Eden course, St Andrews, Scotland

www.standrews.com/play/courses/eden-course

White tees par 70, SSS 71, 6250 yards
Red tees par 73, SSS 72, 5450 yards

The Eden course is another of the links courses in the Mecca of golf, St Andrews.  It lies in a triangle of land between the Old Course, Strathtyrum (10/10/15) and the Eden estuary.  Designed originally in 1914 by Harry Colt the first green fee was 3d (the equivalent of 1.25p today) per round.   The front nine is all Colt originals whilst all but three holes of the back nine are Donald Steel designs from a redesign in the 1980s to allow the creation of the Golf Practice Centre.  It is a traditional links course defended by its pot bunkers, rough, gorse and the wind apart from the 14th and 15th where there is a pond which is out of character for a links course. 

The first green is two tiered with tricky slopes

We played with Lynn and David Lawson in an easterly wind which is the opposite of the prevailing wind.  Features of the course are its sloping greens which cause it to play harder than it appears on the scorecard and the stone walls behind some of the greens.  At the first hole the player is lulled into a false sense of security by a short par 4 only to be faced by a green with two tiers and difficult slopes requiring accurate putting.  The course then heads out alongside the Old Course towards the Eden estuary and turns parallel to the estuary at the short par 4 4th with the water intimidating on the right side and a typical Holt sloping green.  The par 3 5th and 8th lie side by side and are strong holes with challenging greens.  The ninth is a par 5 which is usually downwind and returns to the shepherd's cottage beside the first green.  The finishing stretch is tough - a par 5 16th with its rolling fairway and subtle slopes on the green and the long par 4 17th reminiscent of the 16th at the Old Course with out of bounds running down the right side, thick rough and bunkers on the left and a green shaped like an hour glass.

The Eden is less challenging than the Jubilee but is a very enjoyable links course.

Worth playing? Yes to complete the St Andrews experience.

Isle of Harris, Scarista, Scotland

www.harrisgolf.com

White tees par 68 SSS 64, 4954 yards
Red tees par 68, SSS 62, 4188 yards

This nine hole course on Harris in the Outer Hebrides has a breathtaking setting overlooking the Atlantic ocean, spectacular mountains, miles of golden sands and the island of Taransay.  It certainly rivals the best setting we have yet encountered.  It was first played probably in the 1920s and the golf club was founded in 1930.  The layout is natural, making use of the contours of the land.  It was redesigned in the 1980s by Harris native and golf professional Finlay Morrison who was the professional at Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh at the time of his retiral and is still remembered there for scoring under his age in his nineties. 

The 2nd hole which doglegs from right to left.  The green

lies in the distance just in front of the greenkeeper's shed.

Scarista is a delightful holiday course where green fees are paid using an honesty box, typical of the highlands of Scotland.  We had a warm welcome from the greenkeeper and one of the members when we arrived to play on a cool, windy May day.  Local knowledge is definitely an advantage at this course - club selection can be difficult at the 1st and 4th holes which have blind greens and must differ greatly depending on the wind direction.  The first is a driveable par 4 downhill to a blind green.  The second is a challenging par 4 dogleg from right to left with the Atlantic awaiting a wayward shot and a long, narrow green set into the hillside.  The next holes meander over the dunes with views which will distract the player from their golf.  The nine holes finish with a tough uphill par 5 to a small green nestling in the dunes.

The 4th green with the magnificent Scarista beach in the background

Worth playing?  Yes - a fun course in a spectacular setting but it is a long way to get there!