A day in the life of a 'Once Was'.

Richard picked me up at 02.30a.m. in his new BMW. John had already been collected so it was straight to Newcastle for Alan.

"Why do I always end up driving?" Richard asked.

"OK I’ll drive" said John.

"Not my pride and joy" snapped Richard.

"If you have the best car for the job, you’ll always end up driving" I added.

"Point taken" said Richard.

I slept most of the way up the A1 and only woke as Alan loaded his luggage behind my head.

"Morning", chirped Alan, it was only 4.00a.m.

I drifted off to sleep again and awoke as we approached the Forth Road Bridge. I yawned as I looked at my watch, it was nearly 6.00a.m. on a bright sunny morning.

Alan was sat in the front, laid against the window snoring away, John was sat next to me tapping away on his Lap-top.

"I want your honest opinion on the new 17th Tee as that seems the main pre-tournament discussion this year". John had noticed that I was now fully awake.

As we sped along the A92, we discussed the fact that Seve had been advised to stay at home and by the time we turned onto the A911 the discussion had moved on to Justin Rose winning two out of three PGA events and throwing away the third. Through Leven and up the A915, Alan woke with a grunt as we finally approached the ‘grey town’ of St. Andrews.

The car was parked behind the Clubhouse and we wandered into the reception area and bumped into Peter Dawson collecting some mail, it was just after 08.00a.m.

After a hearty full Scottish breakfast and a look around the trophy room we made our way to the 1st Tee for our 10.45 starting time. I was the only one of the four of us allowed to play and I was paired with a Danish reporter called Karl who was off 2hcp, he didn’t speak great English so I was happy to have the lads walking with me.

My opening Tee-shot with a 3wood was aimed, and sent straight at the Swilken Bridge and was followed by a solid 9iron into the heart of the green. Two putts and off to the 2nd.

The wind was WSW, so was blowing mostly across the holes and was strong enough to effect the ball flight.

My Tee-shot up the 2nd was hit with my Driver and I found the fairway just short and left of ‘Cheap’s’ bunker, I chose a 5iron and turned it RtoL and found the front right corner of the green, some 50ft from the hole. Three putts followed.

Three was a straight forward Drive-Wedge to 20ft and two putts.

Four looked different this time, gone were the Gorse bushes that blocked a good view of the fairway. I still took the safe LEFT route and even though I flushed a 4iron I ended up short right of the green. An indifferent pitch and two putts added up to a five.

The fifth is an easy par five if you can keep out of the bunkers, a Drive hit straight at ‘Benty’ and allowed to slide on the wind found the fairway, a 3wood didn’t reach the green and a poor chip followed by two putts meant that was three fives over the first five holes.

I missed my first FIR on six, but luckily also missed the nine bunkers awaiting an errant tee-shot. I got a good 8iron onto the putting surface and almost made the birdie but had to settle for Par.

A 3wood and a Wedge found the seventh green and two putts for a regulation Par.

Eight is the first of only two Par 3’s and an easy 6iron ended up on the back left of the green which I took a further three shots to get down.

Nine was only just out of reach to me and a good chip left me with a tap-in Birdie.

Out in 38 (+2).

On ten the wind took the ball and it ended up in the rough on the right just short of ‘Kruger’. A wedge and two putts meant Par.

On eleven the hole was back left and I tried to launch a 6iron high on the wind. I failed and the ball finished stone dead, that is if I was playing to the hole for the 7th. Another three putts and off to the next.

At 348yds you would think twelve is easy, but with 260yds to carry the bunkers that protect the narrow entrance to the green, it’s not that simple. I hit 3iron into the semi down the right and a Wedge into the middle of the green. Two putts and another Par.

Thirteen saw me Drive left of the ‘Coffins’ and find the green with a solid 5iron. Two further putts and another Par.

Over the years fourteen has been stretched to 618yds and it is now 290yds to carry ‘The Beardies’. I closed my eyes and aimed down the right side of them. I flushed it, the wind helped and I found my ball just short of the hollow known as ‘Elysian Fields’, a drive of over 310yds. From here I was able to have a cut at the green but didn’t get there. A good chip and putt gave me my second Birdie of the day.

A 3wood down the left followed by a 4iron found the middle of the fifteenth green and two putts followed.

Down sixteen I again took the safe left route with a 3wood and must have got a massive bounce with my 8iron second shot because I found my ball way over the back of the green. I holed a good 15ft putt for Par.

The new Tee on the seventeenth was blocked off, but the R&A had cut a square of grass next to it. I think something will be placed there by the time The Open starts but I used it to play from. I aimed down the length of the wall and cut the ball back into the wind. It found the fairway but still over 200yds to go. I chased a 4iron in, landing nearly 50yds short and running up. It didn’t make the top of the slope, so I was left with a massive putt which I took three blows to hole.

So to the eighteenth and a smashed Driver at the Clock. A SW spun back to 3ft and I got a round of applause from the workers finishing off the stand behind the green. I knew I was being watched and I was very nervous but the ball did drop. A Birdie on the 18th of The Old Course and a round of 74.

We spent the afternoon talking about the round and the course until it was time to get John and I to Dundee Airport for our flight back to Leeds. Richard and Alan were off to Loch Lomond to work at The Scottish Open (lucky guys).

John is going to try and sell this story on The Wires, so I will look for it in future issues of the Golf Mags.

TheLyth

Are us golfers all just a few sandwiches short ?  Up at 2:30am for a round of golf, could only be golfers hey