Two years ago, when we began planning this trip, I was of course
excited to be getting a chance to play the Old Course.  In fact, our
trip had to center around the Old, as it is the hardest to get on.  We
sent in our application more than a year and a half in advance.  Then,
when we got our date, we planned the rest of the trip.

Meanwhile, I was envisioning myself playing the Old Course, which of
course I had read about and seen The Open held at for many years.  I
was especially keen to hit a good tee shot on the Road Hole, as
the best line to take is very close to The Old Course Hotel.  Now, I
like to hit balls, I like to go to the driving range.  I go almost
every day at lunch.  Over the two years I have hit probably well over
1000 balls over the sign at the Road Hole, envisioning and practicing
for the day I would do it in real life.  I also was worried about my
first tee shot - writers play up the fact that many people may be
watching, the emotions are high, and I, well, get sort of emotional (I
have the mind of a child, you know).  I practiced my 4-wood for the
1st hole, which of course is not a hard shot - combined with the 18th
fairway you have probably the widest fairway in the world.  But when
the time came, I was shaking over this easy tee shot.  Of course, not
only was this the Old Course, but this was the third in the Plow/Thor
v Sneddon/Koenig matches - a 4-pint match!

Our new friends from USG came down to watch us tee off.  How fantastic
of them!  They were off to play Ladybank this day, but took the time
to come see us start out.  

I pulled it off!  Pured a 4-wood right down the middle.  Then
nearly collapsed like Annika at the Colonial.  But we were off, we
were playing The Old Course, and we were playing an important match.
Sneds started off stiffing his approach on #1 and I missed my birdie
so they went 1 up.  Mike responded by chipping in on #2.  But over the
first 10 holes Mark and David had 6 birdies between them and we were
in deep trouble.  Unfortunately we never got out of it, and they won
the match easily, despite our playing well.  So we came to the Road
Hole, the match over, and I was nervous again.  I took my driver,
aimed at the 'O', and ripped a perfect drive which ended up in the
dead geometric center of the fairway.  All of us hit fair drives, and
as we rounded the shed we heard applause from above.  A group,
including some with long blonde hair, was cheering our shots!

We stood on the Swilcan Bridge to take a picture.  The rest headed
forward but I hung back to take it all in.  I looked around at the
scene, the 18th, the 1st, the R&A, the clubhouses... I wanted to
remember this moment.

I dunno, it seems to be fashionable to bash the Old Course these
days.  Too Easy.  Bunkers too penal.  Too Short.  Uninspiring.  Well,
I have a confession to make.... I love the Old Course!!  Uninspiring??
I certainly don't see that.  I think She is subtle, She is clever, She
is memorable, She is a great golf course!   I think I would learn more
about her each time I played.  Sure, it is easy to not score poorly,
but is it easy to score very well?  I don't see that.  I had a great
time playing her, and wanted to do it again!

So I did!  After lunch, Mark Georg and I went to the starter to see on
the remote chance if there would be an opening at all for two that
day.  There was - at 16:20 (4:20 PM), and we could bring two more,
there had been a cancellation.  So Mark, myself, Neal, and Mike P went
around again.  It was great... and I am really really looking forward
to seeing The Open held there in 2005.  This was my 16th round of golf
in 9 days.  My legs finally began to feel it - I was a bit tired the
last 5 or 6 holes.  So, be fashionable if you like and criticize her,
but remember if you are doing so that Bobby Jones played her 13 times
before he finally understood her, and he had as great a golfing mind as
ever lived.  I think you will miss out if you skip The Old Course.

There is a road that cuts across the 1st and 18th fairways, people
cross, cars cross, sometimes they pay attention to the golf.  On our
second time playing, I hit my 4-wood (hit it well, just like the first
time).  I look up, and what do I see, but a bright red truck zooming
across the road, my ball flying right over it.  You can see my very
amusing reaction here (2.90MB):
  http://rsgohio.com/scotland/ThorTruck.MPG

One other note on the Old... on my second tee shot at the Road Hole, I
again hit a super drive and was probably about three feet left of my
divot from the morning.  

Oh, yes, I mentioned the shared 1st and 18th fairways being possibly 
the widest fairway in the world.  Mike P, a very good player, hooked
his ball left in the morning round.  So far left it was left of the
1st fairway and out of bounds.  In the afternoon, he adjusted... and
hit his tee shot OOB right!

Quite tired, I headed early to bed to try to prepare for Carnoustie,
the hardest course on the planet.  I packed some extra balls in my bag
and drifted off.