Our journey began in the sleepy midwestern town of Columbus, Ohio, growing up in the 60's and 70s idolizing our hometown hero, the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus. We became fascinated with the golf at a young age and were lucky to have four great courses that would, in varying ways, shape our golfing world for years to come, Scioto CC (Ross), Ohio State University Golf Club - Scarlet and Gray (MacKenzie), The Golf Club (Pete Dye) and Muirfield Village (Nicklaus).

In addition to playing, Woody, Scooter and I were all involved in the game as either a starter, caddy or greenskeeper. In the early 70's, our family's vacations took us to the Outer Banks of North Carolina It was there that we found a "links-like" course called Sea Scape. Although it wasn't close by the sea as all true links courses are, it had most of the attributes—sandy soil, dunes, wind, and fescue/gorse rough.

That is where our love for links golf was born, telling stories, laughing, hitting knock-down shots under the wind, and mastering low, 7-iron punch and runs from 30-40 yards off the green. I don't think any of us learned how to use a lob wedge till we were in our late 20's.

"For the average golfer, playing a coarse and a vulgar pitch that stabs a hole in the green is not an effective strategy in a links course." -Allistair Mackenzie

As we became young adults, Woody would study the history of golf, its origins, and the early architects that helped shape the game. Whereas Dr. Alistair MacKenzie and Donald Ross were his favorites when we were growing up, and later Pete Dye and Tom Doak. He had a soft spot for Old Tom Morris and his disciples that collectively created a lot of the links courses we know today. Woody studied them all, including John Sutherland, Horace Hutchinson, A. MacKenzie Ross, Willie Fernie, Willie Park, Jr., B Hall Blythe, George Lowe, Fergusson, Fowler, Braid, Campbell, Dunn, Simpson and others.

While on our expeditions to play courses around the US, Woody would always say, "Red, when we go to Scotland, we have to play Machrihanish and Cruden Bay." Of all the great links that were more well known, the Old Course, Carnoustie, Muirfield, and all the Royals, those are the two that stood out in his mind—both being Old Tom designs.

We spent the next 25 years seeking out links-like gems outside our home turf, Shinnecock Hills, NGLA, Maidstone, Cyprus Point, Sand Hills, Prairie Dunes, and Pine Valley long before Mike Kaiser's wonderful creations came along in Bandon and Sand Valley.

Sadly, Woody never visited overseas and tragically died at 52-years young. I first made the journey to the origin of golf in my early 60s. We went to the Kintyre Peninsula to play Machrihanish, as well as up to the Aberdeenshire coast to play Cruden Bay. Woody was right, they were both beautiful, natural, wonderful links courses, and magical experiences. They remain to this day, two of my top 5 in the "if I only had one course to play for the rest of my life" category.

Scooter and I will continue to honor Woody's memory through this blog via his writings, pictures and our experiences. As he would want us to, we will take note every time we experience an Old Tom natural, plateaued, undulating green complex, or a well- positioned, natural Alistair MacKenzie-like bunker.

It is our goal to explore and celebrate everything that is Links golf. How the courses and the games differ from those that we play in the States. The variety of holes- -Punch Bowls, Redans, Alps and Himalayas. The walk with 7 clubs in your bag. The constant wind, the sea, the dunes, the shots we create. The head pros, the caddies, the greenskeepers, the innkeepers, bartenders, towns, pubs, trains, and the many characters that make for lasting friendships along the way.

But most of all, the stories. We hope you enjoy it, and please don't hesitate to message me with any questions or ideas on new blogs, interviews or content.

See you on the Links, never up, never in!

-Old Tam & Scooter