Down on the Corner
Golfer hits incredible recovery shot into St. Andrews’ 18th green … from the pub down the street
The Old Course has seen plenty of memorable shots over the course of its six-century history. From Nick Faldo’s 18th-hole bump-and-run in 1990 to Miguel Angel Jimenez’s mind-bending bank shot in 2010, there’s been no shortage of highlight-reel moments at the Home of Golf. But here’s one you will NEVER see in tournament play: An incredible (and probably illegal) recovery shot into the 18th green … from the pub down the street.
Holy haggis, Batman. Needless to say, this one isn’t for the faint of heart. Not only do you run the risk of wrecking your club on the cobblestones, you could also take out a window or, even worse, a pedestrian.
Perhaps that’s why this shot is loathed by locals and lives on largely in golf lore. According to Random Golf Club’s Erik Anders Lang, the story is that Ernie Els was the first to accomplish the feat with the owner of the Dunvegan Hotel one morning at 4 a.m. We’re assuming a pint or six of bitter was involved.
Last year, Lang enlisted the help of a random Australian visiting St. Andrews to replicate the feat, so we know for a fact this isn’t an Old Course first. Still though, the improvisational nature of Wyatt Messmer’s shot, plus the lovely Scottish summer weather seen in the video, elevates it to legendary status.