Tuesday, May 16 – The Jubilee Course St. Andrews Links 1897
The days have arrived for us to play the St. Andrews Links beginning with The Jubilee Course. Jubilee is the third of the St. Andrews Links – preceded by The Old Course and The New Course (1895). It was officially opened on June 22, 1897 when Mary Macgregor, the wife of St. Andrews Provost, struck the first drive. On a day of national festivities to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne, Mary’s club, specially designed in the workshop of Old Tom Morris, was festooned with blue, white and red ribbons.
Although the Old and the New courses have changed little, the Jubilee is in its fourth incarnation. It began as a pitch and putt course for ladies until its prime location between the New Course and the sea made it perfect to convert to a championship 18 hole course. Today Jubilee is considered to be the most challenging course on the famous Links!
To mark the course’s centenary, the Jubilee Fountain, the insignia of the course, was installed beside the first tee – moved from its original location at the side of the first fairway of the Old Course.
Opened in 1897 in honor of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
Bring on the Jubilee Links.
It’s just about 10:32 and time to hit that first ball on another beautiful day – –
Jubilee 1st tee with the clubhouse and the Old Course Hotel in the background
So..how many pot bunkers are out there that I can’t see from here?
Did you notice in the prior picture my hair is laying nicely over my headband? Well – what happened here – – –
Wind picked up today to about 35 mph. E had to hold herself steady with her putter while the wind provided her Trumpian hairdo.
Don’t you just love it when the skies are predominately blue with puffy clouds and it looks wonderful?!?!? But that gale force wind is buffeting you all over the place. Fortunately the wind didn’t pick up until part way through the back nine – so, we survived. But – that back nine sure was interesting!!
Jubilee was a good warm up for Wednesday. A nice dinner and evening at Playfair, which turned out to be excellent and one of our favorites, and we were ready for The Old Course;-)
Wednesday, May 17 – The Old Course St. Andrews Links
At the heart of The Links is The Old Course – the Home of Golf where the game was first played 600 years ago. To prepare ourselves we had lunch at the clubhouse and enjoyed one more Sticky Toffee Pudding – –
Scottish Energy Bar?
And then we were off. There is not much more to say about this course – it is just awesome and we were given yet another beautiful day.
Our turn on the home of golf.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club sets behind the 1st tee.
Please don’t muff this one. Just keep your friggin head down.
Lots of spectators. Old Tom Morris’s historic shop in the background.
Oh thank goodness, we both made it off the tee and got to the green without landing in the Swilcan Burn (creek)
More gorse….
More deep bunkers…
OH NO – we both managed to end up in this big mutha.
And just like that we were at the Road Hole – #17. Gary decided NOT to cut the corner and go over the hotel –
– – But – first lost ball of the day in the hotel grounds.
Then we were at the 18th – ready to walk down the fairway in the footsteps of golfing legends and cross the Swilcan Bridge.
What a beautiful sight from the 18th tee.
This was very moving and great fun to cross this piece of golfing history.
Never expected to see our shadows on this trip – so couldn’t resist.
E contemplating her shot over the Valley of Sin to the 18th green. No problem;-)
And then – we were done;-( It was an awesome day to be celebrated for years to come, I’m sure. We had only one problem – in our excitement to get to the course via the shuttle we forgot to ask how late it ran. Turns out – not late enough! Fortunately that great room with the little bathroom was only little more than a block away.
This caddie carries TWO bags;-)
An incredible stay in St. Andrews. The town was lovely, the room was extremely handy and the golf was AWESOME!
But – there is more to come so don’t go too far.
E & G – we’ll be back
Elizabeth & Gary's Magic Bus Tour 