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Things to Do Before You Die No. 12
By Craig Dekshenieks

Play “The Old Course” ?at St. Andrews

Jim Gregg, D.C., is like most people living in suburban Detroit. He works hard and he plays hard. During the week, you will find him at one of four offices that make up Gregg Chiropractic Life Centers. But on the weekends, in between familial duties in Bloomfield Hills, you will find him on the golf course.

Anyone who knows or even follows golf will tell you that of the thousands of golf courses around the world, the Holy Grail is where the game started in the 16th century: St. Andrews, Scotland. There are few experiences in life that actually exceed the hype and expectation, but “The Old Course” at St. Andrews definitely does.

Gregg has played some of the most famous and revered courses in his own backyard and around the United States. The experience that tops them all was the pilgrimage he made to St. Andrews—even though his original intent was not to play golf.

What took you to St. Andrews in the first place?
My grandfather was from St. Andrews, and so for his 90th birthday, we took him back to his homeland. The trip was primarily to let him see some of his relatives one last time, and for all of us to meet some of them in-person for the first time. Of course, when we got there, I had to play golf.

Had you heard of St. Andrews and The Old Course before you went?
Oh yeah, I’ve followed professional golf since I was a kid, so I knew all about the history of the course and The British Open.

What were your impressions of the course when you arrived to play it?
Well, you have to remember that being from the United States, we’re so used to well-manicured fairways and ideal weather when we play golf. When I first arrived, I thought, ‘Man, what a cow pasture.’ The grass wasn’t lush green, it was brown and yellow, and the rough was long, reedy grass. Just like a cow pasture. But, that’s just how the Scots like it.

Did your impressions change after you started playing?
Of course! All my relatives told me that when Yanks come over, they usually have the same impressions I had, but they all end up falling in love with the place. And that’s exactly what happened to me. After you finish playing the first hole, you can’t help noticing the Swilcan Bridge which has been there for over 400 years. Then you see the famous Road Hole. It all of a sudden dawns on you that this is the place where it all began. You’re walking the exact same fairways as all the famous golfers throughout history. It turned out to be fantastic.

What are some of your other memories?
The bunkers I will never forget. Some of them are so deep that there are ladders actually built into the side of them so you can climb down and then back up. And they’re not like the shallow white-sand bunkers we’re used to over here. They are incredibly difficult! The sand is darker and real heavy. The other thing I remember is how the layout had you sharing fairways with holes coming in the opposite direction. And sometimes the fairways actually criss-cross, so you have to be aware of the other golfers for safety purposes.

You mentioned the weather. How was it when you were there?
Cold. It wasn’t winter, but it sure felt like it. I live in Michigan, so you only get to play about seven or eight months per year due to the weather. But my relatives play all year-round, and this in a place that is at a much higher latitude. It’s just a different lifestyle over there.

How is the lifestyle different?
Well St. Andrews, and Scotland in general, is almost stuck in time, and I mean that in a good way. The village of St. Andrews, the pace of life, is just very simple. We were there in the 1980s, and it felt like Scotland was living in the 1950s. But there was something very charming and serene about all of it. It was a real eye opener that people still live that way, especially in a town that is world renown as the ‘Home of Golf’ and has millions of visitors each year.

If you had to sum up your trip in one word, what would it be?
Rewarding. We had a wonderful time there. In addition to St. Andrews, we played golf at Troon and Gleneagles, two other famous courses. But to say, ‘I played at the Home of Golf’ is something I will always treasure. But it was also rewarding to take my grandfather back to his homeland and experience the country for 10 days.