Pete and Carolyn's St. Andrews Story
After being married in the summer of 1984 and finishing our final year of college at JMU, Carolyn and I had the privilege of a lengthy international adventure for seven months. The hope was that God would speak into our lives His vocational purpose, vision and dream. We traveled for three months throughout Europe and Israel before beginning school under John Stott's tutelage in London, England.
In November that year I was invited to attend a conference in Seoul, Korea to discuss and prepare evangelism efforts during the 1988 Summer Olympics. During that trip, I was afforded the privilege to observe professional tennis players share the gospel of Jesus with political and military readers through clinics and exhibitions. My mind immediately turned to the similar opportunities afforded around the world through the game of golf. I knew the game of golf would be an even better opportunity to share Jesus, as there is more relational side-by-side time to walk and talk and share life together. The event in Seoul stirred in my mind as I flew back to London.
We wrapped up our studies the following week, before my family came over to visit and spend a week together up in Scotland. This would be our first of nearly twenty visits. As we sat in a hotel room above the Old Course in late November 1985 a passion stirred in my soul-a deep sense of peace and excitement. I really wasn’t sure what it was, but in a journal note written, I mentioned that St Andrew’s to the golfer is similar to pilgrims visiting a holy place, like our visit a few months prior in Jerusalem.
We returned home to the U.S. to welcome our first child, Rachel, within a few months. My profession was in the golf sales business with the Ping company, but with a bigger vision that God was preparing us to care and disciple the golfers of the world.
We began to organize teams to take exploratory golf mission trips around the world, including China, Japan, Singapore, The Philippines, Indonesia, Scotland, Australia, and Hong Kong. In 1987 my brother Paul and I ventured to Scotland and played the Old Course for the first time during the Open championship (which was being contested that year at Muirfield). In 1989 I traveled with my father to the Open championship at Royal Troon, where I had an amazing two hour experience with Byron Nelson. After the tournament we returned to St Andrews and played the Old course once again with Tim Philpot. On the course, Tim and I shared a common desire to be called as missionaries to the country of Scotland. We both had an inkling that Scotland would be a part of our lives for many years, which has turned out to be true.
In 1992 we chose St. Andrews to host our first ever World Conference of Global Golf Ambassadors-a family gathering of friends from all over the world who love golf and love Jesus. This was an event to encourage and strengthen one another as a family. We also conducted training sessions to equip each person for service in their own golf community in their home country.
A few years passed before returning to St Andrews in the summer of 2000 with good friend Scott Skidmore. Sitting behind the 18th green, I experienced my first real “holy moment” in the city. A deep peace came out from my heart and my soul. I felt at home. At rest.
By 2012 we were ready to return to St. Andrews for another World Conference of Golf ambassadors. Walking around the city, we perused the prices of homes in the area for the first time. The properties had such character. What might it look like to have a property here and what might be the purpose?
The next visit to St Andrews was 2015-the Open championship with Bill Rogers and our son-in-law, Brandon. The “pull” of calling to St Andrews, as well as the deep peace of my soul, continued through this whole week. On this trip the dots began to connect from the last 30 years. It was clear that a place here, an international base of operations, would be of strategic importance in fulfilling the mandate to disciple our nation of golfers. Ideas and plans began to form and were first discussed with our ministry team.
In October 2018, Carolyn and I returned to St Andrews to walk and pray around the town. We walked the entire city, as well as the perimeter of all the golf courses in a spirit of prayer. Friends asked if we were seriously thinking about investing a large part of our lives, time, talents, and treasures, I admitted that I didn't even take my golf clubs on this trip, which might show you how seriously we were considering this opportunity.
Since 2018, we have invested more than nine trips and months of our lives, living in the city of St Andrews-praying, doing reconnaissance, investing with international and the local community of golfers, and building relationships. It’s safe to say that we have done the preparatory work and covered the city with prayer. We’ve done trial schools, group gatherings, and golf instruction.
The time is right for us to have a permanent base in St. Andrews, what we have called Saltire after the cross on which St Andrew was martyred (as well as the flag of Scotland). This will be a place of hospitality, refuge and training. Our dream is to see waves of young men and women who have come through the doors , and have been equipped with training and vision to disciple the golfers in their home countries.
In November that year I was invited to attend a conference in Seoul, Korea to discuss and prepare evangelism efforts during the 1988 Summer Olympics. During that trip, I was afforded the privilege to observe professional tennis players share the gospel of Jesus with political and military readers through clinics and exhibitions. My mind immediately turned to the similar opportunities afforded around the world through the game of golf. I knew the game of golf would be an even better opportunity to share Jesus, as there is more relational side-by-side time to walk and talk and share life together. The event in Seoul stirred in my mind as I flew back to London.
We wrapped up our studies the following week, before my family came over to visit and spend a week together up in Scotland. This would be our first of nearly twenty visits. As we sat in a hotel room above the Old Course in late November 1985 a passion stirred in my soul-a deep sense of peace and excitement. I really wasn’t sure what it was, but in a journal note written, I mentioned that St Andrew’s to the golfer is similar to pilgrims visiting a holy place, like our visit a few months prior in Jerusalem.
We returned home to the U.S. to welcome our first child, Rachel, within a few months. My profession was in the golf sales business with the Ping company, but with a bigger vision that God was preparing us to care and disciple the golfers of the world.
We began to organize teams to take exploratory golf mission trips around the world, including China, Japan, Singapore, The Philippines, Indonesia, Scotland, Australia, and Hong Kong. In 1987 my brother Paul and I ventured to Scotland and played the Old Course for the first time during the Open championship (which was being contested that year at Muirfield). In 1989 I traveled with my father to the Open championship at Royal Troon, where I had an amazing two hour experience with Byron Nelson. After the tournament we returned to St Andrews and played the Old course once again with Tim Philpot. On the course, Tim and I shared a common desire to be called as missionaries to the country of Scotland. We both had an inkling that Scotland would be a part of our lives for many years, which has turned out to be true.
In 1992 we chose St. Andrews to host our first ever World Conference of Global Golf Ambassadors-a family gathering of friends from all over the world who love golf and love Jesus. This was an event to encourage and strengthen one another as a family. We also conducted training sessions to equip each person for service in their own golf community in their home country.
A few years passed before returning to St Andrews in the summer of 2000 with good friend Scott Skidmore. Sitting behind the 18th green, I experienced my first real “holy moment” in the city. A deep peace came out from my heart and my soul. I felt at home. At rest.
By 2012 we were ready to return to St. Andrews for another World Conference of Golf ambassadors. Walking around the city, we perused the prices of homes in the area for the first time. The properties had such character. What might it look like to have a property here and what might be the purpose?
The next visit to St Andrews was 2015-the Open championship with Bill Rogers and our son-in-law, Brandon. The “pull” of calling to St Andrews, as well as the deep peace of my soul, continued through this whole week. On this trip the dots began to connect from the last 30 years. It was clear that a place here, an international base of operations, would be of strategic importance in fulfilling the mandate to disciple our nation of golfers. Ideas and plans began to form and were first discussed with our ministry team.
In October 2018, Carolyn and I returned to St Andrews to walk and pray around the town. We walked the entire city, as well as the perimeter of all the golf courses in a spirit of prayer. Friends asked if we were seriously thinking about investing a large part of our lives, time, talents, and treasures, I admitted that I didn't even take my golf clubs on this trip, which might show you how seriously we were considering this opportunity.
Since 2018, we have invested more than nine trips and months of our lives, living in the city of St Andrews-praying, doing reconnaissance, investing with international and the local community of golfers, and building relationships. It’s safe to say that we have done the preparatory work and covered the city with prayer. We’ve done trial schools, group gatherings, and golf instruction.
The time is right for us to have a permanent base in St. Andrews, what we have called Saltire after the cross on which St Andrew was martyred (as well as the flag of Scotland). This will be a place of hospitality, refuge and training. Our dream is to see waves of young men and women who have come through the doors , and have been equipped with training and vision to disciple the golfers in their home countries.
Pete and Carolyn Hiskey with good friends, Chip and Kelly, on the Swilcan bridge in 2023.
The History of Saltire
The St Andrew’s Cross or Saltire is Scotland’s national flag. Tradition has it that the flag, the white saltire on a blue background, the oldest flag in Europe and the Commonwealth, originated in a battle fought in East Lothian in the Dark Ages.
It is believed that the battle took place in the year 832AD. An army of Picts under Angus mac Fergus, High King of Alba, and aided by a contingent of Scots led by Eochaidh (Kenneth mac Alpin’s grandfather) had been on a punitive raid into Lothian (then and for long afterwards Northumbrian territory), and were being pursued by a larger force of Angles and Saxons under one Athelstan.
The Albannach/Scots were caught and stood to face their pursuers in the area of Markle, near East Linton. This is to the north of the modern village of Athelstaneford (which was resited on higher ground in the 18th century), where the Peffer, which flows into the Firth of Forth at Aberlady, forms a wide vale. Being then wholly undrained, the Peffer presented a major obstacle to crossing, and the two armies came together at the ford near the present day farm of Prora (one of the field names there is still the Bloody Lands).
Fearing the outcome of the encounter, King Angus led prayers for deliverance, and was rewarded by seeing a cloud formation of a white saltire (the diagonal cross on which St Andrew had been martyred) against a blue sky. The king vowed that if, with the saint’s help, he gained the victory, then Andrew would thereafter be the patron saint of Scotland. The Scots did win, and the Saltire became the flag of Scotland.
When Kenneth mac Alpin, who may have been present with his grandfather at the battle, later united Picts and Scots and named the entity Scotland, Andrew did indeed become the patron saint of the united realm. Kenneth mac Alpin, King of Scots and Picts, Ard-righ Albainn, was laid to rest on Iona in 860AD.
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In the ninth century, the Pictish king, Angus mac Fergus, adopted St Andrew as the patron saint after seeing a Saltire appear in the sky, immediately before his victory at Athelstaneford.
THE BATTLE AT ATHELSTANEFORD, EAST LOTHIAN, IN AD 832
An army of Picts and Scots under King Angus invaded the Lothians, which was still Northumbrian territory at the time.
It found itself surrounded by Saxons led by Athelstan.
Fearing defeat, King Angus led prayers and then saw a cloud formation of a white Saltire in the blue sky.
The king vowed that if, with Andrew's help he won, he would make him the patron saint of Scotland.
The Scots won and the Saltire became the flag of Scotland
It is believed that the battle took place in the year 832AD. An army of Picts under Angus mac Fergus, High King of Alba, and aided by a contingent of Scots led by Eochaidh (Kenneth mac Alpin’s grandfather) had been on a punitive raid into Lothian (then and for long afterwards Northumbrian territory), and were being pursued by a larger force of Angles and Saxons under one Athelstan.
The Albannach/Scots were caught and stood to face their pursuers in the area of Markle, near East Linton. This is to the north of the modern village of Athelstaneford (which was resited on higher ground in the 18th century), where the Peffer, which flows into the Firth of Forth at Aberlady, forms a wide vale. Being then wholly undrained, the Peffer presented a major obstacle to crossing, and the two armies came together at the ford near the present day farm of Prora (one of the field names there is still the Bloody Lands).
Fearing the outcome of the encounter, King Angus led prayers for deliverance, and was rewarded by seeing a cloud formation of a white saltire (the diagonal cross on which St Andrew had been martyred) against a blue sky. The king vowed that if, with the saint’s help, he gained the victory, then Andrew would thereafter be the patron saint of Scotland. The Scots did win, and the Saltire became the flag of Scotland.
When Kenneth mac Alpin, who may have been present with his grandfather at the battle, later united Picts and Scots and named the entity Scotland, Andrew did indeed become the patron saint of the united realm. Kenneth mac Alpin, King of Scots and Picts, Ard-righ Albainn, was laid to rest on Iona in 860AD.
——-
In the ninth century, the Pictish king, Angus mac Fergus, adopted St Andrew as the patron saint after seeing a Saltire appear in the sky, immediately before his victory at Athelstaneford.
THE BATTLE AT ATHELSTANEFORD, EAST LOTHIAN, IN AD 832
An army of Picts and Scots under King Angus invaded the Lothians, which was still Northumbrian territory at the time.
It found itself surrounded by Saxons led by Athelstan.
Fearing defeat, King Angus led prayers and then saw a cloud formation of a white Saltire in the blue sky.
The king vowed that if, with Andrew's help he won, he would make him the patron saint of Scotland.
The Scots won and the Saltire became the flag of Scotland