Major golf tournaments for me are as much fun to watch as World Series baseball games...especially the British Open which is now under way at the Royal and Ancient Golf Course at St. Andrews, Scotland…there are four major golf tournaments each year but this one is at one of the most exciting, unusual and scenic locations, as this course is the ‘Home of Golf’ where the game was played 600 years ago…as the photos illustrate it's not a conventional California golf course but is what is called a links course...hardly any trees, plenty of little hills and swales, tall grasses, shrubbery and very deep sand bunkers that originated as natural holes in the ground dug out further and used by domestic farm animals as protection from the harsh winds and rain...there's hardly a flat space on the entire course...if you shoot in the 80's on a conventional course you're likely to shoot 110 here but have the time of your life, so much the better if you carry a flask of whiskey in your bag...it's said that a fifth of whiskey has 18 shots in it and the game which originally had 22 holes was changed to 18...
It is a real test of golf for today’s champions as this year’s tournament celebrates its 150th anniversary...
The golf course began as a single course, but as it gained popularity as a golf destination the demand grew so high that a second course was built, and now seven courses are available, three clubhouses, golf shops and practice centers…St. Andrews is the largest golf complex in Europe and a fitting place for people to play at all levels from beginner to professional…it’s the local peoples’ course too as an unusual thing about the old course is that it is closed on Sundays to let the course rest…on some Sundays the course turns into a park for all the townspeople who come out to stroll, picnic and enjoy the grounds…
What I especially like about this tournament is that with the time difference I can watch it on TV at 4:00 AM in the mornings as well as catch highlights when I get home at night…on Saturday and Sunday I can watch it all morning and still have almost the whole day left to do other things, like watch baseball games…
1 comment:
One of these days I am going to have to play golf. Or learn about golf. Or at least WATCH golf!
I know that I WILL go to Scotland one of these days...soon I am sure as it is on my list of places to see before I die!
18 shots, huh? I think that's the greatest thing I've ever heard...
Post a Comment