Old Course St Andrews - 68

Today I was called up to 1st tee of the Old Course St Andrews, 12:20pm tee time, to caddie for Mr. D, an R&A member, playing in the European Tour's annual staging of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship that is golfed on the great links golf courses of Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Old Course and this was the final practice round for the golfers participating in the event.

I had been in Mr D's company in past years through a few R&A matches so I was scratching around my head to remember a bit of his game and shape of shot. It turns out that he has a lovely 5-10 yard fade from the tee with a low penetrating ball flight and pretty much the same with his irons. This is roughly (in my dreams) a similar game to the one I currently possess...my golf does fluctuate a wee bit and the fade can get a little extreme!

Mr D shot a 68. We had one slice of good fortune on the 1st after a decent drive the approach to the green hit the retaining wall of the Swilken Burn and bounced back 20 yards into the fairway rather than a watery grave and penalty drop. A chip to 8 feet, single putt and a Par 4 secured. 

There was then steady Par golf through the next four holes and then some lovely putting took place with birdie 3s on the 6th and 7th, a solid Par 3 on the awkward 8th and a delightful birdie putt from 7 feet on the 9th. This all adds up as a rather beautiful front nine of 33, with 12 putts. 

Now, I am thinking, if we can get a decent start on the back nine with no daft disaster holes through the difficult 13th - 17th stretch we have a decent chance of par 72, perhaps better. I make the decision to not discuss how we are scoring but get golfer to concentrate on the shot when we are playing and talk anything but golf when we are not.

The 10th proved lucrative with Mr D rolling in a gorgeous 13 foot putt for a birdie 3 and though we had a bogey 4 on the challenging Par 3 11th another birdie 3 was picked up on the short but deceptive 315 yard Par 4 12th. Now the challenge is in my head, a score could be on the cards if w get through the 13th, We do. The Par 5 14th produces an unexpected birdie 4 and a standard 2 putt par on 15th keeps us on track. 

The 16th is such an awkward little Par 4 with the OB fence running down your right side and bunkers facing you from the tee it is no wonder that many golfers try to play safe and then suffer the consequences of bogeys and worse. We did not play safe from the tee but missed the green with our approach which resulted in a 5.

The infamous 17th Road hole is golfed perfectly. A gentle fade around the building leaving 180 yards to the front edge and then golf with a 20' degree hybrid to front right of the green. the first putt is a little weak but a firmly struck Par 4 putt from 8 feet rolls nicely into the centre of the cup. I begin to inwardly relax. Breaking 70 on the Old Course with a golfer is now a reality. It is rare to even sniff a Par 72 round.

The request of a solid drive towards the 'Big Room' in the R&A Clubhouse and the centre of the fairway is achieved from the 18th tee, We then hit a skinny 5 Iron to the back of the green. A safe lag putt from distance leaves Mr D with a 30 inch putt for Par 4. It is made. 

Out: 33 and In: 35

Total: 68

(12 putts front nine and 14 putts back nine)