Golf Scotland: On the Cheap

Okay, so you don't have the time or money to spend on a legitimate round of golf.

Well, here's a cheap alternative.

If you are traveling near Stirling. The Mrs. wants to see the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle, which are both fine places, but you want to get out and enjoy the fresh air and hit a few golf balls.

Well, take a bus to the University or drive depending on what type of transport you have and check out their par-3 course. You'll only need three clubs to play. A seven iron, a pitching wedge and a putter.

It is a good place to practice your short game. I was lucky enough to play the course every day as a student. It only cost me $4 a round...and well, if you behave yourself and it is not crowded, you can go around again and no one will get upset.

Stirling University has a very good Sports Management program and the course is used by the golf team as a practice facility. You can get lessons from the pro, but you'll have to ask in advance.

The scenery is quite nice. The Wallace Monument is always in view, the loch provides a beautiful backdrop and the mountain of Dumyat gives it a special touch as well.

The Scottish Premiere League team from Falkirk practices just off the 2nd tee. There are football pitches and practices facilities for the team. The locker rooms for the team are part of the golf course pro shop.

If you want pristine greens and fairways, this is not your golf course. If you want to have a relaxing hour of golf crammed into your travels, this is the perfect spot.

You'll meet real Scots, play a few difficult pitch shots and face some mean bunkers. You won't be disappointed by the scenery either.

The staff at the pro shop are very nice and will probably chat with you for a good ten minutes before you head out the door.

I enjoyed golfing there because I saved money, worked my irons and practiced my short game.

There is one very challenging hole #7. It is a narrow fairway, into a valley with a hole on a steep hill. It's probably a 150 yard shot to the pin. With just a seven iron, it is a tough shot.

The course won't open until April and the wait can feel like forever when the sunny days of March come around.

The greens are very slow and hairy. Don't expect world class greens. However, it is good training for the public courses in Scotland.

Most greens are the same throughout Scotland.

After the round there are numerous places to get a pint on campus. The MacRoberts Center probably is the closest. You can pick up the bus there as well. So go have a pint, then get on a bus and meet back up with the Mrs.

Cheers.

Golf: A Hidden Gem of a Course

The Falkirk Golf Club is one course for the tourist who does not want to pay a fortune to get a good round of golf but wants to play on a good quality course.
It is conveniently located between Glasgow and Edinburgh. You can take the train and get off close to the course. It makes it easy for those who send their wives shopping and the boys want to go out for a day's round.

I have never golfed the course, but have passed by it frequently. In seeing the course, I inquired about it and the locals gave it good reviews.

The layout reminds me of many US courses but what sets it apart is the rough. You won't be able to slice the ball in many places without losing your ball for good.

The first thing you should learn about Scottish golf is the rough is tougher than anything you've ever experienced. Once a ball goes into the barbed wire like shrubbery, it's as good as gone. Or if it is high grass, good luck with your feet because you will never see it. You'll have to feel it with your foot.

But that's what makes the Scottish game so tough.

The greens are not spectacularly trimmed like many posh US courses. It can either benefit you or not, depending on your putting stroke.

And the sandtraps and bunkers are a bear. They are legendarily difficult at any Scottish course.

I give you Falkirk as a good place for a decent round. Click on any of the pictures and you can go to the course website.

A round is $60. Best of luck.

Golf: Scotland's Game

Scotland and golf is like saying America and baseball. Many Americans go to Scotland to golf as if they are on a religious pilgrimage. The scenery at most Scottish golf courses beats what you see in the United States. Like many things in the United States, we make things a bit more sterile, commercial and of course, we must drive instead of walk.

Before you go to Scotland to golf the first thing you need to do is get in shape. You will have to get rid of the motorized cart and walk. It's a sacrifice but golf was made for walking and is part of the game. You're going into the heart and soul of golf and not a trip to Walmart.

Another thing you might need to do is get a letter from your local course. Some of the better courses in Scotland want to make sure you are not a hacker. They want to know your handicap before you play.

I will give tips on if you want a serious golf trip or just want to say you played a round in Scotland.

Today, we will start with a difficult course and one worthy of good golfers. Carnoustie Golf Course.









With the ocean in view on every hole it is a stunner. It is also very easy to get to. Take a train from Glagow and there is a train stop near the course. You probably don't even need a cab, depending on if you have brought your own clubs. As a tourist, I don't think you need clubs as you can rent them.


There are three different courses at Carnoustie and depending on your ability and your check book, you may find one better than the other. You must contact the course before you get there. You won't be able to just walk on. A simple email can solve those problems from arrising. Also, the three courses have three various rates.

The Championship Course will cost you $250 for a round.


The Burnside Course will cost you $68 for a round.


And the Buddon Links Course will cost you $60 a round.







Club rental is $60.



Shoe rental is $20.





A caddie will cost you $80
















President George H. W. Bush at Carnoustie with Caddie Master Martin Roy.





As you can tell a golf trip to Scotland can be very expensive. If you are planning on going to many courses, bring your clubs as your expenses for rentals will climb.





Don't get depressed. If you just want the experience of hitting a golf ball in Scotland, I'll give you some cheaper alternatives. One of my best experiences in Scotland was the first time I hit a golf ball and realized I had finally made it to the golf mecca. And the day I went to St. Andrews, I didn't even golf and I was moved to tears.





If you love golf, you will fall in love with Scotland. You may play on better courses but you will never experience the game the way it was meant to be, in any other place.

Shinty: A Unique Scottish Sport

Shinty is a game similar to hockey and lacrosse. However, it is different from hockey and lacrosse in that the feet can be used to stop the ball but not the hands (unless you are the goal-keeper). You can carry the ball on your caman (stick) which can be swung above sholder height. It is a fast moving game where being physically fit counts.

The game is played with 2 teams of 12 players. Each player has a curved stick called a Caman (pronounced ca-man). Each game lasts 90 minutes. it is a community gamed played in some of the most remote parts of ScotlandStudents at Stirling University played the sport on a regular basis. They would carry their caman's with them throughout the day and then play in leagues at night.

The one thing noticeable between field hockey and shinty is the rough nature of the sport. You can use the stick above your head. Some players were able to toss the ball upward, using their stick, and then whack it like a baseball to forward the ball.

Very impressive when seen in person.

Here's some video with Gaelic commentators...

Cricket - An Aquired Taste

Let's be frank, at first glance cricket is about as exciting as watching paint dry. It also seems to be a sport without any rules or too many rules or just bizarre rules.








After awhile, once you start to understand the sport, you gain an appreciation for it.





In the United States, it is very difficult to see a cricket match. In Scotland, the highlights are on television. Instead of quick snippets of action, you can see long segments of matches. Considering that some of these matches can last hours or days, a long television segment may be required to fully describe the action. It is in watching the highlights at night where I learned the game. I'm still a novice but I can describe to you what I believe.









To start with, imagine baseball where instead of three outs and you change sides, you let one team play all of their outs (27), all their innings (9) at once. So let's say they have all their at bats and score 11 runs. I only use the MLB numbers for a comparision...but in cricket a player is allowed only one out, and basically they play only one inning. However, matches last for hours depending on the skills of both bowler and batter.







Now imagine if our Yankees had all their at bats, then the Red Sox come up and bat and they have to either tie the 11 runs or best the 11 runs with 12.

That's cricket in a nutshell.


The biggest difference is the scores. A cricket player can score points for ground balls, foul balls, home runs, and singles. In the end a good day for a cricket player is 100 points. It is called the century mark.




The field is a circle, so a "baseball foul ball" could be a home run.

Here is the field and how the field is covered by the pitching team. A short stop would be the "Stiff Cover" position.

The "Bowler" is the pitcher. He throws the ball overhanded and is allowed to run up to the line. To see how it is done check the scottish highlights:








This is where most of the action takes place.
The objective of the bowler is to hit the wicket. The objective of the batter is to protect the wicket and hit the ball to score points.


Two batsman run back in forth from the Popper's End to the Knacker's End and vice-versa to score points. Each time they cross the line they get a point.

For more rules go to .



Scotland does not have the best cricket team, but England, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan are the best in the business. Australia has been very good lately and their bowlers are first rate.

I gained appreciate for the sport when I realized how the batters must hit every pitch. If they let it get by them, it hits a wicket and they are out and done for the match. So, imagine Randy Johnson running at you, throwing a ball in the dirt and you have to hit it? That's cricket.

Before you toss it off as being a weird sport with no athletic prowess, think again.

Here's a few videos of what I mean:

Rugby Rules in Scotland

Every year Scotland participates in the Six Nations Rugby Tournament. It is the sporting event that takes the headlines. The fans react to it similar to how we react to March Madness. Scotland is struggling lately to do well in the tournament and unfortunately England has a very good team, which can get upsetting.

The six teams are: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

If you have never seen a rugby match then you may not appreciate the athleticism and brute force of the matches. The game is very similar to American football however, no one wears pads and even the big defensive guys have to run up and down the field all the time. There are no substitutions every play. These guys are fit and the game is brutal. Blood and broken bones are common each game.

Scotland was destroyed on Sunday by France in a 27-6 match played in Edinburgh at Murrayfield.

France has a very good team. It would not be surprising to see England play France in the finals.

Below are some rugby highlights from previous seasons. Check it out and experience the frenzied nature of rugby.