Saturday was a travel day for us, offering a welcome respite from the golf course—at least for most of the day. More on that later.
Of course, we arrived at the airport in Dublin well ahead of schedule. We had expected the process of checking golf bags and navigating security to be somewhat cumbersome, but it turned out to be anything but. We breezed through the lines, checked our clubs without issue, and found ourselves with plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making our way to the gate.
Our journey to Edinburgh would be on a smaller prop plane that we boarded on the tarmac. There were a few delays, but nothing could stop us from the Scotland portion of 🇮🇪3GIS🏴!
Ryan will be remaining in Scotland after we depart, as Melissa and her family have planned a fantastic adventure exploring much more of the country. Emily and Stacey will be joining them, and we will all be together for the first couple of days!😍
With a larger group on the horizon, the plan called for a much bigger vehicle. Ryan reserved a nine-passenger van, and fortunately he chose Alamo. The queues at several of the other rental agencies were quite long, but he walked right up to the counter. Sometimes you get lucky.
The van itself is HUGE. For the moment, it provides more than enough room for 3guys, our luggage, and our golf clubs. In a few days, however, it will be put to the test when the full crew jumps in. Until then, we’re enjoying the luxury of stretching out in what feels less like a rental vehicle and more like our own private shuttle bus.
About a month ago, Aer Lingus pushed our flight departure by about 40 minutes for a later departure. We then experienced a few delays that pushed departure even further. All of this combined resulted in our inability to make it to a planned guided tour of St Andrews. We adapted, and decided on a self-guided tour that turned out to be outstanding! Ryan was at the helm, and off we went.
Bapa took charge of finding us a place for lunch, and again his decision making was flawless. The GPS in the van was quickly named Bonnie in a unanimous agreement, and she navigated us to the lunch spot without delay. Ryan parallel parked the beast like he’d been driving it for years and we took a short stroll to the best fish-n-chips we’ve ever had!!
St Andrews is known as the true home of golf, and the headquarters of The Royal and Ancient (R&A). Of course, it is also the home of perhaps the most famous and beautiful golf course in the world, The Old Course at St Andrews. We made our way there after lunch and stopped at the clubhouse to have a look around. The rooftop garden proved to be a good find with special views of this iconic place.
A few weeks ago, I shared our itinerary with the legendary Damon Bateson. He quickly suggested that we consider playing the “Himalayas”. It is what was designed as a putting area, and became the St Andrews Ladies’ Golf Club in 1867. Nowadays, the public can access it for a small fee and try their luck on this beautiful little track next to The Old Course.
Obviously, there had to be something at stake in our competition, so we decided that a Mulligan in the Sunday round of golf would be awarded to the winner. All 18 holes of The Himalayas would be played, and no “gimmies” were allowed. The track proved to be a real test of our skills, where both the line and speed consistently mattered. In the end, Ryan bested both Bapa and I by 4 strokes. Perhaps not coincidentally, both Bapa and I carded a couple of 4s while Ryan avoided them. Good strategy Ry!
Bapa played on the edge of The Old Course with his father’s putter/chipper. It feels like maybe four generations are actually on this memorable trip together.
The golfers reading this know exactly what came next. You simply do not travel all the way to St Andrews without making the walk out to the Swilcan—also spelled Swilken—Bridge. It is one of the most iconic landmarks in all of sports and a destination that holds almost mythical status for golfers around the world.
We made our way down the fairway of the eighteenth hole, following in the footsteps of countless legends who have crossed that small stone bridge. From champions raising the Claret Jug to amateurs fulfilling lifelong dreams, the bridge has become a symbol of golf’s rich history and traditions.
Standing there ourselves was a special moment. We paused to take it all in, snapped the obligatory photographs, and reflected on how fortunate we were to be sharing the experience together. For a few minutes, the scores, the competition, and even the travel delays faded into the background. We were simply three golfers standing on sacred ground, making memories at one of the game’s most treasured landmarks.
Some places live up to the hype. The Swilcan Bridge is unquestionably one of them.
I have to point out an incredible accomplishment that allowed us to take those steps. As noted previously, the van we are in is GINORMOUS. Somehow, and I truly don’t know how, Ryan parallel parked the BEAST along the 18th fairway of The Old Course! Unbelievably AWESOME Ryan!!!
This town is historic and beautiful. We did see some other sights, including St Andrews Cathedral. It is representative of the history and scenery you’ll find here.
As a public service announcement, Charlie is doing well in the comfortable care of the lovely and talented Julie Riegle. Thank You Julie!❤️
And as I noted, the girls are on their way! 😍✈️😍
See you all on Sunday!