A crazy hole at Crail Balcomie !!

Sometimes, odd things happen on a golf course, and this was certainly the case when I had the pleasure of playing with Bob Taylor, from ''Links with History'' and his mate George, at Crail Balcomie.

Myself playing off 8 these days, Bob off 10 and George off 15, had been plodding along getting acquainted, and enjoying some great golf, along with some pretty dire stuff too.


Bob had been in an aggressive mood from the 1st, and soon realised he was one of these golfers who never left a putt short on these superb, lightening fast greens. On the first 8 holes he had sunk a monster putt already, maybe 45-50 feet to save par on the 8th after being in the bunker, and a couple of previous holes had hit lengthy putts that were thankful the hole was in the way to slow them down!

So there we were on the 9th tee, playing off the medal tees, into the wind, a fairly modest par 4 that needed negotiating of about 350 yards. We all went pretty much down the middle, but the best was yet to come.

Bob went first, and his 7 iron looked close, in fact, I said to Bob that's either in, or its a ''gimmi''
George had got a dose of the hooks, and of course went about left, leaving himself about 30 yards from the pin, I hit my sandwedge on the green, but about 35 foot short.


As we walked to the green, Bobs ball was nowhere to be seen!! George walked up to the hole and gave out a cheer as he found Bobs ball, in the hole for an eagle!! Superb, well done, congratulations.... and I was very pleased for my new found friend.

So on we went, George off the green and some distance away went next, using the good old fashioned putter from miles away as you learn to do on these fantastic links courses. As he hit his putt, some form of profanity was heard as it sailed away... I said its looks pretty decent, and as it got closer, it got better and better, and in she plopped!! George had now achieved a somewhat incredible birdie (what I haven't mentioned is George and Bobs combined age is about 135 years old!) My putt was quite a steep uphill effort, quite a big right to left break, and I thought to myself, a par would be a good result, and saw George and Bob doing the good old ''high 5'' thing.
Standing over my putt, I struck it, it looked half decent all the way, Bob tending the pin took the flagstick out as my putt neared the hole, and in she went!!!


The 3 of us went wild!! What a hole! -4 between the 3 of us!

It was that kind of day, and the best of it is, I found 2 great friends in Bob and George