GOOSEBUMPS

OK, to get this across, how it felt to be actually, finally heading to
Scotland on the golf trip of a lifetime - well, I'm going to have to
let you inside my head a little bit.  It's a scary place, so be
warned.  Sit down.  Have a cup of tea (add a wee dram to your taste).

You see, you have to understand how I am on the cusp of golf - even
just heading out to an average, everyday, nothing out of the ordinary
round of golf.  It is a bit strange, I know, but I always feel like I
am pulled to the golf course... like I am going somewhere I belong.
It manifests itself physically - my pulse increases, I drive a little
faster... I just simply have to get there.

So, you can imagine - we have been talking about this trip for 5
years!  I have been reading about Scotland and thinking of going there
for much longer.  But I never in my heart thought I really would.  I
read descriptions by Herbert Warren Wind, Michael Bamberger - and many
others painted their picture of this home of golf.  A great friend and
golfing partner had been there many times - Jim painted his own
picture for me and made me want to go.  I read with great lust and
interest the writings on GolfWeb by Dan King.

Then, five years ago, at RSG-Ohio, I met a man who grew up there.
David Sneddon.  He added his passionate voice about his homeland, and
we began to talk about a group of RSG-ers going there.  I thought it
was only talk - a dream that would never happen.  Enough were
interested - but in the end, would they really go?  Would *I* really
go?  Or would I cave in like the weak wave of my putter on one of
those timid putting days?  The deciding factor came from surprising
quarters... Mark Koenig is a great guy to golf with and obviously
loves golf with the amount of it he plays.  But he normally only talks
passionately about beer or scotch :-).  Yet when talking about Scotland he
waxed poetic about the magic of the place and his previous trips, how
very different golf in Scotland was and would be - and he found the
words to stir me to actually decide to go.

The planning for the trip began two years prior - for one, we had to
play the Old Course, and to get a guaranteed tee time pretty much
requires a year and a half advance request - unless you are willing to
pay a lot of extra cash, of course.  After some initial talks with
travel agents and golf trip planners, we planned the trip ourselves -
and saved a bundle!  Plus, we played a lot more golf than the packages
included.  David Sneddon and Mark Koenig did most of the legwork, and
we had a plan.  After some trials and tribulations, all was set.

I started a countdown to Scotland in my office at work - at 435 days!!
When New Year's came, I marked all the days on my new calendar.  In 
February, I started a list of every single thing I would take on the
trip.  I am normally a last minute packer, but I had almost everything
ready except my golf clubs weeks in advance.  And the week before we
left, it kept happening...  I would just be reading, or walking, or 
golfing, and it would hit me - I was going to Scotland!  And every
nerve in my body would tingle, and every hair stood on end as I got
goosebumps thinking about the trip.  You can see, I have the mind of a
child.

Of course, I also had many doubts - these writers, well, they are
writers!  It is their job to paint an enticing picture with words, but
would it, could it possibly live up to my expectations?  Could golf
really be much different over there than the 'links-style' courses I
have played over the years?  I didn't really think so.  Then of course
there was the weather - what??? Thor worry about the weather??  Well,
I wasn't worried about rain, but we were going in May, and I thought
we might freeze in high winds and bitter cold.  And the group - I have
played with these guys at RSG events for many years.  But those are
short, we aren't together all of the time, and we still of course have
disagreements.  But how would we do with one van, one schedule, close
quarters?  Would we come home not speaking to each other?  Hell, I've
never really figured out how or why these RSG events even work!  Well,
it must be the golf.  The Gemme itself is more than just a shared
interest, a common hobby.  It has a power evidenced every time I go
out as a single and come home with three new friends after spending 4
hours batting a ball around.  It works.

So, we arrived finally in Glasgow.  Three of us arrived a day
early... as we waited in the line for customs, the pretty Scottish
lass at the end of the queue welcomes us to Scotland.  It was a
beautiful day - a portent of the great weather we had on our trip
except for the rough start at the Struie in Dornoch.  She said
something to the effect that they (the Scots) were grateful for the
sunny day, they don't get many of those.  "You are quite welcome!", I
replied.  She looked at me a bit funny, then went on to welcome the
next traveller.

The next day we headed back to the airport, met the rest of the group,
and headed for Dornoch!!