Spectacular Adrglass !!

Today we played at Ardglass. Ardglass is a stunning links course which literally hangs off the cliffs in the beautiful fishing village of Ardglass in South County Down. The first tee is amazing. The course planner describes the first tee shot : 'It looks scary, but all of Ireland, all 42,000 square miles of it, is on your right' (They don't mention that there is nothing but water in front and to the left) . Actually the Ladies Tee is not quite so scary and is place a few yards further right and safe ! Here's the first tee .. interesting !

The forecast today was not good and we travelled with tons of extra clothes and wet gear etc. However, apart from one hole, we didn't get wet and most of the time had a very dry and sunny round. Shot of the day was Martina's spectacular bunker shot of about 90 yards to pin high about 6 feet right .. brilliant shot. The photo doesn't really capture it but I tried !

The views from every hole in Ardglass are amazing and it's hard to focus on the golf sometimes when you want to just gaze out to the sea and the fishing boats !

I had quite a good round today - 36 points, and somehow have found myself as the leading lady going into the final round tomorrow at the Championship Course at Royal County Down. We're both really looking forward to the game tomorrow and hoping that once again the weather folks may have got it wrong and that we'll have a dry day tomorrow. (The forecast is for heavy rain !). Royal County Down is probably Ireland's premier golf course (very scary !) and it will be great fun to try to plot our way around. Can't wait !! Will check in tomorrow to let you know how we get one.

Best Wishes,
Kate

Armagh & Down

Back to good old Northern Ireland for the 3 day Armagh & Down tournament. Martina has come over from London and we headed off to Donaghadee Golf Club yesterday for Day 1. Here's Martina having been announced on the first tee.

We were paired up with 2 members from Donaghadee, Linda and Jackie, so that was great - to get some local knowledge ! We managed to stay dry all the way around and had a really enjoyable round. We also got very well fed afterwards - so that was very welcome after a long and windy round.

The Grand Finale !

Last night we had our end of week dinner and presentation of prizes. It was held in the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse. Here's the clubhouse and the piper !

We had a visit from Old Tom Morris ! and some points on how the game was played in the 1800's.


You don't see too many French men in kilts ! - but Dominique had a go and definitely looked the part ! It wouldn't be a Scottish celebration without the Haggis and it was expertly piper in by the piper and paraded by the chef.

We had a Champagne reception, followed by an excellent meal. Haggis, neeps and tatties (naturally) , to start and main course of roast beef. Then down to business and presentation of the prizes for the week.

I was very happy that my Longest Drive on the 18th on the Old Course yesterday stood up and I won the prize for that. It wasn't actually the best drive I've ever hit, but it was quite windy and tough enough to drive into. Here's the Longest Drive presentation. That's Ken (on the left) and Ian, the 2 pro's who looked after us for the week in the photos.

My 2 over, Net 78 on the Old Course was good enough for 3rd place, so I had another prize for that.

I was also thrilled that our team, GB & I were second in the 4 Ball Better Ball competition. Here's the team, Steve on the left, then Roger, then Neil.

So a good haul of prizes ! as well as an excellent week's golf. Our GB & I team mate (bandit !) Neil won the Men's competition with a magic 66 !


A wonderful week's golf in the most magic golf location in the world. I've had a magnificent time. The organisation of the week was abolutely brilliant and the folks from Links Golf could not do enough for us. There was always someone waiting to take you where ever you wanted to go at any time of the day ! and great advice on golf and the courses, the town, the bars ! etc. etc.

I even got some expert advice from the concierge at the hotel on how to get out of a bunker. Here he is showing me the secret. You imagine the ball sitting on a dollar note (we used a real dollar note !) and you take out the whole dollar note - not just the ball. So that's one more thing to pack in my golf bag - a few dollar notes for the bunkers.

All the best for now and Thank You for reading my blog. Next golfing action is Martina and me at the Armagh and Down tournament in Ireland. We play Donaghadee on Wednesday 29th, Adrglass on Thursday 30th and Royal County Down on Friday 1st May. Then a nice relaxed game at Royal Portrush on Saturday, taking in Bushmills and the Giants Causeway.

Best Regards,

Kate.

Golfing Mecca - A Sunny Day on the Old Course

We're just back in from the golf day of my life ! We had a magnificent day on the Old Course today. Here's our 4 ball for today on the first tee : Susan and Bob again, and Alex from Germany, a great group. We had a brilliant time.

It's almost intoxicating to stand on the first tee and drive down towards the Swilkin Burn. Thankfully I managed a good one down the middle and stayed away from the trouble (but I was shaking on the tee !). Layed up to about 3 feet short of the burn (by design of course !) and escaped with a 5 - the relief !

Here's the first tee shot, over Granny Clarke's Wynd (where the car is going across !).

The course is absolutely stunning with tons of extra bunkers that you never see on TV. You also get no idea of the slopes and steps on the greens. Some of the greens are 100 feet wide. One, the 11th is just one big slope from left to right. The caddies call it the shortest Par 5 in the world !

And the bunkers .. I only found one (really silly shot. I underhit a chip to the green on the 13th and of course it wound it's way into a very interesting bunker ! (Just being friendly really - there were already 2 balls in there !). It took me 2 to get out sideways .. but you can't play the Old Course without visiting a bunker - would be rude !

There's a brilliant bunker in front of the double green for the 7th and the 11th. It's called Shell Bunker. Bob found it on 7 and Susan did on 11th. Susan called it the Grand Canyon. Here it is ... It really is a day's work to get out of it, great fun though.

I probably played my best golf today, but missed a few short putts on the back 9. Ended up with 34 points, net 78 ; 2 over the Ladies Par of 76. I drove well and hit some great long woods. My caddy Ian, was terrific. He found the right line for me every time and apart from one silly chip, I avoided all the bunkers, which is the really the key of playing the Old Course.

We took some time to enjoy our game today. It was the first time on the old course for all of us .. so lots of photos. Here we are on the Swlikin Bridge.

Today was a great combination of history, golfing magic, definitely a sense of occasion and some good golf.. what more could you ask for !


Here I am on the 18th playing up towards the Valley of Sin. It was quite windy. I didn't make it in 2 and had a long putt from off the green. The marker beside me is the Longest drive, which I passed .. but there were a lot behind us , so I very much doubt that mine will stay longest for long .. but it was nice to get there - even if only temporarily !


And here I am again putting out for a 5 on 18. It felt really good to walk over the bridge and up the 18th .. just like Jack, Tiger, Padraig etc. etc.

What a magnificent day .. I can't say enough positives about it. Brilliant - highly recommended. !

Off to the closing dinner tonight and home tomorrow morning. I can't believe the week is over - it seems like no time since I got my first glimpse of the Old Course.

Slan agus beannacht,

Kate

The New Course

We played the New Course today. Here's our 4 ball. Back to the United Nations today ! John and Erica from Tokyo on the left (I'm sure they're called something different in Tokyo !) and Jim from Melbourne Australia on the right.

We were very lucky with the weather again. Rain had been forecast and it did rain overnight, but we got through the whole round without a drop. It was individual competition today. I have to say I missed the comraderie and the craic of the team games - really enjoyed those.

The New Course is lovely. I think the best we've played yet. It felt really Scottish and links like today. Lot of interesting bunkers. I got caught a few times - mostly got out OK, but they definitely cost you at least a shot. I didn't feel the wind as strong as yesterday, but it was tough enough in the last few holes which were all into the wind.

Today we had 4 players, 4 caddies and a trainee caddy, so 9 people in our group. I found it quite a struggle to focus on my game today with what felt like crowds of people standing about on the green while you put. Definitely a lesson for me for tomorrow. Nevertheless, another great day and I really enjoyed the course. I played OK - drove well most of the time, but the putts that dropped yesterday didn't do today ! and I left at least 3 hanging on the edge without going in. I had a great birdie 3 on the 11th. Great drive, a good 5 wood into the wind left of the flag to the back of the green, about 12 feet, and the put of the day .. downhill, a little right to left .. and it dropped ! Also had a great par on the last into the wind - so enough to bring me back tomorrow.

Tomorrow we play the Old Course. I can't wait. I've been looking over it at breakfast and dinner and walking around it all week - so I'm really looking forward to getting out on it tomorrow. The forecast is OK. I'm out early and I think we'll get the best of the weather.

Another fantastic day on the St. Andrews links and terrific anticipation for tomorrow ..

Cheers for now,

Kate

Team GB & I

Another fantastic warm sunny day at St. Andrews ! Unbelieveable weather

The game today was on the Jubilee Course and it was a team 4 Ball Better Ball where the best net score counted on every hole. I played with 3 English guys, so it was a real GB & I team. Here's the team, Steve (left) and Roger at the back and Neil (Neil is originally from Iraq, but settled in the UK) and me in the front. We had a great day. The sun shone all day - no rain, but the wind on the back 9 was something else. Thank God for my caddy Ian. There was a par 5 where my 3rd shot had about 90 yards into the wind. He told me to hit 155 ! I did, and left it pin high for a birdie ! I had 2 birdies today on par 5's and some cracking putts. (The policy of spending the time before the games on the putting green rather than the range seems to be paying off !). I drove quite well today too. It's very tricky into such a strong wind. We worked really well as a team today and we all had our moments. Some great puts, particularly on the back 9 saw us in at Net 60. Not sure how that stands, but we thought we did well ! (We thought that yesterday - we had Net 56, but there were 48 and 49 in ! Obviously some serious bandits at work !).

The Jubilee course is really good. I definitely prefer it to the Eden yeterday. It's more interesting, with some great views. We were treated today too, to some displays from the fighter jets across the estuary. The noise from them as they loop and circle upside down, is phenominal, much worse than Corcord ; not great in the middle of your backswing !

Here's the view from the 18th Tee. You can see all the way up the 18th on the Old Course to the R&A. It feels a bit like walking through Golfing History (Can't wait to play the Old Course on Friday). So far the weather has played it's part admirably, so hopefully the wather gods are on our side for another 2 days. It's the New Course tomorow and the Old Course on Friday.

Dinner in the 'toon' tonight.

That's it from another brilliant day at Sunny St. Andrews,

Kate

Another Great Day

Hi,

Just in from another great day's golf. Today was the team scramble on the Eden Course. Here's our team. Bob (left) and Susan from Boston, Eric from France and Greg, the caddy on the right. Today was very windy, but the rain that threathened once or twice never came and we had another great sunny day.

The Eden is long (especially into the wind !), a nice course, but not as picturesque as Kingsbarns yesterday. We did Ok as a team - Gross 72, so we were happy. I played better today and a lot of the putts dropped .. very welcome after some trials and tribulations on the greens yesterday ! And I contributed a nice birdie 2 on the 10th.

We had some time with the pro's this morning before the game and they are around every day before and after the golf to help. Today, I was just too tired to go back to the range afterwards. Will go again in the morning.

Tonight it's dinner at the Old Course hotel and some Scottish entertainment ! at the Jigger Inn just next door.

Cheers,

Kate

P.S. They put golf quotes in your room every day here. I love today's : 'Golf is like a Love Affair : If you don't take it seriously, it's boring, and if you do, it breaks your heart !'

Sunny Scotland !

Well, the first day of the golf week is now over and what a day. I didn't know you could get sunshine like this in Scotland. I brought out lots of layers and ended up playing in short sleeves.

The morning started with a trip to the St. Andrews practise centre where we were shown lots of technology, everything from measuring weight transfer through the swing, to club customisation and a very technical putting analysis device. Very interesting and you'd wonder how any of us manage to hit a golf ball when we don't have all this stuff.

Then it was off to Kingsbarns. We had some time on the practise ground before the game and some advice from the pro's Ken and Ian on how to play links golf in the wind !

My fourball today was 2 French guys, a French lady and me ! and some Scottish caddies. The communication was interesting ! Kingsbarns was absolutely gorgeous today. It looked terrific in the sun and although there was quite a wind at times, I suspect we got the best of the conditions. It was relatively benign. Not that it did too much for my golf ! I played OK, but had problems on the greens and lost quite a few shots with 3 putts. Most of the fairways are quite wide with some wonderful pot bunkers ! I did OK with them. Got into 2, one greenside which I got out of well and one in the middle of the fairway. This one was very steep, so I had to come out sideways - no distance, but out ! Some of the greens are massive and a few have really big steps and a few levels. A great course and I really enjoyed it. It's a big course and it was a five and half hour round ! so a bit exhausting. We had Fish & Chips at the Kingsbarns clubhouse afterwards and then back to the hotel. A great day.

Tomorrow is a 4 ball scamble on the Eden Course at St. Andrews. I've met 2 of the team, a lovely couple from Boston, Bob and Susan, who definitely speak English ! Really looking forward to another great day tomorrow.

That's it for today,

Kate.

Near Enough !

Hi again,

Just got back from the reception / dinner for the first night of the golf week. The cast of players is like the League of Nations ! There's one Scot, a few English guys and me ! and that's it from GB & I. There's quite a few Americans, Japanese and other Europeans. The Northern Ireland flag here on the buffet table was put up in my honour (because my address is Belfast). It's not quite the right one for me- but it's near enough !!

Cheers,

Kate

Arrived !

Well, I've arrive at the Home of Golf. It's been a fantastic day so far. The sun is shining and it's really warm and wonderful, and Bonnie Scotland looked beautiful on the drive over to St. Andrews from Troon. I got the early morning ferry from Larne.

I didn't realise that the Old Course is closed on Sundays. I was amazed to see people (and dogs !) walking along the hallowed turf of the 18th fairway ! So I joined them and checked out the 1st and the 18th - the Swilkin Burn and the bridge, and the infamous 17th. Here's what the Road Hole bunker looks like .. not as big as I'd imagined, but the face is absolutely 90 degrees. You'd have no chance of getting out, if you're up against it. (Mental note : don't go anywhere near it when we play there on Friday !).

I was also surprised at how close by everything is. A few feet off the 18th fairway to the right there's a road with cars and hotels and shops .. and off to the left (across the 1st), there's the beach .. which you don't see at all on TV.

It is certainly as majestic as I'd envisaged and I'm really delighted to be here, particularly in glorious sunshine. Let's hope it stays for a while !

I'm looking forward to Kingsbarns tomorrow. Will check in with a report on the day afterwards,

Best Regards,

Kate

Off to St. Andrews

Hi everyone,

I'm heading off for my first trip to St. Andrews on Sunday, 19th April. Really looking forward to the trip to the Home of Golf, for some great golf courses, hopefully reasonable weather and great Scottish hospitality. (I won't mention the great golf I'd like to play !)

I'll try to keep the blog updated every day with news of the courses and the games we play.


Best Regards,

Kate