You have likely heard of the concept of a “third place” in life. You have home and work, but the “third place” refers to somewhere that anchors you in a community. In a sense, it’s a home away from home. Pubs in the UK are the perfect example of a third place. The bartenders know the patrons, know their orders, … Read More
Returning to St Andrews With My Son (Ahead of the 150th Open Championship)
In June of 2019 I took a golf trip to St Andrews with two of my buddies. At the end of our trip, I slid my golf clubs into my locker at the New Club and left town for a wedding in England. Little did I know, I wouldn’t return to St Andrews (or really travel for golf) for three … Read More
How to Choose a Golf Tour Company & Are They Worth the Money?
To my own (and my wife’s) detriment, I’m always the guy who tries a task myself. Buy a dining table? I can make one. Faucet won’t work? Don’t call the plumber. I’ve always been the same way with my golf trips and this website is an extension of that. I’ve dedicated hundreds of hours to content about courses and how … Read More
How to Get a Tee Time on the St Andrews Old Course
Getting a tee time on the St Andrews Old Course isn’t the easiest or most straightforward process. In this post I break down the various methods to secure a tee time that include one lesser-known option! The Old Course Daily Ballot The ballot is a random drawing to determine a given day’s tee sheet on the St Andrews Old Course. … Read More
Visiting Scotland’s Distilleries
I am going to use this post to not only describe my favorite whisky distilleries in Scotland, but also to show off some of the lesser seen beauty of the country. Adding a non-golf point of interest to your golf trip can add great depth and enjoyment to the overall trip. I took the photos below on various adventures (all including … Read More
Behind the Tartan – James Braid
Behind the Tartan is a series of articles that I have written for SEAMUS Golf. Each article in the series focuses on a historical figure in golf, tying them into a tartan headcover from SEAMUS. I am a huge fan of the company and am very happy to work together with them on this series. Check out their awesome products! When discussing the … Read More
A Conversation with Tim Alpaugh
It seems like I have been running into more and more hickory playing golfers as of late. These “hickory golfers” tap into a purer form of golf, solely playing with clubs built pre-1935 while typically using replica golf balls. During my years in Scotland, it wasn’t uncommon to find a player down on the St Andrews Links playing a set of … Read More
Behind the Tartan – Old Tom Morris
Behind the Tartan is a series of articles that I have written for SEAMUS Golf. Each article in the series focuses on a historical figure in golf, tying them into a tartan headcover from SEAMUS. I am a huge fan of the company and am very happy to work together with them on this series. Check out their awesome products! It follows naturally … Read More
Behind the Tartan – Allan Robertson
Behind the Tartan is a series of articles that I have written for SEAMUS Golf. Each article in the series focuses on a historical figure in golf, tying them into a tartan headcover from SEAMUS. I am a huge fan of the company and am very happy to work together with them on this series. Check out their awesome products! It … Read More
Returning to St Andrews
I am writing this on a flight returning from St Andrews, Scotland. This trip back to the town marks my first visit since my graduation from the University of St Andrews. My small personal to-do list during the visit included seeing old friends, a movie at the New Picture House, a curry from Jahangir Indian restaurant, and of course, a … Read More
Confidential Guide to Golf Courses Vol. 1 Review
Tom Doak made a name for himself early in his golf architecture career. It was just after finishing his first design in 1988 that he wrote the first edition of this book. Forty copies were given out to his friends as a “thank you” for their help. The pages were filled with his personal reviews of golf courses around the … Read More
George Waters Interview
George Waters is the author of Sand and Golf: How Terrain Shapes the Game. As you will read in the interview below, George has worked on courses all around the world with Tom Doak, Coore & Crenshaw, and many other great golf course architects. His new book covers many of the best golf courses in the world, looking at how nearly all … Read More
Where to Stay in St Andrews
There are many great accommodation options in St Andrews. The town is filled with hotels and B&Bs, ranging from very expensive options all the way down to St Andrews Tourist Hostel. Because of the wide array of choices, it would be impossible for me to review all the hotels and B&Bs. I have included places in this post which I … Read More
Where to Play Golf in St Andrews
The perfect first golf trip to Scotland uses St Andrews as a base of operations. Settle down into one of the many lodging options in town (to be discussed in a later post) and make day trips out from St Andrews to visit courses. I have witnessed, and participated in, many golf trips where people play 36 holes per day, … Read More
St Andrews Old Course Changes: Phase 2
The second round of changes to the St Andrews Old Course took place in the winter of 2013. The renovations are occurred over the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 9th and 15th holes. To see the first phase of changes which took place over the winter of 2012, view the Old Course changes phase 1 here! Martin Hawtree’s design changes have been implemented … Read More
What is a Links Golf Course?
The question of “What is a links golf course?” was posed to me countless times during my four years in St Andrews. After a round on the St Andrews Old Course yesterday in 45MPH+ winds, I felt inspired to write a definitive answer to this repeated question. In addition to answering the question of what technically makes a links course, … Read More
St Andrews Old Course Changes: Phase 1
Phase 1 of the changes to the St Andrews Old Course took place over the winter of 2012. These photos were taken on a typically cold and rainy Scotland day. To view the Phase 2 of the Old Course changes, which took place over the winter of 2013, view those here! 17th Hole 2nd Hole – Two bunkers short and … Read More
Should I take a Caddie in Scotland?
I spent a full season caddying at Kingsbarns Golf Links, just outside of St Andrews, Scotland. Over the course of the season, I have averaged five “bags” a week. I have caddied for everyone from CEOs and former European touring pros to people who have only been playing a few months. All of the photos in this post are taken at … Read More
St Andrews Links – Behind the Scenes with the Superintendent
If you have ever played at any of the St Andrews courses, thinking back on the round, did you see any greenskeepers? I seriously doubt it. The St Andrews Links hosts hundreds of thousands of rounds every year. Despite this huge number of rounds, the courses stay in incredible condition, and you never see work being done (other than the odd … Read More
What is the Masters Like?
My purpose for writing this post is not to re-cap a Masters competition or explain the layout. Instead, I am writing to describe the experience of attending the Masters. Those who have been to the tournament know the excitement and anticipation associated with attending the event. At the time of writing I have been to the 2012 Masters, and this coming Friday … Read More