Nothing that I write here, nor any discussions you may have with people who have played it, can prepare you for the feeling on the first tee.  It is one of the scariest feelings in golf but once you get a good one off the tee it is one of the best feelings!  That first tee shot alone is worth the price of the green fee.

The Old Course is a truly special golf course - it may not be the longest, the prettiest nor the toughest (depending on the wind) but it is the most historic and you can feel the ghosts of past players guiding you along.  I was fortunate enough to play with some local members - if you are not playing with locals then my advice would be to take a caddy. The best position off the tee aren't always the most obvious and the various many bunkers are waiting in hidden dips to swallow up balls from the uninitiated.  

The front 9 is the more benign than the back 9.  In fact the back from 11 onwards really ramps up the difficulty.  It reaches it's toughest point at the infamous Road Hole before giving you something back on the wonderful 18th hole.  As with the 1st the 18th has a huge fairway to hit but you must avoid the Valley of Sin with your approach.

This is a must play course for any golfer in the world. I am delighted I had the chance and I hope it wont be my last!