A Day at Muirfield
As I gaze around 'The Smoking Room' with its oak panelling and portraits of past captains resplendent in their red jackets, there’s a stillness, a steadiness. You get the feeling that things haven’t changed much since this club began in 1744. The Honourable Company played over Bruntsfield & Leith Links before migrating to Musselburgh and finally out to Muirfield.
Musselburgh Old Links - Through its 275 years, The Honourable Company migrated from Bruntsfield to Leith to Musselburgh then Muirfield.
On my last visit there were guys sporting raspberry red corduroy pants and green tweed jackets. In a place like this, there’s always been a uniform of some sort. Vermillion red jackets were once worn in the Bruntsfield days to warn other park users there was golf going on. That tradition stuck and is on special occasion trooped out. But I think even the raspberry red cords will soon go too! A lot has changed at Muirfield in this past couple of years.
Winding back, I was invited for a game and lunch by club secretary Stuart McEwen. It was just five days before the result of the second vote to allow lady members. Previously, the Honourable Company had rejected the idea although 64% of them had voted ‘yes’ but the club’s constitution required 2/3rds to carry. So it was a rather limp-wristed refusal.
The result caused havoc! Muirfield made the news from Sydney to Saskatoon! “Even in the town,” secretary Stuart told me referring to the East Lothian hamlet of Gullane just a few miles east of Edinburgh, “members were afraid to go into the greengrocers with their Muirfield sweaters on. Local school kids sent a thick wad of letters asking “why didn’t they like women!”
That was the local reaction to the desultory decision but within seconds, the R&A delivered the knockout blow by stating they were taking Muirfield off the Open Championship rota. ‘Ouch!"‘ The Honourable Company members sank deeper into their leather armchairs and sighed a collective ‘Oooops’. The prestigious East Lothian club has hosted 18 Open Championship events to date and setting aside the serious damage to the club’s esteem, The Open was worth a significant cash sum to the local economy. It seemed like everyone now had it in for Muirfield and its closeted chambers.
In the face of such global derision, a second vote was rather hurriedly put through, this time resulting in a more positive outcome.
Since then, Muirfield has opened its gates to lady members and completely refurbished the clubhouse adding a ‘small’ ladies locker room adjacent to the Captain's Room and Muirfield Room, and generally had a spring clean of the crusty atmosphere that, not so long ago, pervaded these august halls.
I couldn’t help think to myself though; “They should leave these old buggers alone! They’re not doing anyone any harm! It’s a Gentlemen’s Club and all these crusty old barristers and cardiac consultants from Edinburgh, like ancient lions in the Serengeti, were clearly happy in their male preserve. On previous visits, I’d enjoyed the atmosphere too! To most of the rest of the world, Muirfield had a hugely haughty reputation. But once you were through the gates, (which was no small feat), you were one of the gang, part of the club. The atmosphere was convivial! After a couple of ‘Club Gins’ (following the morning round of course), everyone was in high-spirits. Then, suitably showered and back into the tweeds and corduroy, it was through to the Dining Room for a 3-course tuck-in the likes of Billy Bunter would have been envious of, complete with a lovely bottle of Claret between two opposite diners. I waddled out of the Dining Room in search of a billet.
“You’ll join us for foursomes in the afternoon,” secretary Stuart collared me as I neared the end of my Eve’s Pudding with custard. Did I have anything better to do?
A day at Muirfield consists of a morning ‘four-ball’, a healthy lunch as described, followed by a quick stiffener in the shape of Kümmel, the caraway liqueur of choice - then back out on the golf course for a round of ‘foursomes’.
Having fallen in love with this golf course a long time ago, this is pure bliss! It’s like a runaway train full of the best things in life, the best day out since Buler. Visitors can join in the fun on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can dress casually in the clubhouse up until 10am. I noticed several guests arriving in their raspberry red corduroys and green Harris Tweed jackets, I reckon just because they liked wearing them. In the corridor is a sign for the Locker Room. There is only one! That’s one thing the club will have to attend to tout-suite as soon as Ladies appear. In the meantime, old gents dodder around in the buff laughing and joking between shower and sportcoats.
After lunch, it’s straight out onto Muirfield’s links for ‘foursomes’.
But meanwhile, I’m enjoying one of the best days of golf - ever. A lot of people had their nose put out of joint when Muirfield members voted against letting women joining the club last year.
I’m not in favour of misogyny in any shape or form. This is just a bunch of. It’s harmless! They aren’t poisoning anyone with chemicals. There are a lot more atrocities going on in this world than Muirfield members having a round of golf or two, a few gins and a nice lunch.
Non-golfing mortals won’t get it. I don’t expect them to. I barely get it myself, it’s so rarefied and subtle.
PLAYING THE COURSE
Members largely ‘carry’ their bags whilst on the golf course. My guys did anyhow. I felt slightly awkward doddering behind my power trolley. It’s so much ‘cooler’ to carry I thought as I watched them parade down the 1st fairway.
Foursomes
A foursome is also known as ‘alternate shot’ where you play in teams of two using only one ball per team and taking alternate shots. It’s great for match play.
How The Course Developed
It’s fascinating to see the walkways that have been developed through the years especially for foursomes.
Guys with raspberry red pants and green tweed jackets. They used to be the mark of the upper-class but no they just look silly.
Man do you dress to extremes of these types of male-only environments as evident on the wall hanging a. Formidable fellows they are good yes you can you're right there from right beginning yes that eight months before opened it as a general manager of my personalise has opened up that I would photography through the years David Scott didn't yeah David David was the day he he
The Views
People think that there are not so many great views on this golf course but look at this.12th
"The Kümmel is cold today"
Foursomes
I’m never usually slow at getting back out to golf again but these boys were on the tee and waiting whilst I faffed about with my golf trolley battery.
Foursomes. There are paths specially cut so that you can see your tee off and watch the ball. It’s over in a matter of two and a half hours; three would be a slow round. Relay match.
The children of members can play for a fiver up to the age of 30. Don't want her for today
Here we go again, Round 2…
Greenfees for 2018 are £250 for 18 holes or £350 for 36 holes and £30 for lunch.
