Has anyone ever taken any golf instruction at St. Andrews?  I'm going up there in two weeks and was thinking about having a one hour session. 

I should probably take a pitching/chipping lesson as well because that's probably the weakest part of my game.

Michael,

Don't know anyone who's had lessons in St Andrews itself though there are plenty of courses and ranges in the area where you can get lessons, I've heard Drumoig is good, also an absolute steal for a round there about £20.00 or so. I had a walk round the Old Course last week as I'm caddying for someone who is playing in a competition this weekend and was amazed at the bunkers they are so deep and the faces are near vertical and the pot bunkers are vicious.

If you've got time give Scotscraig in Tayport a try I played it a couple of weeks ago and was blown away by it. 

I've signed up for a one hour putting lesson, computerized gizmos and all.  After the lesson, I'll get my Scotty Cameron most likely cut down to the proper length etc right there at the course.

I'll send an update on my lesson after I return. 

The lesson will be right before I head out for my round on the New Course, so a little practice session beforehand on those immense greens with an instructor should hopefully cut at least 2-5 shots off my score.  Then again, that's if I don't spend half my time in the gorse and the pot bunkers.

Michael

I have been to and played Drumoig many many times on various golfing weekends and can recommend it highly, infact it would be criminal to go all the way up there and not play it! The scottish golf Association aswell and has an excellant practice lessons area.

If you do go up there the 9th is a gem of a hole and the scene of our longest drive comps!!

enjoy it!

It's really hard to ignore the word "criminal" and not consider playing the course.  It's 8 miles from St. Andrews so I'll look into a taxi and maybe take a trip up the road and play a round there.  Thanks for the advice.

Re Campbell's walk around the Old Course. 

I did that the night before I played and said to my little brother...."we surely must be nuts"!  Keep in mind we were both around 30 HC or higher 5 years ago and lied a lot to get a HC down to under 23 in order to play.  We were sure to get busted once they saw us play, but we actually both played the rounds of our life.  

Something about the home of golf, standing on the first tee with the R & A directly behind us, a dream to play there, and shear embarrassment must have helped us concentrate a bit more than usual. 

Michael,

I can't imagine a scarier first tee in golf as there is always a crowd of people watching those driving off let alone playing on a course of this stature. I'm in St Andrews about once a week and always enjoy a walk down to the Old Course.

Well, I actually did not take my putting lesson this week. I didn't need it for some reason. My putting on those greens was incredibly amazing and I averaged around 32 putts per 18 holes over 6 rounds on each of the courses. But so many near misses.

What I really need is a good iron lesson because I just can't hit any of my irons any longer. I carry a 3, 5, 7 AND 13 wood which I can actually hit for between 110 and 150 yards just depending on my grip and swing speed!

Took Monday off and just walked the entire Old Course with camera in hand and had a blast watching these so called under 24 handicappers butcher their scorecards!

What was most amazing, is that I lowered my handicap during these 6 rounds at the New, Jubilee, Strath and Eden courses by a full 1.4 strokes! In the rain and wind and my handicap goes down?????

Scores for the week:

Strathtyrum: 83, 86, 88 for a net 61, 64, 66! (36 holes in a row on my third day out)

Eden: 103 for a net 81 (second round that second day after the new course)

New Course: 105 net 81 but had 4 9's on my card because of bunkers on 6, 7, 8 AND 9!

Jubliee: 95 net 73. Man that course is tough in the wind!

Some impresive scores there Michael, well done. Sound slike you had a blast doing it too. I've only been to St Andrews once before, and played at St Andrews Bay in the World Record Golf Day. I have to say the whole of St Andrews is amazing, and I'd love to play there some more for the experience.