By David Purdie
Illustration By Chris O'Riley
October 2007
Heading for the heart of Scotland, off the well-worn trails and out among the true locals? You are most welcome here. I offer just a few morsels of advice to help ease your way.
When you arrive, get ready to make the seismic switch from driving on the wrong (right) to the right (left) side of the road. If this is too complex, just drive down the median with the Stars & Stripes flying through the sunroof. You'll get many an enthusiastic gesture from the locals?and a big wave from the police.
One of the first things you'll notice about Scotland is the cool temperature and our lovely low humidity. In parts of the States you absolutely need an air-conditioned home, office and car—whereas Scotland is an air-conditioned country. This partly explains our lack of showers, the vast majority of which are experienced in the open air below rain clouds.
You might also notice—it's hard not to—that in summer our seaside links go brown. This is not a failure of greenkeeping. It's nature. The greens will be kept green by watering, but we believe the fairways should be allowed to brown up as they've done for thousands of years. You'll recall that Tiger Woods made a particular point of congratulating the staff at brown Hoylake last year as he cradled the claret jug. Indeed, many of us believe that the only fairway watering of Scottish links should be by the Almighty: the original, and best, head superintendent.
Some American guests find the food and drink tricky. You all know what to do with our smoked salmon and Aberdeen Angus steaks, and you certainly enjoy our scotch on the rocks, but what about the porridge on the clubhouse breakfast menu? My advice is to try it—and to take it, like this article, with a pinch of salt. Porridge puts hair on your chest, fire in your belly and iron in your soul. It might look like moistened plasterboard and taste like it, too—but porridge fueled the men who crossed oceans to open up Canada and Australia and who, about 650 years ago, brought to birth what they called "The Anticient and healthfull Exercise of the Golf," perhaps the greatest field game molded by the mind of man. It is thus a dish of pure character. Enjoy.
- Text Size:
- Small Text
- Medium Text
- Large Text
