The Stroll Book Tour was a wonderful opportunity to visit many of the clubs and locations where the stories took place in A Stroll on the Old Lady. Kevin McGrath, my life partner, driver and all around great caddie, took the photographs.
At Prestwick — Birthplace of the Open — I was able to meet up with the legendary Frank Rennie, who was retired, but served as the Professional at Prestwick Golf Club for 42 years. (We posed with the book in front of his life-size portrait near the entry of the clubhouse.)
The Tour continued in a big circuit, taking us to St Andrews, and then north to one of our favorite hotels in all of Scotland, The Marcliffe. It’s always a joy to chat with the owner, Stewart Spence — The Monarch of the Marcliffe —who also posed with me. He delivered a terrific surprise when I learned he bought 50 copies of the Stroll book!
Our journey took us up to the Highlands, where we dropped in on Stuart McColm, the general manager of Castle Stuart Golf Links. We stayed at the Farmhouse on the grounds of Castle Stuart when I wrote about the Battle of Culloden in Thin Red Line.
We finished up visiting Machrihanish Golf Club, where I have been a member since 2003. I don’t get there as much as I would like to, but being able to stay in the Ugadale Hotel is an extra treat, as was meeting up with Rhona Millar, who arranged for us to have a spectacular suite. The corresponding story is Knock the Spots Off.
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