From the early morning we have seen members go out from the white tee – a number of well-directed tee shots and many short, crooked ones. LINKS75 has got a clear idea of how and where one should strike. At 3pm it’s our turn. We are joined by two Americans and their caddies – father and son from Florida and New Jersey. We are thrown out among 162 hungry bunkers and strike our balls hard left into Barry Burn and the right rough – we still haven’t learned. We immediately find ourselves in an infernal mind-game. Every hole has a series of bunkers to the right of the fairway 220 yards away and several holes have an out-of-bounds to the left, elephant grass waits around the corner and finally a number of deep greenside bunkers. If that were not enough Jockie’s and Barry Burn coil themselves around the course like snakes waiting to pounce. It feels as if someone is playing with us. The course is like no other. On the 3rd – a short par 4 with well-placed bunkers in the middle of the fairway and a burn in front of the green – we lay up short and trick the course for one of the few times during the 18 holes. The morning sun has been blown away, the temperature sinks, and it feels as if we are at a higher altitude. The son smacks kilometre-long drives to the right and father can’t help but laugh, “He was a scratch player 15 years ago. Played at college. Then life got in the way.” The 6th – a par 5 – Hogan’s alley – after having practised at Panmure, Hogan landed his ball between the bunkers and the O:O:B four days in a row. LINKS75 does the same but then hits far out on the second – curtain please.
Hogan´s Alley
The 8th – par 3 – is devilishly difficult. How do you get the ball to stay on the green? A fantastic championship hole engendering masses of links delight. After the 9th we take a deep breath and prepare for the coming nine holes. “Now the easy part is over,” the caddie assures us. Can it be any harder? LINKS75 breaks out into a cold sweat – the white flag? In the name of links heaven – not bl**dy likely! On the 12th – a par 4 – the son pulls off a shot of 300-yard class. LINKS75 manages to make par and feels nothing but joy. On the 13th – a par 3 – we surprise the course and make yet another unexpected par. The 14th – par 4 – Spectacles – 468 yards slight dogleg left with strong rough and gorse. We land perfectly positioned 210 yards to go. In front of us stand two enormous bunkers and behind these a rock hard, sloping fairway with waiting greenside bunkers and a short pin placement. A bogey would feel like a birdie and make a double still pleased – remarkable.
Fairwaybunkers at no14
Four holes left – one of the most difficult finishes in the world of links golf. The 15th – a par 4 – is 442 yards and slight dogleg left with fairway sloping to the right. Two extremely good shots and we make the heart of the green – par! The 16th – a 235-yard par 3 – a perfect hybrid with fade – we don’t make it. The 17th is par 4 – 421 yards – with Barry Burn, the links world’s only industrial burn, in play – twice. LINKS75 seeks to lay up on an island between Barry’s meandering jaws and we roll our ball 23 yards over the first bridge – great delight.
18th, Carnoustie
The 18th – a 428-yard par 4 – Van de Velde’s demise. LINKS75 hits out – ” Van de Velde should have managed that seven days a week,” says father. Then we do what Van de Velde should have done – hit two straight wedges and putt for par. Completely exhausted we head for our waiting hotel and admit ourselves defeated – by a knock-out.
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