St Andrews Links Blog

Looking back on the Dunhill

Forget about being a golf instructor and working in the industry, I’m a golf fan at heart! Growing up, I used to look forward to my October holidays more than any, as I could come along and watch the Dunhill Links Championship. Getting up close to the world’s leading players is a real treat, and it’s still not lost on me now; I’m just meant to act a little cooler when I meet Vijay Singh or Ernie Els, but the golfing kid inside me is well and truly star struck!

This year’s tournament was another cracking event with a fitting end on Sunday evening. David Howell defeating Peter Uhlein at the second extra play-off hole made for a gripping finale, with the Englishman making a nice birdie 3 as shadows lengthened on the famous 18^th green of the Old Course. All three venues looked stunning and we were blessed with perfect weather for the entire tournament. Links golf at its finest. The players took full advantage of the conditions, with the top two recording -23 totals!

It was undoubtedly a great week, but for me, being able to catch Jesper Parnevik and David Duval in full swing was amazing. I used to watch these guys on the PGA Tour a few years back and being able to see them now was a privilege.

Talking of impressive players, Hideki Matsuyama has just enjoyed an amazing year with two top 10 finishes in major championships and starring for the international side in last week’s Presidents cup. Matsuyama visited our Golf Academy in July and the way he struck those range balls was out of this world!

What’s new at the Academy?

Away from the Dunhill, Senior Academy Instructor, David Watt, has been taking his University of St Andrews team over to America to play in some prestigious collegiate events out there, which has been a real experience for everyone involved.

Fellow Senior Instructor, Kevin Hale, is now featuring in Today’s Golfer magazine as a regular guest writer. Kevin will provide instructional advice and tips as part of the professional team working on the magazine, the UK’s best-selling golf publication.

Junior Golf Schools are back at the Golf Academy, with two taking place during the October break. In fact, for our second school starting the 14^th, we have scheduled an additional class to run alongside due to high demand. Great to see the youngsters out and enjoying their golf!

 

Words by Blair Cross, Academy Instructor