SCOTLAND, the home of golf, welcomed 32 CGA members to its North Sea shores to play six of its historic golf courses as part of this year’s CGA Member Trip. This golf extravaganza, which began with Castle Stuart and ended at St. Andrews, was arranged by the Experience St. Andrews travel group.
Arriving in Edinburgh the CGA members hopped a bus and headed north to Inverness, Scotland where they would rest for the evening and prepare for their first round of golf the next morning at Castle Stuart. A part of the Cabot Highlands, Castle Stuart has breathtaking views of the Moray Firth (shoreline). Soon this golf offering will be expanded to include a new Tom Doak-designed 18-hole course set to open in 2024.
The next day golfers found themselves teeing off at Royal Dornoch. The Royal Dornoch club was officially formed in 1877 and offered only a 9-hole course. Then in 1886 veteran champion golfer, Old Tom Morris laid out the full course that is enjoyed today. Looking out onto the white beaches of the Dornoch Firth this link course challenges golfers, especially on windy days.
Heading south on the third day golfers found themselves at the more familiar Carnoustie. Carnoustie Golf Links is just how one would imagine after watching the world’s best play it during The Open…. challenging! The best advice for getting around this course is to 1). Take a caddie 2). Do as your caddie tells you 3). Avoid the bunkers!
With Carnoustie in the rear view mirror it was now time to get to the “homeland” of golf, St. Andrews! Looking out upon the “Old Course” from the St. Andrews Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa gives every golf lover chills. Playing the Old Course had to wait as golfers first teed off at Kingsbarns. Kingsbarns fits seamlessly into the seaside landscape and pleases the eye on every hole. The course provides incredible views of the North Sea and one would think the golf course was much older than a mere 23 years. Every hole is a challenge and gives golfers pause in figuring out how to play them.
And now to the reason we all play golf…. St. Andrews! First up is the New Course which begins the love affair. To fully experience St. Andrew the caddies play an intricate role. The caddies at St. Andrews are not just someone who carries your bag. The caddie is your confidant, your guide, your eagle eyes, your number one cheerleader and most importantly they are St. Andrews. They have seen it all and the stories are wonderful and endless.
As you loop around the New Course, you can see the Old Course the Jubilee Course and the Eden Course. The New Course offers challenging approaches, deep bunkers, and slower greens. Never has the phrase “dead sheep” been so true. A “dead sheep” is when you putt and your ball is still considered out.
And for the piece-de-resistance of the trip, the round at the Old Course. Oddly the Old Course only has four solo greens while the rest are shared greens, the true definition of links golf. Throughout the round, you see small green markers around the course. These markers indicate the original boundaries of the course. If you lift up the green coverings, you will find the original stone that indicates golf on one side or a rabbit for the rabbit farmers.
Just like Carnoustie, there are plenty of bunkers to be found although sometimes hidden. The most famous bunker of all is “Hell Bunker” and if you find yourself in it then you can reward yourself after your round in the gift shop and buy the “Hell Bunker” hat. But the most rewarding walk is coming up 18, crossing the stone bridge and looking up at the R&A (Royal and Ancient) building overlooking number 1 tee and 18 green. This is truly where it all began!
And what kind of member trip would it be if we didn’t wear kilts, and tartans and listen to Bagpipes, well it wouldn’t be a true Scotland trip!