What a amazing week!

What a amazing week in St Andrews this week was! No longer am I having to wear a thermal and in the weekend it was tee shirt and shorts! I think i've told you before but the sunrises are just spectacular! The only downside about this week is that I missed my best friends birthday Mr Andrew Gribble back in New Zealand. I"m getting a tour of the R & A building tomorrow which will be awesome and I get to see the Clarit jug (the British open trophy). The R & A is the governing body of golf if you were wondering. And the building is probably the most photographed building in the world. Especially when it comes to golf anyway. You are not aloud in there unless you are a member.

I played lots of golf this week, well - 3 games. But my highlight was playing on the tournament course with pretty much all the stands up and tv towers etc.

Monday I played the Castle course, Wednesday I went to the practice facilities. I thought I should go there as they are closing this week so all the tents and villages can go up for the tournament sponsors. They have a robotic arm there where they test golf clubs and how far balls can travel etc. It really is a cool place to go to.

Thursday I played the Tournament "Old Course". I struggled to put the ball on the tee as I was shaking so much. I've never been so nervous hitting a golf ball as I was standing on that 1st tee with the grandstands and scoreboards on my left. 30 - 50 people standing behind me watching, people walking across Granny Clarks Wynd (The road that runs through the 1st and 18th holes). There is just so much going on and you just have the pressure to hit a good tee shot. And fair enough I hit a bad one. Although I played a good second and 3rd shot to get a 5. After that hole the pressure was off and I manage to hit a better score then what Michael Cambell did when he played there!!

Swilcan Bridge doing the Jack Nicklaus pose


My boss, couple work mates and me infront of the R & A building on the 1st tee


The only bunker I went in out of 140 or something bunkers


18th Green


1st hole


Friday I played in a golf tournament on the Eden course (All the courses I played this week are in the world top 100) And scored quite well and won some money. I don't know how much until the results are posted this week.

Friday night I set off as wing man for my flatmate Nick as he was hanging out to hook up with a girl and low and behold it was a success! Met some random girls from Glasgow and they ended up back at our place with myself and Nick and Stuart (our neighbor) I went to bed and left them all to do what ever boys and girls do.

Saturday was a amazing day I went to the beach with my friend Alley and spend 4 hours down there and then went to a bar to meet up with a work mate and there was a outside drinking courtyard and that was just bliss! I can really tell that summer is on the way here.... Actually... it's just next week isn't it! yay!

Well June next week and I'll be in Paris. I've now tapped London onto that journey too so I'll spend Sunday - Wednesday in Paris and Wednesday - Sunday in London catching up with Diego and a couple other friends.

Hope you're all well back home! Miss ya!

P.S. Shaun - Read the write up of your game. Nice kicking

till next week.

4 seasons and Edinburgh

I still can't believe how light it is here. I"m at the point where I"m going to bed and it's still really light and wake up and it's light as well! Love it! Although, on Wednesday this week I know what everyone is on about when they say "Scottish weather"! It was FREEZING! minus 4 when I woke up, got to work and there was a amazing sunrise and then at about 10am it started snowing - yes SNOWING! I was running around out side going "look it's snowing" to my work mates as all I've been saying to them since I started work is "I don't know what you guys are all on about, this scottish weather is sweet". Well after the snow there was also rain, hail and then the sun came out and made the afternoon glorious! Although the wind was up all day which is what made it cold. And then the next day it was sunny all day and I was working in a tee shirt.

Looking up at the Edinburgh from Grassmarket


Same again but at night


Friday I went to Edinburgh to meet up with Vicky Fox from NZ and stayed at this really cool hostel in Grassmarket right in the city. The view from the hostel room was really cool too. We could look straight up at the castle and down to all the bars in Grassmarket. We explored the town, went up to the castle and saw all the grand stands being put up for the tattoo which is on in just over a month I think.



View from the hostel window


After that we went out and checked out some bars and clubs. We were back at out hostel by 12am so wasn't a large one. Although I ended up in a heavy metal bar, and I didn't know it was a metal bar until I realised Vicky and I were the only ones not wearing a leather jacket and were covered in tattoos.
Waking up with a killer hangover we got the train to St Andrews (my worst train ride EVER). After getting off at Leuchars and my flat mate Nick picking us up made things easy to get back to home (usually you would bus from Leuchars station to St Andrews) After I got some food in me I fine and ready to go. I showed Vicky around St Andrews looking at the Cathedral ruins and the Castle and the golf course. It was great to have my first visitor from back home. Just really refreshing and nice to hear a New Zealand accent.

NZ PRIDE


Today I brought my self a new Driver which I'm hanging out to use! Taylormade r7 if anyone is wondering. I'm finding that golf clubs are cheaper here. I"m going to go out for a game tomorrow.

How was the last week with Candice? Hope it wasn't to tearful for you girls.

I don't have to much planned this week besides a golf tournament one of the days this week, and also going to a seminar on Thursday about insecticides (sounds boring for you I bet). I'm hanging out to get to Paris - 2 weeks and I'll be in Paris!! Yuss!

Till next week...

Golf. Drinking. More Golf

Wow! 5am driving to work and I'm wearing sunglasses! that's how bright it was Saturday morning on my way to work. I am still amazed on how amazing the sunrises are here! The sun is up just before 5am and going down around 9ish? I'm writing this blog thinking about the people who would be reading this and wondering what you're doing. Having breakfast and reading this (Tina and Phe), or even just at work and wondering what I'm up too. Thank you anyway for your time! I love the fact that you enjoy what I'm up to!

This week has consisted with golf, work, pub, and more golf. I played golf on Wednesday at the Castle course and what a amazing course that is! One of my favorites I have ever played. It's one of those hard courses but you walk off the 18th green still feeling happy and just stoked that you just played such a spectacular golf course. Although I have played it before it impresses me every time. Thursday I went out of with the flatmates to the pub to meet one of Alley (Alley is another greenkeeper) mates. The night ended up with the most drunk I have been in a very long time! the most drunk I've been since I've been away put it that way! I was in bed by 8pm which was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. I guess finishing work at 1.30-2pm gives us a early start and it wasn't until I was walking home with my flat mates and I realised how drunk I was! I wasn't to bad Friday morning but still thought to myself I'm not touching a alcoholic drink for a while....

So I thought...

Friday comes around, I have a half day at work, go and play golf at the Jubilee and after that we go out for a few more pints! one thing lead to another and I got home at 2am with work at 5.30am! DAMMIT! But Saturday I was in bed by 8pm and had the best sleep ever! Work again at 5.30am but I was feeling on top of the world! Oh and my giant connect 4 arrived on Friday! Woo hoo!



Playing golf this week is the very first time I experienced what it's like to play to the reputable St Andrews links windy conditions! I couldn't believe how windy it was, and how much it made the ball move in the air (and no I wasn't hitting the ball bad) You have to play golf entirely different to how you would your average golf game. It's really a thinking game when it comes to links golf. A lot of running the ball onto the green a pose to just hitting a clean shot in as close to the pin as you can. The greens are so undulated that any shot close to the pin would just run away from it and the greens are so firm it's hard to pitch the shots. Although there are some VERY large greens here at St Andrews. One of the greens on the old course (the course where the British open is held) is near 1.5 hectors! that would be the size of some golf courses all 18 greens all in just one huge green. The wind was just hammering into us and made the course so much longer. I played the Jubilee course - If I haven't told you St Andrews links is made up of 7 golf courses. The Old course, The Jubilee, The New course, the Eden, The Balgove, The Strathtyrum and the Castle course. But in St Andrews there is a total of about 14 golf courses! So many golf courses for such a little town. Imagine a town probably twice the size of Devonport, but with 14 golf courses around it.

9th at the Jubilee (That's me)


8th at the Jubilee - look how beachside the course is.


The Old course, Jubilee, The New course and the Castle course are all in the top 100 golf courses of the world. So you imagine the standard of golf course they are. It's amazing being here, thinking just this week I played 2 of top 100 golf courses - The Castle course and the Jubilee. And being able to do this on a weekly basis. I think if I was really serious about golf and not greenkeeping, this would be the place I would love to be at as the lifestyle is simply orientated around golf. Lucky I love golf, as if I wasn't, I"m sure my Monday to Fridays would be pretty boring.

I'm still pinching myself that I'm here. I been talking to a few of the Elmwood collage graduates (One of the best greenkeeping collages in the world) who I met at the pub the other night and they were saying how hard it is to get a job at St Andrews Links. They have been trying for since they graduated and they just can't get a job with them. Talking to my boss about it, He was saying that they could be more qualified as a lot of people but just don't have the practical experience. So I'm just wrapped that I got the job out of what I thought was 150 people that applied but now finding out at the last induction day it was out of 450 people!

I'm really leaning towards moving to Canada after my season here is done and perhaps coming back next year? else greenkeeping in Canada too. Though in Summer 2011 it looks like I'll be moving to Melbourne for 6 months as I'm looking at working at Royal Melbourne - why not when it's the number course in Australia and I've been offered a job there?? Also the Presidents cup is on there which another big tournament. Plus I'll only be stones throw from New Zealand so I can visit you all! It just means I'll be away from home a little longer then first anticipated.

I"m going to Edinburgh again this weekend so I'm sure I'll have some kind of story for you! I hope you all enjoyed Candice's leaving party. I'm looking forward to meeting her in Paris, and thanks Emily for the places I should go see! they are noted! I've got a question though... Do you think they call French toast just "toast" in France?
And another question - When Candice gets here will she make her own blog or will I change the name of my blog to Joe and Candice blogs? just doesn't have the same bell to it does it... What do you think Candice?

Till next week :-)

P.S. I'm all for sending postcards at the moment so feel free to send me your address so I can post you one!

4 weeks in Scotland

Well, I have been in Scotland for nearly 4 weeks! Wow, time just flies by. I've been away from NZ for coming up 6 weeks! It feels way longer aye? (Well it does for me anyway) Miss you guys....



This week was yet another great week! All the new staff had a "induction day" where we got to meet all the head of departments, got to see the warehouse, and pretty much just everything that is involved the "St Andrews Links" which is who I'm working for. Total number of people employed by them is over 300 staff, and half of them are greenkeepers. But it was good to meet people in the other sectors like the club house restaurants, proshop people and even the caddy's.

it was great to hear that over 450 people applied for my job, and there were only 5 places availible! and I got one of those 5 places! Stoked. They also get another 5 people from Elmwood college (pretty much the elite for greenkeeping collages).

I can't believe the scale of professionalism it is at this level. Just everything from someone who greets you at the tee as you walk onto the golf course, to having the St Andrews Links logo on the toilet paper! It really is world class and is everything I thought it would be.

Here is a photo of the greenkeeping shed, Bear in mind that alot of the equipment will be out because I took the photo during work hours in the day, but the value of everything is just phenomenal! think, the pedestrian mowers alone around about 7000 pounds each! Don't get me started on the rest.... Though a lot of extra machinery will be brought in for the Open.



Greenkeeping talk:
40 pedestrian mowers, GM1000's, GM1600's, Flex 21's
10 Approach mowers GM3250
12 Fairway mowers RM5500 (mowed with catches on)
6 full time machanics
7 full time divot fillers

and the list goes on....

After the induction that ran all day I went out for a game of golf assistant head greenkeeper and I actually played pretty well! so I was happy with my performance :-)

1st and 18th - Grandstands going up....

Today (Saturday) I finally decided to explore the town of St Andrews and check out the castle ruins and also the HUGE cathedral which is also just ruins now. It was a nice stroll around town and down by the beach as I haven't seen this part of town yet. I also saw the golfing pioneer Tom Morris grave which is quite the monument! Finally some photo's of the area for you though.




Cathedral ruins...





I have booked my flights for Paris now, so I'm going to meet Candice there at the start of June. I'm thinking of proposing to her there too....










































JUST Kidding! I think it would just be cheesy for my likings. I have french phrase book now so hopefully that gets me by for the 3 days I'm there. Really looking forward to at least trying snails or frogs legs though. Any other suggestions??

Work starts at 5.30am from Monday! but I'll be finished work by 1.30pm at least. it will be weird having my lunch at 9.30am though!

My turn for flat dinner tomorrow night, so taco's is on!

Hope you're enjoying the blog! Miss all of you! Loving the phone calls at the moment - If you want the number to call me on and it will cost the same as a local call for you just ask Renee, she's the only one that's been successful at getting through to me on that number at the moment.

Till next time :-)