Travel to the world’s most famous golf venues is one of the huge rewards of my career, and in this blog I’ll share some of my experiences on the road – accommodations, dining, interesting people – hopefully to help you make your own travel adventures more enjoyable. Please feel free to respond with your comments or tips; I’d love to hear from you.

2009 Panoramic Images of Golf Calendar
For my inaugural entry I selected historic St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and my trip to photograph the town’s newest course, the Castle Course, designed by architect David McLay Kidd, the Scotsman who authored the wonderful layout of Bandon Dunes in the U.S.
A bit of St Andrews history to start: Known as the “home” of golf, St Andrews (population 16,600) holds the distinction of being the birthplace of the game in the 15th century. It’s also the site of the world’s oldest operating course, the historic and traditional Old Course, as well as six other public courses: the Balgrove, the Eden, the Jubilee, the Strathtyrum, the New, and the Castle Course, which opened in June 2008. (Ironically, the New Course was actually constructed in 1895… proving that, in time, all names are relative.) All of these courses are operated and owned by the St Andrews Links Trust, a local charitable organization.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
One of the town’s most prestigious golf clubs, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is probably the world’s best-known symbol of golf’s traditions and history, being the venue of many televised Open tournaments, as well as one of two rule-making authorities of the game.
Getting There
My trip took me from home in Omaha through Chicago, Heathrow, and finally to Edinburgh. From there I drove to St Andrews – and enjoyed a scenic one-hour tour of the Scottish countryside, replete with vistas of cultivated fields and pastures, serenely reminiscent of Kentucky horse country.

Forth Rail Bridge
The photo is of the Forth Rail Bridge, which you see as you cross the A90 bridge across the Firth of Forth. This steel monster is one of the strongest (and most expensive) bridges in the world, created in response to a Firth of Tay railway bridge collapse that killed 75 people. A phenomenon of Victorian engineering, it was considered the eighth wonder of world when it was built in 1890, earning the nickname, “the Eiffel Tower of Scotland.”
Driving Tips
I drove a rented Mercedes with an automatic transmission; experience has taught me that steering a car from the opposite side of American cars takes a little getting used to, and shifting gears left-handed only complicates the adjustment, especially when you want to do a little sight-seeing as you drive. You, too, may find the slight rental fee increase worth it, and I think the best rates are found online. But beware your speed; automatic “speed cameras” are posted at intervals along the M90 divided highway, so the occasional bright flash isn’t a religious experience – in 2-3 weeks your rental agency forwards a citation, along with additional charges to your bankcard.
Approaching St Andrews you pass the Old Course, widely considered one of the finest courses in the world. Suddenly the centuries-old atmosphere of golf history begins to percolate through you, and I don’t care how unsentimental you think you are… it’s enough to raise goosebumps.

St Andrews Castle No.3
The 6800-yard Castle Course is perched on cliffs a mile east of St Andrews, and the visual impact is stunning. Every hole provides views of the North Sea, and the coastline serves up a sinuous golden thread of sandy beach, interrupted at intervals by inlets and coves. To the north you see the city of Dundee and the mountains of Angus. A glance back at St Andrews offers a wonderful view of the town, including the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral and the extinct volcano, Lucklaw Hill. My image of hole #3, nicknamed Cathedral, shows the cathedral’s twin spires and St Rule’s Tower just over the mound in the center of the fairway. Almost takes your breath away (with cliché apologies.) For a complete hole-by-hole course description with green fees and tee times visit the St Andrews Links Web site.
Accommodations
Since my first visit to St Andrews in 1997 I’ve made it a point to always book Bed & Breakfast accommodations. The reason is simple: I think it’s easier to get good information about where to eat and which pubs offer the best “Yank-friendly” local color. And a major B&B plus is the complete Scottish breakfast, usually consisting of fresh fruit, cereal, a choice of juices, a bottomless cup of coffee served with clotted cream (like putting a slice of butter in your cup), eggs, sausage, toast, grilled tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, black pudding, and what I consider to be the world’s tastiest bacon, similar to what we call Canadian Bacon. I don’t have many vices, but I’m a sucker for a good meal to start the day.
I knew I would be up before dawn and out until sunset shooting, so on this trip I picked a place which put me close to the course. It’s called Cambo Estate, and it’s located near the village of Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland. My background as an architectural photographer drew me to this historic place, and I was delighted to meet the owners, Sir Peter and Lady Catherine Erskine, who, along with their entire staff, make their B&B patrons quite comfortable. In fact, I’d urge anyone considering a St Andrews stay to visit the Erskine’s Web site for more information.
Sir Peter is himself an accomplished photographer, so I gave him a gicleé print of Pebble Beach #18, and we became fast friends. He holds a long term lease on the Kingsbarn Golf Course, just a stone’s throw from the Cambo house & Gardens, and is a member of the R&A, having an ancestor who was a founding member of St Andrews Links.
I look forward to my next visit with Sir Peter and Lady Catherine, possibly coinciding with the 2010 Open.
Next month I’ll have another installment of my “notes,” but in the meantime you can help make this a two-way street: If you’ve got any tips or short anecdotes born of your golf travels, click ‘em in. All of us at Stonehouse look forward to hearing from you.