376 - Jim Hartsell: A Round of Scottish Courses

Jim Hartsell, author of 'A Round of Scottish Courses,' argues that the soul of golf lies not in billion-dollar championship links but in Scotland's forgotten, low-cost, community-driven courses—places where history, human connection, and natural beauty converge. He reveals that these hidden gems, like Corey and Whiting Bay, are not just golf courses but living museums of 19th-century design, preserved by passionate locals and untouched by commercialization. What makes them special? They’re built on the land’s natural contours, require no earth-moving, and foster genuine camaraderie—where a greenskeeper might beat you with a nine iron and a putter, and a stranger becomes a friend over a post-round drink. Hartsell’s book, crafted from decades of research, old postcards, and conversations with members who’ve played for 50 years, is a love letter to this authentic golf. He’s not anti-Prestwick or Muirfield—just pro-keeping the game human. And if 100,000 people buy the book, he’ll spend a month in England chasing Bernard Darwin’s footsteps with co-host Stephen Proctor. The real takeaway? Golf’s most profound moments aren’t on the leaderboard—they’re in the punch-bowl greens, the hand-drawn course guides, and the quiet joy of walking a course that hasn’t changed since 1895.