Leven Links

One can hardly mention Leven Links without noting its historical ties to Neighboring Lundin Links, as explained by James Finnegan (not to confuse the reader, but it's excerpted from his discussion of Lundin Links):

Having proceeded on a straight line from the clubhouse we come to the end, literally, in the form of Mile Dyke, which separates Lundin from Leven links. When formed in 1868, Lundin Golf Club shared both sides of Mile Dyke with Leven Golf Club. The links were essentially two holes wide, with respective clubhouses at each end, sandwiched between the sea and the railroad line.

With increasing popularity of golf, the course became too crowded, and in 1909 the clubs separated, with each club retaining the nine holes on their side of mile dyke. To create an 18-hole course, both clubs had to spill their new holes onto the far side of the railroad, inevitably less interesting land further from the sea.

As I understand things, it was then known as The Innerleven Links.

Most of the chattering classes rate Lundin higher than Leven, and I tend to agree based upon my one loop around Lundin on that 2015 trip.  We're headed to Lundin today, so we'll reassess then.  But they faced similar issues after the divorce, forced to move inland, to less interesting terrain, for their additional holes.

Four of us set out for Leven, Theresa opting for a day of rest and to prepare her pork roast.  

We arrive to see their grounds crew tending to the 18th green:

I don't actually remember ever seeing them rolling their greens, though in this case it was after a narrow-tine aeration and top dressing.  I can't say it had much of an effect on our putting, though I do need to bitterly cling to any and all available excuses.

We play a simple Stableford, which is the game of choice here.  It doesn't offer the mano-a-mano frisson of match play, but it does readily cover the wide range of handicaps and pars that we'll play off of.  Any mention of a Stableford has me smiling in recollection of our 2017 trip to Royal Porthcawl, when we learned of the ongoing dispute as to the origins of Dr. Frank Stableford.....  Good times.

The first tee is tucked against the boundary fence, blending seamlessly into the massive 18th green. 

The opening holes are as we would expect, characteristically linksy, though softer than is typical.  We allow a few groups to play through, two 2-balls and a singleton, and thereafter we're alone out there.

Elsie and John are in fine form, and the former takes a sizable early lead.  Miraculously, we get around without any significant loss of time or ammunition....  I lost my first ball of the trip on the 14th hole, on a slightly-pushed 6-iron that wasn't in my top ten bad shots of the trip.  Collectively, I'm pretty sure that we didn't lose more than 2-3 balls, and found many more than that.  Though the ones we find are never of the quality we lose...

That's either Lundin or Lower Largo in the distance.

I've been remiss in the lack of fashion blogging, but Jewelle is resplendent in her various shades of purple:

Those little fuzzies off her waist came from Japan, and hold her golf balls....  I know, but the girl has a gadget for everything.  

We come to Mile Dyke and our view of Lundin Links:

That's their fourth green, and the gentleman is teeing off on their fifth hole.  This from Tom Doak sounds promising:

Once a year the clubs play for the Macdonald Trophy over the original 18 holes, which would be quite a strong “composite” course

Yes, I can see that it would.  

The camera gets mostly a day off, as we make our way hither and yon.  I'm having another in the series of good ball-striking/horrible putting days, running all of my approach putts 5-7 feet by, then gagging on the come-backers.  At one point I try to add up the number of three-jacks, and decide to simply round up to all of them....

Over dinner the prior evening, John de Coupland opines that our leftover sausages will make the perfect mid-round snack, and at the moment of greatest putting-induced despondency, I'm handed two links.  Consumed in a single breath, everything immediately changes....  

Elsie makes a birdie on one of the Par-3's, forgive me as it's all blurring together right now, so only the men are without a birdie for the trip.  Funny that, but it does amuse the girls....

The inland holes are inevitably not of the same caliber, but they're still quite pleasantly laid out.  The routing circles about the original nine holes, so we'll not play more than two holes in any one direction.  The wind, nonexistent on the first tee, freshens considerably and we're amused by some of what we note as we make our way through the inward nine.

The twelfth, a Par-5 of some 493 yards from the members tees (Sam, the nice young man in the pro shop makes it clear that we'll not be allowed to play their medal tees), is for some reason the No. 1 stroke index.  Playing downwind, I easily hit my second through the green....But, we immediately turn back into the wind for the 471-yard Par-4 13th....  being on that green in three was a greater accomplishment than then the prior hole, yet it's stroke index No. 3.  Even more curious, from the medal tees it's a five-par!  We discuss with Sam, and it appears to be a function of a silly rule that says anything over 475 yards must be a 5-par.... Of course, par itself is a silly construct, perpetuated by the patriarchy to oppress women and.... oh, never mind.

We get another gander at Lundin, this being the green to a downhill Par-3 called Perfection:

With victory seemingly assured, Elsie loses the plot and fails to record any points on the final three holes.  My sausage-induced comeback makes it close, but Earl de Coupland noses me out for a 29-28 victory, and I am forced to disgorge a quid and faux praise (the latter being the more galling) over dinner.  

Sam takes this photo of our group pretending to still be on speaking terms.

As noted above, we're off to Lundin Links today with a cast of thousands.  Not only will Lady Theresa resume her role as Lady Voldemort, but the future Lord de Coupland, Elsie and John's son Ross, is on his way up from Edinburgh to join us.  After golf we anticipate meeting Seb, who we assume will ultimately rule from the iron throne.

Th weather forecast as of yesterday was somewhat dire, a dry start but with consistent rain during the back half of our round.  There's little value though in the early panic, as it's all a great mystery.  Now the rain has been pushed back towards the end of our round, the exact timing to remain one of life's great mysteries... 

More exciting, is the longer term forecast.  Friday through the end of our stay features warmer temps and not a hint of moisture...  Those shorts we brought with might see the light of a Scottish day after all....  But, they wouldn't lie to us, would they?