THE COURSES

Records & Holes in One: 2002

The Strathtyrum proved to be a lucky course for two members of the New Club in November, with David Louden scoring an ace on the 13th hole and Norman Walker Dobson doing the same on the 6th. Also a member of the St Andrews GC, 81-year-old Norman has had plenty of practice, as he's been playing the Links for 75 years.

A local golfer and frequent player on the Links, Archie Herriot had an ace on the 5th of the Jubilee using a nine iron, while enjoying a round with Tom Dowie.

Bernard Li, a resident of Edinburgh and another member of the St Andrews GC, had his moment of glory on the 8th of the Old Course, also using a nine iron.

In October Gerry Austy shot a hole-in-one on the 9th of the New Course using a Ben Hogan hire club - an interesting coincidence as he used to be president of the Ben Hogan company. On the Strathtyrum Course, John Watson of the New Golf Club achieved a hole-in-one on the 6th using an 8-iron. And finally, Fergus Muir, also from the New Club, had a hole-in-one on the 5th of the Eden Course, using a putter earlier this year.

The Jubilee Course was the site of some celebrating in September with three reported holes in one. New Club member, John McCubbin, was first to score his ace, with a 5 wood on the 211 yard 17th. Then Douglas E Clausen experienced what must have been one of the highlights of his trip from America, hitting a perfect shot with a 4 iron on the 9th. Two days later and the lucky streak continued, with Dr Salim Patel from Livingston sinking his shot with a 6 iron on the par 3, 5th.

Twelve-year-old, Nicky Wilson, from Newton Mearns will also have a story to tell from his summer holiday in St Andrews. His parents were on the tee with him to see his impressive 5 iron shot sink into the 9th hole of the Balgove. Another youngster 13-year-old Frank Joullie from France managed an eagle on the 498 yard 6th of the Jubilee, echoing an earlier achievement of his brother Vincent who had a hole-in-one on the 13th hole of the same course.

They say 13 is an unlucky number - but that certainly wasn't the case for two golfers on the Links in July. Peter Carroll from London used a 3 wood on the 13th of the Jubilee to score his hole in one, whilst it was on the 13th of the New Course that David Brown, an on course players' assistant with the Links Trust, achieved his ace.

The 172 yard 11th hole on the Old Course also proved to be a lucky one for two overseas visitors. Clinching their holes in one on consecutive days, Ryan M Kahro from Canada used a 6 iron for his winning shot and Peter J Jose from Massachusetts, USA saw his ball sink into the hole with the help of a 4 iron. A round on the nine hole Balgove ended on a high for eight-year-old Mark Jamieson from Airdrie when he dropped the ball in the hole with his driver!

There were four holes in one to report during June 2002. Congratulations to Brian D Martzolf from Tallahassee, who used a six iron on the 11th of the Old to acheive his ace. The 5th on the Eden was the scene of a successful shot for Norwegian, Trond Kiplesund, visiting from Oslo with his wife Heidi. Also on the Eden, Tarek Aziz from St Andrews ejoyed a lucky shot at the 10th using a three wood. Ridge Sutter from California aced the 11th on the Old Course in June using a seven iron.

Another unusual achievement was that of Paul Briggs of the St Andrews Golf Club, who managed an impressive eagle at the par four 464 yard 10th on the New Course.

On the 8th hole on the Old Course in May, Dr Michael Richman from the USA scored a hole in one using an 8 iron. Local golfer Marian Bruce achieved a hole in one on the 10th hole of the Eden Course using a driver. On the same course, Peter Wilhelmsson from Sweden watched in delight his ball dropped into the 5th hole. He used an 8th iron. Using a 6th iron, Lindsay Duguid from Edinburgh struck lucky on the 16th hole of the Strathtyrum Course.

On the 11th hole on the Old Course in April , Robert Dagg Hislop from The Oaks Golf Club in Yorkshire watched in delight as the ball dropped into the hole. Jim Kennedy scored a hole in one on the 17th hole of the New Course using a driver. On the Eden Course, Jon Allison from Ipswich achieved a hole in one on the 15th hole using a 4 iron. Conar Dow from Newburgh struck lucky on the 3rd hole on the Balgove.

In February on the 10th hole on the Eden Course, Keith Barber from
St Andrews Golf Club used a 3 wood and watched in delight as the ball dropped into the hole. The achievement of another golfer also deservs a mention. On the 16th hole of the Jubilee Course James Brooks from the New Golf Club achieved an eagle using a 5 wood and a driver.