Monday
3rd June: Ladybank GC
Ladybank
is proof, if ever proof was required, that golf in Fife is so much more
than just St Andrews Links. Even as the rain started to fall on the A92
driving towards the course there was an expectation of arriving in the
long narrow driveway and being welcomed by the gorse in bloom and those
perfectly manicured greens.
And those golfers who made there way to the first day of the inaugural
Fife Golf Classic were not to be disappointed. The rain may have been
drizzling down but it really couldn't dampen in any way the experience
that is Ladybank. The natural thought processes when imagining Scottish
golf is to think links - and indeed that's what the subsequent days will
be all about but there are some magical inland courses to be encountered
and in my humble opinion Ladybank is in the must play category alongside
(and above the Gleneagles and Blairgowrie's of this world and on the more
affordable side of the equation.
The
course at Par 71 is an undoubted challenge - as many unsuccessful pros
would tell you immediately after the Open Qualifying for a St Andrews
Open - and blends tight drives on tree lined fairways with well placed
bunkers and a pleasant sprinkling of gorse throughout the course. The
course is not only delightful to play it is quite inspiring to look at.
But
anyway….
This was about the first Fife Golf Classic, one of a series of six being
played in Scotland this year all with the same format. 72 holes of stableford
play over four different courses between Monday and Thursday. Open to
club golfers of all abilities and both sexes they've been touted as 60%
social and 40% competitive golf. The Fife event is new for 2002 and the
numbers entering were not only affected by the World Cup but by some Jubilee
Bank Holiday that appeared somewhere between planning the event and playing
it.
The traditional welcome reception was hosted on the Sunday evening in
the St Andrews Links Clubhouse and if there is a better place to focus
the min then we really should be told. A wee Drambuie to warm the soul
and perhaps just a few thoughts of the perfect tee shot over the "O"
of the Old Course Hotel onto the treacherous fairway of the Road Hole.
If only….
However
those who braved missing the Buckingham Palace pop concert were being
promised a golden celebration of their own and majestic Ladybank kicked
it all off with six holes of pretty awful rain (no wind mind you) and
the rest in glorious early summer sunshine. Waterproofs and Wilson sponsored
brollies to start with and shirt sleeves for putting out at the eighteenth.
As a result the later starters benefitted with the four scores in the
thirties all coming in from the last three games. The top three positions
were all held by the boys from Airdrie Golf Club with Bill Ferguson leading
the way with 33 points, second place with 32 points Glen Cook and only
one point behind were David Foster and George Gibb.
As
if the Lanarkshire Mafia weren't tying up the leaderboard enough Ian Wales
from Dullatur who was first through the eighth in the morning placed his
tee shot nearest the pin at the Par Three. George Gibb launched an enormous
drive down the right hand side of the fairway in the last game of the
day to tie up the Longest Drive.
The Pairs event which is a cumulative stableford over the four days and
run alongside the main singles event is being lead by Gibb & Ferguson
with a total of 62 points but with three or four Pairs within easy striking
distance.
As
usual the focus was not so much on the scoring but the course and the
way it was set up and the sheer enjoyment of being here. As you come to
expect from layouts like Ladybank, "the greens were superb",
"fairways were like carpets" and the bunkers "too damned
difficult". Lost balls and dropped putts were in vogue; dropped points
were balanced up by the pints lifted in the clubhouse but that's what
it's all about after all. Great golf in new company.
North to Scotscraig on Tuesday and more of the same….
Tuesday
4th June: Scotscraig
Sunshine
on the Tay. It's strange how often the weather forecast dominates the
discussion on the first tee at the Scottish Golf Classics - surprise being
the main reaction today as the play got under way in warm Tayport sunshine.
As is the way with the Classics, a new day meant new playing partners
and another new golfing experience for the majority.
Like
Ladybank, Scotscraig is on the list of Final qualifying Courses for the
Open championships and is well placed not only for those in Fife but also
for anyone staying over the nearby Tay Bridge. There can be worse things
to do if playing Carnoustie than to pop over to Fife to play this excellent
links course established in 1817.
The club is the thirteenth oldest golf club in the world, having began
its existence in 1817 after a meeting called by its soon to be first captain,
William Dalgleish. It is said that golf was played over six holes on the
present land long before this, being extended to first nine and then 18
holes. Although close to the sea, there is something of a heathland nature
to the course with many more trees in evidence than most links. Combined
with the whin bushes and the rolling nature of the fairways, the course
is both demanding and interesting.
At
6550 yards off the white tees (and 6310 of the Visitors pegs) it offers
a challenge and with a slight breeze coming of the Tay scores were again
on the whole kept on the respectable side of 36!
The course like Ladybank before it attracted positive comment from all
and once again it exemplifies what the Classics are all about - great
value quality golf.
The
overnight leader was Bill Ferguson who followed his first day 33 points
with a second day 35 keeping him joint first overall. His pair's partner,
George Gibb however, scored an excellent 37 points beating Roy Burnett
from Deeside Golf Club on the better inward half. Ferguson and Gibbs 68
point total is being closely tailed by Gary Smith from Telford whose gross
76 gave him a 36-point tally for day two. Roy Burnett is one further back
on 64 points; Glen Cook 63 and David Foster from Kilmacolm has 62 points.
Bill Lucas (Manchester), Steve Coffey (Fulford Heath) and Andy heron (Airdrie)
make up the remainder of the 60+ points group.
The
team event is being dominated by the two singles leaders Gibb and Ferguson
who have a commanding 13 point lead over their fellow Airdrieonians Cook
and Heron. Burnett and Milne are a further point behind.
There were some notable improvements on day one - Malcolm Green having
almost doubled his day one total with an excellent 33; Steve Coffey similarly
produced a ten-point improvement with his second round 35.
Once again, thanks in part to the weather but on the whole because of
the course, Day Two has to go down as a memorable one for those involved.
Onto Day Three and south down the coast back through St Andrews to an
even older golf club - Crail and the wonderful old Balcomie Links.
Wednesday
5th June: Crail Balcomie
Well
a wee bit of rain never harmed anyone. Well okay it didn't do the overnight
leader too much good Bill Ferguson slipped back a bit with some problems
on the back nine but all in all in spite of the "testing" conditions
it was pretty much smiles all round and compliments on the course. At
a par of 67 off the Yellow Tees Balcomie is a lot shorter than the other
three courses this week but quantity doesn't impact on quality and Crail
Golfing Society's Balcomie Links is a perfect example. Even in the wind
and rain coming off the sea the course rose above it highlighting why
so many visitors make the pilgrimage to Crail every year.
The
course is located about ten miles south of St Andrews a couple of miles
from Kingsbarns and is naturally proud of being the third oldest club
in the world. The Balcomie is partnered by the longer Craighead Links
course. The course starts off high dropping down to sea level and back
up again finishing with a par three underneath the clubhouse windows.
It is a magnificently natural links challenge and the white horses crashing
on the rocks only leant further gravitas to the location.
As
attractive as it is, Balcomie is still no pushover and while a number
of 30 plus points were recorded the top points tally was still "over
par". The daily winner was once again from Airdrie - George Gibb
beat the younger Mr Foster, David, on a countback over the last three
holes having been tied on 34 points. This lifted George to the top of
the overall leaderboard with 102 points over the three days and put him
into the final three ball on Thursday alongside Gary Smith and Roy Burnett.
Gibb and Hamilton have combined extremely well throughout the week and
with a twelve point lead they do look as though they're going to win the
pairs event with something to spare. Still tight in second with previous
classic players Burnett and Milne and Smith and Turner battling it out
for the runners up, but who knows what a great score could do….
There are half a dozen players within striking distance and for the first
time in the Classics the leaders will be going out last perhaps adding
to the pressure. The challenge of St Andrews Bay is lurking and the final
18 holes to sort out the leaders and determine whose name is going to
be first on the beautiful Edinburgh Crystal trophy. No rain forecast!
Thursday
6th June: St. Andrews Bay
Sunshine
on St Andrews - that famous Proclaimers song, paraphrased. All the east
coast clouds were dispelled overnight and shirtsleeve golf was the order
of the day along with some Factor 30 and the golf course looked magnificent.
Situated a few miles south of the auld grey toon, St Andrews Bay has some
superb views looking down towards the town and its many landmarks. The
course is perched, precariously in places, on the cliffs and on a rougher
day than today it can be daunting. Even to the point of adding a new out
of bounds behind the fourteenth to prevent the Saturday fourball being
reduced instantly to a three.
The decision was made to play off the White Tees, which was around 400
yards shorter than the blue but still measured in at 6677 yards. The par
of 72 (SSS 73) sets the picture for the day and lays out the challenge.
For
the first time in any of the Classic events the players went out in true
competitive style with the leaders out last. It was quite clear from the
last two or three games out that it meant something and the pressure was
on. The Classics pride itself in being social golf events - "60%
socialising and 40% competitive golf" the advertising said. Well
the last five out were the 40%!
George Gibb was last off the tee with a four point lead but having not
gone to bed until half way through the night - nerves may have been one
of the reasons; we suspect it was actually the beer - no-one was counting
their chickens.
As
it turned out Bill Ferguson who lead for the first two days compiled an
unbeatable lead over the front nine with a gross three under par and a
points tally of 25! His back nine dropped to a more human 14 but the overall
total of 39 point gave him a two-stroke victory over Gary Smith from Telford.
Gary put together three excellent rounds of 33,36 and 34 points but his
first day 29 at Ladybank was the difference between first and second.
Overnight leader George Gibb came in with a disappointing 29 points finishing
four off the pace set by his pairs partner and individual winner. The
combined results of the Lanarkshire pairing allowed them to win the Pairs
by a street and give them enough prizes to fund Airdrie Football Clubs
re-emergence into full time football again!
Roy
Burnett put together a brave 31 points on the final day sealing his fourth
place finish. David Foster from Kilmacolm and Bill Lucas from Manchester
tied on fifth with 121 points.
The best round of the day and indeed week was Bill Ferguson's 39 points
which will probably see him cut by his home club, Gary Smith's 35 was
good enough for second and Roger Tuohy and Mike Cleaver tied for third
on the day with excellent 34's.The course? Well voted a winner by all.
The new clubhouse is close to completion the Devlin course is on target
for its opening date and the hotel offers a magnificence matched by very
few venues. This is truly a golf resort for Scotland to be proud of and
an asset not only to Fife but the wider business and leisure communities.
It was fitting that the prize giving dinner was hosted in the magnificent
hotel and thanks go to not only the hotel but also the four courses, their
staff and members for their support and assistance. Without them the efforts
of Scottish Enterprise Fife and VisitScotland would be worthless. Their
support has been superb and the future of the Fife Golf Classic in the
first week of June (Jubilee Celebrations excepted) we feel is assured.