The Basics For Every Round

It goes without saying that you need to prepare for weather. The average temperature in May in Scotland is not bad - low 60s, foggy … kind of like a San Francisco day. But rain is always lurking. Make sure you pack your waterproofs, and as veteran golfers you already know all the tricks of the trade. It’s worth noting that the stores right around The Old Course are predictably priced absurdly (though of quite nice quality) so bring what you need.

As a cautionary tale, here’s what you’ll look like after playing Carnoustie in a fairly mild rainstorm in a “waterproof” jacket that was anything but. The next day I was wearing a St. Andrews branded jacket that cost far, far too much money. It never rained again.

Other tips we always forget about ourselves - bring cash for your caddies and remember it’s British Pound Sterling. Bring lip balm because the wind can be as bad as the rain. We would tell you to bring Advil, Theraguns and such but instead - you’re all a lot smarter about stretching and flexibility than we are and the one non-expert among you is Ashton who is so young he probably isn’t even sure what flexibility is or why he should be worried about it.

But enough of all this, let’s get to the golf!

THE GOLF HOUSE, ELIE

Some level of golf has been played on this ground since at least 1589, so if you’re doing your math that’s about 439 years or so. The course that exists today is a combination of work between James Braid and Old Tom Morris and plays to a par-70 - a combination of 16 par-4’s and 2 par-3’s.

The first hole tees off right in front of a huge hill - and the course provides a large periscope to ensure the group ahead of you has safely moved out of harms way. Another known tradition, shown in the No Laying Up video, is that if you wear short pants you need to wear long socks that cover your legs to your knees. (This has been somewhat reduced in recent years but we suggest you either wear pants or fully embrace the tradition and go for the wildest colored socks possible.)

No Laying Up vists Elie in Scotland

Elie is a perfect course to begin your journey after a long flight - it’s not a long walk and you should be able to get around in a short amount of time. Grab a pint in the clubhouse - or at the pub just off of the fourth tee box. It plays firm and fast, and you’ll be able to get a feel for putting from far off of a green, the bump-and-run shots you’ll need and, probably, some pot bunkers.

Grab a bite to eat and head to your hotel for some rest. We have another big day tomorrow!

CARNOUSTIE GOLF LINKS

Carnoustie has a reputation as being one of the hardest golf courses in the world and therefore has the nickname of Carnasty. It doesn’t HAVE to be hard, but it’s certainly a tough test.

Despite being seaside, you don’t really see the sea at all - but you feel it, and the immediate hazards are the numerous bunkers and burns which wind their way through the course. (No fewer than five times in the last two holes.) The third hole is short, but has a burn in front of the green you’ll have to navigate and some of the aforementioned bunkers. Those bunkers get hungry.

We played just after The Open (where you can see the grandstands still up). Can you see the burn in front of the green because we could not. Carnoustie is a course we would strongly encourage you to take a caddie.

One of the most famous holes in all of golf - and certainly at Carnoustie - is the sixth hole, which probably had a name prior to Ben Hogan playing in The Open, but is now called Hogan’s Alley. Ben Hogan only played in one Open, and won it. On this hole, a 578 yard par-5 that is narrow with OB to the left as well as a litany of centerline pot bunkers, Hogan simply took them all out of play with conservative tee shots that all landed between the bunkers and the left OB.

As a certain Frenchman could tell you, there’s no coasting into the final holes here as they may be the hardest finishing holes in all of golf. (If you make a par on 16, you’ve done better than Tom Watson did, or at least that’s what my caddie told me when I made a par. I intentionally didn’t check his accuracy.) For sure you’re going to enjoy the test regardless of your score.

Make Room for Growth

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.