A father and son take a final golf trip. It doesn't go well

Richard Russell thought he’d booked the ultimate golfing gift for his father’s 70th, but it didn’t quite go to plan...

- Richard Russell

In 1998, my father – a keen golfer – turned 70 and I wanted to get him a special golfing gift; something more than just balls or a Pringle sweater. For any normal person a new golf bag would be a real treat, but my father already had 19 of them in the garage so, no, he did not need a new golf bag.

And then I cracked it. Why not get him something that I could have too? And so it was that I booked us both a two-day golf trip to play the Old Course at St Andrews, along with two nights at the eye-wateringly expensive Old Course Hotel.

My father’s birthday was on December 21, which actually made life easier when it came to the various reservations. There was no problem booking tee times, as St Andrews was very quiet at that time of year, as was the Old Course Hotel. In fact, I went a bit mad and splashed out on the rarely available rooms that looked directly down on to the iconic 17th Road Hole. Yes, the cost of the rooms was such that I let out a little squeak on hearing the price, but come on, it was his 70th birthday. I even decided to book a couple of caddies.