1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,240 Welcome back to Linked by Golf, the podcast exploring the 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:07,760 journeys of people linked by the game. 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,560 I'm your host, Josh McGuire, and this week I'm joined by Craig 4 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:14,160 Watson, a former winner of the British Amateur Championship and 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,239 also a former Walker Cup player and captain. 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,880 In this episode, we discuss Craig's golfing journey, his 7 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,120 experiences in elite amateur golf, playing at the Masters in 8 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,440 the Open, and what it's like to be involved with the Walker Cup. 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:33,320 Let's go over to Craig. Delighted to be joined by Craig 10 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:34,640 Watson. Craig, how you doing? 11 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:37,120 It's been a while. Very well, I've been. 12 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:38,720 It's been a long time. Hi, a long time. 13 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:39,960 No see. Good to see you. 14 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,000 Hi Craig, We're going to start with a wee story, so I was just 15 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,920 going to ask, are you the only man who's ever won the East of 16 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,320 Scotland Championship playing seventeen holes worth a wedge as 17 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,760 a putter? Quite possibly could be, yes. 18 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:57,840 Not one of my finer moments, but I managed to. 19 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,720 I was just to partner with my sandwich anyway, just because of 20 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,800 I don't like to carry too many clubs around these strands, but 21 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,640 that's I was through of about temper. 22 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:13,720 Unfortunately the first hall in the in the afternoon the club 23 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,320 didn't bounce too well off my foot so I had to use my sandwich 24 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:20,520 for the rest of their own. And I was reading that David 25 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,080 Patrick had to bring your Potter for the last two rounds. 26 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,640 Is that right? I was I borrowed a Potter from 27 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:31,120 having the story was I double bogged the 1st and London Links 28 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:35,640 in the morning and then I bogged the second and then I in the 29 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:41,320 afternoon I4 parted the first but another double bogey and the 30 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:42,800 club had to. The club had to go. 31 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,280 It wasn't there was nothing to do with my smooth pot and 32 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,000 stroke. It was it was all to do with the 33 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,440 Potter. So that went over my foot. 34 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,800 But David was very gained and gave me a Potter for the last 35 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,320 two. And you did OK. 36 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:57,040 What was it, 260 fours You flourished. 37 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:02,800 Worth was it? 54 to 1 by a shot yeah I judged 38 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,280 that well just spotted spotted grade with this and wedge in the 39 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,440 afternoon mind you hold a couple of 31st so it was good and. 40 00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:12,880 Then Craig, we've jumped in a little bit. 41 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,320 I was going to say this sort of midpoint, your career, you're 42 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,800 still playing, but how did it start for you? 43 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:19,960 How'd you get into the game? What got you hooked? 44 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,120 I think the everybody was either appeared. 45 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,600 My dad played golf, he was a member E while you remember 46 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,440 Crawford Foster then moved on. When I was born, he moved to the 47 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,840 side side of Glasgow and joined his trend. 48 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,120 So I was very fortunate that I could junior membership. 49 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:39,960 Everybody was everybody was really keen. 50 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,560 You went up there in the old day, you were spending all day 51 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,480 his trend. You if you went on holiday, you 52 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,600 come back and you're your houses get 5 off our handicaps or six 53 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,360 off our handicaps in your your region because you've been in 54 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,040 holiday for like 3 weeks. So you had to get the handicap 55 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,120 back down. So but we were, I was very 56 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,080 fortunate. Everybody got the handicaps down 57 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,040 and everybody was really keen. So that's how you started? 58 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,800 Yeah. And did you progress quickly 59 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,800 because I mean, I, I met you later, I guess in life, but and 60 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:13,960 I knew, I knew you were a very good player at that time, but 61 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,280 did you start playing county golf as a junior and and go 62 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:19,480 through the ranks or was that sort of different progression 63 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:21,880 for you? No, we played. 64 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:26,960 Played junior, we by junior. County golf, the boys and then 65 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:29,320 there was youths but I never come and I get capped. 66 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,320 I never must never played any boys Scottish golf a cap for 67 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,760 their never get capped at use. It was the senior squad I get 68 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,040 first cap so it was a wee bit later probably than than a lot 69 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:40,920 of them. Wow. 70 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:43,160 And what kind of what was the change then? 71 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,080 What happened and what kind of events did you start playing? 72 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:50,080 Better than to get recognized? About the first one I won was 73 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:51,280 the Glasgow. Glasgow. 74 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:57,480 I want you to Pollock. I shot 7665 to when when that 75 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:03,120 that was about 89 and then I did OK, but nothing brilliant and a 76 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,600 few of the events and I think I was getting in line to get 77 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:08,440 capped. There was a lot for went through 78 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,440 in 91. So like myself, Hey Bryce and 79 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,120 there was there was Wilson Price and there was the five of us get 80 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:20,079 capped in 91 and I think I went to the European individual 81 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:30,840 hillside and short 7291. Wow, own 45 own 45 and I was a 82 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:35,160 low man of our people. The weather wasn't the weather 83 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:36,720 wasn't that bad. It was OK. 84 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,840 I. Must have cut the air and 85 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:43,600 carries by Graham Fox in the last two rounds and I was 86 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,640 looking round as you do and you thought some of these guys are 87 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,320 no any better than me even though that that's the European 88 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,440 individual supposed to be the cream of how much a European 89 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,080 golf yeah. So these guys on these guys are 90 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,560 knowing it better than me. That was that was maybe the the 91 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,160 spur that I needed to needed to do a job even better. 92 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,320 Yeah, I mean, you played with some incredible players. 93 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,920 You might have mentioned Graham Fox here and Wilson Bryson, but 94 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,880 you played with folk like Graham Rankin, Bartley Heard as well. 95 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,400 I mean, what would those guys like to play with back then? 96 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,880 But, and Barley was, he's been the best amateur I've ever 97 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:24,800 played with particularly. I mean, Barley are a wee bit 98 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,000 different from the rest of us. They would get to maybe one 99 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,840 under, 2 under, 3 under and then they would go forward where I 100 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:35,480 was be one under, 2 under and you think, well, I'm having a 101 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:37,880 good score here. And then half an hour later 102 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,080 you're back to level power. But they were, they were the two 103 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:42,960 guys that you had to keep an eye on. 104 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,920 They were the ones that you chased because they've kept on 105 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,520 one under 2, under, 3 under 4 under. 106 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,160 They just kept going. So we had to sort of try and 107 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,880 catch up with with you. Yeah. 108 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,040 And then what I wanted to talk. I mean, there's a good few 109 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,080 things we can talk about, but I wanted to jump into. 110 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:02,320 You obviously played with Scotland, you played home 111 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,320 internationals and things, but I guess your biggest one was the 112 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:07,840 Amateur Championship at Royal St. 113 00:06:07,840 --> 00:06:10,720 George's, so I'd love to know more about that. 114 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,920 We can have it when and what the experience was like overall. 115 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:19,440 Well, it was Saint George's was obviously has been no, it's my 116 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,520 always aware it's the furthest 1 Forest Open Championship course 117 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,880 that has we can play and I'd never played St. 118 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:30,600 George's and Michael Brooks, his father Andrew Brooks had it was 119 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,840 the the throw there and he make always used to play all this the 120 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,960 amateur events and see how good the weather was down in Saint 121 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,400 George's. It was always sunny, beautiful 122 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,400 weather, whereas we're up the open skull and freezing to 123 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,760 death. So that that that was the only 124 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,320 reason I went down because I'd never played the course before. 125 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:51,880 It was only opening championship course. 126 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,120 I've never played. I've been down with no 127 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,800 expectations whatsoever. It was just to have a couple of 128 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:02,240 couple of rounds because it was so far, you get the price 129 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,560 rounds, then maybe get into the match play stages. 130 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:09,240 So that was that was the entire entire aim for the week. 131 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,800 But I was really lucky because we played the price rounds. 132 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,960 Me and Graham Rankin Bartley and Michael Brooks play the price 133 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,200 round, the deal. And it was so windy. 134 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,560 Michael and I just we just chalked it after six holes. 135 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:28,880 There was a wee a wee bar beside the thing the 14th hole, so we 136 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:32,040 just went across there and waited for Graham and Bartlett 137 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:34,440 to continue their own and then combine girls. 138 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,080 And then we played the prize soon at Saint George's and it 139 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,240 was so windy we just chopped again. 140 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,080 Couldn't there was a couple of bunkers of the 7th of par 5 141 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:47,080 which would have 100 yards off the tee. 142 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:48,800 I couldn't I couldn't get past them. 143 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,480 So I thought this is just a waste of time. 144 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:57,160 So we went back again. So and then the most the stroke 145 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,760 play, I think the story goes after I'm not sure, maybe it may 146 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:04,880 be one of these folklores that people say the American boy 147 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:09,040 double vogue at the last so let all the 15 sevens and he must 148 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,320 the cut. So I'm in 157 so we qualify just 149 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:17,760 on the mark. And then the way I've changed, 150 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:22,320 excuse me, the weather changed completely from 2 windy days to 151 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:26,160 lovely flight, beautiful weather and the match play stages. 152 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,480 I was lucky with the drawers. I played Jimmy Donaldson in the 153 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,600 first round who was just a young boy at the time, obviously 154 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,280 managed to managed to beat him. And then played the Scottish 155 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:40,679 boys, David Patrick, Graham Fox and James Clive right. 156 00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:43,400 So nice games because I knew them. 157 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,440 It wasn't a case of do you know this guy, how good are they with 158 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,360 service, chatty all the way around. 159 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:53,640 And then the the semi final, the quarterfinals, I played James 160 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:58,480 Clive, I won at the 19 and Bartley was playing Colin 161 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:04,560 Edwards and Bartley would beat me 7 or 8 times out of 10, no 162 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:07,320 bother at all. Bartley, good beat. 163 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:09,440 So suddenly I'm playing Colin Edwards. 164 00:09:09,560 --> 00:09:11,560 He was a nice, nice guy, English boy. 165 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,280 I'm thinking he's no, he's no Bartley. 166 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,240 There wasn't many people like Barley was, so that was the 167 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:20,680 thing. So that was not so. 168 00:09:20,680 --> 00:09:23,440 The pressure was the pressure was taken off of me from 169 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,600 potential playing Bartley, who I would have had to play Homer 170 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,480 skin to beat. Then you're thinking there's a 171 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,120 better chance here. The fame of of winning. 172 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,800 And then you get to the the managed to win that and then get 173 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:45,400 to the final and it's 36 holes. It's it's not a Sprint, a Trevor 174 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:47,520 minimum AM. I right in saying that did 175 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,520 Bartley caddy for you in the final as well? 176 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,320 Bartley Caddy's for me. He was like he was he was more 177 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,840 popular for the TV counters than I was because at the time, at 178 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,640 the time Rangers range, obviously Barbara barley been a 179 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,040 big Rangers fan in Rangers to just won the league right very 180 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,320 recently and they and they've been bite Ibrox for a party. 181 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:13,440 And there was when Gaza was in the team and Barley's wife and 182 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:17,640 daughter had gone to party to Ibrox to celebrate and they'd go 183 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:22,240 out. We love Gaza, so Barley was 184 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,840 weirdness. We love Gazza hat on the in the 185 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,920 final. So at lunchtime, the cameras I 186 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,120 went away from a lunch and barley got interviewed in the 187 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:35,720 television weirdness. We love Gazza hat, so he was he 188 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:37,880 was having a great time. That's awesome. 189 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,160 And then you mentioned that you played Trevor. 190 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,800 I'm moving in the final. Trevor I played seven in the 191 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,120 final. He was just a envoy 17 years old 192 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:49,920 and the weather in the morning was flat calm. 193 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:55,480 It was beautiful, but it was it wasn't a suitable to me up later 194 00:10:55,480 --> 00:11:00,640 to where one day, but he was seems to up with two up after 195 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,600 18. It was it was cruising. 196 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,640 There was a it wasn't even a close two off. 197 00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:09,680 And then the winds got up in the afternoon, which was ideal for 198 00:11:09,680 --> 00:11:13,800 me because I would never update many holes. 199 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,480 I was never, I never want to go down a lot, shoot a lot of 200 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,160 bodies. I could do the pars no bother, 201 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:24,320 see, Just chando pars. The weather was perfect for me 202 00:11:24,680 --> 00:11:27,120 one day and it knocked him off his straight a bit. 203 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,880 And it's such a tough course as well, Craig. 204 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:34,040 I mean, I know that from brittle experience played in Saint 205 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,960 George's for the last those that maybe haven't played it, you 206 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,160 know, some of the the holes on Saint George's are so tough, 207 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:46,040 like forced cardies, just incredible shorts and the 208 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:47,560 greens. And then it's like buried 209 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:49,280 elephants everywhere in the greens as well. 210 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:53,560 It's edible place. Nobody's in the final, but it 211 00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:56,640 wasn't a case of unlucky. I was never even close to any 212 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:57,960 bodies. And then I went down. 213 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,480 There was the amateur was played a few years later and I went 214 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,000 down again and played. I thought, my God, how difficult 215 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,280 was this course? I mean, it just shows you how 216 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:07,760 good professionals professionals are. 217 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,080 The mid courses look easy but this was it was too difficult 218 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,120 for me. It was certainly too difficult 219 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,320 for me. She oh, not very trapped. 220 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,640 You saw it first time. But yeah, that was that was 221 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,120 incredible. So when you were playing against 222 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:28,480 Trevor, was the Masters and the Open, were they on your mind at 223 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:29,760 all? Were you thinking about it or 224 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,160 did you did you just stay away from that completely? 225 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:36,400 Well, while you were playing. Fortunately, I know that that 226 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,560 was. I don't even think about these 227 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:40,720 things. I've always thought it's a win. 228 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,240 The amateur again would be more difficult than when in the first 229 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,000 time maybe because you know you would get out of it. 230 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,080 You would get a trip to the Masters, you would get a trip to 231 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:51,560 the Open, you would. Well, I was fortunate because it 232 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:55,920 was a Walker Cup year, so and I used to Walker Cup, but I was 233 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,800 completely oblivious to all the things that you could get over. 234 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:01,720 It was only driving up the road after the final when barley 235 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,840 barley mentioned you'll get you'll get the master's. 236 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,960 That's knowing you'll get get the open and you'll potentially 237 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,920 walk a cotton there in. I think to myself, Thank God, I 238 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:14,840 didn't think of that. One must three footer up the 239 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:19,000 hell at the same. Well, that's awesome. 240 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,680 And was it 90? It was 97 year one, right? 241 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:23,040 Is that correct? Yeah. 242 00:13:23,680 --> 00:13:28,680 So was that would that have been made time for the the Army? 243 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:33,640 For the tournament and. You played the open straight 244 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,400 away at Royal Train as well the next month. 245 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:38,200 Well. Unfortunately if you if you go 246 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,840 to the Fathers golf course from the amateur of Saint George's, I 247 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,360 go the nearest course of the house for the Open. 248 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,400 So you get there, you get that courtesy car to the door instead 249 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,520 of having to find some accommodation for the week. 250 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,840 So yeah, I got to go out soon, which was, which was fantastic. 251 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:56,680 And what was that open like clay? 252 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:59,200 Because I mean, I went to see it and I saw you coming off. 253 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:00,760 I think it was coming off 17 clean. 254 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:02,000 I was there with some of my pals. 255 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,040 But what was that experience like? 256 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,760 I was, I was really good. So I mean, obviously played soon 257 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,360 playing at times anyway, but to play it with all the the crowds, 258 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:15,400 all the stands was great. I finished up. 259 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,440 I finished, but I was playing I'd not be allowed short. 260 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,280 I could have hit it left. I could have hit it right. 261 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,360 I very rarely did I hit it straight, but I was getting up 262 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,600 and down from everywhere for early. 263 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:33,600 I think after between after 27 holes, I think had about 20 264 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,960 single putts. I was Jeff Miger. 265 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:38,440 I don't think was very complimentary about my my game, 266 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,440 my button after the first round. I think he he mentioned 267 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:43,840 something that if I wasn't pointing well, I would be 268 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,720 somebody else. I managed to hit one of my pals 269 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,880 and I think it was the 14th. I had to one of these ones. 270 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,240 I had to dead straight left over the middle, walked up to me, 271 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,080 walked up to my ball and my mates standing there going who 272 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:02,120 you hit me in the bike there. Hope he stopped if it going the 273 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,440 Bush. No right in bed, but I finished. 274 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,320 But I finished Boogie Double boogie boogie to Massacre by 275 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,160 two. No, I didn't realize it, but I 276 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,640 don't remember. I must have it was, it was 277 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:15,800 because obviously it was one day in the first day and everybody 278 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:17,240 was shooting low in the first round. 279 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,240 Yeah, it's good. Low in the front front nine and 280 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,120 then holding it together in the by 9. 281 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:26,240 But I was thought the weather would say I thought the scoring 282 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:29,960 would be lower than it was so I finished. 283 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:33,160 I played a stupid shot to say Steven took bogey and then 284 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,640 double bogged 17 and bogged the last to miss a big two, which 285 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:41,280 was unfortunate. And that was that same was that 286 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:45,400 that was the kind of Barclay that I mean, why barley I 287 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,800 didn't, yeah. It did see that fantastic guy. 288 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,600 So he was he was unfortunate he was he was only amateur amid the 289 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,480 cut. So I could have had a week game 290 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:57,400 with him and say their last two lines of admit the cut but 291 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:00,400 wasn't it to be? And my right said it was back in 292 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:04,880 the days when equipment was what's the water with juice? 293 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:10,320 I quite a lot of equipment gonna go now each day under the golf 294 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,960 bags. I think it was a name. 295 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:19,080 I there was there was a few once you got into these there was a 296 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:25,120 once you get into the harbour asking for clubs, then once you 297 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,000 once you once you started asking for clubs then it was difficult 298 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:32,560 to but I've a good note. I think barley following almost 299 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:35,560 at least least 1617 clubs every day. 300 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:41,480 Yeah. But no, I was, it was that many 301 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:47,200 of the equipment, I mean the reps were quite keen for you to 302 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:49,640 use anything that innocent they were. 303 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:54,080 Yeah, absolutely. And then Craig, I was going to 304 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:56,080 ask you about the Walker Cup that year as well. 305 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,200 So what was the walk experience like after that? 306 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,680 That was fantastic. By winning the amateur I sort of 307 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:05,960 get in in the back door to the Walker Cup. 308 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:07,839 I was never considered for the I wouldn't. 309 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:12,319 I was in a few squads but you wouldn't have record and rate me 310 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:15,800 when making any of the teams. So getting one in the amateur 311 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,640 got me a saw in the back door. But I did I would, I had a 312 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:22,440 slowly great time. I I thought to myself I'm going 313 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,560 to enjoy it. I'll probably not get a chance 314 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,599 to to do this again. It was over on the States which 315 00:17:27,599 --> 00:17:33,000 was even better. It was fantastic and there was 5 316 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,440 scores. Me, Graham Rankin, Barley, 317 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:40,400 Steven Young and Michael Brooks qualified that year. 318 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,000 Wow. So we thought we'd we thought 319 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,240 we'd have played a good team. That it was. 320 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:51,600 We got annihilated 18-6, but I had a good time. 321 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,160 Incredible was 5 Scots and I thought I was going to say it 322 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,280 was 4. I knew there was definitely 4, 323 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:02,760 but the five said Oh no. There was 5 as so the 18-6 that 324 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,640 finished eighteen 6. I had to add them and I had a 325 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:07,920 great time. I thought I'm going to enjoy it. 326 00:18:09,360 --> 00:18:13,320 They they experienced the the course of set up their U.S. 327 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:15,880 Open course. So it was really like rough 328 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,440 around the greens, but something we'd never I'd never thought 329 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,840 thought about it got the experience of playing I'd I 330 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:28,280 really enjoyed myself and did OK Consider them. 331 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,320 The team could be 80 and 6 was it am I used to win my son. 332 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,600 I won my singles and half my singles. 333 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:35,840 Was it Quaker actually just played out that year? 334 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,920 Is that right? Just across the road from Wing 335 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:40,600 through New York. Right. 336 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,240 Well. It wasn't the longest course. 337 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,640 I can't really remember the the yardage, but it wasn't the 338 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:51,240 longest course, but it was it was sailed just like an AUS open 339 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:56,080 course, which was which was you'll I've never experienced 340 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,360 that sense. So there was good to to try your 341 00:18:58,360 --> 00:18:59,840 game and and that sort of stand up. 342 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,280 Yeah, and I guess Justin Rose was seeing that team as well. 343 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,480 Is that right? He was only he was only 17. 344 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:08,760 I think he was still into the space kettles. 345 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:11,600 He will say he was in the team high. 346 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,800 So obviously there's something he was one he's or they want to 347 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,200 win or anyone. It's coming that either the two 348 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:21,560 teams that you've, I mean you see obviously that some of the 349 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,560 teams that you've had amateurs that have gone on to do well and 350 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:26,720 the American side and the brave side. 351 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:30,080 Justin's the only one that's coming of our teams that has 352 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:33,120 been named been obviously very good. 353 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,040 Yeah. And I mean, I guess I just 354 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:40,040 summarize you so tough as Craig as well, between moving from the 355 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:42,240 amateur game and the professional game, even if 356 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:46,040 you've got a huge amount of talent, it's never a sort of 11 357 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,800 relationship being an incredible amateur and going to the pro 358 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,840 game and some amateur, no, not right at the top. 359 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,520 And they go in the pro game and they they come on a ton. 360 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,600 And then other amateurs are really at the top and it just 361 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,080 doesn't happen. There's never a easy way to 362 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,600 predict. No, it's not It's some and it's 363 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,920 obviously a boost. You'll, you'll be more known 364 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,640 when she if you're if you're a Walker Cup in the turn pro, then 365 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,800 you've got a wee bit more people maybe know about you more. 366 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:14,880 But there's certainly no, I mean, Justin was, I think he 367 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,160 missed his 1st 20 cuts when he turned pro. 368 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:21,480 Yeah, that's right. So but no, it was it was a 369 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,320 fantastic experience. I thoroughly enjoy that. 370 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:30,600 Unfortunately I would not never have Was half reserve for 2001. 371 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:34,480 Right. But I never got to play again in 372 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,920 the walk, which was, which was unfortunate. 373 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:42,880 If you've been enjoying the show, please do remember to 374 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,400 follow on your favorite podcast platform and share it with a 375 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,600 friend. Now let's get back to the pod. 376 00:20:51,360 --> 00:20:53,040 You have to get something to soften the blow, though. 377 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:57,160 We need to get to the next part. You played in the open in 97. 378 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:01,040 And then, yeah, what in the British armature, or I should 379 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:02,920 say the amateur? Of course not. 380 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,520 Can't correct. Yeah, they'll be on me for that. 381 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:11,120 You then went to a little place called Augusta. 382 00:21:11,120 --> 00:21:14,920 So I'd love you to talk about it, not just Augusta, but how 383 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,240 you got there. And I think a number of people 384 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,120 when we and what the whole experience was like just getting 385 00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:22,520 ready for it and and going to Augusta in the end. 386 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:28,200 Well, I think getting ready for it was, I think I'd say I went 387 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:32,760 to Australia in January. I think it was a must. 388 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:34,800 I think it was a really cold winter I think here. 389 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:38,080 So I went to Australia. I played in the lake, Lake 390 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:42,160 Macquarie in Australia. The thing is the beginning of 391 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,320 January and then basically put the clubs away for a wee while 392 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,280 because it's the weather was just rubbish here. 393 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:55,800 So we went to like invited the story was that there's American 394 00:21:55,800 --> 00:22:01,720 boy who's over in the amateur in 93 Portrush and the the winner 395 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:06,840 of that year thing was it can't remember who's it who won the 396 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:12,120 Amateur in 93, but he invited the amateur in 93 to come across 397 00:22:12,120 --> 00:22:15,200 the week before the Masters to play at Golf Club of Georgia. 398 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:20,000 Right. So, and I just did that seem to 399 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,240 carry on through the through the next few years and it's still 400 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:26,040 it's still still to this day, I think it's still the amateur 401 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,520 champions that has invited the Golf Club of Georgia. 402 00:22:30,120 --> 00:22:33,480 The boy phoned up said would you like to play against Matt 403 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:38,840 Kutcher, who he was the US Amateur champion at the time and 404 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,320 he played his card. He played his college golf at 405 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:44,360 the Golf Club of Georgia, right. So it's like, why not? 406 00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:46,880 What I would tell I would enjoy. I gave my, my, my so that. 407 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,600 So this was the week before the master. 408 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,800 So we went out, flew to a Gulf of Georgia. 409 00:22:54,400 --> 00:23:00,400 Our clubs and clothing never arrived until later on in the 410 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,280 the the same day that we arrived. 411 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:06,720 It was a bit later. So we get to the Gulf of Georgia 412 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:10,600 and you walk in, say hi to the receptionist, blah, blah, blah. 413 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:14,680 You can at the pro shop and all these things are there's 414 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,000 slightly open courses, you know, against the clubhouse and 415 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:22,960 there's flags with golf, Georgia cup owner bags with Georgia cup 416 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,600 on it, head goers with Georgia cup on it. 417 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:29,760 So I said to the the floor for such Georgia culprits. 418 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:33,280 He says so nice, but you're playing against Matt tomorrow 419 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:40,080 and sorry, OK, I thought I was just having a be friendly game 420 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:44,280 with them. That's that's the and it's no 421 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:48,160 that that was the first year of the Georgia Cup was and there's 422 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:50,000 no I think it's on the Golf Channel. 423 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,520 So this was just this was the week before the Masters that I'm 424 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,040 just having a be friendly game, which Mike Kutcher. 425 00:23:56,480 --> 00:24:00,720 But no, it's not it's it's a full blown US amateur champion 426 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,360 versus British amateur champion. So Needless to say, Needless to 427 00:24:04,360 --> 00:24:08,440 say, he, he beat me 3 and 1. So but I couldn't, I couldn't. 428 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:10,360 So that was a week before the masters. 429 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:14,160 So then you get down to the masters and you check in. 430 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:18,480 And we were, I was always told when you check in, when you get, 431 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:23,040 yeah, you get a car, you get a courtesy car. 432 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,000 Yeah, there we, we badge off the courtesy car. 433 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:31,280 So we get get the car keys and you say, right, OK, there's your 434 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:35,720 car and the whole field of white cars. 435 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:40,600 So I get into the first car, I see they already start trying to 436 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:42,800 start the engine and nothing's happened. 437 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,360 Oh, God, I've broken this car already. 438 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:46,640 I've now you moved it. Yeah. 439 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,360 And I can't even any worker for you look up. 440 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:51,680 But you look up into the windscreen. 441 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,600 It's got different numbers on it. 442 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:58,840 And the car I was supposed to be looking for was 61, but I wasn't 443 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:04,000 in 61. I was in A1296161 was a car next 444 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:08,320 to me, nothing affected. That's that's a week started 445 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:10,840 started great already. I can't even get an A car 446 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,160 though. But I mean the gusto is I mean, 447 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,120 it's like what you see in the television. 448 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,920 You can play Open Championship courses and don't really 449 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,160 recognize some of the holes with when the crowds not round them, 450 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:24,760 when the the the stands are not round them. 451 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,480 Yeah, you can't. Sometimes it's difficult to 452 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:29,920 imagine this course after seeing it in the television. 453 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,080 That's the last place was identical to what you see in the 454 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:36,400 television apart from the slopes, the drop from the 10th 455 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,200 tee to the 12th queen as incredible. 456 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:40,680 You've you've played Craig Miller. 457 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:43,360 It's similar to that. So, yeah, although I would 458 00:25:43,360 --> 00:25:46,440 never, I know I like Craig Miller, but we never put in the 459 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,400 same categories as Augusta. It's not quite there. 460 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:52,560 No. Just seem about the world. 461 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,880 I've done bear around actually. Well on now then then Augusto so 462 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,080 so I played to played for phone moves Sandy Lyle which was today 463 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:08,240 an experience. They tried to keep some sort of 464 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:11,560 connection I think between I won my amateur at Saint George's. 465 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:13,920 He won the it's open isn't George. 466 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,560 Yeah. I think they're late to try and 467 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:23,800 keep some sort of some sort of not see, not a coincidence, but 468 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:28,080 that's sort of thing for the different because Gary, I think 469 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,800 the South African played with another South African, one of 470 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:34,040 the amateurs. Nothing to try and keep keep 471 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:35,400 people together. So yeah. 472 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:40,600 But then they were still doing the redraw after the first round 473 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:41,800 or did they? Sorry. 474 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:45,480 They were doing a redraw for TV purposes after the first round. 475 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,320 So all the rubbish scores went out first and the good scores 476 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,960 were cared for the TB. So I managed to play well on 477 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,080 power on the second round. Wow, when did you? 478 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:56,760 Which in itself. Would you find overnight? 479 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:58,920 Craig was on the Thursday night you found out. 480 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:05,360 I probably the Thursday night, I think there was the weather was, 481 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:10,960 was wasn't very good on the Thursday so that there was a wee 482 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:13,680 bit delayed. So we played three balls in the 483 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,760 second round, right, which fortunately, fortunately was 484 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,240 playing with a yes, young Swedish boy as well. 485 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:22,760 So it wasn't me, just Arnold Palmer, Mullen, there was 486 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,440 somebody else as well. It was a fantastic experience to 487 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,880 play with somebody is as great as that and it is loved around 488 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,680 the Guster as yours. And that's incredible because 489 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:36,440 the coincidence there is Gary Wilson on played to Arnold 490 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:41,240 Palmer as well and now in the Masters after after an amateur 491 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:45,000 champion. Yeah, I so I, I don't know what 492 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,000 age it was. It was obviously getting on in 493 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,600 age. So any, any scored and obviously 494 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:51,200 wasn't as good as what it used to be. 495 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,360 So there was more chance maybe of that happened than they would 496 00:27:54,360 --> 00:27:56,000 have been in the elder years, I think. 497 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,560 Yeah. And what was the experience of 498 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:00,080 the course like? I mean, you mentioned the 499 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,160 slopes, but what about the crowds and just the atmosphere 500 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,240 that was there as well? What was that like compared to 501 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:07,720 what you'd seen or even at the Open the year before now? 502 00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:13,240 The excitement is I had you anticipate once you get to the 503 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,400 once you know you're playing the masters, you anticipate the the 504 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,960 the first hall and it was everything I anticipated. 505 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,960 I had to like it. I like a thief or and tap in for 506 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:26,760 a sex at the 1st. Wow. 507 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,920 Everything either the partner stroke at the hour and I never 508 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:32,920 like to put in the fast greens, right? 509 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:38,280 You can just see the partner partner stroke descended here in 510 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:42,560 front of you. The figure of eight is more 511 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:45,440 exaggerated after a wee while and then follow through is less 512 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:50,000 so, but that so I took double will get the first I played. 513 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:53,440 When I played, the front 9 hadn't been covered in the TV. 514 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,640 Right. The bike 9 was always the ones 515 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:59,560 you've seen in TV, so the front 9 was a wee bit more of AI, was 516 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:01,240 a wee bit more of a mastery. Right. 517 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:05,960 And I spent the front 9 trying to hurt. 518 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,040 The fair is fine, but having to hurt on the trees to carry 519 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,120 bunkers and things. I was only 42 in the first round 520 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:18,920 and I get to the 10th T and this there's a big scoreboard at the 521 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:22,360 the 18th of just for people coming through the 17th. 522 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,880 So I'm sex over thinking, oh, this is well, this is going to 523 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:30,720 be one more nightmare. And I saw in the big scoreboard 524 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:37,080 Ben Crenshaw through 1710 over and I was thinking they come on, 525 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:39,040 come on, you get something to go for here. 526 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:43,520 You've got to beat you got to beat 10 over. 527 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:47,840 But if the by 9 had been covered by the television so you base 528 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:51,800 you could pace basically play what you'd seen in the 529 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:52,720 television. Yeah. 530 00:29:53,320 --> 00:30:00,360 And that that's all I did apart 9/9 through to 9 through 17 and 531 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:03,080 a three white the last. Just for a good measure. 532 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:09,680 For a 79 and that was just purely because I'd never seen 533 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:14,040 the front 9 before, but I'd seen the seen the bike name. 534 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:18,400 And I think if you'd, if you've seen, seen a whole or of course 535 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:22,280 in the television, then you can, you can judge how everybody 536 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,800 plays, plays a whole. I mean, it was the 11th was a, 537 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,160 was a whole. I'd always thought, Oh God, 538 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:29,440 there's, there's water from the left. 539 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,200 And so he's what happens if you had to know and there's it's a 540 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:36,560 long haul, but there was, there was 3 knobs, just short, short 541 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,440 rate. So if you have a last club had 542 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:42,320 to override, you've got a chance of bouncing on the green. 543 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:46,440 So it was used to be things that you knew what to do. 544 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:48,800 It was just a case of trying to trying to do them. 545 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,720 I mean, the pressure was off, your sex over after 9, the 546 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:53,240 pressure's off. You might as well try and enjoy 547 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:54,160 the back nine. Yeah. 548 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,800 And that's what I did. And then the front the same 549 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:00,000 round was exactly the same. I don't know anything in the 550 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,920 front 9. I played it just the same 551 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:04,320 rubbish I had in the first round. 552 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:07,280 I was. Able to do exactly the same as I 553 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:10,560 did in the by 9 and I managed to get a couple of bodies as well. 554 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:12,480 So short 7. One experience. 555 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:16,000 So I go to Augusta and just get that chance that well, first of 556 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,640 all, I play with Sandy, who's Scottish, right? 557 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,480 I mean, to play with some around Augusta. 558 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:24,040 Weirded one must have been just awesome. 559 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:25,840 And then you played. Did you not have a practice 560 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:28,120 round as well? We got a player and Jack 561 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,880 Nicholas. We had a it was it was really 562 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:37,480 through Stephen and dad's when the amateur 92 right and he went 563 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:42,480 across and he's cardio. Stephen played the highest 564 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,120 castle which is just down the road from me. 565 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:47,560 It's a caddy Lays McLaughlin. Yep. 566 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:51,360 Who who he took over. Yeah. 567 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:52,960 If you don't know Lays, you'll probably help them. 568 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:58,640 So she went across and caddied for and try and organize the 569 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:00,000 price rounds. Right. 570 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:04,160 So the the sound of the price here and the organized price 571 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:09,320 rounds, Les was a parliament. He came out to caddy for me as 572 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:10,920 well. I thought I'll get him to OK, 573 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,320 I'm the caddy for me because he's done it in. 574 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,240 He should know his way around blah, blah, blah. 575 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:22,080 So he organized a price round and Gary Player said to him, I 576 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:26,480 remember you, you caddy's for you caddy for Stephen Dundas. 577 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:31,040 So Les was he was made-up with all that series just chopped. 578 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:33,440 So we played. So I played Daddy player, 579 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:36,560 ballast savvy, savvy played and flying noble. 580 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:38,680 Oh goodness. So that was what was. 581 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,720 AI was a fantastic board ball I had. 582 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:42,640 Water. Savvy. 583 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:47,360 Savvy wasn't playing well. I mean, Elvis, he was, he was 584 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,200 going through his struggles at that point and so he didn't play 585 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:52,120 quite well. But Frank Noble, it was pretty 586 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:54,440 impressive. It was a fantastic, fantastic 587 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:56,880 experience. Seen you almost knocked in the 588 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:00,160 hole at sex on the party in the practice round. 589 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:06,000 Probably not I'm. Sure, I saw if I deal with your 590 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:08,480 hat in a short play close was that? 591 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,040 Set that was someday. I was. 592 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:18,600 I was before AI wasn't me. I'll not take quite close at 593 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:21,520 4:00 maybe and the same. Yeah, that's been up. 594 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:26,640 The same and I'm not quite close for slap and say the same round 595 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:30,240 the the the Tees were off the the the sort of front Tees. 596 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:35,680 It was a little easier say no. I was fantastic and I thoroughly 597 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:39,040 enjoyed myself. Yeah, and then cake. 598 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:41,360 I mean, we'll run forward a wee bit here. 599 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:45,600 So we've talked about one in the amateur in for, you know, 600 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:48,640 Scotland a little bit. You talked about the Walker Cup, 601 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:52,880 but then later in life you got the honor to captain the Walker 602 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:54,880 Cup team. So how did that come around and 603 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,880 and what was it like actually taking the team half and beat 604 00:33:57,880 --> 00:33:59,560 someone that played before as well? 605 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:04,160 I mean, it was, I think they've since changing now because I 606 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:06,760 think Dean's, Dean Robertson's the captain now. 607 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:10,199 But before that, it was, I think they had the criteria that you 608 00:34:10,199 --> 00:34:13,000 had to have played in it and you were still an amateur. 609 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,120 So right. There's very few, very few of us 610 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,000 probably left. I mean, from my team, I think 611 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,360 there was probably only myself. It was maybe still an amateur 612 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,920 because Graham Graham is Graham Rankin's back amateur. 613 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:26,560 Yeah. Yeah. 614 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:31,440 You hit on pro. Gary Wolfman would turn through. 615 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:34,159 He went to the seniors seniors tour. 616 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:38,199 So there was very few of from my team that was still an amateur. 617 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:41,600 And I think this this since followed down the line like 618 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:44,040 Stuart Wilson's team. There's there's very few still 619 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,280 amateur. So they were they were probably 620 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,320 not that there was no not many candidates probably. 621 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:51,920 So I'd been fortunate captain Scotland team. 622 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:54,560 So I'd probably have experienced a captain team. 623 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,280 So that's how I got to selected for the Walker Cup team. 624 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:03,920 It was unfortunately I took over after after Cape and given given 625 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:06,000 America doing it. Love them. 626 00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:10,040 Right. So one for unforthly had I'd say 627 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:13,880 that's that's follow on, but I again, it was a great experience 628 00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:17,440 of of seeing what more more so the background of whatever goes 629 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,960 into the background like like the clothes and you get to like 630 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,360 the clothes and you go and watch all the boys playing. 631 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:27,080 Although I'm not great, I'm not a great one for watching golf. 632 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:30,720 I'd rather have a, if I'm watching golf, the remote 633 00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:33,400 controls not very far away so I can change you into something 634 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:37,000 more interesting. So I had to sort of gear myself 635 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:42,480 up for so watching guys, which wasn't sometimes it was it was a 636 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:44,960 lot of hard work sign of watching people when you think I 637 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:47,280 just want to get a club myself and have a goal. 638 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:50,680 Yeah. And what's the selection process 639 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:53,400 actually like? I mean, what kind of things are 640 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:56,920 going into obviously results, but what other kind of 641 00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:59,240 conversations would you typically have without giving 642 00:35:59,240 --> 00:36:02,000 detail on players obviously, but what kind of things would you be 643 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:05,480 looking at with players? I think you just go in and there 644 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:08,840 was, there was 4 selectors and then you just go to all the, all 645 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:12,800 the events and, and obviously results have got a good bearing 646 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:16,480 on, on who's doing what. But you're just trying to try to 647 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:20,000 see guys, get to know, get to know some of the guys. 648 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:22,720 There's a, they've always got, there's an Order of Merit and 649 00:36:22,720 --> 00:36:25,320 things. So you're always sort of keeping 650 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:29,000 a good eye on the automatic, maybe the top top half a dozen 651 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,560 are always going to bend your thoughts and then you're just 652 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:35,720 sort of trying to find other guys or maybe been unlucky or 653 00:36:35,720 --> 00:36:38,640 whether they're the whether they're capable of Steph or not 654 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:42,120 to the to that sort of liable. But so I've always just gone for 655 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:46,080 for results maybe. But you if you get to meet them 656 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:50,560 and you can see what good, but it's going to be results at the 657 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:52,640 end of the day. Yeah, absolutely. 658 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:55,440 And then what about yourself in terms of still playing? 659 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:57,080 Do you get out much these days, Craig? 660 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:02,280 And the last time I played was August the 24th at Glasgow Open 661 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:05,320 at Glasgow Gales. I was measurable and I've put my 662 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:09,680 clubs away in the Shed and 1/2 for the last of sort of six 663 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:11,520 months. You've even played county stuff 664 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:13,120 in the one time you'll be playing that I. 665 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:16,520 Don't get I don't get selected for these things. 666 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:23,080 Don't say it's too cold anyway, you don't want when our greens 667 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:27,400 and holidaying greens and so about bringing the clubs back 668 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,080 out there. But this is this is end of 669 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:31,280 January. So bring the clubs back out in 670 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:33,480 March. I think I've entered a couple of 671 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:36,720 seniors events so I've got but that doesn't the first one is 672 00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:38,960 not on me for me. So let's talk about playing. 673 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:41,400 The Scottish Seniors Golf society you're playing with for 674 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:43,960 those. Yeah, I've been dragged into 675 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:45,560 that. It's like a good we suck it. 676 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,120 They've got a lot of good competitions. 677 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:50,600 And then obviously I know a lot of the guys like as you said, 678 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,600 Ronnie, you've you've spoken to Ronnie, Derek, Pete and I know a 679 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:55,760 lot, so a lot. I know a lot of the guys. 680 00:37:56,560 --> 00:37:59,400 So it's our big just trying to get back into the swing of 681 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:03,720 things since since I was captain my golf, I've not really played 682 00:38:03,720 --> 00:38:06,040 an awful lot of golf zone since then. 683 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:10,840 So I got I got a new set of clubs and and 16 I've still got 684 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:13,200 the same grips as I had on them at the start. 685 00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:17,960 So, so I'll need to play a little bit more and sort of 686 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:20,480 where the the grip son. Yeah, well, I've got a 687 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:23,720 significant bust in the summer, so I may be able to get we gave 688 00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:25,120 me in the summer. There you go. 689 00:38:25,240 --> 00:38:28,680 I'll just I'm going to join the society as well. 690 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:31,280 Fill out man. I'll be a young of course I'll 691 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:33,720 be excluded from a lot of the the bike. 692 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:38,760 You can't equal the bike teams. 5I qualify a card in the club, 693 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:42,920 something would be more like, yeah, I'm looking forward to. 694 00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:45,880 I think there's some really good events and looks really well 695 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:49,600 organized and you know, Ronnie's talked really positively about 696 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:51,400 it. Kenny Garkin as well, and Johnny 697 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:53,440 Johnston, they said they've had a great time on that Scottish 698 00:38:53,440 --> 00:38:56,360 soccer. I mean, Kenny's been playing 699 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:57,760 really good for the last couple of years. 700 00:38:57,760 --> 00:38:59,480 I've played with Kenny last year, yeah. 701 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:01,600 And he's been really enjoying himself. 702 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:04,440 So I mean, it's a good, good soccer, a lot of good courses. 703 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:07,680 So I this seems to be well organized. 704 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:11,040 I need and to be fair, you don't see that. 705 00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:15,840 I mean, we when we were younger played in the all the 36 holes. 706 00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:20,480 It was a great there's X hole soccer, but now that's I mean 707 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:23,280 you hardly a lot of their sex all over got eighteen holes now. 708 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:25,360 Yeah, and even the. So they've all struck on as 709 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:26,480 well. They can't get fields. 710 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,960 It's crazy. All right, even they've all 711 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,840 they've all fallen away, you know, so it'd be nice to get 712 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:36,320 back into competitive golf again because it has been a wee while 713 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:38,480 since since I've bothered doing that so. 714 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:42,240 And we'll enter some of the national events then beyond the 715 00:39:42,240 --> 00:39:45,520 sort and. I don't think so. 716 00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:51,120 I think I'll I've entered 3 events this year, but I'll 717 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:53,160 probably I'll probably be I won't bother. 718 00:39:53,240 --> 00:39:57,880 I don't like to travel for the these things now, so I'll 719 00:39:57,880 --> 00:40:01,160 probably give the the national events that I'll let Ronnie 720 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:03,320 continue with them. So he seems to be doing all 721 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:04,520 right. I can't hear as. 722 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:10,840 Well, great amateur as well. So he maybe never had to never 723 00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:14,600 get into the the, the squads that that we did when Ronnie was 724 00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:19,000 in a few squads before as well. So, but I've been great players 725 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:21,400 and and they probably had to further than they did when they 726 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:25,600 were top amateurs younger than the younger days. 727 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:27,240 That's The funny thing though, isn't it? 728 00:40:27,240 --> 00:40:31,640 Those guys finding that the golf game is as good, if not better 729 00:40:31,640 --> 00:40:36,000 than when they were basically even in their 20s and 30s. 730 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:41,520 It's incredible. I played Ronnie last year as 731 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:44,720 well and he had said I think he must set up between yard swell 732 00:40:44,720 --> 00:40:47,560 and he did when he was younger. Yeah, I saw them in the 733 00:40:47,840 --> 00:40:51,200 technology and of the fitness, although I'm not really bothered 734 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:53,840 under the no end of the fitness. As long as I can walk eighteen 735 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,120 holes I'm quite happy. So I don't bother. 736 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:58,720 I don't bother go to the gym around and so on. 737 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:04,680 But no, they're all very keen enemy and as a really organized 738 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:07,240 was really well organized circuit not going. 739 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:10,040 Yeah, absolutely. OK, Gloss, and thanks for 740 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:11,600 joining us. It's been great to see you again 741 00:41:11,640 --> 00:41:14,600 and hopefully I'll get to see you in the summer and and I will 742 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:17,560 end up no doubt carrying your bag rather than playing against 743 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:19,280 you. But it's been great to have you 744 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:20,600 on. Thanks so much for joining. 745 00:41:21,720 --> 00:41:23,480 I will look forward to that. Thanks very much. 746 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:29,920 Cheers. I'd like to thank Craig for 747 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:32,240 joining me and sharing your stories about his own golf and 748 00:41:32,240 --> 00:41:33,920 his experiences in the Walker Cup. 749 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:37,160 If you enjoyed this episode, please follow Like By Golf on 750 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:40,160 your favorite podcast platform, leave a review and share with 751 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:42,000 someone who loves golfing people's journeys. 752 00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:46,880 You can also find the show on Instagram at Linked by G2024. 753 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:50,640 For future episodes, clips and insights, I'm Ross McGuire, 754 00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:53,680 thanks for listening. Loman Golf Tours have helped 755 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:56,640 thousands of guests build bespoke golf trips to create a 756 00:41:56,640 --> 00:41:59,480 magical experience. Travel in style with their 757 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:02,480 executive chauffeur travel. Whether it's golf on a major 758 00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:06,080 championship venue or one of our hidden gems, 5 star 759 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:09,680 accommodation or a boutique bed and breakfast, or is it whiskey 760 00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:13,320 tasting on a private boat, Loman Golf Tours are here to help 761 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:16,240 build the tour of a lifetime. Whether you're celebrating a 762 00:42:16,240 --> 00:42:19,920 special occasion or ticking it off your bucket list, Embarking 763 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:21,560 a trip that you'll remember forever? 764 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:25,400 Visit www.lomangolftours.com.