The Up and Downs of a Life in the Sky: Negotiating the January Four-Footer

The World's Greatest Golf Courses Are More Accessible Than You Think For decades, golfers have dreamed about playing the world's best golf courses, only to discover that many top-ranked venues are private clubs accessible only through member invitations. That changes now with our groundbreaking Best Golf Courses in the World You Can Play ranking—the definitive list of world-class golf courses you can book with a simple phone call and credit card. About the Best Golf Courses You Can Play Ranking Top 100 Golf Courses has always focused on identifying the world's finest golf courses, regardless of accessibility. Our new Best Golf Courses in the World You Can Play ranking changes that approach by highlighting exceptional courses that welcome public play. This comprehensive ranking is a carefully curated derivative of our prestigious World Top 100 ranking, examining golf courses from both our main list and contenders that accept green fee players. The result: 70 of the world's most spectacular golf courses you can actually play. Key Differences from Traditional Rankings Unlike other "courses you can play" lists, our ranking focuses on true world-class quality rather than simply public accessibility. We've excluded most American private clubs (except resort destinations like Sand Valley and Bandon Dunes, plus publicly-owned courses like Bethpage Black) to focus on genuinely accessible world-class golf. Remarkable Statistics: World's Best Golf Made Accessible The numbers tell an incredible story about golf accessibility outside the United States: You can pay to play the world's #3-ranked golf course 5 of the world's top 10 courses are accessible via green fee 11 of the world's top 25 courses accept public bookings 23 of the world's top 50 courses welcome green fee players 56 of the world's top 100 courses are open to public play These statistics shatter the myth that golf's greatest venues are exclusively private. Great Britain & Ireland: The Undisputed Champion of Public Golf Our analysis reveals that Great Britain and Ireland dominates accessible world-class golf. The region's links courses represent golf in its purest form, and most welcome visitors who book in advance and pay appropriate green fees. Scotland leads with legendary venues like St. Andrews, Royal Dornoch, and Turnberry. England contributes classics including Sunningdale and Royal St. George's. Ireland and Northern Ireland add gems like Lahinch and Royal County Down. Countries with World-Class Public Golf Courses Pay-and-Play Golf Powers The following countries offer their very best golf courses to green fee players: GB&I: England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Europe: Norway, Spain Asia: Australia, South Korea Americas: Bermuda, Dominican Republic Middle East: United Arab Emirates Africa: South Africa Australia and New Zealand: Accessibility Done Right Both Australia and New Zealand have embraced the British philosophy of making world-class golf accessible to visitors. Australia shines with 10 entries in our ranking, including Royal Melbourne West and the spectacular Cape Wickham Links. New Zealand contributes several outstanding courses, with only the ultra-exclusive Tara Iti as the exception to the general rule of accessible golf in New Zealand. American Golf: Resort Destinations Lead the Way While most top American courses remain private, several resort destinations offer world-class golf: Bandon Dunes Resort, Oregon - Features four courses in our top 70, establishing itself as the world's premier golf resort for serious players Sand Valley Resort, Wisconsin - Multiple courses including Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes Streamsong Resort, Florida - All three courses (Red, Blue, and Black) welcome public play Kiawah Island, South Carolina - The Ocean Course, site of multiple major championships Bethpage State Park, New York - The Black Course proves that municipal golf can achieve world-class status Booking Tips for the World's Best Public Golf Courses Advanced Planning Essential Most world-class courses accepting public play require advance booking: 6-12 months ahead for peak season at top venues Off-season opportunities often available with shorter notice Package deals through golf travel specialists can secure access Expert Golf Travel Planning: For golfers serious about accessing the world's best courses, consider partnering with specialists who understand the booking intricacies of elite venues. Lockhart Travel Club offers members exclusive access to world-class golf exploration and adventure, with expertise in securing tee times at the most sought-after courses globally. Their insider knowledge and established relationships can be invaluable when planning once-in-a-lifetime golf experiences at courses that typically book out months in advance. Green Fee Investment Expect premium pricing for premium golf: Links courses in Britain/Ireland: £100-400+ per round Australian championship courses: AUD $200-500+ per round American resort courses: $200-600+ per round Seasonal variations can significantly impact pricing Accommodation Packages Some courses offer preferential booking through on-site accommodation or partner hotels—particularly valuable for international visitors. Coming Soon: Value and Budget Rankings We're developing additional resources for golfers seeking world-class experiences at various price points: Lowest Price Best Golf Courses in the World You Can Play - Highlighting exceptional quality at accessible prices Value Indexed Best Golf Courses in the World You Can Play - Ranking courses by quality-to-price ratio The Future of Golf Accessibility Despite golf's reputation as an elitist sport, our research proves that the majority of the world's greatest golf courses (outside the USA) welcome visitors willing to pay green fees. This accessibility makes golf travel more rewarding than ever for passionate golfers. The Best Golf Courses in the World You Can Play ranking demonstrates that dream golf is more attainable than most golfers realize. Whether you're planning a pilgrimage to St. Andrews, a links tour of Scotland and Ireland, or an Australian golf adventure, world-class golf awaits your booking. Subscribe today to access detailed course profiles, booking information, and insider tips for playing the world's greatest accessible golf courses.

Bandon Dunes – not only for the guys By Richard Smith, Knoxville, Tennessee It’s hard to argue with the proposition that Bandon Dunes is the best golf resort in the world. Mike Keiser’s dream of developing a world class golf destination at an obscure location on the Oregon coast has become the home of four courses ranked in the top 50 in the USA, with Pacific Dunes rivaling Pebble Beach as the best public golf course in the USA. In addition, the resort has a unique 13-hole par 3 course that will challenge any level of golfer. However, it has always seemed to me that Bandon was the location for the ultimate “guys’ trip” and I wondered how the resort would appeal to female golfers. My wife Ruth has courageously taken up the game at age 60 and has worked herself down to a 34 handicap. Would she be able to enjoy the beauty of the setting and enjoy playing “golf as it was meant to be,” as the resort web site touts? I have wanted to play at Bandon for a long time and I was able to convince Ruth that she would enjoy a trip out to Oregon. After looking at the monthly average weather forecast, we decided to head out this past August. We always try to incorporate some other activities into our golf trips so this time we started out with a tour of the magnificent Oregon wine country south of Portland in the Willamette Valley. We ended our wine tour in Eugene and headed to Bandon the next morning. The drive to Bandon from Eugene is around two and a half hours but it goes through some magnificent river valleys and scenery before winding up at the resort. Once inside the gates, the resort is remarkably compact. Each of the four major courses (and the Preserve par 3 course) is literally side by side and all of them have views of the other courses on the property. There are several lodging options at the resort which are all in close proximity to the courses. We booked a room at the Inn which is between the Bandon Trails and Bandon Dunes courses. Our room had a great view of the 18th green on the Bandon Dunes course and was a short walk to the Lodge. There are rooms at the lodge as well as The Gallery Restaurant which is the main restaurant on the property. We arrived in plenty of time to find that our clubs had arrived safely via Ship Sticks so we gathered them up and headed to the practice area. A single huge practice complex serves all the courses and sits between Pacific Dunes and Old Macdonald courses. There are two large teeing areas, a massive putting green, and an excellent short game area available. The practice area is also the home to Shorty’s, a fun short par 3 course that can be played for free and is a great diversion after a round on one of the main courses. A shuttle runs throughout the property but there are also plenty of parking spaces if you have brought your own car. Our first course was Bandon Dunes. There we met Staci Kingery, our caddy for the trip. Staci had been recommended by a caddy we had at the Streamsong resort in Florida and she turned out to be a highlight of the trip for us. Staci has been caddying almost since the resort opened and had a thorough knowledge of the subtleties of all of the courses. Most importantly, she made Ruth comfortable throughout the entire trip and helped guide and encourage her around. Bandon is a walking only resort and I would submit that it is almost impossible to play these courses without a caddy, at least the first few times around, since the driving lines and approaches are not always obvious at first glance. The greens are generally huge but also very subtle and the slopes are usually not so obvious on your initial read which makes the help and advice of your caddy critical. There are over three hundred caddies working at Bandon and the ones that we met caddying for our playing partners were all excellent. Bandon Dunes Bandon Dunes turned out to be a tremendous course. I have been highly critical of David McLay Kidd on this site before, but this is a tremendous design that deserves all the high praise and accolades that have been accorded to it. Top 100 Golf Courses rates this as #32 in the USA and #70 in the world and I would consider that spot on. The beauty of the course lies in its natural flow and use of the terrain to create great green complexes. The first hole is a subtle dog leg right to an elevated green followed by a great short uphill par three with an undulating green and sharp slope short and right. The course really picks up at holes 4 and 5 which are two of the best par fours on the property. I loved the way Kidd uses the bunkers to frame the tee shots. The approaches to the green are well suited to the severity of the holes. There is always an opening to the green to one side or the other, and several greens such as the par four 7th are protected only by steep slopes without any bunkers. It is the variety of looks and challenges that really make this course great. As good as the front nine is the back nine may be the best nine holes on the property. Hole 10 is a great short par four. The drive is defined by bunkers which can actually be easily carried. The approach to the green is blind. The right side is shorter but the left opens up the hole. Again, no bunkering is used or needed on this green which is protected by swales off all sides and a huge grass bunker to the right. Hole 11 is a par three with a reverse, L-shaped green protected by a deep pot bunker on the left and a significant grass bunker right. The highlight of the back nine has to be the amazing back to back par fours at the 16th and 17th. Hole 16 is one of the most photographed holes on the property. The Pacific Ocean is hard to the right and a split fairway allows all sorts of strategic options off the tee. A sharp drop off in the back of the green prevents aggressive plays to back pin placements. Hole 17 is defined by a massive ravine to the right that runs right up to the green and comes into play with any pin placement on the front half or right of the green. I found Bandon Dunes a blast to play. There are so many beautiful holes with strategic options on almost every shot. The holes run in almost every conceivable direction that allows the wind to come into play from almost every direction. Ruth enjoyed the natural beauty and the fact there were almost no forced carries for her to negotiate. This allowed her to get around without being scared or intimidated. She played from the Orange tees to a yardage of 5072 yards. However, Bandon Dunes (like all the courses) has a more forward set of Royal Blue tees playing to 3945 yards that we used for the par fives and longer par fours. This composite set of tees made the course very fair and playable for her. Old Macdonald Our second round was at the newest course on the property, Old Macdonald. The goal of the course was to try and recreate what storied US golf architect C.B. Macdonald would have designed on this land. Tom Doak, designer of Pacific Dunes, and Jim Urbina were hired to complete the task and they created a masterpiece. The first two holes consist of a straightforward par four with a severely sloped green with a double plateau that is a forerunner of what is to come. Hole 2 is a nice par three and then the fun really begins. Hole 3 is a tough par four with a blind drive over a ridge and only a lone old Port Orford Cedar tree on the horizon to guide the shot. We were playing as a bank of fog was rolling in and this was one of the most eerie golf shots I have ever hit. Once across the ridge, there lies a true links course that is incredibly reminiscent of great links courses across Great Britain and Ireland. The course plays around and up to a ridge that faces the ocean. Hole 7 is a great par four which plays up the ridge to a well-protected green. The drive is dominated by a deep bunker to the left and the player is then left with a sharp uphill second. Behind the green, the full view of the Pacific Ocean and the rest of the golf course awaits. You then turn down the hill to the par three 8th, which plays to a natural Biarritz green with great slopes in the putting surface. The course is an interesting tale of two nines. The front nine is rated as par 34, the back 37 and the back nine plays a full 700 yards longer than the front. There are so many great holes but the 12th hole (Redan) may be the best. The design has the classic Redan left to right slope but short left is guarded by a severe slope and deep bunker. The green really sits on a plateau and long and right are guarded by severe slopes as well. I thought this might be the most difficult par 3 on the property. The drive on 14 was uphill and beautifully shaped by bunkers left and right off the tee. The 18th is a fascinating hole with a huge mound in the center of the approach and a severe bowl-like green which requires quite a bit of imagination to approach. There was something about this course that reminded be of two different links courses. The approach to the ridge was reminiscent of the early back nine at Prestwick, and the flatter holes reminded me of the great links at Baltray in Ireland. The drives are framed by bunkers but the course is wide and allows for many angles of approach. The greens are huge so that pin placements will dominate the strategy not only on the approach but off the tee as well. Approach shots can be very difficult, such as when the pin is placed just behind the deep pot bunker to the left front of the 11th, designed after the famous Road Hole at St. Andrews. Ruth had a blast. Two pars to start the day sent her fun factor way up. The greens almost universally had openings in the front and there were never any forced carries. This allowed her to enjoy the links character of the course and let her adapt to using the ground and the roll out to plan and shape her shots. The greens can be difficult to putt on but a well played approach to the proper area would usually reward the player with a reasonable chance to have a chance of holing their putt. Bandon Preserve After our round on Old Macdonald Ruth was getting a little tired so I made my way to play the par 3 Preserve course alone. I jumped at an opening to play the 13-hole course with a delightful couple from Atlanta. The Preserve was designed by Coore and Crenshaw when they built Bandon Trails and it is a collection of outstanding par threes. These are real golf holes with a lot of variety and length. There are semi-blind shots, uphill and downhill plays, mounds to negotiate, and really just about anything you could want in a course like this. On the short downhill 13th, all three of us played the hole with a putter! I enjoyed the Preserve and it should not be missed on a trip to Bandon. I think you could play this course multiple times because the tees and greens allow for an endless combination and variety of challenges. Pacific Dunes Our next round took us to Pacific Dunes, generally regarded as the premier course at the resort. This is Tom Doak’s masterpiece and deservedly so. A glance at the scorecard doesn’t seem too impressive, but it doesn’t take long to figure out that there is something special here. Our first two days had been relatively calm, but the wind started coming up here and it gave us a taste of the challenge of the course. This is a rolling, tumultuous piece of land that rarely allows a flat stance, especially on the more inland holes. The first three holes are all great challenges, but the Pacific Ocean begins to make its presence felt on the 4th hole. This long par four plays downwind but the entire hole is dominated by the ocean running down the right side. Lest the player get too careful a diabolical bunker complex pinches in on the left in the preferred landing area for most players. The large green is approachable, guarded by some bunkers into the slope left of the green. This is an outstanding and memorable hole. The short par four 6th is absolutely dominated by a massive greenside bunker left and a steep slope to the right. The green is narrow and difficult to hit even when approaching from the preferred right side. This hole is an absolute gem of a 315-yard par four. The 9th is a fascinating hole with two separate green complexes. The back nine starts with back to back par threes, which head towards and around the ocean. The first four holes of the back nine play straight into the prevailing wind and this is a brutal stretch. Hole 16 is another great short par four with a sloped and undulating fairway. There are no bunkers on this green but none are needed as this hole is amply defended by the slopes on and around the green. I found Pacific Dunes to be much harder than I imagined. The brisk wind probably had a lot to do with that but the course was tighter and tougher than I had imagined when I was looking at the course before the trip. Hazards such as the central bunkers in the driving area at the par five 3rd hole add to the complexity of decision making and execution that is need to play this course well. As for Ruth, this course was difficult for her but in keeping with the theme of the other courses she was never faced with forced carries and every green allowed a running approach up to the putting surface. Pacific Dunes has a great look and the mixture of seaside and more inland holes make the course both memorable and beautiful. Shorty’s After playing Pacific Dunes, we decided to head over to the practice area and play Shorty’s, the short 9-hole par 3 course. The wind was really starting to howl that afternoon and Shorty’s was quite the test. Shorty’s was laid out by David McLay Kidd when he built Bandon Dunes and it’s a neat mixture of short pitches and demanding full shots. The holes range from 86 to 177 yards, with a number of holes in the 110 to 125-yard range. It seemed like all the pitch shots were straight down wind and the long holes into the wind, so the course was quite a challenge. The nine was easy to walk and Ruth had a great time as I did too. I wouldn’t pass up playing here for an enjoyable relaxing nine after one of the other courses. Bandon Trails Our last day led us to Bandon Trails, a Coore/Crenshaw design that is distinctly different from the rest of the courses on the property. Bandon Trails is set away from the Ocean and, after starting in the dunes, the course heads up and around a beautiful tree-lined ridge. I am a big fan of the Coore/Crenshaw team and I love the way they use the natural terrain to frame beautiful and challenging holes. Despite the fact that we had an early morning tee time the wind was blowing hard at the onset and proceeded to blow harder as the morning progressed. After a fairly gentle opening hole through the dunes, the action starts at the long par three 2nd, which was playing over 215 yards to a beautiful green surround by sand and waste areas. The short par three 5th has one of the most natural and beautiful green sites I have ever played. The green is protected by three deep bunkers in front and a large plateau on the green itself. The green is set at the base of the ridge that runs through the course and is stunningly beautiful. It seems that one challenging par four after another follows and the holes flow up and down the landscape, with each hole presenting a unique challenge both off the tee and on to the green. Perhaps no hole was as challenging as the long par four 11th. The hole plays 445 yards downhill and was downwind, but the approach is guarded by a pond adjacent to the right side of the green. One of the caddies described the hole as “#11 at Augusta in reverse” and it’s easy to see how that description fits. The pin was so tight on the right side that it appeared it would be easy to putt or chip your approach right into the pond. It takes a lot of skill to make par here. Hole 14 is a short downhill par four that may be the most photographed hole on the course. The tee sits high atop the ridge and the green is set on a plateau with a severe slope behind the putting surface, as well as cavernous bunkers to the right. I hit a great drive here and actually putted my approach from about 40 yards. The last two holes return to the dunes with a beautiful par three at 17 and a nice uphill par four finishing hole. After playing the course, you feel like you have started on the Ocean Course at Kiawah, entered pine tree heaven like the sand hills of North Carolina, then returned to Kiawah to end your round. The idea to build a course as unique and different as Bandon Trails was a brilliant move by the resort. This course presents a totally different feel and experience from the other courses but is still an incredible challenge and more importantly fun to play. Due to the severity of a four-club wind, this was our most difficult day but I had a blast trying to negotiate the wind, bunkers and hazards that challenged every shot. Ruth played great here, but this was probably the most difficult course for her. I have found at the other Coore/Crenshaw courses that they tend to have more forced carries that make the course more difficult for the beginner golfer and I found the same situation here. Nevertheless, Ruth enjoyed the course because of the stunning beauty and reasonably wide fairways. After a nice lunch at the Bandon Trails clubhouse, we packed our bags, shipped our clubs, and set out for our late night flight back to Knoxville. Ruth and I have now taken a number of golf trips together but Bandon is really in a class by itself. The food is outstanding, both in quality and value at all of the restaurants on property. The courses and practice area are all located close together and a shuttle service runs constantly, making all of the courses and facilities easy to get to. The variety of golf holes on the courses is amazing and I don’t think you could ever get tired of playing here. Although these courses are difficult, Ruth had a wonderful time. The whole experience is very immersive and, as a great vacation should do, you feel like you have left the world and entered into an asylum of beauty and relaxation. As we were finishing our last round, I told the caddy of our playing partners: “I don’t think Bandon is just a guys’ trip anymore.” He replied: “This hasn’t been a guys’ trip for 10 years.” Golfers of all levels can enjoy these magnificent golf courses, and the quality and service of the resort are of the highest level. My biggest problem now is to try and figure out when to go back! Richard Smith

Alex Frolish has been a pilot for approaching 20 years and now travels to all corners of the globe in his role as a commercial airline pilot. His passion for flight is only equalled by his passion for golf and golf travel. Having picked up a golf club over 35 years ago when aged just 3 years old, Alex has played over 550 courses across every continent on planet earth furnished with a fairway. Over the next few months you’ll be able to follow Alex’s golfing travels as he brings you anecdotes of his life both in the air and on the course. As I entered March, little did I know that it would end up being a month of golf played clinging to the shorelines of two continents. My flying roster featured trips to Tokyo, Mexico City and Oregon, however the first two trips were not very fruitful in terms of playing golf. Tokyo was in the midst of a brutish winter storm and Mexico City proved problematic in securing a game over the weekend of my visit. This was particularly disappointing as the flight into Mexico City is one of the most technically challenging anywhere in the world. All that effort and no golf! The city is at 7000 feet elevation above seal level and surrounded by a ring of mountains and volcanoes. That lofty altitude means the air is thinner, which consequently means the aircraft travels faster over the ground than it would at sea level. Where that thinner air can make flying aircraft more challenging, it has the adverse affect on golf. Altitude and thinner air mean longer drives and a boosting of one’s golfing ego. There’s a reason I try and make it out here at least once a year, normally when my game is in need of an injection of confidence. As a side note, the food is some of the best I have tasted anywhere on my travels. Finally, the weather and the tee sheets turned in my favour and my trip to Oregon resulted in my second trip to possibly the greatest golfing resort in the world, Bandon Dunes. There will be many of you who have visited this wondrous place and more that have it very firmly placed on your golfing bucket list. I had visited once before, playing Bandon Trails and Pacific Dunes. This time, it was my turn to tackle two more of the iconic courses, Sheep Ranch and Bandon Dunes. Photo credit: Patrick Koenig The Sheep Ranch holds a special place in the hearts of those who knew it in its earliest form; a place with few rules, few players, long on vibes and crafted with enjoyment in mind. It may be more formal now with its regular tee times and standard booking format, but it is still a place with a special aura, a place to take in the view and a most importantly, a golf course that is a tonne of fun to play. To say any course at Bandon is truly a links course is a stretch for a Brit who happens to love links golf in its rawest form. The definition of a links golf course is always a thorny subject, but I think the most important elements are that the turf is naturally firm and sand based and that the land the course is laid across is naturally undulating and directly ‘links’ the beach to the better land that could be used for farming etc further from the coast. This clifftop setting here with its partially manufactured contours does a good job of getting close, but it isn’t a pure links in my eyes. That being said, it plays very much like a links and although it is not the longest, nor the most testing at Bandon, Sheep Ranch is course to play with friends, to play for fun and to test and reward all facets of your game and most importantly, I absolutely loved it! Then it was on to a PM tee time at Bandon Dunes. David McLay-Kidd builds golf courses that fit my eye and strike a chord with many of the qualities I identify in a good golf course. His headline grabbing layout is one of the founder courses here and it feels like that when you arrive at the clubhouse. Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes share much of the same stretch of clifftop dune land, and for that reason, share many similarities aesthetically when compared to the other courses at the resort. This is a quite brilliant golf course, routed across one of the richest pieces of golfing land I have seen in the USA to date. Comparing the courses at Bandon is like comparing fine wines, they are all excellent and it is only personal preference that really separates them markedly. Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes share similar feels and qualities and I agree with the rankings that Pacific Dunes probably just eclipses Bandon Dunes. We are splitting hairs though, and you won’t be disappointed whichever course you play here. My end of March took me back to the U.K. for a trip to my home course, Saunton (where both courses are in fine fettle right now) and then on to play three new links courses with very different feels. Firstly, Wallasey is one of the richest golf courses I have visited in England. Not rich in a financial sense necessarily, but more so in the history of our game and in terms of the links ground which resides within the course’s boundary. The dunes here are quite something to behold and are some of the finest links dunes I have seen in England to date. In John Mcloughlin, Wallasey have one of the most forward thinking Course Managers in the British Isles. His vision and continual strive for improvements has seen the course establishing a reputational upward trajectory in recent times. The club have engaged Clayton Devries & Pont to advise on a course improvement plan. Having seen details of some of the suggested work, I genuinely think this might be one of the most exciting and potential filled renovation projects in the U.K. over the next few years. Photo credit: Wallasey Golf Club Finally, a Welsh double header completed my month of links golf. Conwy is another fine course in the midst of a comprehensive upgrade programme, this time under the guidance of architects Mackenzie & Ebert. The project is a little under half way completed, with a target to finish the works in another 3-4 years time. This is a golf club full of ambition with a clear road map in place to reinvigorate the golf course. All in all, I think this project is a very worthwhile investment and one that should future proof the golf course for generations to come. Later that afternoon, we headed only a few miles across the bay to North Wales Golf Club. Initial impressions were underwhelming with the 1st hole partially out of play, but this is a golfing experience that grows on you as the round progresses. There is plenty to love about this place, whether you are an avid lover of course architecture, or somebody who likes playing golf with a wondrous view to keep you enthused. The round starts slowly and doesn’t really sparkle until the latter part of the front nine. It’s worth the wait though and over the next few holes, there is some truly magical links golf to be played. There is a valuable lesson in there for every travelling golfer. Sometimes playing the understated neighbour of a big name course can reward you with an unexpected and good value for money experience. So on to April, which is looking as long on course miles as it is in air miles. Visits to Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore are in the diary and there is also the small matter of a six course golfing trip to Ireland to fit into the mix! The season is really beginning to take off and over the next couple of months I’ll be playing a number of golf courses I’ve dreamt of playing for many years. In the mean time, wherever you are and whatever you have planned, I wish you the straightest of drives, well negotiated four- footers and happy rounds.