Blogs from Saint Andrews, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe

It is hard to believe I was once a diehard Scotch drinker. Heck, I even went to Scotland to try many of the best up front and personal. So, why did I stop? One is expense, and the other, perhaps more important, the amount of alcohol. So, which are the best and why? Perhaps this requires some analysis. The days of Scotch were days for the man's man. When smoking was heavy, and hiring secretaries for their looks was okay. Scotland is smaller than South Carolina, but has a coastline almost as long as Alaska. Halfway up the east coast are familiar names like Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, the Macallan, Glenmorangie, plus many others. Islay, the large island off of the southwest coat, boasts names like the smokey flavored Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg, and others. A few outside this ... read more

From 2015: Locals do not say Saint Andrews, they say "sun-Andrews", with great pride. This is golf's holy land, the sacred fairways of St. Andrews. Golf has been played here since the 1100s, well before Columbus landed somewhere on the Western Hemisphere. And yes, anyone with a handicap below 15 can play here. It is possible to breathe the same air, take divots from the same turf, as Old Tom Morris, Bobby Jones, and Arnold Palmer. But on most Sundays, it is a public park, where you are free to walk, run, and picnic anywhere on the course. This year's Open (2015), as the Brits call the British Open, is the 29th on the Old Course. The biggest difference in the Old Course is the enlargement of the famous Road Hole Bunker on the 17th hole. ... read more

32 years ago, this 29 year old Assistant Pro from Houston CC, teed off at 8:10 with a pounding heart and the fear that the widest fairway in golf would not be wide enough. It was then and was today! However, this year I needed the 2nd tee for my approach. From there forward, our host, Justin, and another R&A member, Angus, were the perfect caddies, historians and friends on the fairways. We took the famous pics in front of the R&A as a fourball and with Mike. We both hit into and out of some famous bunkers, Mike in Specticles in front to the 5th and I took my medicine on the following fairway bunker at 6. I flaged my 2nd shot on the 10 on to receive the applause from the guys on the ... read more

The weather report looked good so I donned light gear and was on the road by 9:00 to catch the 10:30 ferry out of Larne to Scotland. I had reserved space in advance so it was fairly easy when I arrived. The ferry left on time for the 2 hour trek over to the UK/Scotland. I worked on my blog but lost it when I lost WIFI when trying to save it. This was by far the biggest ferry I have ever been on. I counted at least 15 semi trucks and 4 tour buses besides 50 or so cars. The weather on the other side of the channel was also looking good. My route took me up to Glasgow then due East to Edinburgh and the Marriot -Glasshouse hotel. My ride along the coast was ... read more

Today, I hiked the section of The Fife Coastal Path between St. Andrews and Crail. It was 15 miles there & back. The path takes you from the beach by our house along the Scotland coastline to a golf course. The path is gorgeous.. I loved hiking in nature and the silence. It was so peaceful and calming. Later I will be going to dinner with Aubrey's roommates Becky and Hayley then going to be the Minion movie! I love my minions!... read more