A glorious day #2! Temperatures in the 80's, we motored up from Edinburgh through the Kingdom of Perthshire; rolling countryside and clear blue skies. We arrived in St. Andrews around 11 a.m., located our hotel on North Street, checked in and strolled over (4 blocks) to the "Old Course". Lots of folks gathered around the 1st tee and grand vistas to the sea, across the dunes and the fabled links.

At 12:50, still at even par, we approached the starter and were paired with two nice chaps from England, Peter and Stewart. The starter's only advice was to stay to the left - first, last and always. The beauty of the first hole at the "Old Course" is that it parallels the 18th hole, so, technically, you have over 300 yards in width - pretty hard to go astray!

They say that the 1st Hole tee shot at the "Old Course" in St. Andrews is one of golfs 5 most intimidating tee shots, because lots of spectators and golfers are standing there watching your first swing (hole #1) and your last putt (hole #18). Scott and I kept it in play and off we went, the wind at our backs for nine holes. What a hoot! The ball rolls and rolls and rolls. There are only two par 5s and two par 3s, for a par 70. On the front side par 5, 514 yards, we both hit really nice tee shots. Mine stopped about 172 yards from the flag. Scott's stopped about 130 yards from the flag and we both went on to make pars!

But once we "made the turn", we headed home into a strong late afternoon wind. It was BRUTAL! We hacked and slashed and chunked and plunked and then we hacked and slashed some more! At the famous #17 "Road Hole", there's a large garage style building behind which sits the Old Course Hotel, a beautiful 5 story hostelry. Keeping with the starters admonition, the Englishmen and myself played conservatively to the left with our drives. Then up stepped Scott. In the fashion of Tiger and Ernie, he aimed to fashion a sweeping fade, up and over the "garage", saving lots of yardage. Well, it was a booming, sweeping SLICE, not a fade - up, up and up went his drive - there was a brief moment of silence as the 4 of us held our collective breaths, then "bang" as the ball hit the hotel roof top. As eyes turned our way, I pointed at one of the English guys and then we beat feet, laughing our spikes off. (We later found out that a woman in the "Road Hole" bar on the 4th floor splashed her martini on herself!)

We finished in great style on the famous 18th, Scott booming a 300 yard drive, detouring through the "Valley of Sin" and finally receiving the applause (really!) of the small gallery who, we later found out, were happy just to see us get the hell off the course - as Scott tapped in for his 7!

We quaffed a couple of pints at Dunvegan's then cleaned up and were "out on the town", on a beautiful evening, enjoying venison and duck dinners, a Glenmorangie 10 year old, Old Pulteney 12 year old, Old Glendronach "Revival" 15 year old, Sherry cask and, after walking part of the course in the dark with cigars, a Glenmorangie 10 year old "Nectar d'Or" "nightcap"!

Meeting lots of nice Scots and looking forward to today's round (Saturday) at Carnoustie (Carnasty?!)

Bruce and Scott