bros here even though it is 1230am in Edinburgh now and I have a plane to catch at 8am later.

I heard by coming here and touching the grass, one's HCP would drop by 4.

Incredible atmosphere, wonderfully charming history, and we were blessed by fine weather!

A must go! Ask me for directions through PM Smile

P.S: DGman, you have enough souvenirs from the Old Course during the 2010 Open right?

Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf The_ol10

Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf The_ol11

Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf The_ol12

Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf The_ol13

Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf The_ol14

Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf The_ol15

Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf The_ol16

Finally paid pilgrimage to the Home of Golf The_ol17

Newbie Golfer Posts : 53 Join date : 2009-11-28

Awesome pics! was the course tough? What's the damage like? Damn..... Seriously envious! :-)

Fantastic views!

Well done, JT! More pics pls......

Btw, how long was your waiting time for slots?

It doesn't look like he played the course, wearing sneakers on the Swilcan Bridge between 1st and 18th hole?

It looks like he walked down the road outside the proshop, and waited when nobody was teeing off, then ran to the bridge and took a quick photo.

Are nongolfers allowed to walk on the course for all the 18 holes?

Stunning!! Well done Smile

No. Non players cannot walk 18 holes at the Old Course.

But there is a side road next to Hole 1 and 18, where non players can wait, and when the fairways are clear, you can sneak in to the Swilcan Bridge, about 20m from the side road, and take a quick photo with that famous pose. Many golf tourists wait there for their turn to do that, and the golf course management does not seem to stop them.

~Nice~

Hall of Fame Golfer Posts : 6385 Join date : 2009-06-18

Thanks Wilson...

Nice pictures....my tickets are booked and i will be going again at the end of September for the Dunhill Championship. Be sure to say hello to Hamish at the St Andrews Golf Shop. its the first shop selling the hickory stuff when you turn out right towards the main square.

The thai restaurant is pretty decent. not comparable to those where i am right now but in the Kingdom of Fife its pretty good find.

DGman

Junior Golfer Posts : 107 Join date : 2010-01-21

freedrop wrote:: It doesn't look like he played the course, wearing sneakers on the Swilcan Bridge between 1st and 18th hole?

It looks like he walked down the road outside the proshop, and waited when nobody was teeing off, then ran to the bridge and took a quick photo.

He only said 'paid pilgrimage', never said 'played' St Andrew old course.

With all honesty, to play or not to play at the old course isn't the most important factor to be there.

It is the atmosphere of being there personally to feel the greatest of this course (the mecca of golf) with the sea breeze that counts.

In fact, I love driving from Edinburgh to the Old Course and enjoy the country side scenery more than playing in the course in strong windy condition... Embarassed

Hall of Fame Golfer Posts : 6385 Join date : 2009-06-18

Golf is informal in Scotland. most of the other courses (not the major ones) actually allow golfers to bring their dogs onto the course as well.

DGman

Hey guys! In Dublin now! Happy that you enjoyed the pics!

Nope, I did not play at the Old Course, or any one of the other 6 (or was it 8?). Just there purely as a visitor and check out how the course looks like compared to watching on TV. Anyway, my ECCO street premiers look like the ones I am wearing so...

Like what DGman said, golf in Scotland is very informal and the courses in St Andrews are actually parks.

I did not "sneak in" and do not have to. Since its a public park, anyone can walk in the fairway and take pictures as long as you observe the golf ethics and right of way - i.e not walking in front of the golfer, not shouting and screaming when a golfer is playing his next shot.

One of the officials in the R&A I was speaking to actually thought it was not right and "Americanised" the way golf has been portrayed as a high-incomed, membership only sport. To him golf is a public stroll and should be enjoyed by all.

In fact, every Sunday (other than tournament days) the courses are closed for games and turned into a big picnic ground where families come with wine and cheese and sit around the fairways.

Overall, a brilliant experience for me walking the guided tour, taking lots of pictures in the glorious sun, having an ale and pork loins with my wife at the Swilcan Restaurant, touring the Golf Museum.

I am still grinning from ear to ear. Smile

Newbie Golfer Posts : 10 Join date : 2011-09-01

Looks really nice! How much is a round at St Andrews?

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