WALKING THE LINKS WITH JACK AND PUTTING WITH TOM 

HEAD professional Andrew Skinner has been settling into stunning new surroundings in the clubhouse, which will be officially opened later in the year, and he is the latest contributor to feature on our Royal Dornoch “Monday Memories” series of interviews. 

In his role at his hometown club, Andrew has welcomed some of the top names in golf to the pro shop before they head out onto the Championship Course. 

Nick Faldo and Greg Norman are among many who have made the trip to the Highlands to see what all the fuss is about. 

And Andrew has enjoyed the privilege of teeing up with the likes of Chip Beck, Andy North, David Frost…and Jack Nicklaus. 

As a youngster growing up in Dornoch, where dad Willie was the head professional before him, also Andrew recounts the milestone visit of Tom Watson. 

“Tom had played a couple of rounds and on the Sunday morning he was due to leave. I came down to the pro shop and it was very quiet,” said Andrew. 

“So I decided to go out and practice my putting. 

“There wasn’t a soul there. Next thing, this chap wandered over, I turned round and it was Tom Watson. 

“He had a look at my putter, which was a Slazenger Peter Alliss, and asked if I had another ball. 

“We proceeded to play nine holes on the putting green. By the time we finished, a small crowd had gathered round to watch us. 

“So I never played 18 holes of golf with Tom Watson but I did play a round on the little putting green before he left. That was a good memory.”  

Andrew, however, did enjoy the opportunity to play the Championship Course in the company of “The Golden Bear” in 2014, when he and a friendflew into Inverness on a private plane rather than join the wives on a post-Wimbledon trip to Italy. 

By that stage, Nicklaus, who was well into his seventies, only played a dozen or so rounds a year. 

“That was a very special day. Everyone asks ‘how did he play, how did he score?’” said Andrew. 

“But Jack just wanted to see and enjoy the course. He was such a gentleman.  

“He played very well and you could see he had an eye for the links. He played some really great links shots, low shots, running shots, the putterfrom off the green.”  

Andrew shares memories of learning the game at Royal Dornoch, emulating his father in winning the Caddies’ Cup (twice) as a teenager and revealing his favourite holes on the Championship Course in an interview with past captain Willie MacKay which can be viewed below.