Caddie Golf Tours

The restored Hamilton Grand that sits behind the 18th green of the Old Course is nearing completion and last week the pub that has been built in the basement opened to the public. It has been named 'Ham's Hame'. Side view of Hamilton Grand Entrance to Ham's Hame pub The main lounge Ham's Hame The side snug at Ham's Hame I am sure I will be having a few post round beers in this newest addition to the many bars in St. Andrews though it will take a lot for it to take the place of the Dunvegan Hotel's bar, situated 120 yards up the street.

I have over the years seen, in competition golf and fun bounce games, that it is really important to have a clear unique identification on your golf ball. I played in a wee competition a few weeks ago and all three golfers had one red dot marked next to the Titliest brand name! What are the chances? Boyne's identifying mark. After a wee think that evening I decided to go for a four dot two colour combination. The reasoning was that no other golfer is going to be this anal to sit for an hour and put a mark like it on his golf balls. I may need to get a life?!?

As we approach the longest day 21st/22nd June the available tee times at St. Andrews begin to stretch out. The following link shows the tee times for the Old Course today, beginning at 06.30am and last tee off from the 1st at 18.20pm. http://www.standrews.org.uk/Ballot/Ballot-Results The 1st fairway of the Old Course, St. Andrews

View across to the 18th green at Kingsbarns Golf Links A couple of days ago I was fortunate to be at the wonderful Kingsbarns Golf Links, located seven miles south of St. Andrews, waiting to pick up my wife LB from her round over this great links course. Putting practice at Kingsbarns Golf Links So what better way to kill some time but to make use of the Practice Green at Kingsbarns. What an inspiring backdrop to enjoy while hitting a wee white ball around.

The St. Andrews Ladies Putting Club have a regular contest on the Bruce Embankment adjacent to the Old Course. This is usually a 'Shotgun Start' in groups of three each armed with their trusty blade and a scorecard. Wonderful stuff and a joy to behold. Bruce Embankment Putting Green

View over 13th green New Course Well this is an unexpected event for our own Caddie Golf Tours founder Boyne. I have managed to get through two qualifying rounds over the Eden & New courses at St. Andrews to reach the last sixteen of the St. Andrews Club Championship, second tier handicap players 11-17, and it now becomes Head to Head match play. The true golf game. The first round is played over the New Course on Tuesday at 17.44pm. 

18th green Old Course St. Andrews The leaderboard of the Links Trophy as posted by the St. Andrews Links Trust. http://www.standrews.org.uk/Tournaments/St-Andrews-Links-Trophy/Live-Scoring Congratulations to Neil Raymond from England and his victory with some steady scoring over all four rounds that included one over the Jubilee Course and the remaining three on the Old Course.

A short selection of photographs of the Sunday morning round on the Old Course taken during the Links Trophy. A tricky 13th green pin position My caddy pal Nick approaching the 13th green Out of Bounds wall 14th fairway, Old Course Tricky shot in one of Beardie Bunkers, 14th Old Course The Beardie Bunkers capture another golfer Putting out 14th green Old Course 15th fairway & St. Andrews as a backdrop Jigger Inn adjacent to 17th fairway Old Course Iconic view of Old Course St. Andrews Putting out on 17th green Old Course St. Andrews Walk towards Swilken Bridge Old Course St. Andrews

My two golfing guests, Andy & David, duly arrived from Glasgow this morning at the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse where I was waiting to inform that we were teeing off from on New Course at 10.24am. Plenty of time to enjoy a bacon sandwich, coffee and tea before hitting the astounding New Course. Post bacon sandwich at St. Andrews Links Clubhouse  A wee bit cold with cloud cover and winds from the east that eventually burned off and the second nine was bathed in sunshine that progressively warmer as our round continued, excellent. Par 3 ninth tee & scores are checked while we wait to tee off A Stableford Competition was played today: 1point Bogey, 2 points Par, 3 points Birdie, 4 points eagle. I played rather poorly today and only hit 24 points but David and Andy shot 32 & 31 respectively in tricky windy conditions. Good putting from both...and they lost less golf balls than I!!! Andy and  David in front of the St. Andrews Golf Club After our lunch and coupl

A collection of photographs taken today around the first tee and 18th green of the Old Course here at St. Andrews. Today was the official practice round over the Old Course for the top amateurs from across the world participating in the prestigious Links Trophy. 1st tee Old Course St. Andrews 18th green Old Course St. Andrews View taking in 18th green & 1st tee Old Course St. Andrews The Links Tournament Scoreboard Starters Box at the Old Course St. Andrews This will be the first year that I will not be caddying in the tournament due to an unfortunate clash of dates. This is a great contest with 144 international players who are a minimum +3 handicap golfing across the 'toughened up' Jubilee Course and Old Course with the top 40 & ties qualifying for two rounds on the Old Course on Sunday. I will miss being involved this year but should have an opportunity to watch some play on final day Sunday.

Two of my golfing friends, Gary & Matt, from the USA have returned to St. Andrews this week and will be staying in the town for the next 4-6 weeks, playing golf on the links most days. Gary & Mark walking past Caddie Pavilion on route to New Course Like returning migratory birds these two golfers have been arriving in St. Andrews at the end of May or beginning of June for the 12 seasons that I have been caddying here at St. Andrews. Matt always travelled with his father, the legendary Jinx who sadly passed away a couple of years ago, for their stay in the town and it is great that he has continued to visit his second home. Gary a retired pilot is involved with the St. Andrews Golf Club and assists with the prestigious top amateur event held on the Old Course at this time called the Links Trophy. Marvelous.

I have just had a look at the Ballot results for tomorrow, Monday 3rd June, and the Chinese golfers have arrived and in big numbers. Old Course 1st fairway getting a trim. I wonder how they managed to secure eight consecutive tee times upon the Old Course from 09.10 - 10.20am? Extraordinary. http://www.standrews.org.uk/Ballot/Ballot-Results?date=03/06/2013 I do hope that they will respect the venerable links and maintain a decent pace of play though recent history tells me it will be a tough gig for the caddies.