Working in London and Golf in Scotland

Last week was the first of a two-week "placement" at New Energy Finance, the world's leading clean energy market news and analysis firm. I'm doing some research for them on the potentially immense energy implications of large amounts of natural gas that could be recovered from shale formations throughout the U.S. It's interesting - big topic, and I'm learning a lot. It led me to reconnect to an old buddy from Ann Arbor, Kobi Platt, who is now working for the federal government as an economist focusing on short-term natural gas trends. It's been a work hard, play hard sort of week in London - I reconnected with a couple of old friends from Harvard who are living there now. Springtime has come to London - the weather has been terrific and I'm quite enjoying my walk to and from the office. Hotel is much nicer than the place we spent the previous two weeks in London, so that's nice too. Stayed up late on Thursday night to watch my Wolverines play on www.espn.com, which provides a surprisingly sharp picture.

I'm back up in Scotland for the weekend. We've got springtime weather, so I headed back to North Berwick yesterday to play the East Links, known as The Glen. The course itself was good, not nearly as great as its sister the West Links, but a fine traditional links layout. It's the the spectacular views of the Firth of Forth that make the place special. Unlike Arcadia Bluffs or Pebble Beach, which have some breathtaking seaside views on a few holes but quite a few inland holes as well with no or little view, The Glen offers a majestic look across the Firth of Forth to the Kingdom of Fife on nearly every hole. At £10 for a late afternoon round, it was probably the best golf value I've ever had.

Today I'm heading out to play at Dunbar...further along on the Firth of Forth. In fact...better hustle to the train station soon! Click on the pics below to get a much better look.




2 tee. When the sun catches this rock right, it lights up in a spectacular white glow.



somewhere on the front...forget where.



This was where my 125 yard half wedge wound up on number 5, a short par 4. There's nothing like a holeout for eagle to brighten your day (though I've still never had one from the tee of a par 3...that's got to feel even better). After missing very short putts on the previous three holes and winding up with bogeys, I nearly gave myself the putt each time and penciled in pars...but something in the back of my head kept saying "you're only cheating yourself." When this eagle came to me on 5, I got the feeling that golf karma was rewarding me.




Again attempting an artsy shot looking over my eagle towards the sea.


12 tee. Nice long par 4 marching toward the sea. I ended up losing my wallet near the site of this photograph, and searching for 45 minutes after my round in the dark, before I luckily came back across it here.



Another look at that cool rock.



13 tee - terrific little short, downhill par 3 to the beach. Called the Sea Hole. The tee itself is set back from here, making it a blind shot.



Walking down the footpath toward 13 green.



Looking back at 13 green glowing in the late day sun.



After hooking a tee shot severely on 14, I had this nice view down to the green. Had no idea my yardage (as is often the case out here), but played an open-faced 9-iron beautfully to just in front of the green. 8 must have been the right number, but felt nice to pure one from the heather.



After hitting a big drive and a picture perfect hybrid, I had this putt from just off the green on the par 5 15th for my second eagle of the day. I three putted.



Coming in toward the sunset on 17.



Loooking back from the tee on 18.



Severely elevated tee on 18, looking down on the fairway below, the clubhouse, and the town beyond. Nice way to finish.