Breakfast with a view over the 18th fairway. The flags stand perpendicular – are they stuck down with wallpaper glue. The day’s first steps take us nearly down into the brook and confirm that the wind has got its dander up. We inspect the university’s faculty, the Old Tom Morris shop and the day’s draw. The ambassadors have landed – ETA 11:00 am. We play the course from the sea in towards the land – Jubilee New and Old.
Towards Jubilee, the third championship course, from 1897, and built in honour of Queen Victoria. From the beginning it was intended as a course for women and beginners but with the help of our old friend Donald Steel was upgraded to a real challenge in 1988. We fortify our stomachs for the day’s tribulations – we are the only ones on the course. The bridge over to Dundee has been closed and a storm warning issued. The bags supports are folded in, safety lines and climbing equipment checked, all extraneous details removed.
Second green, Jubilee
An enormous hair-dryer greets as on the first tee and our stance is broader than our bodies are long. Hard balls with no fade. Short tees. A crosswind of between 18-20 m/sec on every hole. We aim 40-50 meters to the side and let the wind take the ball towards the second fairway. The bag acts as a storm-sail and we tack into the wind towards the edge of the rough on the second. A unsecured head cover disappears over the horizon. The holes pass through a wind tunnel. We struggle on towards green after green like weather-beaten Sherpas. The ground between land and sea feels like a mountain pass on Mt Everest. All of a sudden we end up in a bunker and only once we climb down do we realise that it is in fact empty. The wind has blown all the sand away. Even putts must be made into the wind. At the turning point the sea is like a roaring beast and we putt up to the hole so that the ball is brought back by the wind. Pure pleasure. Wide grins and extremely tired links lovers. The course gives nothing and takes everything. LINKS75 shoots ridiculously crooked and long. The holes dance past – the course needs to be re-experienced. We feel lost and search for a safe haven where we can catch our breaths. Then it appears as if it were beamed down from above – Steel’s Gem – the 15th hole. What a creation.
Steel´s Gem, Jubilee
When Donald designed the course he must have had this with him from his childhood rounds in the late sunlight with a warm breeze, a scorecard full of pars, and a swing full of confidence. A hole we all have with us for the day when we too design a course. Finally we make it to the mountain peak and exhausted but happy we can begin our descent.
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