Putting is often an adventure , with golf balls frequently bouncing away from the cup just before reaching the lip . In certain bunkers on the course — essentially natural beaches — if a player can ’ t get the ball back on green grass in three swings , they are allowed to drop in the fairway .
These are not Augusta National greens , but just as difficult to putt .
school at the University of Aberdeen . A fellow student introduced him to Finlay MacDonald , whose father and grandparents were Iona natives . Like Littleton , he was an avid golfer himself .
MacDonald , who now lives on the island full time and is a boat captain , spent his childhood summers on Iona and competed in the tournament as a junior golfer . In 2002 , Littleton traveled to Edinburgh to reconnect with MacDonald and some of his old Scottish friends , bringing along his golf clubs for the trip .
“ I got there , and it was a surprise — we were going up to Iona to play in a golf tournament ,” Littleton said .
“ There were four or five of us and I was there for about five days . Within the first 10 minutes of being on the island , I fell in love with it ,” he continued . “ It ’ s a lot like Middleburg , a special place because of the people . You get there , and within half a day , you get it or you don ’ t . They immediately embrace you as if you ’ re part of the community .”
In 2015 , Littleton served as captain of that year ’ s tournament , an honor that he said he ’ ll always cherish . He ’ s never won the event but has had a few top 10 finishes . Just as important , he has countless fabulous tales to tell about his experiences over the years .
A threesome of well-fed Iona Golf Club moo-ey maintenance experts . They ’ ve also been known to chew the flags right off their sticks .
THE FUN OF THE IONA OPEN
No one will ever mistake Iona ’ s course conditions for the perfectly manicured fairways and greens at most American clubs . MacDonald , who is now the newly minted President of the Open , and several other island residents voluntarily handle most of the maintenance on the course — with occasional assistance from the cows and sheep that roam freely , sometimes nibbling on the hole flags .
Putting is often an adventure , with golf balls frequently bouncing away from the cup just before reaching the lip . In certain bunkers on the course — essentially natural beaches — if a player can ’ t get the ball back on green grass in three swings , they are allowed to drop in the fairway .
In the 2024 tournament , Littleton shot 39 for his best nine holes , and the winning score was 33 . The tournament record for the best nine out of 11 holes is 29 . The day after the event , he went out to the course with a friend , Rick Johnson , the owner of the Columba Hotel on the island , and they decided to play the tournament format — best nine of 11 holes .
Littleton started off with two bogeys , then birdied four of the next six and added another at the ninth . On his 11th hole , he had a 10-foot putt for a par “ and I missed it by an inch ,” Littleton recalled .
“ Rick falls to the ground and he says to me , ‘ I can ’ t believe it . If you ’ d made that putt , you would have had the course record .’ I always keep a bottle of whiskey in my bag just in case someone I ’ m playing with breaks the course record or gets an ace . I definitely would have opened that bottle .”
And of course , he ’ ll definitely be back at Iona in August to celebrate his 20th year playing in the Iona Open .
“ I tell people in Middleburg that you can always rebuild our town , but you can ’ t replace the people here ,” he said . “ Iona is the same . They are a wonderful , thoughtful , caring and generous people , and they welcome you with their hearts and into their homes . It ’ s just amazing . It ’ s my second family .”
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