We were a little worried at breakfast. I had written on our calendar that today was the Jubilee Course at St. Andrews, tee time 9:50, but I had no confirmation email. After lingering over my vegetarian haggis (yum!) at breakfast to get to the course on time, we raced to the starter with 20 minutes to spare, stood in a short line, and found out that indeed, we had no starting time. Oh dear. Lest anyone think I am a scheduling genius, there was finally a problem. I thought I had booked the course, but I hadn’t.

But I am also a first-class schmoozer so in about a minute, we had a starting time on the course we expected to play, the Jubilee Course, in one hour! (This might have been due to the air traffic kerfuffle just like yesterday, but I’ll take credit anyway.) The short wait until our new starting time was perfect for securing a forecaddie for today’s round. After so many trips to Scotland, we’re finding that playing with a local or hiring a forecaddie really helps for happier golf.

Now, a look around St. Andrews… it is like no other place because it is so massive. The road to the parking lot took us right around the giant first and 18th fairways of the Old Course. From the balcony of the restaurant and pro shop, we looked down on the New Course tee box, the Old Course second and 17th holes, and to the left, the Himalayas, a giant undulating putting green for which they charge admission. In short, there is lawn everywhere left, right, and straight ahead. It’s all golf course. On the distant fringes are the classical buildings of the town of St. Andrews, framing the whole view. It is so picturesque that one almost forgets to look the other way, out to sea! The ocean is right there.

Gavin was our young forecaddie and a delight. He kept our balls in play, found the off-course shots, and directed our putts. The Jubilee Course is lovely and with very little gorse (a super prickly plant that defines fairways all over Scotland). Memorable holes were the third with a tree off to the right of the fairway, the 12th, with the dogleg at the end of the fairway, making the approach a mandatory pitch shot, the 13th with the deep swale in front of the green, forcing a pitch shot to a tricky pin and the final hole with three shallow bunkers in front of the green. Besides the fun of just being here was the clear and sunny weather— all day. No rain!

After golf, we ate at the clubhouse (golf course food is the best) and then did a little shopping in the town of St. Andrews. On the way back to Crail, we stopped at Kingsbarns for a look around. We had two lovely rounds here on our last trip, but a visit to the shop is all we did this trip. We remembered our great shots and the great holes here, in this beautiful setting.

The bar action tonight was a slice of local color. People ordered shandies, pints of Tennants, pino, or a dram of Famous Grouse. We shared an Old Pulteney, 12-yr and listened to the audio. What were they saying? Bar time is so entertaining in Scotland!

Tomorrow, we’re considering a boat ride to the Isle of May and a visit to the fishery museum. Good night!