If It Ain't Broke...
This video of the reviled Swilcan Bridge patio being demolished is the most heartwarming thing you will see all week
In case you missed the memo, there was drama at the Old Course this weekend, where golf fans were outraged (what’s new?) by the sight of new masonry at the foot of the iconic Swilcan Bridge. Installed by the St. Andrews Links grounds crew to alleviate “wear and tear” at the foot of the 600-year-old span, the addition was met with almost unanimous disgust from across the golf world, most notably from Sir Nick Faldo, who claimed the second of his three Claret Jugs at St. Andrews in 1990.
Admittedly, the aesthetics of the, um, bulbous new addition (just hop on Twitter for the NSFW interpretations if you’d like) left a lot to be desired, and on Tuesday, St. Andrews conceded defeat, calling in a backhoe to right their wrongs. The ensuing demolition was captured on video, much to the joy of golf fans everywhere.
Never again will golf purists be this jubilant—buoyant even—watching a piece of heavy construction equipment tear up a historical landmark. This is a first and a last. Even Ol’ Tom Morris doesn’t know which way to roll over in his grave. But thankfully our great cultural nightmare has to come to an end. The rollercoaster has pulled back into the station. Pretty soon the Swilcan Bridge will be restored to its former glory and we can rest easy at night knowing that that the proverbial complaint box is being monitored.
After all, if ain’t broke, don’t fix it … do they have that saying in Scotland?