Playing St Andrews BACKWARDS using hickory (wooden) golf clubs

[music] right guys it's super early in the morning and i'm here at the home of golf sent andrews for a very very very special occasion we're here to celebrate the birthday of old tom morris she was born 200 years ago this year a legend in the game of golf i'm doing something today.

That is very rare. And very unique now today.

I'm playing the old course. But not as you know it i'm playing the old course today.

And believe me this is a ridiculously rare opportunity i'm playing it in reverse hundreds of years ago used to play the golf course in anti-clockwise which is how we know it now. And also clockwise i'll explain a little bit more on the t and to make it really authentic i'm actually going to be playing with hickory clubs what's really good i've got a special guest to help me out a european tour player i'm going to play as a team to battle the old course in reverse. So the tour player i'm playing with today.

Is min woo lee a european tour winner at the tender age of just 22 exciting opportunity. For him as well now he's going to use his actual golf clubs he plays with i'm going to use the hickories. And we're going to play in foursomes we're basically going to do alternate shots i'm going to set ourselves a little bit of a target we'll see what that's going to be soon i'm invited down here by callaway because they have an association with saint andrews lynx trust it's an opportunity that i could not say no to i'm excited can't wait to show you let's go. And play some andrew's old course in reverse so here we are first tee sent andrews old course lee hey dawn you ready. For this yes i am we've got two very contrasting sets here you're set the modern clubs the 460cc driver the irons the spinny wedges the incredible putter. And we've got the hickories what do you think of these i'm glad i'm in this age time. And age um they look hard to hit they're crazy these are crazy some of these are original hickory clubs like this is a driver yep this is like a fairway wood i don't know all the pacific names. But look at these clubs absolutely amazing come see yeah compared to the comparison oh my god that's crazy. And then.

This we've got loads of different irons like a nibblic and a mashi and a general iron i like the sound of that general iron that's like an eight time or something and then.

We've got this look at this i mean it just looks like the other clubs. But it's shorter and that's my putter i love it we've also which is really cool we've got some original original golf balls now we're not going to play all around with those. But we might keep it towards the end and play maybe the last couple of holes with the original balls because we don't we don't really want to lose them right we're gonna play foursomes what do you think our target should be in reverse par 72 i play with these you play with those i think 80 would be a good challenge we're going to challenge we're going to try. And break 80. yeah let's go i'm excited about this this is going to be awesome oh it's nice. And light at least yeah yeah not like not like this right. So we're going to try. And break 80. turn alternate shots me mingwoo lee look at this i've actually made old course course planners in reverse and scorecards i mean that is it's a once in a lifetime opportunity can't wait this is going to be awesome you good you have do you have a tea yeah that's a t at low hey you only have to hit it off the deck i feel like i want to start with that one three wood yeah i'm not sure about driver just. Yet oh it's heavy this is gonna i don't know it's heavy in the head here we go smooth. So we're going this way right we're going left we're going left. But just hit it on the fairway that's all that's all you need to do that's all i need that looks. So good all right let's do it trying to soak it all in smooth swing right i might just grip down it a little bit oh wow how hard is that to hit oh you know right now it was the it was the weight of it yeah like the head weight is. So like heavy we got it away it'd have been a good line in for the first but obviously we're playing towards the 17th we'll take it i'll get used to him i will. So rick's left me the not the easiest shot listen i got it in the fairway that's all i can say it's only just in the fairway yes. But it's in the fairway and we're going miles over there towards the left it's oh my god how far you know it's 215. it's it's 245 yards like the front of the green. So first thing of the day four iron on a pretty tight lie golf shot oh wow get up oh that land is soft. But front left that was pretty good though that was a good golf swing that was a good golf swing right. So we arrived to the famous twilken bridge now this is where normally you get your picture after the 18th tee. But come on come and take a seat on there i mean really let's go let's get our little picture nice little photo shoot on the very first hole wow awesome what's the plan can you you can't really open up that wedge can you not really no tight lie early in the morning i have no idea which club to use i'm gonna go with this one it looks like a modern day eight iron that is. So knifey oh you gotta double it in modern days though you don't get penalized for that oh my goodness i need to really re-evaluate how i play these goals you'd have to you would have to just nearly like stab every shot hey you don't get that there's no bounce just dug straight in golf was hard back then..

So rick's left me another really easy shot over this bunker just flop it over go go oh that's how you play yet that's how you play it not bad let's swap clubs but i'm gonna use them i need you to use these come on for bogey on the first yes what a roll what a roll [Music] how far is it you're looking like 165 in the air i mean i'm asking like i know what club i'm going to hit i'm looking at this this course planner thinking oh yeah i know which club i'm going to hit from here it's amazing this is this is the famous hotel that you you drive over 17th normally playing this way. And kind of cutting the corner a little bit on this hole um it's the back of that bunker it's one four eight yeah. So like it is about 160.. So so i'd normally hit like an eight iron [Laughter] today.

I'm going to go with i'm going to go with this one if you're in between clubs yes i think. So just the driving iron looks a little bit less uh forgiving right grip down come on let's play a ghost just in case it hits the wall let's play a golf shot smoothie fraser oh shanked it it's so hard you just yeah you gotta like you nearly gotta like do this before you hit it you nearly gotta cast it i think all right that looks right that's gonna be nice that's gotta be nice thanks firming up the hill ah firm you just catch it out the toe it's like gone nice two over through two this is the this is the first hole that you really see with the bunkering used to be played in reverse. So the first bunker we can see here is the principal's nose facing towards us it's 150 yards okay they get come on i can hit these clubs oh flush there you go that's perfect that's perfect 150 yards that was better it was better still not fully confident just. Yet it's like as it comes down it's like i don't know where it's gonna hit and that was okay pushed out to the right it's probably gone about 150 yards. But we're off the tee that's important there come on man worry let's put it close oh it looks nice get right sit that's it that's great my heart was pounding in my chest again that was going to go in the bunker challenge over you'd think this was the right way around yeah wouldn't you really like this bunker it makes perfect sense yeah i mean it doesn't it does still on the other way the other hole. And it does still on this hole if you're playing it the way because it's just a back bunker into i suppose you just don't get many back bunkers these days a lot of them at the front aren't they really yeah all right come on find the center of the putter oh we try try [Music] we're making paths we're off come on it keeps you short of the bunker yards though right yeah conveyor to the 210. So like what a 200 shot then.

That runs i was going to say yeah slightly in the roof would be nice [Laughter] let's get a good strike try. And trap it a little bit so it's hard so it's hard to use like it's too hard these these clubs are like too hard like honestly there's a number of things one the weight is ridiculously heavy two they're. So light thin and small like zero help i'll tell you what it gives you a newfound respect for how good like old tom morris was back in the day like to be able to play with clubs like this requires incredible skill all right. So rick's left me another really easy shot into the grain rough over the bunker i'm going to stitch them up. And put it in the bunker oh that's a peach sit oh that is. So that is. So good oh my shoulders man i don't lit mate i'm catching a ride on your back without a question that was class great part come on that's an up. And down goodness this one up in the distance you've got the orange wind sock against the tree line yeah that's the finishing target perfect yep like straight ish it's like an eye just like an eye that's all we need yeah that's all we need four iron's gonna be really close to getting over just hit it over just hit it over okay all right. So i probably got about 240 yards to the pin 200 and 210 meters so 230 to probably carry the bunker no not 220 yards 240 250 yards maybe the pin oh i'll get left a little right there oh that's going to be a tough one. For rick well return the favor what yeah if you put yourself back in those days. And you didn't hit it far you hit like 170 meters like it definitely makes sense it's hitting at this playing this way oh yeah yeah i like that i like that [Music] great part come on. For the first birthday playing it in reverse yes dirty we're on the board betty's on the board like that is that it all the way over there in the distance no no wait yeah like over there yeah just down done now you want to stitch them up. And put it in the heavy rock or do you want to leave it up. So he's got a shot no get close get closer oh no go it's straight at the pin apparently that's difficult. For you rick so right hopefully it's all right yep sit sit hit it oh try had a look in getting used to these clubs slowly but surely trying to get used to them come on for back-to-back birdies [Music] back-to-back baby i kind of came back at the end too nice we got level five we're back baby right seventh hole this is the real iconic one that when you play in reverse it makes perfect sense the bunker's in the middle of the fairway face this way the bunker in front of the green face this way it's only 330 yards. So normally i'd be getting the driver out team up and giving it a bit of a smash well today.

We'll go we've got a little my little trusty one at the moment i've had a couple of nice ones with these nice you got that down pack now feels better yeah perfect 156 yeah a 145 you've got a stock 140 yeah that's perfect 99 right there it does strike me drop it on that line i love the confidence that you've got on the speaker oh this is like this is money this club we'll take part oh cut come on this looks fairly flat it looks like it's going to go this way a little bit just a little bit. And when it when it gets down that hill but it's not it's not much all right come on let's get on the path nice to got scared of the slope [Music] all pause i'm going to go with the driver was it called what was it called back then.

Long nose ward. Or something ah feels like it's gonna slip out man's right come on first time hitting the driver yeah there you go nice that's gone a lot longer than the three wood though yeah you can see where you've hit made a little bit of a indentation on the club face there 88 yards a little into the breeze oh i just caught a little thing yeah it wasn't the best wedge shot. But still got a chance at this right we're smashing 80. i know keep catching the toe so would it have done this back in the day crossed over like this yeah. So back in the day it used to be 22 holes when it started yeah. But it was only to one flag clear green oh okay you're going out. And coming in you played to the same hole yeah. And when it got too popular that's when they put two flags on the either green yeah. And then.

They again because there were. So many short hauls they then.

Made it into 18 they extended a couple and that's where 18 hills came i think with my lack of ability. And skill in these clubs ability he's a baller um we've had some chances we've had a couple of birdies which i'm surprised about and now we hit the back nine apparently the batman's slightly harder or slightly trickier but we start here on the tenth hole very gettable par four let's see if we got them the par i feel like we might have to put a little twist into this i feel like i mean we might need to uh get over these clubs with a little bit as well oh be good that's too long hey flush that that is lovely he's bloody good in it hey the pot is nice i'm kind of getting more familiar with the woods yeah they're just long. And heavy yeah i know i was going to say like that putter length with the like if it was like driver loft that would be kind of nice yeah it would actually right because you can actually like control it. But yeah you're right oh i did flush that that sounds like oh you nailed that too good go go get up oh not bad just a little bit more [Music] oh it kicked the kick left like up here first hit that drive too good too good too good [Music] okay birdy opportunity here on number 11 up the hill on this path throughout my three-wooden today.

Which was probably the nicest shot today.

This is tracking this is tracking oh great effort really great effort yep sticker in the right side take a path yes [Music] get committed stay left there you go it's like a golf shot at least how thin it is it's just crazy. So the last shot i absolutely flushed the one good iron shot i hit i've hit it too long so i've left mingwu just at the front of the green and you know what i'm respecting this play he's going with putter he's getting into the spirit of playing sent andrew's links down the hill up the brow down to the flag sit sit i smoked it it's not bad from there oh it's coming going though we got this. For par oh my gosh we love that part boxed it we love that part oh hi bit leaking that was nice though i was expecting it's like yeah that's your best like full swing at it yeah oh no is that okay is that right yes apparently it's on the tee box [Music] oh [Music] oh my god better with that thing this con distance control with this has been epic is that on the conforming list usda nice [Music] there's a chance there mingwoo's just put me in a bunker which i've been dreading i think he did that to stitch me up because i don't really know what club to get out of a bunker i'll be honest with you we're doing all right aren't we yeah we are level par a little far. So far [Music] all right we're trying to hit this off the deck [Music] oh oh that's added as well i think that's just how you're supposed to hit it little divot oh very nice solid that was that that was that was the best that was the best all day into this now getting into this right that was my best shot. So far i think just getting used to these clubs a little bit more hickory's on the first tee not hitting him not knowing what to expect. And also being tremendously nervous definitely wasn't the right plan of attack but a bit more time the trick is to swing them easy you can't hit them too hard. And actually you can you can afford to take a little bit of a divot with the woods putter though loving that thing i've actually hit some really really good pots oh sit sit sit down oh no is there a bunker there yeah oh they're okay we should be fine should be wide of it that's all right he's determined to try. And put me in a bunker sit down sit down smashed it smashed it too hard that time good oh yeah oh what a shame one over [Music] sit that should be fine eh your left come on baby he's trying flush that too [Music] still swung a lot off that bank [Music] yeah good part thanks good ports right we're doing well we're well on track. For breaking 80. we're currently one over par with three holes left to go but a part of me feels like with the history and playing this golf course in reverse i feel like we're cheating a little bit using them okay let's make it interesting we're going to use these only all right you. And me and we're going to play with that ball oh no this is a gutty golf ball it's an original one feathers inside it was like a rubber wall it feels like a bouncy ball yeah. So three holes have to go still the targets break eighty this could be interesting so if you're driving it's still more still forcing your tea off thankfully how did they feel um well it feels like it's going to go right it doesn't feel like this well there's no bend. So it's just i feel like i'm going to nearly shank it what do you think of the weight heavy heavy really heavy on the on the head side i kind of don't massively want you to crush him because you're going to embarrass me i don't know with this ball though i feel like this ball will suit it though i feel like it's going to keep it a little lower. But we'll see oh yep [Music] oh you flush that get over that oh is that on the green oh my god how good is that i feel like i need to like i've ever clipped old school hickory club twirl best shot of the day that felt awesome with the gutty ball which is like a rubber i mean it's like a bouncy ball to give you a bit of an idea of how soft it is with this wood which has got like a bit of a a leather face that was stunning really enjoyed that shot if that's my one amazing memory from this experience i would be very very happy with that because that felt just awesome all right just roll it down that hill it's like a little shovel oh sit sit oh how good is that that was close how did that fit like no i felt kind of normal it felt like it did feel like a little absorbing. So i kind of hit it a little bit harder [Laughter] [Music] do i dare try. And like whip around the corner a little bit yeah a little draw low draw i tried it i tried it a little drawy one oh my god good perfect middle of the house i like that [Applause] my oh wow go oh i've hit that. So good too [Music] this is quite cool. So this now what we're playing back to is the first green i'm just in the rough i've got about 30. Or 40 yards i've got this little club which i've can't remember the name of it now it says it's got an l on it but it's like a little lofted club but the fear here is if i go too big there is water i don't massively want to lose this golf ball chase chase just came out a little bit softer than i expected we've got a power put though come on oh come on baby come on oh oh oh right in the jaws i didn't know if it was going to come out like it sounds different yeah the hole is like rubber just top spin. So this is it wow look at this hole teeing off in the back of the second to the 18th green this has been incredible special experience one that i'll never forget i mean just to be able to play this golf course in reverse it's just like iconic kind of somewhat kind of somewhat emotional like coming into town like this now it's class we're currently two over par i think we've done very very well i really do i wouldn't be able to do it without you. So last hole we've got the the actual burn to get over here but post that thanks it's free oh you you'll blitz that you'll blitz that all right it's been awesome let's finish strong all right aim a little left let it fade back how many phones oh that'll work it's a bullet fight that's what i wanted that that's the flight i wanted that was nice as long as you leave me a three with it i'm happy [Music] how far is it through the fog you've got there 145 flat oh yeah. So this goes you can like go ahead this goes 180 really no no this is going to go way too far no yeah yeah just go ahead. And smooth it in there yeah yeah just like you got to feel it i think you got to feel it in there yeah sit down oh perfect absolutely we're putting baby. For birdie on the last not shot though i know that was nice i'm getting used to that little three-wood bat. And the putter had been my favorite too come on let's make birdie finish off with a birdie come on baby don't leave for sure just [Music] oh my god go it's just soft oh a little knee knocker on the last here we go let's finish this is four well we've got 10 probably 10 putts to break 80. this is. For a 74. [Music] yes good part yes that's payback from yesterday that one sounds good thanks awesome what an experience once in a lifetime phrase that was awesome thanks appreciate it thank you said andrews in reverse literally bucket list experience we shot two over using a mixture of hickory clubs. And a bit of modern clubs you have been amazing today.

Your ball striking is exceptional i was i was uh pretty satisfied with that with the hickories actually yeah you went there well proud of myself you know what i think we can always look back at this moment. And watch this video back and take the pictures in like this is honestly not many people get a chance to do this it's absolutely iconic awesome thanks. For joining me like and subscribe guys and we'll see you next.

Time awesome that loved it.