To compliment PerryGolf's plentiful supply of guaranteed tee times, the St. Andrews Links Trust has decided that due to the events of September 11th in an effort to accommodate those visitors that postponed or canceled trips in 2001 they will open the Old Course 1/2 hour early at 6:30 am from May 13 - August 31 in 2002 only. One-half of these times will be available for the ballot next summer.

It's official, after being left off the initial 2002 European PGA TOUR schedule, it has been confirmed that the Dunhill Links Challenge will be back, scheduled directly after the Ryder Cup to hopefully improve American participation, October 3-6, 2002. The event features pros, celebrities and amateurs competing over the Old Course, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie in a format similar to the AT & T Pebble Beach tournament on the PGA TOUR.

Speaking of the Dunhill Links Challenge, our heartiest congratulations to Paul Lawrie for not only winning the event but doing so in high-style. Lawrie's final putt, which traversed the OValley of Sin' before finding the bottom of the cup to win the inaugural format, was voted the European TOUR's OShot of The Year.'

And the Advisor has the inside scoop on changes being made to the ninth green at host venue Kingsbarns Golf Links. After evaluating how the amateurs and pros played the hole, it was determined to improve playability the center ridge would be lowered and softened by 10 inches, and a new greenside bunker would be added to guard the left side to make sure the hole didn't become too benign. Kingsbarns' philosophy is to consistently work to improve the playability and look of the course to improve on their outstanding debut ranking of 46th in the world on Golf Magazine's prestigious list.

History will be recreated for one day on the 600-year-old Old Course at St. Andrews Links next year when it will open for play -- backwards. On Monday 1 April (No this is NOT an April Fools joke by the Advisor), golfers will be able to play the historic course in reverse, as it was traditionally played over 100 years ago. Golfers will start on the 1st tee but play to the 17th green, then play from the 18th tee to the 16th green, and continue round the course in a clockwise direction, which is how the course always used to be played. The change of direction came about when Old Tom Morris, custodian of the Links at the end of the 19th century, created a new first green, opening up the possibility of an anti-clockwise circuit. For many years the course was played over both circuits on alternate weeks, and as recently as the 1970s, it was still played in a clockwise direction for one month every winter. However, today it is played anti-clockwise -- year round.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club appointed Garth McGimpsey to be captain of the Great Britain and Ireland teams for the St Andrews Trophy being played in Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 30-31, 2002 and for the Walker Cup at Ganton on Sept. 6-7, 2003. McGimpsey won the British Amateur Championship in 1985 and was a member of the Walker Cup team in 1985, 1989 and 1991.

Last fall the Old Course Starters Box at St. Andrews was auctioned off on-line, with the proceeds going to benefit junior golf in the town. The winning bid of 59,000 pounds belonged to John Hagen from the Country Club of the Desert, a new 54-hole development near Palm Springs. Congratulations, John!

Royal Aberdeen, Western Gailes and Kilmarnock (Barassie) have all increased visitors times for next year to make golf more accessible to players. Royal Aberdeen has made more early morning times available, and Western Gailes and Kilmarnock (Barassie) have increased the times visitors may play on weekends.

Congratulations go out to Doonbeg, which doesn't officially open until this summer, but it is already making "The Best Of..." lists. The Advisor's good friend, Gary Van Sickle, Senior Writer with Sports Illustrated, has given Doonbeg the No.2 spot on his 2001 Top 10 New Courses list. Fellow SI writer, Alan Shipnuck, in another column ranked holes No. 14 and No. 15 at Doonbeg as the best par 3 and par 4 in southwest Ireland.