Golf’s Greatest Test – The Carnoustie Review

Nish: 0:00

Every story has an ending. Does our quest to play the top 100 courses in 10 years have a good ending? I’m Mitch, I’m Chris, I’m Jim, and we’re here to guide you through this golfing journey. This is the top 100 in 10 golf podcast. This today is the reason we are doing this challenge.

Paul: 0:18

Very few people I’ve seen go there and go and shoot even the little handicappers golf works. I’ve only seen a few of them shoot low scores. You can be playing well, but if you let your guard down at all, it just punches you in the face.

Nish: 0:30

Episode 51. Some courses charm you, but Carnusti challenges you to a duel. You’re taking on an almighty golf course that on the most benign day would be a stern test of your golf. Then throw in a constant threat of rain, wind that seems to want to harm you, and the burns and bunkers to drive you insane. From Ben Hogan’s precision to Vandervelder’s very public nervous breakdown, it’s the course that proves golf isn’t just a game, it’s psychological warfare in tartan trousers. And we’re all the better for the experience. Before we carry on with the episode, I just want to make you aware of our video version of the podcast, if you’re listening at the moment. So in these review episodes, we’ve now decided we’re going to cut in some actual footage of golf with shock traces and things like that. Not particularly good golf shots, but it’s going all fancy. And with a big course like this at Carnoosti, and it’s ranked 12 in our rankings, it’s the perfect chance to head over to our YouTube channel. That’s the Top 110 Golf Podcast. Watch this episode as well as listen to it. And while you’re there, you might as well hit subscribe because it means you won’t miss another episode. And all the higher subscriber numbers help us hit our goals and targets for the coming year. Now, if you’re listening, I’m not letting you off the hook. It takes a microsecond to click, but click follow, it really helps us. Now back to the episode. So I’ve got the it’s called a stroke saver officially, isn’t it? This yardage book, Chris. Um I’ve wanted to read in name paragraphs.

Chris: 2:10

It’s it’s not the they’ve not saved me very many strokes in the uh the 18 courses we’ve played so far.

Nish: 2:15

Yeah.

Chris: 2:15

Oh, you just talk about the car journey now.

Nish: 2:17

Never a more poorly named golf thing as a stroke saver. Um now I I want to read two paragraphs from this because I think it really kind of encapsulates what this golf course is about. Regarded as the most challenging of all the open venues, the Carnusti Championship course presents a unique test and features the toughest closing stretch of holes worldwide. You will follow in the footsteps of legends on a lynx that has played host to the world’s greatest golfers and produce many of golf’s most dramatic moments. Jean Val de Helder. Choose your shot me. We’ll get to that, yeah. Choose your shot carefully on six, fondly named Hogan’s Alley after the great golfer himself. Keep out of the spectacles bunkers at 14, and plan to land your shot neatly on the island formed by the famous Barry Byrne on 17. I mean, what a magical way to describe a fucking hard golf course. Sounds easy, mate. It sounds easy. I don’t know what you’re wondering about. It was so good, wasn’t it?

Chris: 3:25

It was absolutely class. It was it was just class all the way around. Like there’s so many, there’s so many touch points in there, like you kind of as you were describing then as you’re going around, there’s so many parts and you know, little sections of that golf course that are just famous for like you know, the most famous people and moments and events in golf. Like it there’s it’s just been it’s such a rich history, isn’t it? That’s that Carnusti’s had with the open. Um, so yeah, it was a pretty special experience to to go around and uh and hack around there for an afternoon, wasn’t it? Well well put, Chris.

Nish: 3:58

I think rich history is exactly the way I would describe it. I mean, yeah, I I I said to to Paul afterwards, and I’ve read my messages back, and I sound like a proper fanboy. And I was like, genuinely, I’ve had a dream of playing at Carnisti for 25 years. Ever since I saw that falling apart on the 18th, I’ve always wanted to play there. Not maybe not so much like you know, overtly as like, oh yeah, I’m desperate to do and telling everyone I want to do it, but it was just burnt into my psyche for such a long time, and yeah, I was like, it just felt unbelievable stepping foot on that golf course. I couldn’t honestly, I was just I was just like pinching myself the whole time.

Chris: 4:43

Yeah, it was pretty cool, wasn’t it? It was pretty cool. You’ve played it before as well, haven’t you, Chris?

Jim: 4:48

Yeah, yeah, but still it’s different different different circumstances, yeah.

Chris: 4:52

I think just also more appreciative of it. Do you know what I mean? I probably just played it as a kid and didn’t really think anything of it. But I think going and doing these things now feels so much more special, and like, yeah, I’m like I say, I’m just much more appreciative of of having those experiences. Whereas before it was just a golf course that was gonna go and hit a ball round, then I was annoyed and angry because I wasn’t hitting the ball as well as I should have been. I’m still annoyed and angry because I’m not hitting the ball as as well as I should have been, but I’m also able to kind of take it in and and uh and absorb it a little bit more, I think. Um in in in older in older age.

Nish: 5:24

It it felt that that whole day felt just the course is magnificent, and the reputation comes with it and all that kind of stuff, and and that in itself was special enough as it is. But I think when you consider what we’re doing, it felt like it was kind of like that’s the last course we’re playing this year. It was so we’re gonna have like a nice winter break now, and all that kind of what night we’ll define nice, we’ve got a lot of golf to work on, I think. But we you know, we’re gonna have a winter break. It’s been the highest ranked that we’ve played so far. It’s one of the most famous golf courses on that list. It was just like this today is the reason we are doing this challenge and this endeavour, yeah.

Chris: 6:12

Yeah, it was such a brilliant way to cap the year off, wasn’t it? Like, yeah, it couldn’t have been we couldn’t have asked for a better, a better track to go around, I don’t think, to finish the year. Um style, wasn’t it? Sorry, Jim, what was that?

Jim: 6:24

I’m sure the groundskeepers are uh are also uh quite relieved that they got the winter break to do that.

Chris: 6:30

I think I think there’s still some groundskeepers. I think there’s still some out there refilling the bunkers after Nish went in them a couple of times, to be honest, Nish. Oh, yes, I think they’ve got the fly some sunding from Dubai, I think.

Nish: 6:42

Yeah, um, and that is a lovely way to end this episode. So until next time, yeah. I mean it it it it lived up to its revivity. But look, look, look, let’s let’s all good stories start at the beginning. And we’d had a wonderful round the day before, and we were at a point where we were in t-shirts and all that kind of thing, and I can’t say that I didn’t have an eye on the weather forecast for the day after, and even the people that we were telling that were playing Carnusti tomorrow, not one of them went, Oh, excellent, you’ll have a fantastic time. They all said, Oh, it’s looking like a nasty day tomorrow.

Chris: 7:24

We’re supposed to play in King’s Barnes tomorrow, but we’ve just cancelled that round. We’re not gonna bother, we paid for it, we’re just not gonna bother turning up because the weather forecast looks so bad. I didn’t realise that at all. Oh, yeah, yeah. So it was like, yeah, full on like 40, 40, 50 mile-an hour winds, torrential rain all day.

Nish: 7:40

Jim, this this is how bad the forecast was. We were because we we you know we have probably been quite flying in the wind with it a little bit more now, that’s quite apt, but um shoving our top 110 weather in everyone’s faces quite a lot recently, and we were like, oh no. Yeah, we’re like all that gloat in its all. Yeah, yeah, and and it I mean it did look good. Yeah, so we we did we did our kind of like you know, driving over, it was about a 45-minute drive, wasn’t it, over from from Dunbarney to to Carnousti, full of excitement. Yeah, um, what did you think of the approach into Carnousty as we were driving in, Chris?

Chris: 8:21

It’s kind of it’s kind of a weird one, isn’t it, really? Because you’re just in the middle of middle of a little town, and then you just go under this random little kind of railway bridge, and then all of a sudden it’s just there in front of you, isn’t it? You’ve got the sort of side of the hotel.

Nish: 8:32

It just felt like it was a proper light, it was just it was a bit dead, but yeah, we sort of rocked up, and as soon as we couldn’t feel the wind, could be in the car, and then we got out, and it’s like, oh, it’s it’s pretty windy. Yeah. I mean, so much that I think when we were on the putting green, practice putting green, you can the balls are rolling off and stuff, weren’t they? Because the wind was catching them. Yeah, it’s like oh, the ball’s gone again. Bring it back. Yeah, so that so that was our intro to Carnoosty, and they got a little, you know, so it’s a modern clubhouse, so you’ve got you know, great, great facilities, and you go in, and as soon as you walk in, you know you’re in a special clubhouse, you know, you’re in a special place, they’ve got all these yeah, it’s more of a kind of like hotel vibe, isn’t it, rather than a like a golf clubhouse? And like a museum almost that downstairs bit because they had like the clarity jug was there, they had like this display about Ben Hogan, they had um movie about Jean Van der Velder playing on the screen and just little you know boards and things.

Chris: 9:29

Oh god, he’s never gonna get over that, isn’t it? No, I bet he’s never been back there, has he?

Jim: 9:37

This is gonna be in the greatest moment of your career, and uh yeah.

Nish: 9:41

They’re never gonna make us forget it, yeah.

Jim: 9:44

And and and you’re not either, because I’m I’m I I did see on Instagram that you could try to recreate him, you know, taking his shoes and socks off in the uh had to be done, had to be done, you know.

Nish: 9:53

And then the the the club the clubhouse pro shop sort of thing, you’d call it. I mean it’s a gift shop, isn’t it? Basically, there was so much stuff you could buy, and it’s again it reminded me, Chris, when you were saying of people at Trump, you know, did you say so much stuff you could buy, Nish?

Chris: 10:08

You could buy all so much stuff you this is one thing I keep it, I keep I keep forgetting to ask what merch, what merch have you bought? If you bought all the merch. Officially, I didn’t buy anything, but unofficially I bought quite a lot, even for Nish.

Nish: 10:21

The wife’s not there, so it was uh it was quite a haul. I spent a serious amount of money in there, actually, to be fair. You know, here’s here’s my justification for it. It’s none of your business, so whatever.

Jim: 10:34

Yeah, I just remember the the the the early conversations and when you had uh the other chaps who were doing the uh the similar challenge, and uh you know how much do you anticipate on spending? It’s like oh 25 grand or something like that over the whole course of the uh the the experience and then excluding merchandise.

Nish: 10:53

Excluding merchandise, read this, read the small print. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There’s always an asterisk on these things, you know. Um but uh yeah, and then and then we had which we talked about in the preview, Chris, and so and I haven’t really spoken to even though we had a six-hour car journey back afterwards, we didn’t really speak about apart from going, What’s just happened? That was absolutely frigging amazing, and the weather was terrible. So we were like, we’ve just avoided all of this. We didn’t really talk about the nitty-gooty stuff, which was like, what did you think of the Sims for warm-up?

Chris: 11:24

Better than I was anticipating. I mean, for the for the first thing is I really appreciated not having to stand outside in the 40 mile an hour winds and the pissing down rain. So it was actually it was really warm in there. I was like, I’m quite enjoying being inside for a little little bit extra. Um so I appreciated that for sure. I mean the Sims were pretty class to be fair, they were like top top notch. They were GC quads, so that that’s pretty much the top of the range. Well, even like roll plush and like the the mats that it wasn’t mats, it was like all fitted into the ground. Yeah, it was pretty plush. Yeah, I yeah, I I like that to be fair. I did like it. Um didn’t didn’t feel like a proper warm-up, but um, but yeah, it was a good facility.

Nish: 12:04

Good facility. I could see this. There were two hitting nets on the side, and the net, the the green net that catches the ball, it was at a 90 degree angle in the hitting net. So I thought, right, that’s that’s why you’re not in the hitting net. So actually, kudos to Carlos T for putting in some sims. We can actually sort of at least have a hit and think, oh yeah, okay, yeah, I’ve got a bit of a bit of an idea what’s going on. But it’s a great system because they said half an hour before your tea time, you can you can go on. You just basically tell them that you want to go on the sim, and then they’ll set the bays up for you. If there’s if it’s busy, they’ll give you one bay between your your tea group, or we were four and there was nobody on there, so we got four bays. It was absolutely fantastic, isn’t it?

Jim: 12:49

Yeah, so how bit how big was that is that facility?

Nish: 12:51

So is it just a four bays or it’s seven. There’s a big teaching studio around around the corner, and then there’s six other full uh full four-sight like hitting bays. So they were they were pretty good. Like I was yeah, I was pretty, and I think I kind of think the balls are like might have been tight list as well. I’m not sure.

Chris: 13:10

Yeah, it was it was a pretty plush set setup, wasn’t it? It was nice. You’d expect it. I think for for something a bit different, I I I quite enjoyed it to be fair. Yeah. I thought you were a purist. I am a purist, Jim. Like I said, as a one-off, it was it was a nice, it was a nice novelty. But like if I if I rocked up to every club and it was a it was a sim, I’d be I’d be disappointed, I think.

Nish: 13:28

So we’ve talked about him enough, but Paul was our very amazing host, along with Barry. Yeah and Barry wasn’t available uh to chat. I had a little chat this weekend with with Paul um and I basically asked him, because he’s on a mission to play every single golf course in Scotland, as you might know from the preview, and asked him why and and how he started up, and here’s what he had to say.

Paul: 13:54

Um started by was just playing different courses. I used to like playing like the opening competitions, just the kind of local area. So I’d played ended up playing quite a lot of them, and I just kind of kept playing more, kept playing more. And it used to be in Scotland called the Golf Show. It’s just it’s like a big retail thing. But they used in like a magazine there, and I’d have a list of all the courses. So it’s kind of a bit as well see how many I’ve played. Kind of ticking off, like done that, done that. And I just uh might as well just try and play them all now. Just just when I’m kind of OCD hangs kicked in, like I’m just gonna play them all.

Nish: 14:29

Yeah, yeah. I love that. It’s just like I just started ticking, so let’s just keep ticking on now. Um now I know this number, but um how many have you got left to play?

Paul: 14:40

Uh it’s around about 25. There’s a couple of new ones just opened and there’s another one or two maybe going to open next year.

Nish: 14:47

And and what what are you saying is the total definitive number on your list? Uh just over 600. Just over 600. So yeah, you played 575 courses in Scotland.

Paul: 15:00

Yeah. There’s there’s a few in the islands, I need to see if they still exist and stuff like that, because like in a community run places and things like that. Yeah.

Nish: 15:09

And just uh yeah, trawling through Facebook groups to try and see if they’re actually still going or not before you make the make the trip trip up there.

Paul: 15:17

That’s quite sad, some of the things I’ve had to do, yeah. Foon in your B’s. Just is there a golf course in your island?

Nish: 15:23

Um now uh n now also you’re you’re doing that in aid of uh Parkinson’s, so tell me a little bit, it’s a it’s a cause that is dear to my heart. Uh my my dad passed away from Parkinson’s, but uh what was the the reason for you to to to raise money for j for Parkinson’s?

Paul: 15:38

The same thing though. Um it was my dad had it at the time. Um I was doing the courses before this anyway. But he Parkinson’s for uh a year or two and I was like, I should really be doing something back here. So I started just with the courses, finding different ways of make uh raising some money towards it. Uh my dad’s passed away since as well. But it was I’ve done a few like outings and then some of the clubs will donate four ball vouchers. So then I’ll raffle them off or auction them or whatever and raise money that way. Obviously you don’t raise anything by playing the golf courses, but get some random donations here and there as well.

Nish: 16:14

Yeah, and it it it’s great, isn’t it, the generosity of people when you explain your story that uh that you know they will they will get their hands in and and help you out.

Paul: 16:24

Some of the clubs have been brilliant, especially kind of local ones in my area. A few of them have been well quite a few different areas actually, but certain ones are just every year just send us an email them any chance you could give us a hand again, just know what it’s here you go. So some some have been brilliant.

Nish: 16:38

Yeah, that’s amazing, isn’t it? Is there anyone that you particularly want to give a shout out to for for being really helpful to you?

Paul: 16:44

I I would need to left them off to be honest, and I’ll probably miss someday, so I won’t. Yeah, fair enough. It’s the same, it’s the same as yourself. Like it might be the secretary who happens to have somebody who’s passed away from Parkinson’s or got it, and that’s um one of the one of them is Roxbrother that gave me one for that. I just just happened to be whoever I spoke to. I’d uh really had the disease, so that was why I got that one.

Nish: 17:05

There’s I think there’s been a few of that to be honest. What we’re actually gonna do as well, and part of him uh being on the attraction is that we can talk we can talk about his charity. So we’re gonna put all the links up for his fundraising. Uh Parkinson’s is a disease that touches many, many people. Sometimes they don’t want to tell you about it, and and it’s a tragedy for the people around and also the person because you slowly lose that person and then just not the same. So uh it’s a disease that hasn’t got any cure at the minute, but they think they’re close. So if you can see it in your heart to donate, that’d be absolutely wonderful. And I also must mention Barry. Now, Paul’s been getting a lot of the airtime, but Barry was the other member that was our host, and what a character Barry was. I loved that man.

Chris: 17:51

It was absolutely I mean those two were just absolutely class to play with, weren’t they? Just so like just down to it, just absolutely no bullshit at all. Just yeah, just proper sound guys, weren’t they?

Nish: 18:00

Soul to the earth people, you know, and and actually what was really nice was that they do play there quite a lot, obviously, being members as you would, but they were the same going round, playing, like they they had enthusiasm for the golf course, absolutely, yeah. Yeah, it was amazing, yeah. Like there’s no taking it for granted. Uh the Barry actually has had a kidney transplant. Uh so I jokingly said if you wanted to have a beer after the round, but he was like very quick to put me right, it’s like no no no, I’m having a okay, that’s fine. But um he’s raising money for for kidney research, so uh again, we’ll put the links up in our in our descriptions. Uh if if that is a cause that’s touched you, then please do donate. Anything is helpful. Uh, but it’s incredible to think what the undertaking is that they’re taking aren’t you that’s true, but play every single golf course and then he’s played, he’s only got like 25 to go, Paul.

Jim: 18:56

Oh 575, 620. It’s just over 600, yeah.

Nish: 19:00

So 603 or 4 or something like that. Yeah, it’s incredible. Like, and and he’s like there are some that we definitely know that we probably can’t get on, and and whatever. So we were trying to like get a list out of them, see if any any of them are ours. But I think all the big ones they’ve they’ve pretty much played. I think it was only because it’s Skibo they’re they’re they’re struggling with. So we made a pact to get onto that together, yeah. Even if it means we have to trespass, we’ll do it, we’ll do it at night time night golf in Skibo Castle. That’s it. Yeah, but honestly, they were they were a great laugh to play with. We had a we had a good um good time with them. They were they were very generous in their advice, and I’m actually surprised that there wasn’t more England Scotland banter earlier. It really only kicked off around whole 15-16.

Chris: 19:48

Yeah, it just started to get interested in it, like sort of 14-15, then all of a sudden everyone was like, Oh, actually, this is getting quite close, getting a bit touchy now, isn’t it?

Nish: 19:55

Well, we’d we’ve I I’ll mention it because they’ll want me to to to congratulate them on their win. But they only won 2-1 under 17, so you know it I think we bearing in mind I had a stinker, I think we didn’t disgrace well, you didn’t disgrace yourself because you you took them on very manfully, so thank you. Well, look, uh before we get on to anything else, really, for a man who’s played 575 golf courses in Scotland and nearly completed all of them. Um I had to ask Paul where he ranked Carnusti in amongst all of those golf courses.

Paul: 20:30

In terms of actual layout and stuff, it’s right up there with the best, I’d say. Um I don’t think there’s odds in Scotland that’d be a better layout. I’ve started playing Muirfield and everyone says that’s amazing, but like St Andrews is like the sort of main one every day knows, but Carnousti’s layout wise is a miles miles better than St Andrews. Um personally I like viewers on a golf course. So see the likes of Kings Barnes and Castle Street and stuff, Royal Dornock, I I would have them above it. But that’s just personal. I just I like having good views on playing golf. Yeah, you know standing on a T and Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Nish: 21:06

It just puts you in a good frame of mind, doesn’t it? I mean, you know, you you can uh and look this is the this the game is this, isn’t it? It’s um opinions and what people’s preferences are and some people want to go somewhere where it’s like ridiculously difficult and challenge themselves against that. Some people just want to play with a friend, have a little natter, almost get your phone out of every tea box taking a picture because it’s so stunning to look at, you know, it’s uh it’s what you want to get out of the game, I suppose.

Paul: 21:33

I think it depends what you’re there for as well. Like if you’re going for a nice test of golf and you want a proper bar to then go to Kinnerston a window there. If you’re wanting somewhere nice chilled out, you’d probably be nine whore overlooking the sea. It’s just it’s all about who you’re going with and what you’re doing, and I don’t I don’t know all the ones that are on your top 100 lists in Scotland, but I know they’re quite varied, which is good because you have it with Donok and Queen’s Varns with the views, and then you have Kinnerston Wheelerfield, which are more just a bit technical golf, kind of trying to avoid bunkers and whatever else. Yeah.

Nish: 22:06

That’s it’s fascinating that. Now, I mean you you touched on it then. If you really want a challenge, go and play Carnusty on a windy day, which is exactly what we had. I mean, it probably wasn’t even as windy as it as it can be, but we we had that. So um, yeah, I mean tell tell this isn’t for me, it’s not a question from me, and I know it’s a question that all of our listeners would be dying to find out about, but what was it like watching me and Chris struggling to tame Carn Housty on a on a very windy day? We didn’t get any rain, we got lucky with that, we didn’t get any rain, but on a very windy day, how was it watching it as a third party uh external person watching it?

Paul: 22:41

In fairness, most people I’ve had on struggle. Like it battled me today, for example, but like very few people I’ve seen go there, go and shoot even the low handicappers and Scratch golfers. I’ve only seen a few of them shoot low scores. Like I’ve not signed on millions of people, but not many of them are breaking 80.

unknown: 22:59

Right.

Paul: 23:00

And that’s included some low handicappers. It’s just it gets you somewhere. It may be one bunker, it might be the button on 18, or it might be whatever, but at some point they just get you. Um and if the wind if the wind’s up, it’s tough.

Nish: 23:14

So I what I’ve taken away from that is not many players breaking 80 even with low single handicapped figures is just incredible, isn’t it? Like it really puts into perspective how tough that golf course is.

Chris: 23:25

Yeah, and it Well, I I don’t yeah, I I I can see I can see that though, because I can’t I can’t imagine there’s many people that walk off that golf course and have not been brutalized somewhere. Because like every it’s it’s an it’s quite an intense experience, isn’t it, really, playing around there because every single shot you’ve got to be like you’re thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking, and then you’ve got to execute it, and it’s both of those things are incredibly difficult to do around there because it’s just non-stop, it’s relentless, isn’t it? Like every shot you’ve got, and there’s no there’s no bailout, right? You can’t if you miss it, you miss it, you’re fucked. You’re in a burn or you’re in a bunker or you’re in the rough, like you know, you’ve got to hit the shot, you’ve got to pick the shot, and then you’ve got to hit it.

Nish: 24:07

Um, and if you’re gonna I’m gonna get to my niche’s top tip for tackling carnousty actually later. I’ve got that as a surprise for you, Chris. Right, okay. But I’ll look forward to that. I’ll hit you with that later. But um, but yeah, no, I mean it I had the same thing. I had friends who who aren’t golfers or anything and know know about carnusty, and they’re like, What was it like? What was it like? What was it like? And I was like, that’s the exact the word you use was relentless. Yeah, that’s exactly what I used. Yeah, you can’t you can’t relax at any point.

Chris: 24:33

Yeah, well I think when we when we walked off the first, didn’t we? Paul was like, Well, that’s all the easy holes out the way. And he was absolutely right. Like the first hole was actually relatively straightforward, and then after that, it just yeah, it was just just relentless, then beyond that, wasn’t it?

Nish: 24:47

It just it just struck me as a place where you could you could hit a really good shot and then you just get unlucky with a roll and then it’s in a bunker, and then you Yeah, pardon my language, but you’re fucked. Yeah, so as it goes in one of them bunkers, like you know you’ve had it. Um because it’s definitely a shotgun. There’s there’s no fair way bunkers that you can just play a normal shot out of. Like you’re in a bunker, you it’s no you’re coming out sideways, that’s it. Correct. Um if you can come out, get out at all. I suppose we should we should say.

Jim: 25:14

Um now I was just looking at this the scorecard and seeing what uh you know how we can.

Chris: 25:19

Tell you what, Jim, can you do me a little favour? I shouldn’t have sent it to you. Can you just look down the scorecard, just look at Nish’s scores? Can you try and guess which holes Nish went in the bunker in? Okay, okay.

Nish: 25:31

And here’s here’s here’s how it was, right? I only went in to four bunkers in the whole round, but it didn’t seem like that. Only went into four bunkers. Can you spot them, Nick? Can you spot them, Jim? Okay, I’ll I’ll I’ll give you a clue. Seven and eight. After Hogan’s alley. Yeah. Yeah. Two two two holes in a row. I mean, it’s a good job. I’ve got uh a bulletproof mentality, and I could recover from that. Um, not really.

Jim: 26:07

We’ll we’ll we’ll you did recover, you did recover. And I’m bearing in mind that the the back nine were meant to be the the toughest in golf.

Nish: 26:16

I was gonna say, I mean, I think you took at least at least seven shots out of both of those. I must have had, I think when I counted it, they probably were seven shots, and then I still didn’t get out. I still did. But let’s look, we’re we’re jumping ahead. Let’s talk about the good stuff first. So look, we took we know how we know how brutal Carnusti is built to be. I asked Paul about some other course characteristics and just why it’s so brutal.

Paul: 26:41

Uh it’s just you can be playing well, but if you let your guard down at all, it just punches you in the face and then keeps done up.

Nish: 26:48

Paul, you’ve described that absolutely dead right, it just punches you in the face, doesn’t it? That’s exactly right. So, Chris, the time has come. Let’s get to our actual golf on the day. So tell me how you were feeling on the first T.

Chris: 27:02

First T is a bit funny, wasn’t it? Because you because you’ve got the massive clubhouse on the left. So I think it’s the about the only the only shot in the day where you just didn’t you didn’t actually feel the wind. So it actually felt like it didn’t feel too bad. However, we’d earlier watched a few of the older guys teeing off on the first and watched their balls just balloon out to the right as they as they passed the clubhouse, end of the clubhouse, and all of a sudden they just shoot off to the right. So I think we kind of knew a little bit of what was coming. Um but yeah, it’s a pretty it’s a pretty special tea box, isn’t it? Like it just um give you goosebumps a little bit, doesn’t it, thinking about it? Because like you’ve got the hotel behind you, you can see the 18th green just just kind of over to your right hand side. Uh it’s just massive long tea box, isn’t it? Um and you’re on you’re at Carnoostie, right? So it’s it’s it’s pretty exciting. Um so yeah, it was a pretty pretty cool start, wasn’t it? Really?

Jim: 27:53

So, what was the experience in one of the first two? Because usually you’ve got you know uh the greeters and uh yeah, none of that because it was members, members, members.

Chris: 28:01

Do you know it was really quiet, Jim? It was it was not at all what we were expecting because I think we’re expecting Carnoostie, there’s just gonna be people everywhere, it’s just gonna be queues of people, really, really busy on the golf course. Actually, it was really quiet. There’s a handful of people that went out in front of us. There was no one really behind us for a little while. Um, but yeah, it was it was just like playing on a normal golf course, wasn’t it? Really, in terms of the fancy.

Nish: 28:20

Aside from yeah, aside from being buffeted by the wind, it was quite a peaceful experience, though, wasn’t it? We literally were just on the course on our own, and it was it was great.

Jim: 28:29

What about the little touches? Because you’d expect, you know, someone with so much history. Um, you know, it’s obviously special because of the the actual course itself, but what what the what are the little extras that the that that are there in the course?

Chris: 28:43

I think everything is just absolutely on point, like just everything is just beautifully mown and exactly the right length of grass, and it just looks yeah, it looks it looks awesome to be fair.

Nish: 28:56

I I was surprised at how the the burns are so well manicured with the the kind of the the bricks leading down to the it’s all walled and stuff like that, isn’t it? So it’s it I sort of said it uh to Paul, I think it was like it’s pretty well manicured that course, but it’s manicured in a way that makes it look not manicured and natural kind of thing, which is weird. Like there’s no natural burns with these bricked walls, right? But it just fit in so well with its surroundings, and it’s just every you know, there’s no like moss anywhere, and it’s all impeccably well cleaned and all that kind of stuff. It was just like you used the word Chris. I think you you hit you sometimes you hit the word absolutely the right word on these things, and I it was classy, yeah, the whole way round. Yeah, it was. Now, I had an unusual way of playing hole one. I basically played it all down the 17th, just all the way down the right hand side. You did, and you nearly came up with a par as well. I had a put for par which I just missed. I was like, that would have been the most unconventional par ever. So my top tip for whole. Number one is don’t bother playing it on the right hand side. Spray it on the left hand the actual spray it down the right. You’ve got a nice easy line in deadly dead. Good. Where my my approach shot, the where it landed was pretty much in a little five-yard pocket of Laden where that was the only place it could have landed where I had a shot at the green. Otherwise, I was like, this is gone. So I got pretty pretty lucky there. And then so we hit on the wind. Yeah, it was the win, yeah. 100% mate. And then we hit two, which was a cracking hole, wasn’t it? Um, yeah. And number two, I think I hit my drive, and I was like, oh, a bit nervous, and I thought it’d gone into the bunker. And I was like, oh, so it didn’t last long, that did it. Second hole and straight into a bunker. But I was right on the edge of the bunker, so I was like, take this look around with you everywhere you go. I think you went out wide right.

Chris: 30:52

Yeah, I took I took your your strategy on hole one and applied that to hole two. Didn’t actually play hole two, I just played whatever the hole was coming up adjacent to it. Yeah, tiger lied mate.

Nish: 31:01

So that’s the way to do it, you know. We would we’ve tested the extremities of that that goal club. But where did you start? Well, did we like do like fives and fives or something? Yeah, I think so. I was thinking this piece of business course wasn’t talking about. Oh god. And then uh then we came to the third. So the third was a was a brilliant hole, but yeah, it’s a class hole. I’m gonna play a little clip because it’s actually Paul’s favourite hole, so I thought I’d let him describe it and and and how it plays.

Paul: 31:30

I’d probably pick a few, but I like the foot hole. Um trying fusion routes. So maybe we played the yellows, so it’s about 320, 330 yards, two bunkers middle of the fairway, one ramp from the left in front of the green. It’s a short hole, and most people I play with just bog it up. It’s just how well designed it is for a hole that short to be that difficult. Yeah. It should it should it should be on we seven within a hybrid or a long iron and a wedge. And then you just see people scrambling over the place planet.

Nish: 32:02

It’s crazy, isn’t it? I suppose because if you’re you’re playing there regularly and you do see different varying standards of people going at it, yeah, it’s like what are you taking on this hole to is that the one that’s got the double green? The third.

Paul: 32:17

No, the third’s like you’re on the you’re on the tee looking down, there’s two bunkers right in the middle of the year.

Nish: 32:22

Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Paul: 32:23

I remember it. Yeah.

Nish: 32:24

So you can go down the left or round the right, it’s just there’s a couple of ways to play the hole, and yeah, yeah. That is that is actually a great hole. You’re right. It’s because it’s kind of like you can’t really take it on fully. You have to like that requires a very accurate long t-shirt, but yeah, you kind of you could play it a load of different ways. Yeah, good choice. Good choice, Paul. So yeah, I think I think we will agree that hole number three was fantastic, wasn’t it?

Chris: 32:47

Yeah, and like on paper, it should be a really easy golf hole. It’s pretty short, know what the yard is, three 325 yards, I think, of the yellows we played. Yeah. Um I mean it was downwind, so I think I hit a six iron off the T. Shouldn’t we? And still nearly went into the bunker.

Nish: 33:05

It was the burn far, wasn’t it?

Chris: 33:07

We had a hundred yards in, but still made an absolute fucking mess of it.

Nish: 33:12

Well, I think this is it about Carnus T.

Chris: 33:15

There. Can’t we scored on there?

Nish: 33:16

I’ve got I’ve got no idea, Chris. You didn’t have a PTSD about that.

Chris: 33:21

Yeah, a three putt, but it was a long putt.

Nish: 33:22

But yeah, it wasn’t about the score that day, was it? Definitely not.

Chris: 33:28

Definitely not.

Nish: 33:28

That’s my that’s my party line.

Chris: 33:30

Yeah, but like another yard further, and I was in that burn, like off the tee, I was like, oh no, not I didn’t want to hit it there, and it just hit the back of the bunker, and then I was like, ah fuck, that’s going in the burn. But yeah, pull the ball like a yard short. But yeah, it’s a great hole, it’s like a burn that just kind of runs down, runs down the left a bit and then cuts in front of the green. But it’s pretty intimidating, isn’t it, to to look at? Even I’ve only got 100 yards, but with the wind, it’s uh it’s really, really hard to get that judgment right. I think it’s also worth just touching on your comments on the third tier as well, Nish, about the fifth.

Nish: 34:01

Yes, so basically it’s the fit. So I I I have it’s it’s in my show notes. So uh I’ve got as we walk past, so there’s this green, and the guys went that’s a devilish pin position. And basically it’s a three-tiered green, and it was up at the top, and even that top tier is like at an angle like this, isn’t it?

Chris: 34:19

Yeah, it’s like a what a 60-degree angle or something, and that top tier is like what like two metres long, and then there’s a massive drop-off, and it’s probably not much more than about what three metres wide. There’s a tiny target, and this pin has just sat right in the middle of this top tier, it’s ridiculous.

Nish: 34:34

Because I’d had a I’d had a lucky escape on hole one and two, and I’d sort of done all right on three. Yeah, I’ll walk past and went, I don’t really worry about lads. I’ll just birdie it later. Yeah, that came back to bite me. So we hit the fifth, and then the fifth is the first hole that I went in a bunker in. So there’s a really deep green side bunker, and actually, even on our shot savers, you can see how deep it actually is. Now, I actually got out of this bunker first time on the two occasions I ended up in it. So my approach went over to the back of the green, and uh I tried to chip out and it didn’t hold on this ridiculous slope, and it rolled and rolled and then rolled into the bunker, and I was like, fuck. So then I got in and I was like, right, come on, it’s your first proper bunker shot, let’s let’s do it. And I I I clicked it, but I hit it long, so it went back almost to where I chipped from. So then I had a second go at the chip, and I did exactly the same thing with the second go at the chip, and I was like, what is going on here? And then I got out again and I was like, Oh, okay, fair enough. So I d I should have been alright, really. Like I was, you know, that was the that was a first start.

Chris: 35:45

Yeah, I mean, to be fair to you though, Nish, like I that wasn’t really down to bad play. I think that that that was just almost impossible. It was almost impossible to keep that ball from going in that bunker from if you’re beyond the pin, like it’s just so fast, there’s just nothing to play with. Like it was almost impossible to keep it up there. Hard to do I think I think that shot that I think it was my third shot in there, 100 yards. I think that’s the hardest hundred yard shot I’ve ever had to hit. It was almost impossible. Like a nine brutal to look at into the wind, like yeah, and just nothing to aim at.

Nish: 36:20

You’re basically trying to like can you imagine those those wedges that the door wedges that hold a door open, that kind of thing. You’re basically pitching onto something at that kind of angle, yeah. And it’s like any kind of spin, it’s gonna come back off, and you’re pitting into anything’s gonna be a bit of spin on it, it’s yeah, it was that was a challenge. No chance, and then that was that was obviously then the precursor to um sort of Hogan Hogan’s Alley. Now, again, in my bravado, I sent Chris a message before we went to Scotland full stop, and I was like, No matter what happens on that day, Chris, you have one mission, and that is don’t let me hit anything but driver on Hogan’s Alley, because that is like you have to, like you gotta do it, sort of thing. Um, we did. We duly both hit driver, and actually, I found found a really handy way of playing Hogan’s Alley, actually. Um I did actually, it wasn’t it wasn’t too bad a drive, it sort of cleared the bunkers on the right, so it got got a good carry and then kind of landed in a nice bit of rough. So I actually had a good good angle to kind of approach, and then Paul was like, Well, what are you gonna do? You’re gonna go for it here, or are you gonna just like lay up? And there’s this hut that’s flirts with the outer bounds on the left-hand side, but like it’s a there’s a good landing space before it’s I was like, Great, wonderful, I’ll do that. So, what happens after a relatively good t-shot? You always mess up the approach, don’t you? Or the second shot. So I’ve scuffed this thing and it’s like slicey, and I’m thinking, oh no, and put straight away pause out. Oh, that’s in the burn, that’s in the burn, that’s in the burn, and then all of a sudden, this ball just like it looks like it disappears, and then like a millisecond later, it just goes like up full vertical, and then just drops out, and it was on a little speck of land that was just this burn just goes round and then kind of start start staking back across the fairway. I was like, you lucky lucky boy, how did you get away? How did you get away with that? So that’s a good way of playing, Hogan’s alley, if I’m honest. I don’t I don’t know what the fuss was all about. Okay, I’ve got a question for you here, Chris. When you stood on that T, did you feel that it was dead narrow?

Chris: 38:35

Not really, because we had quite a strong wind left to right, didn’t we? So the outer bound was almost kind of taken out of play. Like you you probably couldn’t have even hit it over there if you tried. So I think with that wind, it it didn’t feel that intimidating. The roof wasn’t that high over on the right, so really all you had to worry about was the bunkers. Oh, did I did I top my shot there? I think I actually did have to worry about the burning because I think I topped my shot and nearly waited the burn in front of us, but but it wasn’t it wasn’t that intimidating, it didn’t feel that narrow, and like I say, with the wind, it it it kind of took the out of bounds out of play anyway.

Nish: 39:05

Yeah, and I think for us playing as well, like we’re not playing in in a tournament, so the rough will always be cut down for for visitors generally, and if there’s no tournament going on, sort of thing, um, because obviously this pace of play would be a massive issue. Um it was it was fair, it was it was gettable, wasn’t it? What am I talking about? It’s ridiculous what I’m trying to say, but what I’m trying to say basically, but I also put it into a bunker on that whole niche. I but that’s another thing I’ve written in my show notes, Chris. Yes, you put you put it into a bunker when you were trying to go in between. Oh bless them. Barry and Paul were just like, I’ve not heard anybody laugh as loud as you just did there, Nish. That was amazing. Yeah, it was great. I was like, Oh, you know, you’ve got to give it out a bit, and then and then now then we hit holes uh seven and eight talking of trouble and bunkers. But before we do that, we should hear from Paul about my terrible bunker play. Uh he did bring that up quite a few times, so it’s different moments in our conversation. So let’s hear from him.

Paul: 40:11

You’ll vote by that hole, and then if you go on you you’ve done a few things, you’re going to bunker and take a few shots, and that’s you wasted half your shots straight away. Like it’s so quickly done.

Nish: 40:20

I don’t know what you’re talking about, Paul. Well I uh I was out at first time every time, wasn’t I? I had um we’ll describe as a couple of choice moments. I think it was about three bunkers got me in the end. So I think we should get to this point in the podcast now where we talk about some bunker issues and troubles. So I got out the first one twice. I was gonna say then you went back in it, I’m not sure that counts, but yeah. I was out first attempt. I should have really been full of confidence. And third time? I mean this but we were both in this bunker, weren’t we, on the seventh, Chris? And like you went first, like easy as you like, just clips it out. And it wasn’t really even particularly deep, was it, this bunker? No, not really. No, was it was a relatively straightforward one, and then I am playing this footage as we’re going along. So if you are listening, this is worth watching on YouTube because I must have had seven shots in that bunker trying to get out, and eventually I just went, I’m just picking this ball up because I don’t even know if I’m going to get out, and and I just don’t think they’re gonna be they’re gonna have to send a dig around with more sand. It was ridiculous, wasn’t it?

Chris: 41:40

Did you know what, Nish? I think I went through all the emotions whilst watching you do that. Like, I mean, obviously, after the first couple of shots, I was just trying to stop myself from pissing myself. That was the that was the initial the initial emotion, literally pissing myself, and then it started to feel a little bit sad, if I’m honest. By by the end, I think there was a little bit of a tear in my eye at one point. Um, because I was just like, he’s just he’s just bless him, he’s never gonna get out of there. He’s never gonna get out of there.

Nish: 42:07

I will tell you what I heard, right? Okay, absolute pin drop silence. Now that means everybody is like trying to stop themselves. Exactly.

Chris: 42:16

I think everyone was a little bit embarrassed. So everyone was finding it funny at first, and then it was a few giggles going around. I think everyone was like, Oh shit, this is serious. Like he’s genuinely not gonna be able to get out of here. Like you can’t carry on laughing.

Nish: 42:29

At what point is he gonna give up? What’s gonna look what’s gonna happen? So little, yeah. I was just like, just pick up. Did you even play backwards?

Jim: 42:34

Is it was it was it just that a business?

Nish: 42:37

It never occurred to me. It never occurred. I just would I was like, I want to get out, I want to get out, I want to get out. And it it didn’t even hit my head that I could try and go backwards, but I was yeah, I just I don’t know.

Chris: 42:47

I don’t think you would have got out backwards, to be honest, Nish.

Nish: 42:48

I don’t think I would have, if I’m honest. I just struggled to kick it out.

Chris: 42:52

You just you just you would get you just lost you lost the plot in terms of how you could even think about getting out of a bunker and a man actually physically getting out of one. Totally, mate.

Nish: 43:02

That’s exactly what happened. Like, I I’ve I’ve over this year I’ve been gradually on this, and I said this in the preview, and I was like, I’ve been getting quite decent at bunkers. I’m I’ve been getting better because I used to be just horrible out of bunkers, and after that first one that didn’t come out, it felt like everything just came back, and it was just it’s so fragile, it’s so fragile.

Chris: 43:24

I I I honestly I don’t think I’ve ever seen that on a golf course before. Like I’ve seen it on videos before. You got to see it twice, Griff, because it happened again on the next day.

Nish: 43:37

Yeah, but it was a good hole, otherwise, that was fine. And then we hit the the eighth, the par three eighth, and which was which was actually a a a beautiful par three, yeah. Um, and it was relatively straightforward, but you just got left and right, you got these two sort of bunker complexes, I think you’d call them. And on the right hand side is this yin and yang shaped bunker, which Paul pointed out, and he’s like, Oh, yeah, it’s really, really nice bunker, it’s well like manicured and contoured and stuff like that. So basically saying it’s his fault that you went in it. Totally, totally. I think he’s sabotaging it out.

Chris: 44:08

There is there is some fault to a portion in terms of bunkers though, because I didn’t go on in a bunker at all until the ninth, and I went in a bunker, and I like you say, Nish, normally oh no, sorry, that was the second one. I did go on in the seventh. Um but the one I went in the ninth, I got I got out of that fairly easy. The one I went on the ninth, I hit a shot and nearly fell over backwards trying to get out and obviously didn’t get the ball out, and then got it out again. I’ve only just realized today, looking back at the course planner, that that’s Nicholas’s bunker. So that’s the one where he said, Oh, there’s a stupid mound in the way um on the on the ninth hole, and then he came back the next year to the open or whatever, and they’d put a bunker there instead. So it’s Jack Nicholas’s fault that I went in that bunker and took an extra two shots to get out. Wanker.

Jim: 44:51

I’m sure he’s really bothered. The little blonker.

Chris: 44:54

You’ll be very bothered when I write a strongly worded letter.

Nish: 44:57

Strongly worded, you’ll have to yeah, send a telegram or something. He’s gonna rethink his entire golf career after he’s read that letter. He’s gonna be like, oh no, all these courses I’ve been designing, I’m doing it all wrong. I didn’t know that. Yes, you were in that bunker, yeah. Wow, and you know, okay, this brings another point up a little bit about this um course guide that we’ve got, and this is what’s special about Carnousti. You know, you’re going through these course guides, and then you see that bunker, and it’s like it says next to it Nicholas’s bunker. Like there’s just history everywhere that you go. That’s it’s just amazing, isn’t it? And that was and what’s more amazing is we managed to gloss over my eighth whole bunker nightmare. So we’re gonna go.

Chris: 45:37

No, no, no, we haven’t glossed over that. We need to go back to that, Nish.

Nish: 45:40

Well, I ended up a teen and yang bunker, didn’t I?

Chris: 45:43

Yeah, it was a cab.

Jim: 45:44

How many shots did it do you need to get out, wasn’t it? How many shots did it actually take to get out?

Nish: 45:49

Right, so I hit I hit, and I will I’ll have to take some positive out of this.

Jim: 45:53

I think it’s just a number, I don’t want I don’t want to.

Nish: 45:56

No, no, no, no, no. There has to be context. Um I hit a fantastic t shirt. Tangent, tangent coach line. Um I hit a very good t-shirt that would have been pin high, but it was pin high into a bunker. And because I’d got the heebie jeebies about the bunker from the previous hole, I was just there was no commitment in anything. There was no way that bull was coming out. Number, number. I’m probably saying, I think I’ve looked back at the foot. I had I had to for the research purposes for PTSD and all that kind of stuff, but it took me four shots to get out of that bunker. No, three shots. Yeah, four shots to get out of that bunker. Four shots like ten, I think.

Jim: 46:37

So it’s not that bad.

Chris: 46:38

Yeah, who yourself. Yeah, but I mean four and a I think it was I think it was the context as well of just having taken probably seven or eight shots in the bunker before. So we just felt like this should be a bunker for like an hour.

Nish: 46:48

Well, this is it. And this when I looked back at it, I was like, I only went in four bunkers in total during the whole round, which I’m pretty happy with. I’m not pretty grateful. You made the most of it when you did go in there, to be fair. Oh, yeah.

Chris: 46:58

But I was playing about 17 rounds worth of bunker shots, but yeah, but we got to the we got to the the um the turn, didn’t we? So we got to the um the halfway house, and we realised that we’d taken like three hours or something for the front nine. I was like, ah, how on earth has it taken us that long? But now thinking back now you know it was just because Nish was in a bunker for an hour and 20 minutes breaking sand castles for the L.

Nish: 47:20

I actually managed to extract a tip about playing Carnousty, and this is my big reveal. A great tip about playing Carnoosty, but I’ll let Paul the man himself describe it.

Paul: 47:31

The the funny thing with the bunkers is though, see if you’re off the tee and you’re straining it, you probably won’t go in that many. It’s when you’re just offline you go in them. Like if you’re driving the ball well, you’ll probably go in more bunkers than if you’re driving it badly. If you’re bad, you’ll be too right to go in them. And then you’ve seen that the rough isn’t that bad. Just because there’s so much visitor play, they keep the rough quite quite low just to keep the pace of play up. Like it’s you the bunkers are all there to serve you. So if you just miss, you’ll be in the bunker. If you do a big miss, you’ll be in the rough or whatever.

Nish: 48:00

But you’re almost better off than that. So, yes, Chris, my top tip for playing Carnusti is as Paul says, spray it off the T-box and don’t actually play the hole that you’re playing because the danger is not then on that hole, and you’ve got different lines in. And there are lots of stuff like there’s later on, and particularly in the round, where I’ve looked at it and I’ve gone, I don’t particularly remember playing 17, and it is because I was all the way up the right-hand side, and it’s like the first hole. I don’t remember any of that fair bit because I didn’t play any of it. Yeah, I’ll just pretend I knew that tip before I before I played. Yeah, yeah, we we knew. We’d we we’d seen that before, aren’t we? Yeah, a bit of insider info. Uh, but the the this stretch of kind of nine, ten was really interesting, and it’s not what I was expecting, even though I knew this course quite well.

Chris: 48:51

Okay.

Nish: 48:52

The holes were tree-lined, which you don’t normally get in a a sort of a true played Gullen, hardly saw any trees at Gullan. Yeah, yeah. But they were treelined, they’re almost like inland current holes.

Chris: 49:05

Further inland there, aren’t you?

Nish: 49:06

They’ve kind of got houses and stuff around it, so yeah, doesn’t it? Yeah, I was very surprised by that. Um it’s not any the worse for it, by by the way. So, yeah, so that’s that was that kind of you know, at the turn, and there was a good it was a nice little stretch of holes, actually. That they’re all kind of a bit compact and and but they were challenging.

Chris: 49:22

South America. That that second shot in is a fucking great shot. That burns awesome.

Nish: 49:26

Yeah, we hit 12, um, which actually was a really, really nice uh par five. This was 12. It was par four for us, actually, wasn’t it? Par four for us. Um but really nice hole because it’s a nice approach, all that kind of thing. Now uh we we started doing a funny thing because actually this at this point we’d kind of got to know Paul and Barry a little bit better, and you know, we’re just having a bit of a laugh with them. I’d just sort of in passing before, a couple of holes before mentioned by the whole Justin Rose, you know, walking putts in and all that kind of stuff. So on 12, yeah, on 12, I’d actually hit my my putt. It was quite a long way out, and then for quite a long way out, I was like, that’s in, that’s in, that’s in, that’s in, that’s in. Pretty much as soon as I hit it. It was just it just it felt right, mate. Just felt right. Yeah, it was I was in I was in flow for that one shot, that whole course. Um but it it was in, and then Barry just turned around and goes, but you never walked it in. Like I was if I was like, Yeah, actually I should have done, should have given it the whole like just in rows. Whatever. So anyway, I was like, from then on, that’s what I did on every put, and I didn’t make another put after that, really. Um and then we hit 13, which is a lovely par par three. Now, before we talk about the what actually happened on 13, what did you think of the par threes at Carnoosty, Chris?

Chris: 50:49

I I like them. I like them all. Uh even 16. Um I think they’re a great set of par threes, to be honest. Um if you if you take it out of the context of it being at Carnoostie and in the wind, certainly the first two are actually relatively easy. They’re only short holes, relatively big greens. Uh yeah, they’ve got fairly big green side bunkers, but um but yeah, I like them good uh in the wind they’re a real real challenge, so you’ve got to hit a good shot, otherwise you’re you’re basically in a bunker.

Nish: 51:19

I I I thought they were a a perfect blend of challenge.

Chris: 51:23

Yeah.

Nish: 51:23

Like there’s a shot there, there’s a bit of a miss as well, and but you know, but there are some deep bunkers to gobble you up if you if you you know you go towards them.

Speaker 4: 51:33

Yeah.

Nish: 51:34

But they just you know, they they weren’t like you wouldn’t just stood on the T going, oh my god, gulp, what am I gonna do here? How am I gonna play this? It was they were they were playable par threes, weren’t they? Yeah, and 13’s great.

Chris: 51:46

It’s the first kind of proper view of the hotel if you got coming in, as you got coming in, you’ve got the hotel kind of in the background.

Nish: 51:51

So that’s uh yeah, it’s sort of from 13, it becomes like omnipresent, doesn’t it? That hotel, you just see it the whole way down, and it’s just so iconic that he just thought it was amazing. So um now before I talk to you guys about what happened on 13, let’s hear from Paul about what happened on 13. So we’d played our tea shots, and then Paul disappears, and I’m thinking, oh, he’s a bit keen. Off he goes, right? And he turns around, he’s like, No, no, no, no, turn back, get on the tea again. And like, all right, what’s this then? And he pulls out this hickory club. Now, obviously, I’ve seen them and they’ve got them on the walls at like Cruden Bay and stuff like that, but it’s a whole different ball game holding one in your hand. I mean, it is literally just a stick with a bit of metal on the end that’s like scoops and then just a bit of woven grip around it. I mean, there is not a lot to it. But we found out that Chris has got a bit of a talent play with Hickory. I think he had he did a better t-shirt with the Hickory Club, didn’t he, than he did with his normal club. Which is crazy. Yeah, absolutely, like on the button. It was like, but uh, do you know I was surprised how I I thought you know, I mean, because you said didn’t it don’t hit it? That was a secret, wasn’t it? Don’t try and hit this club hard, just swing through. But it bends when you’re swinging, so you can take it easy with yeah, so you need to kind of not put the pace on it kind of thing. Um it it it felt alright. It felt it genuinely felt alright. So have you have you been out and I mean you you said you you had a few. Have you got anything nearing a full a full set?

Paul: 53:26

Well full set’s only like five five or six clubs anyway, so I’ve got a bunch of them in the house. Right, and I have gone out with the ho the just hickory clubs and and played. What it was is a couple years ago I’d spoke to a couple of our guys from America that were coming over to Scotland and that was all they played with was hickory clubs. So I I kind of went up just an eBay and that and didn’t really know what was buying, but but bought a bunch of clubs and kind of put together a kind of half setting. So I could bump just use the same clubs as them. So they were going up to the Highlands, nice to have a membership one of the courses up there. So I went up and played with them with the hickeys. It was good fun. Yeah, it’s easier. I I don’t I don’t find them that hard to play with, like it’d be hard to score low, but you can hit about with them and then you kinda just need to play pitch and runs because there’s no groove, so there’s no spin. Yeah, yeah. If there’s something in your if there’s something in your way, you’re fucked. You basically just need to smack it forward and keep going.

Nish: 54:22

Suppose that’s all so I had totally forgotten about this, as you’ve heard, but Paul had promised to bring a hickory club for us to play. And yeah, what a wonderful experience to play a par three and carnusty with a hickory golf club.

Chris: 54:38

Yeah, I’m fucking I’m doing the fucking whole thing with Hickory Clubs next time. Oh mate, you nailed your t-shirt. We even said I think it’s the only thing in my entire my entire golf playing career, all I’ve tried to do is try and slow my swing down. That’s the only thing that I think actually worked to slow my swing down, because basically, if it didn’t, I was gonna either break my fingers or break the club.

Nish: 54:57

I fe I feel like we should have one for when we go and play something like the old course or something like that. I think we should have one.

Jim: 55:06

Is that very much a Scottish thing or is it a just general? Yeah, I don’t know actually. I thought Igory was kind of more of a states thing, but it’s the origins of golf thing, I think, isn’t it?

Chris: 55:15

It’s just the age rather than anything. And I guess most Scottish golf is old, right?

Nish: 55:20

Yeah, it was that was uh that was a special moment. So Paul, thank you for for doing that. I’d totally forgotten, so I’m glad you’ve got a better memory than I have. Uh and then we hit 14, so 14 is uh known as spectacles because of the the two bunkers, um, which I had no idea where I was on the course at this point. So we’re walking past, and Paul’s like, get in that bunker and I’ll take a picture of you. And I was like, Uh, okay, like it’s this is weird. So he was like, I was like, yeah, take it back. I was like, it’s not even being the biggest bunker that we’ve seen. Like, why is he taking a picture of me here? And then I got it back, and then I was looking at the course map, I went, Oh, but that was a cracking hole, and I didn’t realise how much of a blind approach shot you’ve got there because it’s quite a high lip, isn’t it?

Chris: 55:58

I mean that’s stroke index one, and that is a tough hole. That was right into the wind for 460-yard par four. Uh got there in two, though. Got there in two.

Nish: 56:07

You did very well, mate. I mean, I didn’t see any of it because I was having a little adventure on the left-hand side of the hole.

Chris: 56:11

But it was it was the only it was the two best shots of the day, a really good drive and a good five would into it.

Nish: 56:17

Never happened, not on video, so whatever. Now, 15 is again a lovely golf hole. There’s I mean, actually, it’s it’s it’s a long par four, especially with wind going around and whatever. But it’s remarkable for two reasons for me. Number one, Barry at the 15th T started getting a bit leary with us, so he started giving us all sorts of like Argentina chance and all sorts of things. I think when it got to the point where it was like, I’m gonna minute, there’s a chance they might win. Oh, yeah, yeah. Is he getting lippy now? Is he?

Speaker 4: 56:47

Right, yeah, yeah, fine.

Nish: 56:48

Um, so that came and I actually did say I was like, I’m surprised this hasn’t got more lyrical a bit sooner, you know. But so he obviously buttoned it for that long, and then it stuck in my mind for the next thing, which was there’s a greenside bunker on 15, and Barry ended up in it, yeah, and we were filming it, and he said to us, he’s like, Here’s how you get out of a bunker, and he hit this ball, and it it must have cleared the bunker by like a hair’s width, and it went and it started rolling back, and I was ready to just go to town on him, and this tiny little tuft of grass just held it up, and you can just hear the video, I’m just like, You lucky, lucky boy, you lucky boy. But then he had a lovely shot there because he basically had no stats to try and hit the ball, yeah. But that’s why it stuck in my mind.

Chris: 57:41

But it was quite like you have to stand right on the edge on the lip of the bunker, didn’t he? But it was actually quite a big foot. If he had gone backwards, it’s quite a big footwards, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that was it.

Nish: 57:50

Pretty hazardous short guy. I must point out at this point. Barry told us how much money he’s raised, by the way, for kidney research, which is something like 14-15 grand or something he’d raised for charity. Incredible. Well done, Barry. I mean, I’m I’m in awe of you anyway, because you’re you’re A, you’re going off doing this, you know, and and making some amazing memories, and then doing it for charity is just incredible and and top guy with it as well.

Chris: 58:16

I think I I’ll probably put a donation in to both these guys, and I think we should be some sort of multiple of the number of shots that Nish had in a bunker for the for the day around kind of.

Nish: 58:25

Uh sorry, mate, I think you’re a bit muted there.

Jim: 58:31

I’m saying no, this is a bad investment.

Nish: 58:35

Now, here’s the beauty of this wonderfully, brutally beautiful golf course. Everything that you’ve been experiencing up to now is leading up to these three holes of golf, right? You know it in the back of your mind, you’re almost lulled into a bit of like, yeah, yeah, great, okay, you’re doing or whatever, and then you hit 16, and what a magnificent par three this is. I feel like we got it, we got it a bit easy because it wasn’t playing into the wind, was it? It was a crosswind.

Chris: 59:08

Yeah, we got slightly into, but yeah, mostly across.

Nish: 59:12

I didn’t play it like I got it easy, however, we we did get it easy, and I think you did you ended up on the green, didn’t you, Chris? Did yeah, right at the back of the green. I was a bit long. Yeah, a bit long. So what uh like Chris honestly, Chris hit an unbelievable t shot. As soon as he hit it, it was like, oh my god, that is that’s great. And and then yeah, it was just a bit sad that it must have obviously just skipped on and rolled on a bit. Too good, mate. Too good. Um always my problem, that Nish.

Chris: 59:36

I mean, if you’ve got if you’ve got the wind going into you there, I I think I hit a four iron in there, and a really good four iron. But you’ve got the wind coming directly into your face, that’s strong a wind. That hole is impossible.

Nish: 59:48

You’re hitting driver to try and get it anyway. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So, right, we’ve started off the toughest mile in golf. So then we hit seventeen. And so 17 is uh 16 is Ireland, isn’t it? And then no, 17 is Ireland, sorry, I should say. Yeah, 17 is Ireland. Now, again, this is one of those holes where I did my excellent playing it wide strategy, which in hindsight now I’m pretty gutted about because I didn’t experience any of this crossing burns or anything like that. Like I didn’t have to cross it, I crossed it once, and that was right at the end. So it was just like I’ve not felt I got the best out of that. So I’d like to play Carnisti again, Paul, if that’s alright. But that’s on the assumption I make a straight t-shot. But yeah, basically I sent my t-shirt wide right, less than seven hours, and it’s yeah, Paul doesn’t want to play with us anymore, and then and then my approach shot went more right, so I was just kind of making my way up this other side of this this bit of rough. Um but I can imagine Chris, it was a very good hole to play.

Chris: 1:00:57

Yeah, I it was. I I really enjoyed that hole. Tough tough T-shot. Like you bet you’ve got to get it over the burn, but you’ve also got to stop it short of the of the second part of the burn. So that’s a tough. I mean it’s only an iron, but um, but you’ve got to hit it right. You’ve got you’ve got no bailout at all, unless you go a hundred miles right like Nish did. But um, but even then the burn’s still lurking around there, isn’t it?

Nish: 1:01:18

It’s a legitimate strategy. Yeah, there’s different ways to play this game, as I said on multiple occasions.

Chris: 1:01:24

I really love that hole. I think that’s that’s probably my one of my favourite holes on the on the course, and probably one of my favourite holes that we’ve played so far as well. I think it’s full stop, yeah. Such a good t-shot. Um absolutely yeah, no, I think it’s a cracking hole.

Nish: 1:01:38

Um wonderful. Now we’re gonna talk about 18 in a second, but before we talk about 18, I’m going to just play a quick clip from Paul, and that is about his overall thoughts on playing with us. I think he was happy because they beat us, so it was okay, but their overall thoughts on playing with us, and then also the whole 18th pardon me, Jean Van Velder experience, all that kind of thing. So interesting to hear some of Paul’s thoughts about that.

Paul: 1:02:09

That was good fun.

Nish: 1:02:10

I’m I’m a great time.

Paul: 1:02:12

I’ve never bought about any standards of golf. Yeah, yeah. I’d rather play a I’d rather rather play the hacker that’s decent than a good golfer that’s a prick.

Nish: 1:02:22

Well said. Do you know what? I could just take out little snippets from our conversation, Paul. I always get a little little uh catchphrase out there somewhere. I love that. Um yeah, I mean we made it a bit spicy, didn’t we? We made it a whole England Scotland thing, and it kind of it was I mean, I wasn’t really contributing in any way, shape, or form. Chris was keeping us in it, but you were very kind to point out where the the burn was where Van Velder tried to get his get his shoes off and and obliged me with a picture. That was absolutely wonderful. Uh honestly we thought we thought you were jumping in from that. Do you know what? We didn’t we had no idea what you were doing. I was well, all I wanted was a picture of me looking like I’m taking my shoes off. If it the thing is, if it wasn’t as windy, I probably would have done it, but it was so cold, I was like, There’s no way I’m getting my feet in that water. Like this is deeper than you think, as well. And then, Christopher, we hit hole number 18. It is is it one of the most famous eighteenths in golf?

Chris: 1:03:20

I think maybe, yeah, I think maybe. I mean, obviously the the oldest. Of course, it’s probably a more famous famous eighteenth, but I’d say this is probably a close number two.

Nish: 1:03:28

Yeah, yeah. I mean, it’s just everybody knows about it, don’t they?

Chris: 1:03:33

Yeah.

Nish: 1:03:34

Talk about t-shots. How did your t-shirt go, Chris?

Chris: 1:03:37

Uh, I don’t remember my t-shirt actually, Nish. I think it must have been fairly steady, was it? Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Nish: 1:03:44

Nice, nice steady top, a few yards of it.

Chris: 1:03:47

I mean, there was a few steady tops that day. I don’t know where they came from, but they were they were back in the back in the mix, weren’t they?

Nish: 1:03:52

Yeah. I felt I felt it was a good strategy to keep out the wind, but that was that was a bit extreme, you know. But but but I did not hit, I would say, anything more than maybe three or four good t-shots in the preceding 17 holes. And then I got to 18, and I absolutely spanked my drive right down the middle. The only thing I’m gutted about is I only saw it about halfway and I didn’t see it land, and I really wanted to see that land, but boy, did that feel good to hit that t-shot. Um, what also struck me was how far wide Mr. Vandervelde did actually go. Because that little spit of land that he ended in from his drive is very wide, right?

Chris: 1:04:40

Oh yeah. I mean it’s a pretty as far as the car news to go, there’s a reasonably wide fairway coming up there, to be fair, isn’t it? Um so yeah, it was fucking miles out, isn’t it?

Nish: 1:04:49

Uh and then yeah, we sort of made our way up the up the fairway and all that kind of thing, and then yeah, had this moment where the the guys actually were really good again, and and we I wouldn’t have spotted it, but they pointed out to in the burn where Jean went into the burn to try and fish his ball out and and play it, or whatever he was going to try and do, whatever was going on in his mind. Um, they’ve actually etched into the brick, they’ve etched his name into the brick, so you just know the exact spot. And I was like, honestly, I was like a pig in shit at this moment. This is the most wonderful thing ever. So I was like, right, get a picture of me pretending to take my shoes off. I mean, it was bloody freezing, so there’s no way I was gonna do it, but it was like, yeah, yeah, go on, get get a picture of me doing it, get a picture of me doing it, or is it have the full experience, don’t you, Nish? Oh, I mean, that I almost could have just had my eight my first t-shot, played my eighteenth t-shot, and just gone and had that picture, and that would have been me done. But I but actually genuinely think so so um no uh excuses given. This is an excuse. It probably excuses my foreput on the 18th green because I I think mentally at that point I’d finished like uh the round was done for me, the experience was done for me, I’d done everything I wanted to do at Carnusti.

Jim: 1:06:12

So I mean obviously in in terms of the I mean we’ve we’ve done the signature hole challenge. Um the side bet.

Nish: 1:06:19

Side bet was a par three challenge. Uh I was so bad on all the par threes that that Chris absolutely wiped the floor with me on the side bet. Um just we’ll we’ll just gloss over that one anyway, again. Yeah, we don’t need to talk about the side bet, do we? It’s not really a thing, is it?

Jim: 1:06:34

No. I mean, so how is it what did it live up? I mean, I think I think I know the answer to this question, but obviously the weather wasn’t perfect, but did it live live up to expectations?

Nish: 1:06:45

I let Chris go first.

Chris: 1:06:46

Uh for me, absolutely, yeah. I I I just I loved it. I thought it was a it was a quality experience. Um yeah, I did. I just loved it every minute of it.

Nish: 1:06:57

I remember a lot of people saying to us the day before, you’re playing carnousti, all the weather’s gonna be terrible, you’re getting a full carnusti experience, blah di blahdy blah di blah di blah. And I was like, what a load of crap. I want to play golf in hot sunny weather. I want my shorts on, like no wind, whatever. Actually, I’m really glad we played it in wind, not rain, I wouldn’t have wanted to play it in rain. If we would have got rain with that wind, you couldn’t even put your broly up. Yeah, you couldn’t put your brolly up, you’re just you’re gonna get soaking wet. And yeah, I’m I’m actually very thankful now that that’s the way round we got it. And do you know what? If you know whatever the golfing gods are, if they’re shining down on us with stuff like that, and we’re getting the experiences that you should be getting at these golf courses, then you know, we’re we’re we’re in for a treat, but that was that was magical, it really was and and and magical in the sense is that was about golf, you know, that wasn’t about all the other fineries and and whatever, it was a pure golfing experience that that we had. I will never forget it. Um I’ll be forever grateful to Paul for making that happen, and I’m glad that I have something that in 30 40 years time I can sit back and I can watch the YouTube video while I’m talking about it.

Chris: 1:08:23

Yeah, still still paying off the time.

Nish: 1:08:26

Yeah, but no, virgin virgin credit cards are still like you still owe us money, mate. Um yeah, that that we’ll be able to look back on, and we’ve got the t-shots, we’ve got the putts, we’ve got the bunker drama, we’ve got all of that, and it’s just there and it’s never gonna go from my from my mind. Like, I will I will keep that in my mind forevermore. I really will. Um so yes, Jim, it did meet up to expectations. What I would say is that I mean a wind was quite a big thing, right? And I think perhaps it might be worth just filling us in a little bit about so you know, over your years of playing golf, you’ve you’ve played in many conditions and obviously from Cumbria, so it’s windy up there.

Paul: 1:09:13

Yeah.

Nish: 1:09:13

Um what what what what do you need to do when you’re playing in wind? It was it was baffling me, mate.

Chris: 1:09:18

Yeah, I mean, I I guess ultimately the key to playing in the wind is to keep keep spin off the ball. As soon as you put spin on the ball, that’s gonna be magnified by any kind of wind. So ultimately you want to they always say when it’s breezy, swing it easy. So that’s again that’s about keeping spit the spin right off the ball, so you’re not kind of getting it you’re getting the back spin, so you’re getting it climbing up into the air. Um, or again, you don’t want to be hitting big draws and big fades. I mean, you can start sort of fading it and drawing it into the wind and kind of holding it up against it, but um, but generally speaking, the less spin you’ve got, the less impact the wind’s gonna have on it. Um yeah, I think really one of the key things to play in the wind is understanding what impacts in terms of your clubbing and and understanding your yardages in the wind, because I think people just totally underestimate how much impact that will the wind will have on their distances. So I think the side winds generally have a little bit less impact on the ball um than a than a kind of into or down wind. Um especially if you’re in if you’re hitting a good shot, if you’re hitting a big slice and you’ve got loads of sidespin on it, then obviously the uh a crosswind is gonna have more of an impact. But um, but yeah, so I think probably understanding your yardage is is is the biggest thing, really. Um, you know, roughly sort of 10 mile an hour is probably a club, so we’re playing 40 mile an hour wins. That’s that’s four clubs, and people probably don’t people go, oh, I need to have an extra club here or whatever, or maybe an extra two clubs, but you never really get to the point where you’re thinking I need an extra four clubs. That’s quite a it’s quite a big mental hurdle to get over. So I think when you once you understand that a bit better, actually you can then start hitting better shots into it and start coming.

Nish: 1:10:50

I mean, it was pretty windy, wasn’t it, mate? I mean pretty breezy. There were definitely times when I was sitting on the tee going, like the ball’s moving on the tee, like it’s gonna just it’s gonna drop off or whatever. And then there were times when you’d swing and you get to the top of your backswing, and then you just get this gust of wind and it just blow you back a little bit.

Chris: 1:11:06

Yeah, we had quite a few balls moving on greens, didn’t we?

Nish: 1:11:09

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it was pretty good. It’s it’s just interesting because because of where I play generally, and I can imagine it’s with most people, you know, you’re not really playing on these big Coastal Lynx courses or whatever. That the wind doesn’t really have that much of a a part to play in your golf because there’s trees and and all that kind of stuff. So yeah, it was it was interesting. Like I said, I totally ignored all of your advice and decided to to to go my own way and and with lovely disastrous results. Um, but yeah, it it’s interesting to know that, and I think it’s always the um I know you obviously can’t do this in competitions or anything like that, but I always ask you like what what club are you thinking of playing here and things like that, and it’s interesting getting your input into that, yeah. And and I think you do pick that up when you play with people that are better than you, you do pick up stuff like that. It’s not necessarily about your technique, it’s just you know the condition that’s there. You know, without fail on a par three, and you’re our par three expert, without fail, Chris will be picking up a couple of blazergrass and chucking it up to get an idea and win. Because he wants to know what impacts. That’s just for sure, though. Now I’ve got one more question, Chris. Um, that that was wonderful advice, and I’m sure actually there’d be people who are you know kind of hovering around mine and high handicaps and be like, actually, didn’t know that. Um so my question is this quite an important one. Why don’t you do any of this when you play? I had to get you with that one, mate. Sorry.

Chris: 1:12:36

I did do it, Nick, I just don’t execute it.

Nish: 1:12:38

I just realised I was looking at my timer on this episode, and I was thinking, I just I’ve just spent three minutes just saying how good he is. I can’t let him get away with this, I can’t let him feel good about his game as he’s leaving. Not on the last round of the year, it can’t, it’s just not the way it’s done.

Jim: 1:12:53

Yeah. And so so I think you know, we we we pushy footed around it a little bit, you know, scores on the doors, really. Because I think, you know, I mean, in the preview, it was car nasty, didn’t live up to its name.

Chris: 1:13:06

I did. I think I shot a 95 95, Jim.

Nish: 1:13:09

So Chris shot a 95, which which I think um you were pretty solid actually, Chris.

Chris: 1:13:15

You didn’t you had a little stretch five six where you didn’t do too well, but yeah, and then the middle middle part of the course, I just yeah, the back the back end of the front nine I had a bit of a nightmare, and then I had a couple of big scores to finish.

Nish: 1:13:29

But I think it’s one of these things though where you you you know we we we’d also said in the preview that you a round and Paul said it when we were teeing off, he was like, you know, remember lads, bogey on any hole is a good score here. I mean the thing now that’s 18 over straight away.

Chris: 1:13:45

Yeah. See, normally in a round, I would probably have at least sort of three or four reasonable attempts at birdie, but I I I can’t remember a single challenge point in point where I had a birdie opportunity.

Nish: 1:13:55

I don’t think you did, did you?

Jim: 1:13:56

No, no, no, so it lived up to his name as Carnassi in some respects. In terms of the the challenge, not the beauty in the the whole experience.

Nish: 1:14:06

I I think I think what well the the the key thing for me, and these you know, these kind of this this will bleed into our closing thoughts really on on the whole course. Like it it was it was just relentless, but it wasn’t relentless where you came off. Listen, if you’re chasing a score there, you’re gonna walk off that golf course and you’re gonna go, that was horrific, because something will have got you, you’re gonna have shot a high score, and you’re gonna be demoralised about it. If you’re going there as we’re going, we’re gonna play that course once in our lifetimes. Like, is there such a thing as a bad score? You know, I mean I’m just you’re having it you’re giving it a go.

Chris: 1:14:48

Well, there’s not many times I’m walking off reasonably happy with the 95, but actually I’m I’m probably alright with that as a score, to be fair. I think giving it away. I’m chuck with a 107. I’m I’m quite alright with that.

Nish: 1:14:59

Absolutely chuffed with a 107, mate. Like, delighted. That was that you know, I didn’t lose a golf ball, which is incredible. Say I think I I’ve uh I said the first one of the things I wanted to do this year was go through a round uh top 100 course and not lose a golf ball, and I’ve done it at fucking carnousti, like the toughest course we played, sort of thing. Um incredible, and and and but that is not down to my skill, that is down to the characteristics of that golf course. However, I will absolutely take it, and I think if you’re taking it in that spirit of experience and I want to walk in the footsteps and whatever, like you you just can’t. I don’t think you can have a bad day there unless it’s lashing it down, I suppose you could do, couldn’t you? Because it’d just be miserable. Yeah, but that’s just general. That’s you know, you’re not gonna be happy about that at the best of times.

Jim: 1:15:52

So, do you think it was the most difficult course that you’ve played so far out of the challenge? Yeah, you didn’t say yeah, without without it.

Nish: 1:16:00

It’s that relentless nature, mate. Like, you know, you you almost haven’t got like layups, even it with a layup, like you can go, I’ll just nudge it up 120 yards and just whatever. You have to aim for the right point because if you get it slightly left or right, you’re in a burn or you’re in a bunker.

Chris: 1:16:15

So and I think when when we played Ganton, I came away and was like, I really love that course because it made you hit a shot, but he made you hit a shot. But if you didn’t hit the shot, you were probably penalised a little bit. But Carnusti, you have to hit the shot. There’s only one shot you can hit, and if you don’t hit it, you’re fucked. Basically, you’re running up a seven pretty quickly.

Nish: 1:16:36

Or Nish’s top tip don’t play that hole, play the hole next to it. If you play them in reverse, it’s much easier. That’s the way to do it, you see.

Jim: 1:16:44

And the kind of the bunker situation as well, because obviously, you know, Woodholt’s bar was one that we’ve discussed in the past, which we just had an incredible amount of bunkers. Everything was I will say you you you love the bunkers, just like despite my travails in the in the bunkers.

Nish: 1:17:02

Uh, like I said, I only hit four. And listen, if you’re crap at playing out of bunkers, it doesn’t matter where you are, you’re gonna be crap at playing out of bunkers. I thought you knew what you were getting with those bunkers. They’re pot bunkers, they’re gonna be hard to get out of, and and and that’s it. And I think it’s the right blend. There’s a reason why this is rank 12th, there’s a reason why this is an eight-time open venue. There’s a reason why the best golfers in the world say that this is the best test of your golf because it is relentless and you need to concentrate the whole time. We’re playing people that turn up and play on you know, on average, we’re playing once every two weeks, maybe at best, if that’s if we’re having a good year of playing, and we’re expected to go around and shoot low somewhere like that. It’s like it’s not gonna happen. So give your head a wobble, think about where you are, think about where you’re playing, what experience you get in, and you won’t walk away from that disappointed and and and upset or anything like that. You just go, do you know what? I I gave it a gave it a good go. And I I tried to hit driver on Hogan’s alley, I hit driver on 18, you know, all that kind of stuff. Like I’m not chasing the school.

Chris: 1:18:14

It’s almost quite nice being brutalised by it. Like it was quite you like I say, you kind of feel like you’re getting the genuine experience. Um yeah, kind of enjoyed getting beaten up. Got car new steed.

Nish: 1:18:24

Yeah, indeed. Do you do t-shirts? I don’t know how why they’ve not got t-shirts saying I got car new steed. A couple of things I just wanted to add as we’re sort of winding up now, but I had a wonderful chat with Paul, by the way, and again, thank you to Paul and wonderful causes that he’s got. Had a fantastic chat with Paul. I’m actually gonna put the full version up on YouTube as well, and the links are gonna be updated on on videos as we go along. Um, because I think it’s it’s it was really interesting listening to him. You know, he’s a member there, he’s been a member there for a few years and knows that terrain inside out, but also he knows Scottish golf really, really well.

Jim: 1:19:03

I think you’ve got to move into the the kind of thing, what you know, where does it rank? Both in terms of overall and also in terms of like some of the individual holes.

Chris: 1:19:13

And would they make your top 18? Yeah, I mean Dream 18, right? It’s an interesting one with the Dream 18, because I think like the Dream 18, I think, have often been like particularly beautiful holes. And I don’t think Carnistia has got that, it doesn’t have that beauty impact. It’s not raw beauty, is it? In terms of like an actual layout and a golf course to go and play around, it is yeah, an icon.

Nish: 1:19:37

No, that 18th hole as an iconic 18th hole is is right up there, isn’t it? You know, oh yeah, it is interesting. I I think you you can’t detach the history away from that golf course. Yeah, I think yeah, it’s a good one. I think it’s in my top two. It’s in my top. Is it in your top two? It is in my top two. Nice, interesting. I love it. Give away the contents of the next episode, Chris. Sorry, yeah.

Chris: 1:20:03

Might not be might not be by the next episode, to be honest. Might not be here.

Nish: 1:20:10

Said at the top, it’s one of the reasons we play this or we’re doing this this whole challenge in the first place.

Speaker 4: 1:20:15

Yeah.

Nish: 1:20:16

And it was, it was really a dream come true. Like I’m still still buzzing about it now. Like I’ve, you know, I lay out all my merch every morning, Jim, on the bed, just to remind myself of what I got. Um, I have to say thank you to you, Chris. You know, it’s the last course of the year. We’ve played 15 unbelievable golf courses this year. Yeah, it’s been a I wouldn’t have done that without without your push to to say let’s let’s do this. So, yeah, thank you for doing that and and making me spend all this money.

Chris: 1:20:47

Don’t I need to write an IOU?

Nish: 1:20:50

My uh my financial advisor is not happy right now. I’ve seen I’ve seen that fake smile before. He is not happy. What a wonderful, what a wonderful thing we’re doing. What a wonderful place, Carnival is.

Chris: 1:21:04

Like I said earlier, a a class way to cap it off, wasn’t it?

Nish: 1:21:08

Yeah. So over the next coming weeks, we’re going to be reflecting on our year. We’ve played 15 amazing courses. Jim, you were there with us at at the start of it when we’re in Wales.

Speaker 4: 1:21:18

Yeah.

Nish: 1:21:19

Um, how long ago does that feel? You know, so we should reflect on all of that. So we’ll be doing that over the next few weeks um to recap and else you can relive that journey with us. Until next time on the top 100 in 10 Golf Podcast.