LINKS75 has moved on to historic ground. The world’s oldest golf course according to a united committee at the Guinness Book of Records. The official diploma has pride of place in the foyer. In the car park we join up with some of the day’s combatants, 30 Englishmen versus 30 Scots in an annual match – 18 holes of galloping golf. The traditional tattoos from Great Yarmouth make themselves felt – strong forearms and power behind every stoke.

Musselburgh Links

Inside the racecourse’s white fence there are 9 holes into the sun. Between 1874 and 1889 the championship, The Open, was decided here. In the last year the legend Willie Park Jnr won here. Our thoughts drift backwards in time and place – an amazing feeling. In theoretical terms we follow a few balls after Willie Park. Suddenly, we are standing at the start box following four forearm-tattooed, Vinnie Jones-copies, with another four following us.  The 1st hole – 240 yards – elevated green and waiting bunkers – a par3! We accept our bogey without fuss and move on. We hit out wildly both forwards and backwards and seem stuck in a whirlwind of evil eyes and untamed shots. The 4th hole – Mrs Forman’s par 4 – is a detour from the racecourse’s most distant parts. The green is neighbour to The Pub which bears the same name. Next to the green there is a entrance through the wall – The Cradle of Golf – which like Lucifer tempts Mrs Forman with foaming mead and good humour.

Musselburgh Links4th green

Links love of the classic type. Worthy of an experience in itself. We are forced to hold our place in the race, and suddenly under observation we fall into the tattooed pattern without hesitation. The third curve is rounded and we enter the home stretch. In the middle of the fairway are flags and distance markers. Who can hit the longest? Tattooed forearms are tested against one another – jaws are clenched and more power applied. A few meters behind us the flags flutter – pride. Three bends completed and only the finishing stretch remains. The 9th is a dogleg par 4 with intricate bunker layout. We go for power and finish with delicacy. A day at the races.

Since 1894 fourteen golfers have raised The Claret Jug at Royal St George’s. J.H Taylor won the first championship outside of Scotland.  It is also a site that has seen both Harry Vardon and Walter Hagen win twice – Harry in a 36 hole play-off back in 1911. Then the rare sight of the opponent, Arnaud Massy gave up at the 35th hole. During the years the links country Sandwich have offered several stunning shows. 1934 Henry Cotton shot a 65 in the second round, and thus got a golf ball named after him, Dunlop 65. 1938 was the year of the big storm which did not only bring all the tents with it it also affected the scores. The victor, Reg Whitcombe’s last round was 78 shots. 1949 Harry Bradshaw Decided to hit the ball from a broken beer can on the fifth hole in the second round. By this he paid back dearly as he lost a shot on that and the lost the play-off against Bobby Locke. Not until 1982 did the championship return to Sandwich. Then the course had had several changes. One thing was that they had balanced the first and second nine, earlier there was a 500 yard difference. 1985 Sandy Lyle won after doing birdies on the 14 & 15th holes during the last round. 1993 the rain had made the course softer than usual and Greg Norman set a difficult record, when in the final round he went 13 under par. 2003 we remember Thomas Björn who the same as Jesper Parnevik had the chance to get the first Scandinavian title in a major. Thomas was however forced to strike 3 shots in the bunker at the 16th. 2011 was the year of rain and wind, the only one to master the course then was Darren Clarke.

We awake in the world’s best British Open dormy. Dog, having the lawnmower as an alarm clock, puts down his  other foot and hangs his bag over his right shoulder. Blackpool has left behind the pinstripes and wears for the day the club emblem nearest to his heart. Already on the 1st tee we feel like Ballesteros. Blackpool strikes a tame dive to the right and LINKS75 goes to the left. Thirty minutes behind us follow the weekend’s Medalist Competition like an unstoppable steam locomotive. The 2nd and 3rd follow the traditionally classic railway line. Two giant par 4s that require Bubba’s driver and a little more. On the 2nd we try out Woosnam’s bush and throw one of our drivers amongst the leaves. As luck would have it some traces from the Open remain – the last of the temporary seating was taken down only a few days ago – and everywhere the  rough is impenetrable. Muscle ache after three holes, the driver is white-hot in its head cover and the sand wedge has already been worn down flat. What a course! It’s like a super-long obstacle golf course. The 4th allows a little breathing room and the 5th feels OK from the green tee, which we had been firmly advised to use by the starter. Not even Blackpool was prepared to argue. With arms pumped up like the world’s strongest man, we arrive at the 6th, 491 yards from the back tee – par 5 for mortals, par 4 for the Open’s participants – absolutely incomprehensible! How in all the world could those boys tee off with irons and also manage to control the ball with backspin? The 7th is a flat par 5. The 8th is a jewel of a par 4 with cross bunkers on the slope leading up to the green. While bending over our putt LINKS75 gets that old Muirfield feeling – “You are holding us up! You are good golfers who should know better!” The members come from nowhere straight up to our green. We wave them through on the 9th – yet another pearl of a par 3. Magnificent.

9th hole, Royal Lytham & St Annes

LINKS75 gets stressed and misses a golden birdie chance. On the 10th Members Choice tees off while one of the members whispers “cute” and puckers. We turn pale and understand he has made his choice. The drive goes down the middle but then we find neither ourselves or the wonderfully elevated green before we reach the 12th. Yet another fantastic par 3. The 13th – a par 4 with a hint of birdies – makes us feel strong and we test the straightest line and go for the flag.  Towards the finish – and what a finish!, Members Choice shanks his driver to no-one’s joy – yet another visit to the elephant grass. The 15th – par 4, 464 yards – is an extremely difficult hole where the approach is partially hidden. Mr J wins 5 and 3. The 16th – Ballesteros’ car park hole – is a complete test. To the right, into the car park, sand wedge, but  unfortunately no birdie. To do justice in describing the 17th hole would require a chapter by James Joyce. A more worthy conclusion to an Open course could not be found. Here a bogey feels like a birdie, particularly out of Bobby Jones’ bunker.

Bobby Jones, 17th Royal Lytham & St Annes

The 18th, with 17 bunkers and a fairway where you search feverishly to find a landing surface, has the clubhouse as a backdrop and inspires LINKS75 to outdo itself. We end the day testing the clubhouse and Gary Player’s spot before bowing down to this mighty links experience.