After our whirlwind travel expedition across the Pond we arrived in Edinburgh in the twilight zone. A distinct lack of sleep, a distinct change in temperature and JP excited at seeing old relatives and being back in his homeland for the first time in 10 years. We were kindly picked up by Jamieâ??s auntie Gillian where we stayed for the evening with her and Ian in Edinburgh.
We had about thirty minutes to relax before we were off to the Royal Burgess to satisfy the challenges of our round-a-day madness for the year. So out we went reacquainted with our woolen jerseys and that elusive beast in the US called the wind.
The Royal Burgess Golfing Society is a proud club founded in 1735 and now situated in central Edinburgh (at Barnton since 1894) and steeped in tradition through its involvement with the early development of the rules of golf, it's origins at Bruntsfield and Musselburgh and itâ??s matches with sister club, Glasgow Golf Club. The walls of the clubhouse portray such history including a hand-written note by the original members of the Royal Burgess outlining the rules which they would play by â?? and from our understanding, these rules have morphed over time into those that the R&A governs the game under now.
We were hosted at the Royal Burgess by Jamieâ??s uncle David Bell, a mountain of a man who I actually met a few years back when he brought his family down under to see the sights in New Zealand.
David, Jamie and I were quickly off without a fuss and knocking it around the course. Three guys each with their bags on their shoulder and with no messing about. Golf is a three hour affair here in Scotland.
The golf course is far less manicured than itâ??s American cousins and also considerably shorter. There are par fours, like the 250 yard 18th hole, that some would describe as par 3 and a halves. But only a fool (like me) has a whirl at them all with driver or three wood as Iâ??ve quickly learnt that even the shortest holes can damage your scorecard. Â The land itself is made for golf, and the club initially in 1894 invited the famous Old Tom Morris to survey the grounds for suitability for a golf course - to which he responded that the turf was so good that they needn't even build greens. Â I get the impression that Tom Morris (both old and young) is going to be a central name featuring over the next few months here in the UK.Â
Playing golf in the physical state we were in today is never going to produce outstanding results and on a few occasions I heard JP mention those ill fated words â??jet-laggedâ??.  But all in all it was awesome. The contrast between US golf and UK golf was significant â?? even though the Royal Burgess is a parkland course. Still, it was dry and the ball was rolling all over the show. Add to this the shorter holes (in general) and it seemed like an easy course â?? but the scoring did not reflect this!! (we both didnâ??t break 80). The golf course was simple and scruffy (compared to the US beauties) but still very much a challenge.  The fundamental principle of trying to get the wee pill into the hole doesnâ??t change, just the obstacles are very different.
The three of us knocked it around, often bunting it under the wind and I started to grow accustomed to the Scottish accent. JPâ??s accent has quickly changed being back in his homeland â?? but so far so good with understanding everything.
After golf it was back to base camp where at around midnight I finally got to sleep â?? only to be woken at 7am, feeling like it was 1amâ?¦ Still in US time zone.. But weâ??re away with day one in the UK â?? and weâ??ve negotiated another difficult travel leg without missing a day.
[Note: video of our flying antics to follow]
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Chisholm Park
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