Reilections on a Recent Journey to Scotland by DAN-NY H

18th hole (from the tee) - Old Course. Reilections on a Recent Journey to Scotland by DAN-NY H. QUAST CGCS, Milwaukee Country Club, Milwaukee, Wisconsin HIS PILGRIMAGE started with What a breath-taking view! The Royal tered by being invited to Ransome's an opportunity to attend the Scot- and Ancient Golf Club, the first tee and Greenkeepersj Superintendents Golf Tland International Golf Green- the 18th green are nestled along the nar- Tournament banquet. The tournament keepers Association (SIGGA) Conference row street and shops of St. Andrews. was played on the Old Course and was in St. Andrews, Scotland, in early Octo- There is no other scene on earth quite like won by Canada. Scotland was second ber, 1985. I was accompanied by my col- this. and the USA third. league Wayne Otto, Superintendent of The Links was part of the inheritance At every course and club we visited, Ozaukee Country Club, Mequon, Wis- of the burgh of St. Andrews bestowed we found people proud of their heritage consin, as well as Stanley Zontek and Pat- upon it in the 12th century. No one knows and in love with the game of golf. This rick O'Brien, agronomists with the USGA the exact age of the Old Course or the was exemplified by Tom Shiel, who took Green Section. exact age of the game of golf, but the us for a walk through Carnoustie Golf We arrived at Prestwick airport on the inhabitants of the town have been accus- Course after we played there. A native morning of October 6th. In the rain we tomed to playing golf over the links since of Scotland who lived some years in the drove to St. Andrews, arriving around the 15th century, and the earliest histori- United States, Shiel is the professional noon, and checked into a bed and break- cal reference to the games is in an edict of at Panmure Golf Club and a member of fast called West Park. Throughout 1457 issued by James II of Scotland. To Carnoustie. He can recite what happened Scotland people open their homes to visi- play St. Andrews is like entering another in everyone of the five Open Champion- tors for a night's sleep and breakfast at a time - ajourney back in history. ships played there. very reasonable cost. We ate lunch, got That night we attended a wine tasting our cameras and walked to the Old reception, a kick-off for the SIGGA Con- Course. When we got there, no one was ference. At the reception I met Walter UR NEXT STOP was Gleneagles- playing golf. Old Tom Morris, Curator Woods, Links Superintendent of St. Oa great golf course in superb condi- of St. Andrew's Old Course from 1865 Andrews. Walter is Vice President of tion. Gleneagles is set amid 610 acres and until his death in 1908, once said to a critic SIGGA and a most gracious host. James is surrounded by unspoiled countryside. of the custom, "The Old Course needs a Neilson, President of SIGGA, Green- We played the Kings Course. Its beauty rest on the Sabbath, sir, even if you don't." keeper at Muirfield, also greeted us and is beyond description. After golf we met It has been that way for over a century- the directors and committee people did Jimmy Kidd, estate and golf course golf is not played on the Old Course on an excellent job of putting this conference manager, and he took us on a tour of the Sunday. and tournament together. We were flat- hotel and exceptional grounds. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1985 11 Postage Stamp at Iraan. Anyone who has been to the Midwest dressing. Much rain had fallen in the pre- head we could speed up play." Yet, on Regional Turf Foundation meeting at vious weeks. They were still very good, the unmarked courses of Scotland, even Purdue University has met John Souter. and when dealing with the severe surface with their deep roughs and Gorse, the John, a landscape architect involved in contours, the greens were in keeping with 16 rounds of golf we played were played sports fields and golf course remodeling, the average golfer's ability. in four hours or less. In fact, after the has now designed and is building a golf Bunkers on the golf course were magni- visit, I'm not sure that yardage markers course in Ballindalloch, Scotland. We ficent. They were mostly deep with straight don't create slow play. The perception of all share his enthusiasm, and it appears faces made of stacked sod. To hit a ball depth or distance to the flag stick is a part to us that this course will take its rightful in them was a lost stroke. of the challenge of the game - and it still place in Scottish golf. Gorse, contrary to my earlier thinking, is in Scotland! At St. Andrews, as well as We next visited Royal Dornoch - is not a feathered bird. It is a bush that many of the links courses, the wind blows home of Donald Ross. A great golf course grows everywhere - in the roughs, on so hard that exact knowledge of distance that,you must see. It is entrenched in his- the links golf courses. Gorse has a yellow means very little in club selection. I can't tory. This was not just a round of golf - flower in spring, is about three to six feet believe some courses in the U.S. put it was an adventure! We played many high with very sharp needles and very thick markers on flag sticks to show hole loca- other great golf courses and could easily growth. To hit a ball in a patch of gorse tion. I wonder what Old Tom Morris write an article on each one; Muirfield, is like hitting it out of bounds. Just tee it would say ifhe could see that? Royal Troon, Prestwick, and Turnberry. up again because the chance of having a This has been an experience of a life- We played 16 rounds of golf on 15 golf shot or even finding the ball is almost time for me as it was for Wayne, Stan, courses in 14 days. We played 288 holes non-existent. and Pat. We all agree these courses are a of golf, never found a weak course or Golf in Scotland as ISee It page back in history. Several were built played a poorly designed golf hole. Golf is a way oflife in Scotland. Changes as far back as the 15th century, and yet Turf in Scotland come only with much deliberation. Golf they have not been intimidated by new is accessible and affordable to everyone. equipment or modern golfers. I don't The turf in Scotland is bentgrass on Scotland has kept golf much the same think they ever will be. greens; bentgrass, annual meadow grass since the 19th century. You see no golf (Poa annua) and fine leaf fescues on tees The people we met and the new friend- carts. When you play the great courses and fairways. Bentgrass was predomi- ships we made are all gratifying to us. in' Scotland, take a caddie. Their local nant over Poa annua. This should tell us We appreciate the hospitality shown by knowledge will mean a lower score and something. Soil pH was 4, and this seemed our colleagues in Scotland and thank an enjoyable round of golf. to be a goal that many try to achieve. Lies each and everyone for sharing with us on fairways were tight. Greens were not There are no yardage markers on the their love, knowledge, and personal com- as fast as we were accustomed to, but golf courses. I've heard golfers in the U.S. mitment to the Royal and Ancient game many courses were spiking and / or top- say "if we put yardages on every sprinkler of golf. 12 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD.

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