A Daley Double Take
 

Who are those guys with John Daley?

Two For Tee
 

I remember, Alex: We had 'all four seasons' in that round, excluding only snow!

Here's my photo that day of Alex on Swilken Burn:



My three weeks there last year began with the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond and proceeded to The Open Championship at Turnberry. During those two weeks and the next that followed, I taught at various venues. Then, the real fun:

Alex and me actually playing the game!

First, Dundonald. http://www.dundonaldlinks.com/

Then, Carnoustie. http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/

Finally, St. Andrews. http://www.If you don't know, forgeddaboudit! :smile:

All arranged by Alex.

Thank you, my friend.

See you Friday for tournament play on the Old Course and for dinner that evening at the Hotel!

:salut:

Photos From Wednesday, July 14th, 2010, At St. Andrews
 

Full Screen Slideshow

Gone With the Wind
 

Well, today was quite a day. We woke up this morning to rain, and the early players practiced and played in it.







Then, when the rain stopped, the wind kicked up in earnest: Twenty-five miles an hour with gusts to forty. W - O - W ! !

On #13 -- the hole that prompted the later wind suspension of play -- BG backed off his ball and re-marked four times as the ball wobbled about -- no, moved about -- on the green. Each player in the group three-putted, all missing second putts from less than four feet (and one from less than 12 inches). When the group behind us reached the green, Paul Goydos refused to play.

Fifteen minutes later, the horn -- the "hooter" as they call it here -- sounded, and play was suspended for an hour. Here's a shot of the players and caddies in Brian's group laying about in the grass awaiting the play of their third shots into the 14th, your basic 618-yard par 5. Don't look for Kip (BG's caddie): He was "starving" and off to get in a quick sandwich.




I noticed no appreciable difference in the wind velocity once play resumed. BG bogeyed #15 and #16 -- a three-putt including the one-stroke penalty he called on himself when the ball moved after he had soled the club -- then tripled #17 from the tough rough left off the tee. A birdie on the home hole brought him in at +11 for the day and for the tournament.

Not what we wanted or expected, of course, but it's what we got.

Next stop: The Greenbriar Classic http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r490/, where perhaps a kinder fate awaits.

http://www.pgatour.com/2010/r/07/16/...ap/index.html#

Photos From Friday
 

Full Screen Slideshow

Got your PM Lynn but sadly too late to do anything about it, flights to all the nearby airports are SKY high!

We'll get together one of these days, of that I have no doubt. :salut:

I should say, I've played The Old Course in that sort of wind!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjUCpCwaBM8

I remember hitting a 3 wood over 350 yards through the 16th and yet couldn't get a 5 iron 120 yards to the 6th green!!!

Scottish weather eh! If you don't like it, wait 15 minutes and there'll be some new weather for you to enjoy/hate!!! :laughing9

A Late Afternoon In The Conservatory / Part I
 

The Conservatory at the Old Course Hotel is located right off the famous Road Hole at St. Andrews. As such, it offers residents and guests one of the great views of The Open Championship, the second shots into the 17th green. Also, the panorama of the 1st and 18th fairways, Swilken Bridge and the R&A clubhouse.

After our windswept, 18-hole tour of the course following Brian, we repaired to the comfy confines of The Conservatory for a quick bite. Amazingly, the place was almost empty. At the same time, my guess is that the Road Hole Bar three floors above was packed! Here's a photo of our 'private party' thoroughly enjoying that time together.





From the bay windows behind us, you are standing within just a few feet of the players preparing their approaches into the green. It's kind of eerie, because there is no gallery! All spectators are routed from behind the teebox down toward the first green, and there is no crosswalk to get back to the right side -- or left side! -- of the fairway.








So, there before the very few of us that afternoon walked the greatest players in the game. Those included Tiger Woods and Tom Watson, just minutes before his poignant final waves from Swilken Bridge. I've got couple of shots of Old Tom on #17, but they're loaded in another camera and will have to wait.

:golfcart2:

A Late Afternoon In The Conservatory / Part II
 

Usually, the activity on the walk just in front of us was minimal. Here, for example, is a lone cameraman and an unobstructed view of Rory McIlroy playing his second.







However, things grew far more hectic as the camera crews converged on our idyllic setting in preparation for Tiger's arrival!









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Despite the big wind and BG's missing the cut, it was a super day. Read Alex's account of his Friday at The Open here: http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/s...4338#post74338

Thanks again to Alex for his friendship and long-term support of Lynn Blake Golf.


:golfcart2:

Just doesn't seem as compelling without Tiger of even Phil contending, as far as compelling, nothing beats Tom Watson trying to repeat as champion a century after he first won it.