Mike du Jour: Coffee Golf

For the next four days you can have your morning coffee and watch The Open Championship. There’s something about the birthplace of golf we’ve never quite replicated. Raining and wind blowing your ball around the green? Perfect day for golf in Royal Portrush. Knee deep rough but not a tree insight? Classic links golf conditions. Quick history of links golf: courses were once used for grazing sheep along the coast of the British Isles. They’re called “links” (as in a chain) because the first nine holes are played one after another (ocean on your right for example) then turn and play second nine home holes (ocean on your left). True links courses are coastal and shaped by natural terrain. The bad news is add wind and rain and it’s easily the second hardest game on the planet. The good news is there’s a warm dry pub at the end of the round. -ML