Caddie Golf Tours

The Greenkeeper on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Gordon McKie, has been writing a wee Blog on the upkeep of the golf course prior to the Championship and his most recent entry concerns the re-building of the 17th Road hole bunker: The warm weather continues, so the dry conditions are still with us! We have spent quite a bit of time this week handwatering various areas of the course including greens, tees and bunker tops to keep them hydrated during this dry spell. Automatic irrigation is still in use from time to time as I feel it is still too early to dry things out for the tournament, once we get a better forecast we shall be able to start drying things out for the Open week itself. This week I have finalised all staff rotas and informed everybody of what tasks they will be carrying out through the week. Big job this week was to re-build the Road Hole bunker - the bunker takes a lot of play and the face becomes very eroded with sand and the feeling was that it would not surv...

I have just logged into the official web site - www.opengolf.com - of the 150th Open Championship and read the disappointing news that the legendary Seve Balesteros has been advised by his doctors not to make the journey to St. Andrews in July. A great shame that his supporters will not be able to see him play upon the Old Course once again but his long term health must take priority. The article follows: 24 June 2010 16:43 GMT On 22 June, three-time Open Champion Severiano Ballesteros visited his doctors at La Paz Hospital in Madrid. During his visit, Ballesteros underwent tests which he repeats every three months. These check-ups are routine and monitor the progress of the Spaniard following his diagnosis of a brain tumor in October 2008. The medical team, which is responsible for Ballesteros’ well-being, have informed him that at this time he should not put himself under any undue stress, or in potentially emotional situations. It is for this reason that they have advised hi...

Your very own St. Andrews Caddie, me, and good friend David Coyne will be starting our 96 mile charity walk along the famous West Highland Way which begins in Milngavie on the north side of Glasgow, winds its' way along the stunningly beautiful Loch Lomond, up and down a few mountains into the magnificent Highlands of Scotland and our final destination of Fort William. The Old Course at St. Andrews will be closing down next Saturday for three weeks as the greenkeepers make their final preparations for the Open Championship and it was felt that this would be a good time to do something worthwhile. The journey is expected to take five days, beginning on Saturday 19th June and finishing on Wednesday 23rd June. An average days walk will be 20 miles...we should manage it! John Boyne  and David Coyne  with 1998 Open Champion Mark O'Meara last Friday who supports the St. Andrews Caddies Charity Walk   Any sponsorship contributions can be made at the Caddie Pavilion adja...