Castle Stuart, Inverness, Scotland

www.castlestuartgolf.com


Par all tees 72






Opened in 2009 by the American developer who built Kingsbarns in Fife, Castle Stuart golf links lies along the southern shore of the Moray Firth near Inverness.  It was designed by its developer, Mark Parsinen and US golf architect Gil Hanse and is a modern links course with some original links golf features such as a combination of revetted and natural bunkers and rumpling of fairways and approaches to greens.  Modern features include 'infinity' greens which lead the eye to distracting views of the Moray Firth and beyond.  The course is designed with holes screened by mounds so that it feels like a private golf course.

The par 3 4th with Castle Stuart in the background

The first nine holes lie on the west side of the art deco style clubhouse and the second nine to the east.  On each nine the first three holes hug the coastline and the rest are on a higher level with commanding 360 degree views.  One of the best holes is the 3rd which is a short par 4 finishing on a small promontory.  Placement of the drive rather than length is paramount or your ball will end up in a deep swale from which a par is unlikely.  The 4th is a pretty par 3 framed by the eponymous Castle Stuart, a 16th century tower house with links to Mary, Queen of Scots and the Earls of Moray. The course finishes with a downhill sweeping par 5 which for ladies is reachable in two with a favourable wind.  The fairways are generous but the greens are difficult or scary depending on the pin positions - a pin at the back of an infinity green with a following wind is particularly daunting.

This is a really good test of golf combined with a warm welcome from the staff.  On a windy autumn day don't miss the soup at the halfway house!

An infinity green at the 13th with Kessock Bridge at Inverness in the distance

Brora, Scotland

www.broragolf.co.uk

SSS White tees 70
        Red tees    71

The first green looking back to the clubhouse

Founded in 1891 with a nine hole layout attributed to Old Tom Morris, Brora became an 18 hole course at the turn of the century and was then redesigned by James Braid in 1923.  It is essentially unchanged since then and remains an example of pure links golf.  The course lies on the links land between the village of Brora and Kintradwell Bay with its sweep of beautiful golden sand.  It is a classic out-and back layout with the first nine following the shore in a north-easterly direction and the second nine heading back for the clubhouse in a south-westerly direction.  We played the course in a strong wind off the sea which blows across most holes making it a stern test of golf!

The ninth - 'Sea Hole'

The challenging par 3 eighteenth

The fairways are generous and the rough manageable thanks to the sheep and cattle which still graze on the course as a result of retained ancient grazing rights.  A unique local rule states that animal droppings are treated as casual water. I first played Brora as a child and well remember the electric fences around the greens which remain today.  The greens are excellent but small and the bunkers are perfect examples of links construction.  Some holes are particularly memorable with a personal favourite being the 9th, Sea Hole, where in summer the arctic terns which are the emblem of the club will dive bomb the unwary golfer who ventures too close to their nests.  The second nine is particularly testing with the 18th lying in wait for any player congratulating herself prematurely.  It is a par three where any shortish shot will roll down from the well bunkered green into a deep swale where an up and down is well nigh impossible. 




Worth a visit?  Not to be missed - a great example of links golf.

Tain, Scotland

www.tain-golfclub.co.uk

SSS White tees 72
        Red tees    73

Tain golf club was founded in 1890 but like its near neighbour, Dornoch, golf is thought to have been played here for several hundred years.  It was initially a 15 hole course designed by Old Tom Morris but in 1894 became 18 holes.  It has been altered since so that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 9th, 10th 14th and 15th still retain elements of his original design.

The 3rd green looking back to the town of Tain

The course lies on the outskirts of the town of Tain on the south side of the Dornoch Firth.  Only a few holes have sea views and much of the course is heathland rather than links.  Links elements are obvious in the holes nearer the sea and the bunkers are all deep and revetted.  Memorable holes are the 11th whose name, the Alps, is self explanatory.  It is a par 4 for men and 5 for ladies with a hidden green protected by two large sentry dunes.  The 12th runs along the Firth with a view of Glenmorangie distillery, after which it is named, in the distance.  The 17th is a long par 3 for men and for ladies is a risk and reward par 4 with a driveable green over the Aldie burn. 

This is a good holiday course where we found a very warm welcome from both the professional and the clubhouse staff alike.

Worth playing?  Yes - a fun course with a warm welcome.

The 11th green looks over the Dornoch Firth

Royal Dornoch Championship course

www.royaldornoch.com

SSS White tees 73
         Red tees   76

Golf was first played on the linksland at Dornoch in 1616, making it the third oldest golf course in the world.  The club was formed in 1877 when there were nine holes.  In 1886 Old Tom Morris was invited to lay out a fully planned course and by 1889 there were eighteen holes.  The advent of the rubber cored ball at the turn of the century meant that the course was remodelled and lengthened.  During the Second World War part of the course was used as an aerodrome and in the late 1940s more remodelling was done when the Struie course was formed and new holes (6-11) were added to the Championship course.



Overlooking the second nine and Dornoch Bay

Its history is almost palpable when playing at Royal Dornoch and it is easy to imagine the original golfers on the course.  It is a traditional out-and-back layout of a links course with the deep bunkers and the wind being its fierce defences.  It is the unwary golfer who congratulates himself on a good score on the first eight holes played with the wind as he will then turn into the wind when low scores are much more difficult.  The fairways are generous but the greens are the upturned saucers which clearly inspired the famous golf architect Donald Ross who was born in Dornoch and was the club's first professional.  Holding the greens requires a well judged shot or a par will be sacrificed!  There are sea views at almost every hole and the course follows the white sands of Dornoch Bay. 

Tom Watson is an honorary member of the club and has described a round at Royal Dornoch as the most fun he has ever had on a golf course.   This is a wonderful links course which improves the more it is played. 

The tenth is a short hole with a green typically well guarded by deep bunkers

Worth playing?  Definitely for its history, the sense of playing a traditional links course and the challenge it presents.

Gullane No 3, Scotland

www.gullanegolfclub.com

SSS White tees 66
           Red tees 69

Gullane No 3 is the third of the courses in the town of Gullane on the east coast of Scotland.  It was designed by Willie Park Jnr and opened in 1910.  It is the shortest of the three measuring 5259 yards for men and 4920 yards for ladies but it does not suffer in quality.  We played the course with Fiona and Mike Ford on a clear crisp winter's day with a moderate breeze. 

Look behind you! The view backwards from the 6th tee
to the Pentland Hills and Edinburgh

No 3 may be the shortest of the courses but it still packs a punch!  The course heads into the prevailing wind for the first five holes, climbing over the side of Gullane hill just to the west of Gullane No 2.  It then has a loop from the 7th to the 12th before turning back towards the clubhouse with the wind.  Pot bunkers abound and there are some tricky approaches to the greens.  Notable holes are the 7th with magnificent views across Aberlady Bay to Edinburgh from the tee, the par 3 11th with its plateau green guarded by bunkers and the par 5 14th sweeping up Gullane Hill.  The weakest hole is the 15th which is so precipitous that it is a 160 yard wedge shot. The greens were magnificent - fast running and true even in winter. This course is a scaled down version of its bigger brothers Gullane No 1 and 2 and just as much of a pleasure to play.

The uphill par 3 11th.  Don't be short!

Worth a visit? Yes - an excellent links experience although there are longer more challenging courses in the area.

Bude and North Cornwall

www.budegolf.co.uk

SSS White tees 70
          Red tees  72

The 7th green with Bude in the background

Bude and North Cornwall golf club was founded as North Cornwall golf club in 1891 when membership was exclusive to the officer class and local gentry.  Locals excluded from membership eventually formed the Bude Town golf club and were allowed to play on the course at restricted times in return for working on the course.  They were denied entry to the clubhouse.  After the Second World War the clubs merged to ease financial difficulties and I
n 1949 the Bude and North Cornwall golf club was formed.



The 13th is a testing par 3

The course today sits within the seaside town of Bude on the North Cornwall coast.  The opening five holes are over a road from the clubhouse and are the only part of the course near the sea.  This is a nondescript section which is poorly planned - approaching the par 3 4th tee from the 3rd green required a walk down most of the 4th.  The rest of the holes are inland and include a number of blind shots.  The 7th hole is unique - the presence of a fairway is a test of faith from the tee!  The 15th and 17th holes are testing holes with water in front of the green.  Two well played shots will reach the green on the 17th which is a par 5 for ladies.  A weakness is the designation of the practice ground, which lies in the middle of the course, as out of bounds.  This is a links course apart from the 9th and 10th which are more parkland in nature and surrounded by trees.



Worth playing?  If you are in Bude with time to spare. This is a holiday course but not the best in the area.

Trevose

http://www.trevose-gc.co.uk


SSS White tees 71
           Red tees 75



Trevose golf club lies on the Atlantic coastline of North Cornwall, just south of Padstow.  It has stunning views over Constantine Bay and Booby's Bay to Trevose Head, part of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Beauty.  Any spare time before teeing off is well rewarded by a walk on Trevose Head with its many seabirds and impressive sinkhole.

the 4th green overlooking Trevose Head

The Championship course at Trevose was designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1925.  The first tee is a vantage point to view the layout of the course and an inviting drive over a road to the rumpled fairways.  We played in calm, sunny conditions but it is obvious that this would be a tricky course in the wind with some challenging holes. The par 5 4th is a strong hole with a dogleg to the left and views of the ocean on the approach to the green.  The par 3 3rd and 11th holes are memorable with their well bunkered sloping greens although the halfway house at the 11th tee provides some respite!  Some of the par 4s however are rather similar to each other and less memorable.  The 18th is an excellent finishing hole with a well bunkered green set into the hillside by the clubhouse.  Take time to visit the lovely clubhouse after your round and relax in the inviting armchairs with a view over the course to the ocean.

The sun setting over the first hole

Worth playing?  Yes.  A true links course in a lovely setting