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Paris Weather

Today I met the Scottish weather. When I checked in at Turnberry it was pouring rain and the wind was blowing in at about 40 mph. The caddymaster said "you're daft mate." I couldn't disagree.

My caddy, Jim, had a look in his eye that said the same thing. I should do a commercial for Dry-Joy rain gear. It was pouring so hard I couldn't look upwind, but I stayed reasonably dry in my new rain suit.

About an hour's drive south to Turnberry in the pouring rain. Glad I left early. One thing you should know about finding the golf courses over here. Ther are very few signs. And when there are signs they say "golf course" as opposed to "Turnberry Golf Club." I drove around for 15 minutes trying to find Turnberry Golf Club in a town where probably 60% of the real-estate IS the golf course.

I could hardly stand upright on the first tee but I hit a decent 3-wood right down the middle, got the second shot close to the green chipped on and two putted for a respectable bogie.

The front nine was the worst weather I've ever played in - and I've played in some pretty horrible stuff. My caddie, Jim and I were alone on the course until the 10th when we saw anothe lone player struggling up the first fairway - I told Jim "looks like they got a member out today after all." Jim said "That's another American Danne, the only Scotsmen on the course today are being paid." And just think, I had happily paid 150 pounds for this abuse.

Well, I played great. Yep. I hit every fairway on the front nine and made a birdie on the 165 yard, par 3 number 4. Hit a great shot to 10 feet, and dropped the put. I followed with a par on the next hole, also pared the 9th for a 44 on the front nine. Jim said if there was a leader board up, I would have been on top of it.

As we teed up on the 10th, the rain stopped. My reply was my first missed fairway and a double bogey. Double par on the par 3 11th, and I was on my way to a 54 on the back. Oh well, the front nine was amazing and the back nine was beautiful. It was still very windy (steady at 30 mph - according to Jim), but the sun came out and so did my camera. 7 of the inward nine holes played into the teeth of the wind. It took me 4 well-struck shots to get to the front edge of the green on the 400 yard, number 14, and after a great drive and 3-wood, I still had 70 yards to the green over the "little burn." Jim handed me an eight-iron and I thought he had made a mistake. He said "It'll probably be enough Danne, but hit it hard - if you go over, I'll let you heet another." I hit it hard and straight. I was sure it was going 50 yards over the green wind or no wind - but . . . surprise . . . it landed on the false front edge and rolled 20 yards back into the burn. Jim looked at me and said "seems you get to hit another one anyway, Danne." Caddy humor.

	This is the club house after I played. Before I played, I wouldn't have been able to stand upright here. I fact, all these shots were taken after I was finished playing.
This is the approach to the 9th green.
	The eighth.
The view from the 10th tee. The fairway goes to the right of the little hut in the center of the frame.
	View back to the tee from the 10th fairway.
If you play golf, you know that red stakes indicate a lateral water hazard. I think the Firth of Clyde qualifies.
	The view from the 11th tee.
The little white line in the distance is the Turnberry Hotel. That's where the Walker's (a couple I ate lunch with - more about them later) were staying. Jim said it's about 600 pounds a night ($900 US). This shot is taken from the far end of the course. It was starting to rain again, so at this point, I dashed for the car.

Scorecard

I had lunch afterward in the clubhouse with Mr. & Mrs. Walker. I was sitting alone when they came into the club, and were seated next to me. We struck up a conversation and soon we were sitting together. It was great. We talked and watched it rain. They insisted on picking up the tab - never a problem for me. We were the only 3 people in the club. As I was going to my car afterwards, I passed by Jim at the caddyshack. He said "lunching with the Walker's, eh Danne? Do you know who they are?" Well I didn't, but according to Jim he is one of the heirs to the Johnny Walker Whiskey fortune. I should have had a drink, they might have adopted me.

Back with Geoff at Advie Lodge tonight.