We had a 10:30 a.m. tee time at the Strathyrum Course on our first day in St Andrews. Strathyrum and the Eden Course use a different starter’s clubhouse from the Old Course, so we made our way over and arrived early, as usual.
There was a practice area across from the clubhouse, so we warmed up and hit balls while we waited for our tee time. The wind was blowing at around 40 miles per hour. It was insane. I’d never played in anything like it.
The course was flat and relatively short at 5,628 yards from the back tees. Harley and I played from there, while Wendy played from the green tees at 4,722 yards.
At first, I tried to keep the ball low and out of the wind, using a 4-iron instead of a wood or driver. That didn’t work. Eventually, I started playing the wind, aiming into it and letting it carry the ball. It didn’t matter much whether I hit a hook, a slice, or a straight shot. The wind overpowered the spin, and if I judged it right, the ball ended up in the fairway.
The fescue lining the course made it nearly impossible to find a ball once it landed in the rough, so keeping it in the fairway was essential. The bunkers were another challenge. They were cut deep beside the greens, and if your ball ended up against the steep face, you had to play backward to get out. I was fortunate not to have trouble with them. The sand was soft, and I could get out without much difficulty.
I didn’t post a great score on any of the courses in Scotland, but I tried not to let that take away from the experience. It’s hard to score well when you don’t know the course and the conditions are so different from what you’re used to. I focused on enjoying the rounds instead.
The people at the course were wonderful. Local golfers struck up conversations and told us about the area, which added to the experience.
One thing did surprise me: some people were golfing in jeans. That bothers me at home, where I expect golfers to wear proper golf attire, so I was surprised to see it at St Andrews, given the high prices and the formality surrounding the place.
After the round, we headed downtown for beer and dinner. Steak and ale pie quickly became my favorite Scottish dish. They really know how to make it, and that’s what I ordered that first night.
Afterward, we called it a day and went back to our Airbnb to rest up and get ready for the next round.
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