May 28, 2008 – Today was the day we would finally play at the Old Course, which was constructed in 1865! The weather was much better than yesterday, and before we went to the first tee, we just had to stop by the British Golf Museum. We continued to get goose bumps as we toured the museum which was built on hallowed ground, showing important clubs, balls, and trophies that ultimately shaped the game of golf. I was surprised to learn that the UK had more than 40 golf ball manufacturers as early as the 1870s, but with the influx of global manufacturing there are less than a handful in Scotland today. The first winner of the British Open won just $2, a paltry prize compared to the $1.4 million today! We had a chance to use an 1840 putter with a shaft made of hickory; the head of the putter felt out of balance for me and I was content with my own putter!

The Old Course is known as the home of golf, where modern rules were developed such as when golfers decided to combine four short holes into two long holes, cutting the number of holes from 22 to the standard of 18. I would finally join the list of famous legends who teed off on the first hole; Bobby Jones and Joel Barish! It was the best feeling when we hit our first ball; this was golf as it was meant to be played.

We hired caddies so we could have their experience help us enjoy the course more. Their advice came in handy, as we had a fantastic day learning about the nuances, nooks, and crannies of the course. The Old Course has some of the deepest bunkers in the world, but very large and forgiving greens.

The most exciting holes for us were on #7 and #11. Approaching the 7th green, we need to watch for golfers coming across from the 11th hole. In 40-mph winds, my caddy suggested that I use a 4-iron to go the 160 yards I needed. I thought it was a joke, but took his advice regardless. My ball ended up just a few inches too short of the green and fell in the deepest bunker; with no ifs or buts, I accepted the decision and the short shot.

The 11th hole is a 170-yard par 3 with strong winds. The caddy suggested I pull out my five iron, and to hit into the wind. I allowed the wind to guide the ball to the green, and sailing high my ball cruised in the wind to wind up on the green and rolled downhill. My caddy told me to just putt straight even though the green looked hilly, and I did just that. The ball hit the hold hard and dropped in for a damn good birdie! We screamed YES for the biggest thrill I had all day.

With tip after tip, having a caddy spend the day with us was truly worth the expense as their experience was invaluable; they knew the Old Course by heart!

One of the most famous holes is the Road Hole on the 17th, a 436 yard Par 4 with railway sheds that you need to drive over. My caddy gave me instructions in how to navigate the wind, which I obliged. Walking past the sheds, we were thrilled to see that I had a more than 300-yard drive! The next advice the caddy gave me didn’t work out so well, as the ball didn’t react as well as we thought it would putting me dead in the famous Road Bunker. We can’t win them all! But with a great shot out of the pin that excited my dad, I ended up just 10 feet from the pin! As nervous as I was with my dad’s excitement, I missed the save for par by just a half inch! It was a good bogey I felt, as I had a great shot out of the sand!

The famous “Tom Morris” hole on the 18th is a 361 yard Par 4. A secret tip from the pros is to aim for the Clubhouse’s clock, which I certainly did. I took a dead aim and sure enough, cruised to the right and landed in the center of the fairway! The famous Swilken Bridge was so small, but walking over it felt forever to me, because I absorbed every bit of the history that was absorbed on the bridge. Walking to my golf ball, the sprinkler head showed I had just 140 yards left to the pin. My trusty caddy advised that it was actually 180 due to pin placement, and while I wanted the six, he advised I use my five iron. I took his advice and overshot the green startling my caddy who admitted I should have used the six. I was too excited about my short putt and missed it again! Why couldn’t I have a dramatic finish on the 18th?

My putt for par stopped just a millimeter short, resting on the lip of the green, forcing me to tap in a bogey. Even though the putts didn’t fall my way, it was still a memorable day and an experience that I will carry with me every time I golf. Every serious golfer should make a “pilgrimage” to St. Andrews, and be sure to play where the game was born.

Next stop, another historical course, Carnoustie!