Final thoughts (for now) on travels in Scotland and St. Andrews golf

All good things must come to an end.

Which is why I will be golfing again tomorrow. Man I suck these days. What ever happened to the baby fade I had in high school?

But sadly I am home from Scotland. What an experience. Scots told me “sorry about the weather” while I was there, but its funny how you can zone out the wind and the rain when you’re on a historic course in the home of golf. You find a “happy place", really. So it rained in Dornoch and Carnoustie and was windy as heck at the Duke’s and the New Course in St. Andrews. You deal with it, and memories have a funny way of blocking that part out. I’ll remember the sunny, calm days at the Old Course and Turnberry for life.

Some notes….

‘Pounding’ The US Dollar: The 2008 elections are around the corner and the direction of the United States seems to be hanging in the balance. In 2004, polls revealed Americans saw the #1 issue to vote on was “morality.”

If morality was the issue then, I say the biggest issue in 2008 is “exchange rates". The dollar is seriously getting its butt kicked in the UK and Europe. I definitely passed on the four-star sirloin dinner for onion rings and a soda on several ocsassions.

I’ll let other bloggers spit their political agenda-driven venom. I’ll simply say the candidates who promise a better foreign exchange rate will win my vote in 2008. Why is this topic never even brought up in townhall meetings? YOU ALL TRAVEL PEOPLE, SPEAK UP!!!

St. Andrews was nothing/everything I expected: I’m used to going to “golf destinations.” St. Andrews is nothing like any of them, and is consequently the best. There’s no corporate “upsell” mentality, everyone from starters to waiters are genuinely nice. It’s quite “chill” if I may say. I was expecting the attitude you’d expect when you own the most famous golf course in the world. What I got was the ego-less, friendly and professional atmosphere you might expect hanging in a hash bar in Amsterdam.

I should also point out that unlike many tourist destinations, I didn’t feel like a walking ATM to most locals in Scotland. That’s the case when you’re a tourist in Western Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, heck even New York City. In Scotland, you can ask directions or use the bathroom without buying something or feeling guilty. There’s something genuine about the people that was incredibly refreshing.

Links golf makes you better: Not only do you gain a historical perspective playing these classic links courses, they also make you think a little more out there. You look at holes differently, use different shots without going to your automatic one. Of course, playing on a windy day requires utmost concentration and patience. I think when I return to the States I’ll look at the game differently, maybe score better too.

I will be back: I didn’t break too many road violations over there so I’m hoping I’m welcome back. If so, pencil me in.

Of course, stay tuned to GolfEurope.com for all my reviews and photo galleries.

As for me, I’ve got a date with Lisbon, Portugal tomorrow.

The Ailsa course at Turnberry, host of the 2009 Open Championship.