[Yoda]

The Conservatory at the Old Course Hotel is located right off the famous Road Hole at St. Andrews. As such, it offers residents and guests one of the great views of The Open Championship, the second shots into the 17th green. Also, the panorama of the 1st and 18th fairways, Swilken Bridge and the R&A clubhouse.

After our windswept, 18-hole tour of the course following Brian, we repaired to the comfy confines of The Conservatory for a quick bite. Amazingly, the place was almost empty. At the same time, my guess is that the Road Hole Bar three floors above was packed! Here's a photo of our 'private party' thoroughly enjoying that time together.





From the bay windows behind us, you are standing within just a few feet of the players preparing their approaches into the green. It's kind of eerie, because there is no gallery! All spectators are routed from behind the teebox down toward the first green, and there is no crosswalk to get back to the right side -- or left side! -- of the fairway.








So, there before the very few of us that afternoon walked the greatest players in the game. Those included Tiger Woods and Tom Watson, just minutes before his poignant final waves from Swilken Bridge. I've got couple of shots of Old Tom on #17, but they're loaded in another camera and will have to wait.