Thursday 13 August: Kingsbarns in Fife

What a day! An ace on the treacherous 15^th at Kingsbarns is the stuff of fantasy! I’m glad my little brother was by my side.

Jeff came by his hole-in-one several years ago at James Baird Golf Course in the beautiful hills of the Hudson Valley in upstate New York. Sadly, I wasn’t there with him that day but I’ve played that course many times through the years. His ace came on the downhill 3^rd hole and I have to admit it is a much more difficult shot than the one I faced at Kingsbarns 15^th hole. Always leading the way, Jeff.

Holes-in one are rare events and must be rewarded with excessive celebration. In 30 years of playing golf I’ve come close many times but never achieved that one shot of perfection.

Custom dictates that the ace maker stands a round of drinks for everyone in the clubhouse. Actually, this custom is, in a small but innocuous way, an outward expression of envy and a not too subtle message that you shouldn’t let your luck go to your head. But I was happy to share my good fortune with all and sundry.

The fact that the Kingsbarns clubhouse was jammed with visiting players didn’t bother me at all. It was going to be a hell of a bar bill!

We like to think of golf as a community of like minded gents and gals who share in some mysterious attraction and attachment to our ancient game. Actually, that’s a myth that doesn’t always bear up under close scrutiny. Yet all could agree that an ace on the 15^th at Kingsbarns was an accomplishment for which many gents would gladly make a testicular contribution to achieve.

This day, which I assume was typical, the majority of the players hailed from the U.S. But there was also a decent sprinkling of hackers from various places. The bon homie of free drinks made us all fast friends.

There was a group from Denmark, all slim and svelte; here was a foursome from Canada, real gents, drinking Guinness. A Japanese foursome was effusive in praise and offered to by me a drink.

But the bulk of the clubhouse crowd were Americans and their number kept swelling as the afternoon wore on. A large coach stood in the car park and we found that this had brought a group of U.S. hackers here as they checked off premier links from their golf bucket lists.

A neighboring table held two foursomes most of whom were decked out in newly acquired merchandise from recently visited clubs. A bunch of these gents sported caps, shirts and sweaters bearing script and logo’s of Trump International Golf Links.

Now, custom in these hole-in-one drink rests would have the lucky recipients of free libation order modestly priced items. You enjoy the generosity of the lucky guy but you don’t take advantage.

These Trump fans weren’t into decorum or usual norms. They ordered up Glenfidich 21 year old single malt, a premium priced whisky, that I doubt any of these gents had ever paid for in the past. The barman knew that this was a breach of etiquette and he informed me of the request before he poured that liquid gold.

“Give then what they want” I said.

I’ve grown used to Trumper’s breaking norm’s in their reckless debasement of our society so I was not entirely surprised. A boor is a boor. My own satisfaction lay in the firm belief that these vermin would soon be rebuked- I can’t wait for November 3^rd. To hell with these reprobates.

Jeff and I were celebrating with a few drams of Macallan 25 year old. We were breaking the bank.

I don’t remember too much after that. Jeff got us home, a short drive, or did we Uber?

I needed a nap, overcome with joy, as it were.

Jeff headed out to some favorite haunts in search of new friends in old St. Andrews.