Wawashkamo Golf Club was laid out in 1898 as a Scottish links-type course and is now the oldest continuously played golf course in Michigan.

Kilfara travels quite a bit - the whole time, he's writing articles on far-flung Scottish courses for an American golf magazine - but his descriptions tend to follow these lines: "In the morning, the par-3 15th played at 158 yards from the members' tee.

Traditional Links envisions building "a very traditional Scottish course that looks like it's been here for 200 years," Mr. Talmage said.

Designed by John Darby in consultation with New Zealand golfing legend, Sir Bob Charles, the course combines elements of links golf inspired by the great Scottish courses with parkland golf, more reminiscent of Florida.

He just didn't believe that exclusive Scottish courses like Turnberry and St. Andrews would give them freebies.

Musselburgh, like many prestigious Scottish courses including St Andrews, is a public course, and this course also eventually became too crowded for the liking of the HCEG's members.

In 1963, the Levy Board opted to cease funding the course, declaring 'When Ayr is developed as the main Scottish course, racing under both rules, the retention of Bogside, only 12 miles away, cannot be economically justified'.

Hamilton, like the other Scottish courses, bucked the national trend of falling attendances last year with a 15 per cent increase.

"But we're trying to instill a bit of St. Andrews," the Scottish course where the game has been played since the 15th century.

The tournament will be played at St. Andrews, the Scottish course that is the sport's spiritual home, and the overseas transmission always seems to provide a grainy filter that conveys the feel of gray skies and windswept heather.