Kingdom of Fife Championship - Scotland 2005 - Part 1 of 7
In June, 2011, I'm going on a golf vacation to Ireland with three of my best friends, Paul (my father), Jeff Fitzgerald, and Jacob Pittman. Six years ago, we took a similar golf vacation to Scotland. At the time, I posted photos and commentary to a website that predated this blog. In preparation for our trip this year, I'm re-posting my commentary on that trip in October 2005.
On Saturday, October 8, 2005, we arrived to the Captain's Hoose in Anstruther, Scotland. It's the house with the purple door. There is a spiral staircase from the front door to the attic.
We later learned that "purple door" is a british euphemism for "strip club".
A jellyfish we saw on the beach at low tide.
A panorama of the main street of Anstruther and harbor.
Jeff tries to work the Scottish ATM machine. Hey there, six-eyes!
That afternoon, we played the 9-hole course at the nearby Anstruther Golf Club. The word "picturesque" doesn't do it justice.
The tower is a monument to the club's members that died in the line of duty in World Wars I and II. The island in the background is the Isle of May.
Have you seen that Genesis I Can't Dance video? Maybe it's closer to the Abbey Road cover...
Jeff finishes the hole.
How beautiful is that?
We learned that the term "links" when applied to a golf course refers to courses that are built in the land that "links" the land and the sea. In other words, you can't have a completely inland "links" course.
Paul hammers a power fade out into the fairway.
Paul hits a drive to the right.
Jacob hooks a drive on the "hardest par three in Scotland" and "plays it safe" into a neighboring hole's fairway. That's the par three down to the left, towards the sea, by the way.
Mr. Pittman, meet Mr. Gorse. They became good friends over the course of the week.
Alternate caption:
There's gorse on the course, of course, of course, and you're forced to hit into the gorse, of course. That is, of course, unless the gorse is the famou....oh nevermind!
That's my skin-winning drive on this seaside par three.
Jacob takes an unplayable lie.
Our practice round over, we head back to the hoose for happy hour.
Jeff takes notes and admires the trophies.
Jacob and Paul watch "footy" on the "telly".
Jeff grades Paul's itinerary as if it were a school assignment.
Jeff enjoys the Scottish sunset.
Jacob takes charge in cooking some lambchops.
The trophies find their place on the bar.
Erik serves wine from his Spanish "bota".
Jacob serves some piping hot broccoli and lambchops.
After dinner, we went out on the town.
The Committee makes an excellent point.
Erik and Jacob toast their 23-year friendship.
The Old Toms are too thirsty to pose.
Jeff thumbs through the karaoke book.
Sing us a line, Dr. Pud!
We finally pulled Jeff away from a certain career as a pop artist and went back to the hoose to prepare for the first day of the tournament.