The six U.S. lads who visited the World Hickory Open in October 2012.
Editor’s note: Mike Stevens is a golf teacher and holder of several national hickory titles. A thoughtful writer and familiar competitor at hickory touraments here and abroad, Mike shares his thoughts about travel to the World Hickory Open this past October. One of his playing/traveling companions, Brian Schuman, also wrote about the trip, his first to Scotland, in the autumn Wee Nip.)
It started on the tee in April at the Highland Hills Golf Club in Birmingham, Ala. We were warming up for the first round of the Southern Hickory 4-Ball Championship. A couple of my playing buddies asked me what it was like playing golf in Scotland with hickory clubs. My reply was “why don’t you join me at the World Hickory Open in October and find out.” The seed was planted and by summer, five of my hickory playing brethren took me up on it. This would be the largest contingent of Americans to journey to the old country to participate in the WHO.
I always look forward to a trip to Scotland but I think I was more excited for the group in their first travel experience to play links golf. In spite of departures from different airports, no problems ensued and we all arrived at our initial destination on time at the first tee of the Glen Club in North Berwick. A bright sun and light breeze at our backs as we teed off, two groups from the colonies on a playing adventure on grounds formed by nature over hundreds of years. The Glen Club is not the most famous of the courses in the area, but now having played both, it certainly takes no back seat to the more heralded layout. Some of the vistas along the sea are every bit as scenic as those at Pebble Beach. It was a great way to begin our stay.
With our first round in the books we loaded the cars and headed off to Dundee, just north of St Andrews to check into our base camp – the Landmark Hotel. An old hand at it, driving on the left side of the highway from the right side of the car was no big deal for me. Brian on the other hand managed to avoid a few close calls at the famous round a bouts and pulled into the hotel parking lot a bit frazzled at the experience. He would get better as the week went by. Now it was time for a good night’s rest because the fifth oldest golf course in the world awaited us in the morning.
In the United States when you say so and so golf club, that’s it, all one facility and course. In Scotland however, there may be several golf clubs all sharing one golf course. Such is the case in the town of Montrose. The golf course, Montrose Medal is shared by different clubs each with their own buildings along the road leading to the course itself. A banner celebrating its 450th year of operation greeted us at the first tee. The course was magnificent as once again was the weather. Dressed in plus fours we were off for a battle with gorse bushes and pot bunkers. The hazards carried the day, but with a few wooden clubs in a bag over the shoulder and a cool breeze off the sea, how bad can it be.
The next morning we drove down to a little place called Crail. It is only the seventh oldest golf course in the world. Now here is a golfer’s heaven. The clubhouse sits on a hill overlooking the course as it stretches out along the sea. It is probably the best clubhouse view in all of Scotland. There are two courses, the Balcomie, older of the two, and Craighead. We played the Craighead and loved every nook and cranny. The weather, just unbelievable. Not a cloud in the sky. So far the trip was a chamber of commerce’s dream. On our way back we decided to stop in St. Andrews, which was hosting the Dunhill Cup Championship. As the day’s competitive play was winding down we strolled out on the the18th fairway for a picture on the Swilcan Bridge where Arnie and Jack made their final bows. We also went for a quick round on the putting course known as the Himalayas. What a hoot. Definitely worth checking out if you’re planning a visit.
Sunday morning we played at an inland course called Alyth, designed by James Braid. Quite different than the links and a lot like a course you would find in New England. About this time my traveling companions were feeling like they had died and gone to heaven. “Yes, I said. Been there, done that!” We left Alyth and headed over to Carnoustie Country to see if we could get in a few holes on the tournament course to be used for the first round of the World Hickory Open. Monifieth Links is an Open qualifying course and it would be our host for Day 1 of the championship. Rick Woeckener and I were allowed to go out for nine holes before dark to get a feel for the layout. Our companions opted for the buffet at the clubhouse, which did look pretty appetizing.
Ninety players from around the world teed it up for the World Hickory Championship. The first day was a combination individual and team competition. I, Brian Schuman and Rick Woeckener made up USA No. 1 while Mike Just, Rich Grula and John Greene represented USA No. 2. We each failed to threaten for the title, although Rick and I were in fifth place, individually, after the day’s play. At the gala dinner that evening we took a good ribbing about the Ryder Cup from just about everyone in the room. All in good fun though, as the wine and spirits warmed up the evening.
The final round was played on the Carnoustie Burnside Course. This is where Ben Hogan played his qualifying round before winning the 1953 Open. It is one tough track. I was playing well until the ninth hole, a par three whose description is – don’t miss the green short, left, right or long or your ball will roll down the hillock leaving an extremely difficult pitch. My shot hung on the front of the green and ever so slowly trickled down the hillock, leaving me, well, an extremely difficult pitch. Double Bogey. I ended up in fifth, just as I had begun the round.
We headed off to a local pub to drown our sorrows and quickly recovered our mojo over a few cold ones. It was the end of our journey. Next morning we were off bright and early to the airport. We managed to return our autos with no damage and get through security no worse for wear. As we passed time in the airport coffee shop our discussion turned to that day in Birmingham when we talked about this very trip. We were all good friends already, but sharing our passion for hickory golf together on a trip of this nature was truly special. Brian asked me whether I still get as excited as the first time I came to Scotland. Yeah, I do, I replied. But sharing the experience with such friends as you is what really made it most worthwhile.
If you’re a golfer, you know!!