 |
 Where to play, where to stay, what to do all day |
|
 |
|
Where to play, where to stay, what to do all day |
|
|
| Scottish Links Golf |
| Home Scottish Links Golf a different game The Basics Detailed Info on how to plan your trip AFSD - how to determine the real length of a golf course Helpful Websites Platinum Page Upscale places, products & services Aberdeen & Grampian Highlands Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay... r Ayrshire Royal Troon, Turnberry, Prestwick... Just east of Edinburgh Scotland's Golf Coast North Berwick, Muirfield, Gullane... Northern Highlands Royal Dornoch, Brora, Nairn... St. Andrews area Other golf courses Machrihanish, Pitlochry... Links Lite Great links golf for the not-so-great golfer Donate What others say
|
Insights into playing Scottish links golf, a different game© 2009, Richard & Mary-Alice JafollaGolf in Scotland, especially Scottish links golf, is a bit different than playing golf anywhere else. You actually have to experience Scottish golf it to understand it fully. But let me give you some insights into the differences to help you get the most out of playing these superb Scottish links courses.
It's links golf that sets Scottish golf apart The word "links" refers to land that links the sea and the arable land--not quite in the water but not good enough for farming. Not every golf course in Scotland is a links-type golf course. There are superb parkland golf courses like Scotscraig and Longniddry; beautiful and challenging heathland golf courses like The Dukes and Whitekirk; and seaside golf courses like the new Castle Course in St. Andrfews. There are even unique combinations courses that include parkland and links traits like Lundin Golf Club. These golf courses are challenging and great fun. But it is links golf that sets Scottish golf apart. Playing the Scottish links golf courses is truly unique--unlike any other kind of golf. And what makes it so unique is the land on which it is played. The best description of links golf I've ever read is in the book Playing Through by Curtis Gillespie. Here's what he says: …the crashing together of land and sea along this stretch of coastline instigated a geological evolution of terrain ideal for golf; from this space fit neither for agriculture nor housing has come a sand-packed, high-salinity linksland, the space Scots have termed the area between the land and the sea. It has become a seaboard…that is home to the world's most famous, most difficult and most beautiful golf courses.* The sea, soil, sand and wind produced mounds and dunes and gullies and burns, fescues and buckthorn and gorse and heather, all key factors in a game that is nothing if not an exercise in the geometric avoidance of trouble. Above all, the elements combined to create a turf that only links courses can claim; a turf that is year-round firm, springy and energising to walk upon. Along this coast nature built a landscape full of beauty and pitfalls; the Scots of centuries past merely found an activity that suited the littoral topography, and called it golf. That's about as perfect a summation of links golf and a links golf course as anything I have ever read.
Curtis goes on to be more specific as to the location of this hallowed links land...consider the east coast one line stretching from Dunbar through North Berwick, Muirfield and Gullane, then over the Firth of Forth to Elie, then up to Crail and St. Andrews, then across the Tay Firth to Carnoustie, Montrose, Royal Aberdeen, Nairn and then on up across the Firths of Moray and Dornoch to Fortrose, Tain and Royal Dornoch. Golf Nook Scotland covers the courses in these areas. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scotland golf course protocol and code of conduct
Another thing; know your terminology. There is a difference between a "foursome" and a "fourball." A foursome match is a competition between two teams of two golfers each with each team member playing alternate shots on each hole with the same ball. In a fourball each player plays his own ball. I mention this because golf clubs like Muirfield play foursomes during certain times of the day and if you are playing there you are expected to play that type of match. Oh, and one last thing, please be sure to fix your ball marks and replace your divots. Getting a game - big advantage for the independent golfer When you call for a tee time, ask if you can get a game with a member. First of all you'll enjoy the round more. Every golf course has its little secrets--the best lines off the tee, best landing area, etc. The member knows them all. And they certainly can help you to read the greens. Secondly, it's cheaper if you play with a member. For example when I played Longniddry Golf Club a few years ago it would have cost me £42, which was the fee for visitors. However, since I played with a member I played for only £9. It's not always possible to get a game with a member but it doesn't hurt to ask. Dressing appropriately
No jeans or cut-offs or denim, not even denim shirts. Bermuda shorts are acceptable at most clubs if they are true Bermuda shorts, in other words, no short shorts It's best to ask beforehand if you are planning to wear them because some courses reqire knee sox if you wear shorts. All clubs require a shirt with a collar. They also require golf shoes not "trainers" (sneakers). A few clubs require a jacket and tie in the clubhouse but this is the rare exception. At most clubs, when you pay your golf fee you are considered a temporary member of the club and you can use the showers and changing room. Of course you can just change into your golfing shoes in the carpark if you wish. Virtually all of the golf clubs have very nice bar/restaurant facilities where you can get a plain but quite decent meal at a very reasonable price. Dress appropriately for the weather, too. If you're in Scotland long enough you'll experience rain, wind and cold and maybe all three at the same time. Waterproof (NOT water resistant) clothes are a must. A good waterproof windbreaker is the best choice. Often on a cold day with the wind blowing a wind breaker (called a wind cheater in Scotland) and sweater is all you need to keep warm particularly when you are walking (which, because there are few golf carts, is almost all the time). Dress in layers because it may start out chilly but when the sun comes out it can get quite warm. Cell phones -- not wecome. Unlike dogs (see below), mobile
phones are not permitted on most golf course or in clubhouses.
Warming Up -- Few courses have driving ranges. Some have small cages you can hit balls into. So you'll have to do your warming up in another way. Most of the time you'll see members arrive, check in at the Pro shop and then just go and tee off. Since they are walking I guess they figure they'll get warmed up soon enough. There is almost always a putting green, so you can practice that aspect of your game. Below is a practice mat at Boat of Garten.
Speaking of putting, both St. Andrews and North Berwick have very extensive miniature putting courses. They are not part of any golf course but are "stand alone" facilities. These are both 18 hole layouts with each "tee to hole" distance about 100 feet. St. Andrews' course is next to the Clubhouse, is called "The Himalayas", and is really fun to play. Even if you don't play it, you must at least look at it. People of all ages play. You'll see women putting with their pocketbooks hanging from one arm, young children playing with their parents and teen-aged couples concentrating more on each other than on where their putts are going. Dogs go golfing in Scotland And speaking of friendly, dogs are allowed on many of the courses. We were at the tee at the Jubilee Course at St. Andrews late one day and a man was teeing off with his dog sitting next to his golf bag. We asked him about this and he said every evening at this time his dog comes over and nudges him. It's a signal that it's time for them to go play some golf. We saw dogs on many courses. Needless to say, they are well behaved.
Friendliness You'll be amazed at the friendliness of the Scottish golfers and the quite natural way with which they treat the game. Golf in Scotland is more of a "working man's" game than it is in the States, where so many fine golf courses are private and are the purvue of the rich--hidden behind high walls and guarded gates. Not so in Scotland. As an example, the most famous golf course in the world, The Old Course at St. Andrews, is right out in the open, smack dab in the middle of town. In fact there is a road bisecting the 1st and 18th fairways and, from time to time the starter has to wait for a passing vehicle or ask walkers to move it along over his loudspeakers. Many are surprised to find out that it's actually a public golf course and belongs to the residents of St. Andrews, who can play it for a very small yearly fee (less than the price of a single round!). Sunday is "not a good walk spoiled" at the Old Course at St. Andrews because the course is closed on Sundays and is filled with families, couples just enjoying the day, and awe-struck golfers ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the monster pot bunkers. And there are cameras--lots and lots of cameras--and lots of dogs enjoying their Sunday outings with their owners. Try that at Cypress Point or Pine Valley! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special hints for playing Scottish links courses
 Bunkers, Gorse, Broom, and Other Hazards
Rule #1: Get the ball back in play. Rule #2: If you think you can hit a great shot and get the ball on the green, see rule #1. Remember, according to Rule 28 At any place on the course except in a water hazard a player may declare his ball unplayable. The player is the sole judge s to whether his ball is unplayable. It will cost you a stroke but you can play the next stroke as nearly as possible from the spot where the last ball was played or you can drop a ball within 2 club lengths of the spot where the ball lay (not nearer to the hole) or you can drop behind where the ball lay as far back as you want. (If you're in a bunker you must drop in the same bunker.) Take advantage of this rule if you are in gorse or any of the other hazards and you feel you can't get out. Don't wait until you get into more trouble and then take a drop. I've seen players take 8s and 9s on holes because they tried to blast their way out of impossible situations. Nothing can get you into more trouble in Scotland than trying to do too much when you are in the rough or in trouble. There are times when the best play in a bunker is to hit it backwards rather than forward. (As David Duval should have done at the 17th at St. Andrew's in the 2000 Open Championship.) If you are in trouble, don't get fancy, JUST GET THE BALL BACK IN PLAY. Take your bogie and be thankful it's not worse. I played with a young man who played to a 4 handicap but, like many teenagers, did a terrible job in managing the course. Wasting 3 shots in one fairway bunker trying to do too much with it, he finally hit it into the gorse and then took 3 more shots trying to hit a career shot out of the gorse rather than just getting it out onto the fairway. So upset with himself he next fluffed his approach and ended up with an 11 on a par 4. His father was in the same bunker but decided to hit it out backwards. To his son's dismay he then hit his approach shot within 10 yards of the front of the green and chipped in for a par.
Golfers from every country are familiar with sand bunkers. Few outside of the British Isles have had to deal with gorse. Gorse is a bush with yellow flowers that lines many fairways. It's thick and unyielding and if your ball gets in it Rule #1 is doubly important. Most of the time you'll just have to lift it out and take a penalty. Use Your Putter At links courses, the grass around the greens is cut very short. In fact, sometimes it's difficult to see where the fairway ends and the green begins. This coupled with the fact that many of the greens are hard and shaped like an inverted saucer and wind is often a factor makes the use of the putter a viable choice. You'll use it much more than you may be used to. Watching a Scottish Professional tournament at one of the links courses I noted that virtually every golfer within 50 yards of the green was putting rather than using a wedge! Don't automatically reach for the wedge when you are off the green, it's almost never the right choice. If the grass is short, try your putter. Try a few practice strokes to get the feel for distance and fire away. You'll almost always get closer to the pin. (See photo below.)
Wind & Rain Wind is a big factor in links golf. Try to keep the ball low unless the wind is behind you. A 260 yard drive in calm weather will go 270 yards if there's a 10 MPH wind behind you. However, if a 10 MPH wind is in your face, the ball will go only 242 yards. That's only 10 yards longer with a trailing wind but 18 yards shorter--almost double the distance--with a head wind. (And 10 MPH is a mere breeze in Scotland!) However, if you can keep the ball low, the wind will not be such a factor. Some balls are designed for low flight. Bring a few of these with you and use them when you are teeing off into the wind. It will make a difference. And practice your knock down shots before you leave. (Golfers playing at Crail Golf Club have to deal with the fierce winds coming off Firth of Forth. Graeme Lennie, the friendly professional, is often asked how to play in such winds. His answer? "Keep your putts low to the ground, laddie!)
It rains in Scotland, and, depending on which area you're in, it could be a lot. (Generally drier in the east, wetter in the west.) You should always assume it is going to rain even though the weather looks sunny and mild. If you've made reservations at a special course and it rains and you're on a tight schedule, what do you do? You play, that's what you do. So carry a good rain jacket and rain trousers. Be sure they are water-proof not just water-resistant. Same with shoes. If you get caught in a downpour and there's lots of wind you'll be glad you are protected by more than your umbrella. Most Scottish golfers play in rain that people from other parts of the world might not play in. Often a downpour will start and if you play a hole or two things will clear up for the rest of the round. If you have good raingear that gives you enough freedom for a full swing, the weather won't bother you and you'll be a happy golfer. Oh, and don't forget good non-slip rain gloves--the kind whose grip improves the wetter they get. (Peter Aliss, the BBC and CBS golf announcer and former Ryder Cup player, says he doesn't change gloves, he just wraps a handkerchief around his grip. It's legal and works just as well.) I personally use only Dimplet Golf Gloves. They are equally effective in rain or shine. Read about them on Platinum Page. Miscellaneous Stuff On many golf courses the flags are only 5 feet high rather than the 6 foot variety you see in the States. Few Scottish courses have many yardage marker other than a 150 yard marker (some have none at all!) so a 5 foot flag can fool you into thinking you're further away than you really are. If you are not playing with a member, get yourself a yardage book. With few exceptions, you don't really need a caddie. In fact, many courses don't even have caddies available. Toilets & Drinking Water - Two things rarely found on UK golf courses are toilets and drinking water so be sure to bring along a bottle of water. I want to address this next item as delicately as possible. All of us have had the urge during a round of golf when we were not near a toilet. Usually, we just find a hidden spot behind a tree or in a bush and relieve ourselves. Let's face it, we've all done it. The problem is that it's not that easy to do in Scotland--especially on the flat (and windy!) link courses. In addition, many of the links courses are "out and back" meaning the 9th hole is furthest from the clubhouse. So take care of business before you tee off. Golf Balls - The drive is critically important in Scottish links golf. Many of the greens on links golf courses are the inverted saucer shape protected by fierce bunkers. Usually there is an "alley" thru the bunkers on your second shot if your drive landed in the right spot. If not, you'll have to hit over bunkers to greens that are not that receptive to being held--especially if you are coming in low. You'll have to hit a high shot that flops down on the green and holds. Trouble is, the greens are often hard and the wind may be blowing sidways. One solution is to use a high-spin ball--one that will stand a better chance of hitting and holding. You may not get as much distance but you'll be happier around the green. Use the correct tee area - Ask which tees you are to play off of. Seldom are almost never allowed to play off the championship tees and often even the medal tees are off limits. They are very strict about this so be sure to ask which tees are being used that day and don't deviate from them. AFSD -- if you want to know how to determine the true length of a golf course, see my AFSD page. The 19th Hole -- Most of the golf clubs serve good food. In fact, we often eat at clubhouses even if we may not have played golf that day. Don't look for fancy cooking. We eat at clubhouses because the food is simple food but it's well prepared and inexpensive. (One of our favorite eating spots is the Lounge at the St. Andrews clubhouse.) Clubhouses are a great place to meet people. Scottish people are friendly and Scottish golfers are the friendliest of all--at least that's how it seems!
Golf Nook rating codes for Scottish golf courses HOLE-IN-ONE -- One of the most fabulous courses in existence. Quit your job and get a second mortgage on your home to go play this one. It's one of a kind, combining superb layout with challenging and imaginative holes and solid history. When you play a Hole-in-One course you remember it your whole life. Some examples are St. Andrew's Old Course and Royal Dornoch, both in Scotland. (Or Pebble Beach, Pine Valley, Cyprus Point and Merion to name a few in the USA.) EAGLE - A "must play." Don't get a second mortgage but raid your kid's college fund to play it because your golfing experience will not be complete without playing this course. It is exceptional in layout, challenge, and just the experience of being on it. Some examples are Muirfield, North Berwick and Royal Aberdeen, along with Royal Birkdale and Royal St. George (both in England). BIRDIE - An exceptional golf course, one that you enjoy from the time you arrive and check in to the time you sink your final putt and want to go another round. It may or may not be the most difficult you've ever played but it's the kind of course you want to share with your friends. Some examples are Gullane #1, Elie Links, and Crail Balcomie courses. PAR - A good, solid round of golf. Fun to play. You won't have felt you wasted a day playing it. It may not have any history or the scenery may not be great but it is a solid play and you will have a good time playing it. Some examples are Longniddry and Luffness New. BOGIE - A disappointing course. Play this one only if all others in the area are aerating their greens. DOUBLE BOGIE - Keep away from this course. The only time you'll want to play this course is if the alternative is cleaning out the garage or if someone is paying your way. And make them buy you lunch, too. OKAY - PAR is worth a play and BOGGIE is not worth a play. OKAY is somewhere in between. This is a rating for a golf course that I don't necessarily recommend but not because it's a bad course. It could be an okay golf course but one I feel is overpriced. Or it could be an okay golf course but, because of the great golf courses in the area, playing it would not be time well spent. Or, it could be that it's just an okay golf course! Why not plan an independent golf trip to Scotland and enjoy these superb Scottish links golf courses? You will be so pleased with the experience and with the large amounts of money you saved by doing it "your way." |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
