FUN WITH UNCLE TED

We topped our Scotland trip off in grand style with a visit to the Carnegie Club at incompar-
able Skibo Castle (yes that's the place where Madonna married Guy Ritchie). We were privileged to stay there at the invitation of my Uncle Ted and his lovely wife Nancy. It's great when you are on the north side of 60 to still have an uncle like Ted who makes all feel young with his "zest for living."





Views of Skibo Castle and gardens


Our stay at Skibo, the Scottish home of gilded age industrial icon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, was nonstop joy from beginning to end. Imagine a story book castle in which you are greeted at the entrance by a kilted tartaned gentleman sporting a tray of alcoholic beverages including single malt scotch from the castle's own distillery. Then its on to a celebratory banquet dinner in which Ted and I were clad in traditional Scottish clan attire- kilts included. After a most convivial cocktail hour, we enter the dining room where all the guests and many of the staffers line the long table. This particular dinner honors Angus, the long-time major domo of the hotel. Now numerous toasts, poems and tributes, all wittily delivered, are voiced in tribute to the great man. And then we are whisked into the drawing room where the talented staff members entertain us with song and merriment transporting us back to the Edwardian era when the gentry would have considered it bad form indeed not to include music, poetry, and other ditties to wind up a night's festivities. Some of the guests also participated; our participation was limited to clapping.

Sated, we retire to our spacious quarters. A decanter of single malt rests on the dresser. And this is not your Holiday Inn hospitality bar- no extra charge for taking a dram or two! At 8 AM, we awake to a lone piper piping his pipes - just like the queen. All that is missing is her corgis!



Bill, Lisa and Uncle Ted (below)














Lisa and Nancy (below)


After our sumptuous breakfast, we along with Ted and Nancy head to the Donald Steel designed links. It is a heathland track but nonetheless has the look and feel of a true links; reveted bunkers, a bit of wind, an abundance of heather. The course matches the high standard of everything else at this dreamland. Ted and Nancy are great company; Ted still can strike the ball well for over 80. Although he was a pretty fair player a few years back, he has learned not to worry much about such mundane details as his score. Worrying about that could detract from the enjoyment of the day- the wisdom of age!


Ted and Bill at the Carnegie Golf Club



Not had enough fun yet? Try horseback riding and skeet shooting which we did. The ladies hit the spa with a vengeance. The staff is eager to ensure you have a wonderful time, and we certainly managed that! But the absolute best was the midnight golf we played with Ted and Nancy, three other couples and Skibo's own Alan. We were enjoying a late dinner at the golf club when someone came up with the madcap brainstorm of playing a few holes starting about 10:00 PM. With the summer solstice having just passed, and all of us well fortified with spirits (alcoholic and otherwise), this proved to be a truly inspired concept. Suffice to say there was sufficient daylight to play three holes with our gang of 11. True , we really needed to focus through the gloaming to catch a glimpse of our pitch shots into the par 5 18th struck at about 11:45. However there was still a glimmer of light even at that advanced hour! What a hoot! We were saddened to depart after our two night stay. Having your every whim granted can be addicting! Thanks again to Ted and Nancy for allowing us to be a part of a most memorable event!

One final great experience was in store before we departed the old sod . A round for Lisa and Bill in Ayrshire was scheduled at mighty Turnberry - the venue for Tom Watson's stirring Open Championship bid in 2009. We were in the capable hands of caddie Lee who looped in the '09 Open for the young Japanese star Rijo Izikawa.. Tiger and caddie Stevie were paired with Izikawa and Lee, and the latter had some unflattering words for the world number 1 and his sometimes irascible caddie. The wind is howling- maybe the heaviest wind we have played in. Lee says "Don't try to fight it- it's too strong! Just ride the wind!" Going out is not too bad. We hit downwind- I shoot 39 and par the famous 9th which features the links' signature lighthouse off to the left of the tee. Lisa plays well too and cards a par and several other good holes going out. But on 10, we turn back into the gale! Wow! My eyes tear up ; I can barely see. Hitting the ball on line is impossible. You can lean your body hard into the wind and the gale props you up! Suffice to say despite my good start, my card is ruined for the day. Still, I was proud of Lisa's persevearance for braving the trip's lone day of foul weather . This concluded our 6th golf trip together to the UK. The maritime adventures and golf at Machrihanish and Islay, the history of Inverness and environs, the lovely village of Nairn and its challenging course, the wonderful new links at Castle Stuart, the fun and competition with the JBGS at Brora and Royal Dornoch, Ted and Nancy at Skibo, and the howling winds at Turnberry combined to make this journey a particularly special one.




below: Lisa and caddie Lee at Turnberry

lower: Lisa plays from a mammoth bunker at Carnegie Club

Bill and Lisa lean into the wind at
Turnberry's famous 9th

The James Braid Golfing Society - Bill and Lisa Make New Golf Friends

After our sojoun at Nairn, we motored up further north to Dornoch, Scotland-home of the incomparable Royal Dornoch Golf Club, without doubt the northern-most great golf course in the world. There we met fellow members of the members of the James Braid Golfing Society. The Society, which honors 5 time British Open champion and prolific golf architect Braid, arranged for 4 days of matches. The town of Dornoch is a picture-postcard place where you can (as we did) leisurely while away a morning in an array of coffee shops, antique shops, a medieval cathedral, and a castle which serves as one of the town's hotels. When noon approached, we scampered over to the golf club where we were greeted by JBGS captain and noted golf writer , Malcolm Campbell, and the JBGS's affable secretary Ken Horne. Lisa was comforted by the fact that numerous of the British golfing wives joined their husbands to play in the various events. Dear readers, we apologize for not taking pictures of the majestic links. We were both wrapped up in engrossing matches.







Our marches at Royal Dornoch pitted two JBGS members in better ball (the Brits would call it 4-ball) against a pair of members from Royal Dornoch. affair. My partner was St. Andrews resident Richard Perry. Our opponents included Edward Sierra, a transplanted Californian lawyer who was a member at four Scottish clubs and another gentleman whose name I have forgotten. The match came down to a 2 foot putt by me for the win on 18 which I somehow missed right. Oh well, a draw was at least a sporting result. Lisa and her partner were bested by the Royal Dornoch ladies.







Golf was followed by the first of two very convivial banquets. The captain of the prevailing Royal Dornoch side and JBGS's Campbell matched droll repartee which would had us in stitches even had our mirth not been additionally fueled by copious quantities of wine and single malt.






Lisa and friends at JBGS




We carefully negotiated the half-hour drive further north from Dornoch to Brora. With the summer solstice, there was still plenty of sunlight when we arrived at our golf links apartment at 10:30 PM. Our comfortable digs abutted both the Brora Golf Club's links and the charming Royal Marine Hotel. The JBGS scheduled an individual stableford event for Brora the following day. The old course at Brora, designed by Braid of course, is a real hoot! The club's linksland is shared in common with local crofters who run cattle and sheep over the grounds. Foot high electric fences envelop the greens to keep the livestock away but they are free to roam elsewhere. The animals are rarely encountered in the fairway, presumably because there is less grass to chew on there. It is a quirky but extremely fun layout; Lisa labels it her favorite in Scotland. Lisa and I had middling rounds and did not threaten the day's winners. I was paired with Brora's companionable club secretary who played off 4. Golf was followed by another madcap dinner at the Royal Marine. Contributing to the hilarity was the captain's series of "fines" in the form of a bottle of port assessed against members who had committed such sundry transgressions as not wearing the club tie or hitting the wrong ball. When one of the members expressed indignation about his particular fine, Malcolm Campbell fined him another bottle of port. By now we had become acquainted with several couples, mostly from a group who came from St. Andrews, who shared golf as a common bond. All were welcoming and pleased that we had joined the society.


Livestock and golf at Brora are compatible











While Lisa took Saturday off from golf, I competed in the 36 hole James Braid Open which was open to all amateurs. I had not been playing all that well up to this point and questioned whether I could keep it together walking 36 holes in a single day. My threeball was off early at 7:30 AM. I found something early in the round which helped me overcome some pretty blustery conditions. A tidy 77 was the result. I was only 6 shots out of the lead, and there were a number of scratch and low-handicap players in the field.






After a short lunch, it was back out again! A 42 going out was disappointing; but I steadied and finished with a flurry of pars for a total of 78 and a total of 155. The winner shot 144, but it turns out that I was the low competitor from the JBGS and that entitled me to some recognition.

I must say I was exhausted from the effort.







Bill wins something!










Our final day of competition was a Sunday mixed "Greensomes" open competition which was separately sponsored by the Brora Golf Club. Both Lisa and I would drive off our respective tees; then we select a ball and play alternate shot for the rest of the hole. I must confess I was a drag on the team, screwing up several shots. A highlight of the round was our pairing with a 76 year old woman who walked the course and pulled her trolley with dispatch. Another highlight was that we only had to pay 10 pounds apiece to enter the competition. Edward Sierra invited us to have dinner with him and his lovely significant other Marelle MacKay in Dornoch. Marelle runs a B & B adjacent to the Royal Dornoch links. We had a great time with them; invitations like this are not uncommon in this wonderful country.




We have urged our golf friends to play in these opens and join societies like the JBGS to experience the best in Scottish golf. It adds a social and competitive aspect to the golf which elevates the experience at low cost.

Golf and History at Inverness and Nairn

After disembarking from the ferry back from Isla, we motored far north on the A 81 alongside Lochs Linnhe and Ness winding up in Nairn, a seaside resort town on the Moray Firth. You will not be surprised to learn that the town's primary attraction for us is the wonderful Nairn Golf Club, a former Walker cup situs, and one of the finest links in the north of Scotland. But Nairn is also a great taking off point for exploring the whisky trail, Scottish historical sites, castles, and Inverness- the "capital of the Scottish Highlands."



We easily found our lodging for the next three nights, "Greenlawns," a fine B & B in a posh section of Edwardian residences not far from the golf club. www.greenlawns.co.uk/ The engaging innkeeper, Shelagh Southwell ,warmly welcomed us. Our 6 hour drive had left us weary so after a quick fish and chips repast in the bar at Claymore House, and a leisurely walk around the neighborhood, we turned in early.

The next morning found us raring to go on Nairn Golf Club's first tee where we were greeted by Jack, our 76 year old caddy. Jack usually serves as a starter, but he likes to occasionally caddy for exercise. Hard by the Moray Forth, former Walker Cup venue Nairn is a natural seaside links that qualifies as a must play if you are anywhere near the Highlands of Scotland. Great silken greens-some say the best in Scotland -are framed by some very serious bunkers. It is a tough driving course although I recalled more gorse when I played the course in 1997. Jack opined that the decision to remove much of the gorse had made the course too easy. After walking off 18 with a mistake-pocked 87, I was not inclined to share his view. I mentioned to Jack that, "maybe my round was not so bad since I shot 47 on the front 9." With typical Scottish caddy bonhomie he replied, "Yeah, it's a good round for a 20 handicapper!"

The afternoon found us touring medieval Cawdor Castle, scene of Duncan's murder in Macbeth. Lisa took particular interest in touring the castle since she had just finished a book by a woman who recounted her childhood growing up in the castle as it doubles as tourist attraction and private residence.

We also squeezed in a tour of the Culloden Battlefield, site of the last land battle in Britain in 1746 where the Scottish clans led by Bonnie Brince Charlie suffered a disastrous defeat. After such a full day, dinner at the very pleasing Caledonian Restaurant on High Street in downtown Nairn hit the spot.

Wednesday was our day to play golf at new Castle Stuart, a wonderful new links course just ourside of Inverness. Magnificent views of the forth could be seen from every tee. Castle Stuart itself was the target on the par four tee shot I am hitting below. A majority of the holes are played fight along the shore. After playing the 1th hole, we climbed straight up a rather daunting dune where the rest of the holes were played from 100 feet above sea level. We did not care for the protracted climb, but otherwise we liked Castle Stuart. It is no doubt destined to move up high in the rankings alongside Kingsbarns.

views of Castle Stuart






After our round, we took the train from Nairn into Inverness. We had time to walk though the old city and grab dinner. We always enjoy train travel in the U.K. It is by far the best way to get into the city.

the train station at Inverness (top)

local gentleman we met (right)

36 Hours in Islay- Not Enough Time!

CalMac ferry "Isle of Arran"










In planning our Scotland trip, I decided it would be fun to spend time in one of the country's western islands. Taking a ferry boat and experiencing a bit of the maritime atmosphere was appealing. And what better island to visit than Islay (pronounced Eye-la), with its bevy of scotch distilleries , and quirky historic golf links, "The Machrie?"





We and our Kia, boarded the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry at 6 PM for our two and 1/2 hour evening sail, bound for the Islay port of Port Ellen. After a quick but serviceable dinner down below, we spent most of our voyage topside as there was a lot to see. The wild and mostly vacant islands of Gigha and Jura encompassed our view on this clear summer night. As we approached Islay, we could make out the waterfront facilities of the Laphroaig and Ardbeg distilleries. Upon docking, we motored off the gangplank three miles up the coast to our cozy B & B, "The Excise House" -so named because in bygone days, it served as such for the nearby Laphroaig scotch whisky distillery. http://www.theoldexcisehouse.com/




Port Ellen harbor

We were greeted by innkeepers Ron and Emma Goudie. Ron by trade is a golf professional who came close to qualifying for The Open Championship on several occasions. He and Emma previously lived in Epsom, England where Ron worked as the professional at the local golf club. But the Goudies audaciously dreamed of striking out on their own as pioneers to more remote regions. After considering other western islands of Scotland, they knew they had found their destiny the first time they laid eyes on The Old Excise House. In short order, they purchased the property, and fixed it up beautifully. The place is now bright as a penny with comfortable
fresh bedrooms. Meanwhile, Ron discovered that The Machrie Hotel and Golf Links did not employ a resident golf professional. He worked out a deal where he serves as the professional on an independent contractor basis. He keeps busy giving lessons and hosting visiting golf groups.




Emma served these tired travelers her very special rockcakes.Pleasantly sated, we turned in early. Having scheduled just one full day in Islay, we wanted to be well rested for our whirlwind of activities on Sunday. After polishing off Emma's sumptuous scottish breakfast, we motored 15 minutes to The Machrie for our 9:12 AM tee time. If you want to golf at a natural links that is reminiscent of the game's ancient past, you really should tackle this 1891 antiquity. Basically the topography of the ground played is unaltered by man. In the 19th century, golf architects did not have the equipment to move tons of dirt to provide the golfer a full view of where he or she is going. Thus, blind shots at Machrie abound. There are forced carries over dunes from the tee, Several of the fairways abruptly plunge into punchbowl greens in dells that cannot be seen until the player is within a few yards of the putting surfaces. Others hide behind formidable sand hills. Only directional posts provide a clue as to pin locations. Did all this make the course less fun to play? Our verdict was that it was rollicking good fun. Each hole became an adventure in exploration and discovery. Although all golfers are immersed in their games often to the exclusion of the surrounding scenery, we did take time to savor the view from the 10th tee of Laggan Bay out to the island of Jura and then the open Atlantic. Lisa and I came off 18 exhilerated by a links that still challenges and bewitches golfers after 119 years.

















Scenes from the unforgettable "Machrie" links














After golf, we hurried to make our scheduled 2 PM visit to the Laphroaig distillery, one of many on the island. Lovers of single malt know that Laphroaig is a peaty, very powerful (some would say bordering on medicinal) scotch. I used to hate it; now I love it. Lisa understands the manufacturing process better than I. She can rattle off the various steps in making single malt with ease. I do know that the distillers take barley and soak it until it germinates. Then the barley is heated by a peat fire; next it is turned into grist. Then I forget exactly what happens - I get lost in the minutiae- but smarty Lisa can tell you with annoying specificity. Anyway the tour was informative, and we both downed a wee dram thereafter.









Bill contemplates all he can drink at Laphroaig Distillery

Scenes from Laphroaig (below)






































Continuing our whirlwind, we meandered northeast of Port Ellen to see the Kildalton Cross, which is located in an abandoned churchyard. This eighth century relic is the only known Celtic "High Cross" in Scotland. It is in astonishingly excellent condition.















Kildalton Cross











Ron and Emma recommended "An Taigh Osda" for dinner. This hotel-restuarant is in Bruichladdich (home of another distillery) a 45 minute drive from our lodging on the north side of Islay. This afforded us an opportunity to further explore the island. On route, we repeatedly encountered sheep lingering in our path often forcing us to stop. We drove through Bowmore (home of still another distillery). Because we were late for our reservation, we failed to check out Bowmore's famous circular church, so designed so that the devil cannot "hide in the corners." We did not expect to encounter such a fabulous sophisticated dining spot in this most remote area. But the dinner and its presentation by Paul and Joan were top notch. Check http://www.antaighosda.co.uk/


On the way back from a fairly late dinner, we stopped at the Machrie Hotel to watch some U.S. Open coverage on the telly. Innkeeper Ron was still there at 11 PM, entertaining a group of golf visitors. We watched Dustin Johnson's collapse, but did not stay to conclusion of the tournament as we had to board the ferry back to Kennacraig in the morning. Ever cordial Ron saw us off at the dock.




Lisa with innkeeper and golf professional
Ron Goudie at Port Ellen dock


















In retrospect, 36 hours in Islay was too short a stay. Lisa, sad to leave, envisioned herself starting a croft in Islay , raising a few sheep and inviting her knitting group from German Village to visit her en masse to help knit the wool.



We hope to be back soon.

"The Long and Winding Road" to Machrihanish

Bill -ready to tackle Machrihanish

Remember the old Beatles song "The Long and Winding Road?" Turns out this song is Paul McCartney's ode to the A 83 which twists its way down Scotland's Kintyre Peninsula. McCartney owns a farm near Machrihanish not far from the southern tip of Kintyre. The enchanted golf links at the Machrihanish Golf Club was the destination for the first leg of our 17 day 2010 Scotland trip. In our previous journeys to Scotland, we have visited renowned golf meccas like St. Andrews, Prestwick, Troon, Carnoustie, and Gleneagles. This time we focused on great links golf in more remote areas. So though we were bleary-eyed from our overnight flight to Glasgow, Lisa and I motored our rental Kia about four hours down the aforementioned long winding two-lane A 83 road. Fortunately, the splendor of the scenery kept us wide awake. Loch Lomond, then Loch Fyne, and finally the sea on one side of the road; pastoral countryside and farms on the other. Lyrically named towns such as Inverary, Tullochgorm, Clachan, and Kilchenzy dotted our route. The scent of burning peat- an aroma Lisa and I associate with Ireland, reminded us that the Emerald Isle lies just 12 miles across Machrihanish Bay.





Aside from a few B & Bs and the bustling golf club, there has not been much going on in Machrihanish in recent years. However, an american developer has sought to change that by developing the area directly across the road from the Golf Club with luxury "residential golf villas" and a very comfortable golf pub as part of an ambitious project called Machrihanish Dunes. The developer also built a new links course seven miles away. We took advantage of a Mac Dunes promotion and stayed three nights in one of the golf villas.

coastview -Dunaverty Golf Club

Usually we play a round of golf on arrival day in Scotland. Given our jet and auto lag, we exercised rare discretion this time, and elected not to play, contenting ourselves with a stroll around the charming but short Dunaverty Golf Club- located at Lands End hard by the Mull of Kintyre. This was followed by a drive down single track farm roads with sheep and cattle ever-present. An early fish dinner at the golf pub, rousing bagpipe music from a young local band "Sound of Kintyre," and then to bed to rest up for our 9 AM tee time at Machrihanish Golf Club.

"Sound of Kintyre" pipe band

Two caddies in their sixties, Calum Maclean and Davy, greeted Lisa and me at the club. Calum is the caddiemaster, and was toting the bag himself for me on this day. Calum has twice won the club championship at Machrihanish. Davy, a retired oceanic oil rig operator, was likewise a good player and member. It is one of the unique aspects of golf in this kingdom that your caddie often is a member who may well join you for a round in the clubhouse after the golf.

Bill drives at the famous

"Battery"

You could not have a more rousing start to a Scottish golf trip than the first tee at Machrihanish Golf Club. The club boasts, not without cause, that the "Battery" hole is the "greatest first hole" in all of golf. The Battery is a "cape" tee shot in which the player must decide how much of the beach to risk carrying in order to reach a fairway that lies at a 10 o'clock diagonal from the tee. Lisa played smartly into the fairway while I yanked my tee shot into the beach from where I made a double bogey. Thereafter I righted the ship and shot a first nine 37 featuring two birds which launched caddy Calum into his self-described"birdie dance." Machrihanish (particularly the first nine) exhibits those features that exhilerate links golfers: crumpled fairways, blind shots, massive sand dunes, and deep reveted bunkers. I would strongly recommend taking a caddy at least your first time around this links. Looking for balls and uncertainty over club selection certainly adds to the stress of the round. Davy and Calum brought Lisa and me around in 102 and 80 respectively-not bad for our first outing. We savored lunch and whisky in the welcoming clubhouse. The Scottish golf clubs treat you like a member and the food is generally the best in town. Calum proudly showed us an old club scrapbook which featured photos of him at his peak when he was winning his two club championships.


Davy, Lisa, Calum Maclean, and Bill

Still revved up for more golf after our promising starts, we tried an additional nine at the club's
relief course, "The Pans." The club's "juniors" play The Pans until the club professional judges them ready to move on to the championship links. Finally exhausted from our efforts, we motored into nearby Campelltown for dinner at Craigard House, a small hotel with a very good restaurant. As is the custom in the U.K., we were initially ushered into a parlor instead of the dining area. This led to convivial chatting with others waiting to be seated; civility is fostered by this arrangement. After devouring excellent local fish, Lisa and I borrowed "Beanie", the hotel's resident collie mix pooch, and walked off our repast alongside Campbelltown Loch.



Day two found us again at Machrihanish Golf Club for a second round sans caddies. Neither Lisa nor I played with the efficiency we showed under the wise supervision of Davy and Calum. Lisa carded the round's lone birdie. After a brief rest, we made a mistake going out for a second try of the course. We have often walked 36 holes in Scotland, but this time it was too much. After 12 holes, we packed it in, and walked in the rest of the way. We arrived back at the clubhouse just before 9 PM- still light. With the summer solstice at hand, sundown would not arrive until 10:30 PM, and even thereafter daylight lingers at this Hudson Bay latitude for another hour. Lisa required a sleep mask to drop off.

Lisa -happy at

Machriha-nish

We scheduled the new links course,

Machriha-nish Dunes, for Saturday. Let me say this about Mac Dunes: it is situated on a spectacular landscape. Great sea views from everywhere! Several memorable holes challenge the golfer with drives across towering sand hills and gorse and punchbowl greens tucked away in dells. But with the omnipresent wind, there is in my view too much target golf`for Mac Dunes to be viewed as a pleasant experience for the average player. It is certainly nice too gaze out to sea, but any pleasure derived from the view quickly dissolves when you are confronted with the difficult task of finding your ball and then extricating it from the manifold difficulties presented. Another problem is that unlike most of the links courses in Scotland, this is really a long walk. Architect David McLay Kidd was forced to adjust the routing of the course to the needs of the environment as this stretch of seacoast is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Thus you walk a long way from green to tee- about two more miles than is customary on links courses. Without the "guide" services of personable caddy and ex-boat captain Peter Stogdale, we would have had a hard time finding our way around. Peter and the staff (loved the hearty soup served at the turn) catered to our every need. Our verdict: glad we played it; extremely difficult; greens are still too new; not a track that we would hurry to play again. It will be interesting to see whether Mac Dunes ultimately becomes a mecca for golfers. Our guess is that it is destined to play second fiddle to the venerable and magical Machrihanish Golf Club.

Mac Dunes (right)


After our windswept round, we hopped in the Kia and motored north on the A-83 to Kennacraig to catch the 6 PM ferry to the island of Islay, the next stop on our Scottish sojourn.

Golf - The Old Fashioned Way!

Bill's story:



The clock turned backwards to 1925 when devotees of hickory golf competed in April in the "Tad Moore Hickory 4-Ball" at Selma [Alabama] Country Club. I partnered with all-time friend Dan MacLellan- a fervent hickory golf disciple. His enthusiasm was sufficiently contagious that I was inspired to accompany him and his lovely wife Simone to
Selma. Dan claims that "there are only two stages of golf: pre-hickory and post-hickory!" Similar hickory ephipanies were related by the other competitors in last week's event.



Above: Dan MacLellan and Bill Case; below: Simone and Dan MacLellan;

Right: license plate shows evidence of
hickory mania




All of them are members of the Society of Hickory Golfers, http://www.hickorygolfers.com/ . They came from distant points in the south and midwest to play in this tournament. They donned knickers, white shirts, ties, and snap-brim hats evoking golf fashions of an earlier time. They played with



right: players warm their ancient putters up on Selma C.C.'s practice green





hickory shafted relics painstaking-ly collected over the years or with replica clubs matching the original designs. Many of the replica clubs were hand-crafted by two of the competitors in the event: Mike Just of the Louisville Golf Company
( http://www.louisvillegolf.com/ ) and tournament organizer Tad Moore (http://www.tadmoore.com/ ). If you are serious about your golf, you know that Tad has designed and manufactured fine golf clubs for over 30 years. A sentimental sort who cherishes traditional golf, Tad loves to play with hickory clubs , and enjoys networking with others who share his passion. Tad also markets the "Tom Morris" label of replica clubs. A native of Toledo, Moore recently moved to Selma. Tad and wife Carol spared no effort in making sure all in attendance had a memorable time.


Below:


Tad and Carol Moore; far below Tad greets the competitors at Selma C.C.

At about 6100 yards, Selma Country Club is ideal for hickory golf. There are several memorable holes including a fitful 127 yarder where the prudent play is to lay up short of the postage stamp green. The bermuda greens required special study, and we learned quickly that leaving iron shots to the sides of the narrow greens left little hope for successful recoveries. It was no surprise to us that seven different Selma members had won ten Alabama Amateur championships. The shotmaking and strategy called for by the tight layout would be the perfect primer for a competitive player. As I was concluding my practice round with Dan and Simone, I noticed that the "whipping" on my woods was coming unwound. Selma's genial professional, Tommy Burns adroitly and in short order made the necessary repairs. When I asked Tommy what I owed him, he just laughed, remarking, "I wouldn't know what to charge you. I haven't changed out the whipping on a club for thirty years!" Tommy proved to be an interesting guy. Tommy became the head pro after his father retired from the position. His father took the job in 1955. I doubt there is another club in the country where the head pro position has been continuously occupied by members of the same family for 55 years. Tommy also played on the University of Alabama golf team with Jerry Pate in the early 70's.



Sturdivant House




After Dan, Simone, and I played our practice round on Thursday, Tad and Carol feted the players at Sturdivant House, an eye-popping neo-classical "Old South" home in the midst of the Old Town area of Selma. While downing the first of several scotch and sodas, I chatted with Roger Hill who is deeply enmeshed in the activities of the society. Roger informed me that like the PGA tour, the society has endured internal controversy regarding technology. Some players take the doctrinaire view that only authentic relic clubs should be allowed in the society's competitions. Ultimately it was decided that such rigidity would be counter-productive to the goal of encouraging new players to join the hickory ranks, and replica clubs were allowed in competitive play, provided that the remake matches a design used in the wood-shaft era. This outcome was dictated by increasing scarcity of supply caused by inevitable breakage (I have already snapped two irons) and collector hoarding. A few die-hards resigned in protest, but the decision was generally accepted by the members. After this enlightening discussion with Roger, I eavesdropped on discussions in which the participants argued the relative merits of Jack White drivers, George Nicol putters, and whether it is better to carry a "baffy" or "bulldog" (both are forerunners of what are now called "hybrids").

Dan and I were paired in Friday's first round with clubmaker Mike Just and his young marketing director Josh Fischer. We got off to an abysmal start: twin triple bogeys on our first hole! I double-hit a putt. Dan later missed a 1 footer. We were lucky to shoot net 71 best ball, far in arrears of the scintillating 60 shot by Dan's wife Simone and her partner Barb Kopec, the only women in the event. Understand that this is one of those events that is 75% social and 25% competition, but it is always more enjoyable to play well! Fischer exhibited solid shotmaking while Just displayed a tidy shortgame. Both had college golf experience at Belvedere College in Louisville.





Bill Case, Dan MacLellan, Josh Fischer, Mike
Just



We were treated to another convivial evening of entertainment by the Moores on Friday at yet another beautiful ante-bellum building, the Smitherman Historic Building which contained an exhibit of civil war firearms and documents. I assumed initially that most of the hickory devotees played country club golf. After talking with several of the players, I discovered to my surprise that several were public course players. A husband and wife played their golf at the local military base where the husband was employed. I also learned that hickory golf has really caught on in both the UK and in Sweden with both countries sporting a bevy of tournaments. Former Ryder Cup player Pierre Fulke is among those that compete. It was suggested that those countries have taken to hickory play because wooden "play clubs" are more readily available at reasonable prices in Europe. Few clubs in the U.S. have been successful in getting large numbers of players in the game. An exception is Chagrin Valley Country Club in Cleveland where my friend Dan and his fellow hickory advocate Frank Boumphrey had been successful in instituting a "Hickory Day" every Thursday in the summer. Unfortunately, after Dan and Frank left Chagrin, hickory play fell off. At Friday's cocktail party, Dan entertained all with a side-splitting impression of Frank who has been ailing and did not make the tournament. Frank is a magnetic character with an outsized personality who tells wildly entertaining stories, many involving tales from his own most colorful life, with appropriate embellishments. I also met Selma native Otey Chrisman, also a noted club designer. With the golf business down at present, Otey is currently employed as a roofing contractor. He (as do Dan and Roger Hill) plays guitar, and Otey has also done some preaching. Otey is also a songwriter, and he confided that his compositions just kind of "show up," in his mind as he passes time driving down the highway. We found him to be one of those rare individuals who has never met a stranger.





The ever-affable Otey Chrisman





Saturday dawned wet. Thunderstorms doused the course for hours. But it wasn't so bad spending the rain delay with the likes of Roger Hill and Josh Fischer and fellow kindred spirit golfers. When the rain finally let up around 1 PM, the sandy-soiled course quickly drained and we were able to play 9 holes. We played an improvised sixsome with competing teams Roger Hill-Tad Moore and Simone MacLellan-Barb Kopec. Finally Dan and I managed to make something happen, making some putts and other decent shots and carding a net 32 on the final 9. Tad, wielding a wooden headed center shafted mallet putted like a fiend, holing three lengthy putts in 9 holes. But the real revelation was the Simone-Barb team. Simone with her long, lyrical super-smooth swing perfectly suited to swinging hickory clubs, hit all her shots solidly. Barb has the powerful wristy swing that you see in old films of the likes of Vardon and James Braid. The female team emerged the low net winners by one with a score of 92.

















Immediately above: Tad presents low net trophy to Barb Kopec and Simone MacLellan ; further above: the winning net team of Simone and Barb in their 1920's finery


The diminuitive scratch player Roger Andrews and his partner Tom Johnson finished low gross with 109 for 27 holes beating Ted Kopec (Barb's husband) and Jay Harris by one shot. The event culminated with a sumptuous catfish-fried chicken awards dinner at Selma Country Club.

Hickory golf provides an opportunity to experience the bygone days of the game. You should be able to play within three or four shots of your regular handicap. I recommend you try it. Visit the society's website for a complete list of events and tips on how to get started.



Above: Tad Moore with low gross champions
Roger Andrews and Tom Johnson