On the 18th tee @ St. Andrews, July 26th, 1979. L-R, Alan Sym, one handicapper and many time Club Champion @ Royal Troon GC, myself, Norman Cole from the Olympic Club and hall of fame broadcaster Lon Simmons. I shot 37 going out but bogeyed the 17th road hole & 3 putted the 18th hole from the valley of sin to shoot 80. A few days later we were all complaining about having to go home and Lon says, “you think you have it bad, I have to go back and do the 49er games”. This was just prior to their superbowl runs. What a thrill it was to play St. Andrews for the first time, yes you are nervous on the first tee and people gather at the 18th hole and applaud your good shots. It’s a special place, if you love golf you’ve got to play it at least once. I played the old course again two times in 1988 but the first time I played it was the special one. (Alan 36+34=70, Mike 37+43=80, Norman 40+43=83, Lon 46+40=86)
Remembrances of Saint Andrews; staying at the Old Course Hotel, going to the Jigger Inn mixing with players, caddies and locals, the town itself, buying sweaters at the Woolen Mill, having dinner at the Grange Inn and having a strongest I’ve been there before moment in my life (my mothers maiden name was Morris) , having drinks at the Rusacks Hotel, getting to visit the St. Andrews Clubhouse not open to the public and see the original championship belts etc., visiting the graves of Tom Morris Sr. and Jr., shopping at Old Tom Morris’ golf shop, trying to find a rare bottle of bourbon in the town, at the liquor store the guys says try on third shelf way in the back where I pulled out a pint bottle completely covered in dust of Old Crow bourbon.
