Perranporth

SSS white tees 71
          red tees  72

www.perranporthgolfclub.co.uk

Situated high on the sand dunes to the north-west of the town of Perranporth, Perranporth golf course was designed by James Braid in 1927 and it is clear that very little structural work was done in building the course.  It follows the natural contours of the dunes and consequently there are a lot of blind shots so local knowledge is very helpful.  The greens are excellent but the fairways were worn after a dry summer.  The views over Perran Bay and the beach are spectacular but inland from the course the caravan park spoils the ambience. We played it on a sunny day with light breezes and found it extremely challenging and tiring - it must be almost impossible when the wind blows.  The holes are named in the Cornish language with helpful English translations such as Whym Wham (This way and that), Cowan Nuggies (Gremlins) and Uthek (Formidable).  It will be memorable for us as we watched the European team win the Ryder Cup in the clubhouse after our round.

Worth playing?  Perhaps this course improves with familiarity but the number of blind shots precludes it from greatness.  It is certainly not for the faint-hearted!

The view to the town of Perranporth

West Cornwall

www.westcornwallgolfclub.co.uk

SSS white tees 69
SSS red tees     73

The start of the Cornish swing!  We have come down here with Rosie and Martin Dennis to play the six true links courses in Cornwall.  The oldest club in Cornwall, West Cornwall is in Lelant near St Ives.  We played it on a sunny day with clear blue skies and a light breeze.  Set around the magnificent sweep of Porthkidney sands at the mouth of the Hayle estuary there are stunning views to St Ives in the west and Godrevy lighthouse to the north east.  A single gauge railway line runs along the sea side of the course but does not obstruct the views.

The course is quirky and fun.  The first nine is tight with shared fairways and a number of crossing holes so make sure your golf insurance is paid up!  The second nine goes up the hill around the bay - the panoramic views may well distract you from your game.  This is a real links course with hard, fast running fairways and true but small greens. A lovely, fun holiday course with a warm and friendly welcome.


The view to St Ives

Worth playing?  Definitely for the fun course, views and friendly welcome.

The 4th green

Muirfield

www.muirfield.org.uk

SSS 73

Golf was first played over Muirfield in 1891 on 16 holes designed by old Tom Morris and extended to 18 holes for the Open in 1892.  Today's layout was the result of extending the total area and recommendations from Harry Colt in 1923.  Muirfield departs from classic links courses with two loops of nine holes each, one anticlockwise and one clockwise.  This adds to the challenge of the course as the wind direction from the tee differs at each hole.



The 18th green with the clubhouse behind

Muirfield is world renowned and has held 16 Open Championships, with the list of winners including some of the greatest players in the game.  Jack Nicklaus described it as the best golf course in Britain and named his own course in Ohio Muirfield Village.  It is the home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers which claims to be the oldest verifiable golf club in the world with continuous records extending from 1744.  It is an all male club which caused some controversy when the Open was staged there in 2013.


The par 3 13th requires an accurate shot.
Danger lurks for any slight deviation

We were guests of our friends David and Kath Anderson on a perfect summer's day with a light breeze and played foursomes, which is a traditional format for visitors.  The course was in magnificent condition and presents a real challenge to the amateur golfer.  The fairways are narrow, the rough is tough and the bunkers are deep and strategically placed.  The golfer who can avoid trouble will score well but that is easier said than done - even the best in the world have tried and failed.




Worth playing?  Unquestionably - it is one of the best courses in the world.

Cruit Island, Donegal, Eire

 www.cruitislandgolfclub.com

SSS white and red tees par 68



View from the 1st tee, Cruit Island Golf Club

This nine hole course must be in the running for the most spectacular setting for a links course.  Situated at the tip of Cruit (pronounced 'crootch' by the locals) Island, it is accessed by a single track road which goes over a bridge spanning a sea
inlet.  The course is surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic
Ocean, sandy coves, granite islands and rocky outcrops. This is not a championship course but a traditional links course which follows the terrain.  The greens are good but it is difficult to concentrate on golf when the scenery is so beautiful.  The par 3 sixth hole is the most dramatic we have played with a long carry over a sea inlet with waves crashing through a natural granite arch.  Keep on the straight and narrow - any shot drifting to the right is gone!

The 6th hole - a daunting carry to the green

You will find a traditional warm Irish welcome here in a clubhouse with a view over the ninth green and Ouaigh Island.

Worth a visit?  Most definitely for the setting although it is remote.

Buddon Links, Carnoustie

SSS White tees 69
         Red tees    69

The 18th hole overlooking Carnoustie Bay. 
The Carnoustie Golf Hotel is the white building in the background

Buddon Links is one of the three links courses at Carnoustie including the Championship course which is an Open Championship venue.  Buddon lies between the Championship course and the sea but the sea can only be seen from the 18th where there is a magnificent view across Carnoustie Bay to the town.  Opened in 1979 after the purchase of land from the Ministry of Defence each hole is named after a famous historical battle - facing a hole called Waterloo at a strategic point in your round could be tricky!  The course was designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas with two new and one reconstructed holes being added this year.

This is an unpretentious but very enjoyable course.  We played it in sunny but quite windy conditions which made it challenging but not impossibly difficult.  The greens were in excellent condition and there is a modern golf centre to relax in after your round.  Most of the course is true links but the middle third was more heathland with pine trees and water features.



Worth a visit? Yes - a good course and good value for money.

Silloth on Solway, England

http://www.sillothgolfclub.co.uk 
 

White tees par 72
Red tees par 75

Like many links courses Silloth on Solway owes its existence to the railway - it was founded by the North British Railway Company in 1892.  It was laid out by David Grant, a playing and teaching professional at North Berwick, where Lord Tweedale, the chairman of the Company, had been captain.     Silloth's most famous member was Cecilia (Cecil) Leitch who won 12 titles, including 4 British Ladies Amateur Championships in the early part of the 20th century.  A portrait of her dominates the clubhouse lounge to this day.

The 1st green with the clubhouse in the background

Views over the Solway Firth to the hills of Dumfriesshire

We played Silloth on a cold and windy day.  Silloth is an old Victorian seaside town which is a long drive from the M6. It is an old fashioned links course which follows the Solway coast and has magnificent views over the water to Dumfriesshire in Scotland.  The first nine is shorter (par 35) and goes predominantly in a westerly direction into the prevailing wind.  Relief is obtained when one turns back to the clubhouse in the longer back nine ( par 37 for men and 40 for ladies including 6 par 5s and only one par 4)!  The course was very wet with a swan swimming in the middle of the 8th fairway.  Probably as a result the greens were slower than we would expect of links greens.  We were disappointed to be charged full summer rates despite preferred lies being allowed and a mat on the tee at the 9th.

Worth a visit?  In drier conditions if you have a day to spare.

Chisholm Links, Dunedin

 www.chisholmlinks.co.nz

White tees par 71
Yellow (ladies) tees par 72

The 11th hole sweeps downhill with views of Dunedin in the distance

The ninth tee overlooking Tomahawk beach

Southlands (Oreti Sands), New Zealand

Paraparaumu Beach, North Island, New Zealand

 www.paraparaumubeachgolfclub.co.nz

Red tees par 71 (4714m)
White tees par 71 (5485m)

The first course we have played in New Zealand!  Paraparam, as it is nicknamed, was founded in 1949 and is one of only four courses designed by Alex Russell.  It lies a short drive north of Wellington on the undulating dunes of the Kapiti coast.  Paraparaumu has hosted many New Zealand Open championships and the course record of 62 is held jointly by Bob Charles, Maurice Bainbridge and two others. 



Paraparaumu lies on true links land

After a friendly welcome we played the course on a cloudy but warm day with light winds.  This is a true links courses winding through sand dunes.  The greens were hard and true but tricky with run-offs around most which punished an inaccurate shot.  The bunkers were tough punishment for the errant shot as they were filled with volcanic sand which is quite different from normal links sand. The start is particularly tricky and the par threes would test any level of golfer.  The 17th is a true risk and reward hole with the more difficult route to the right off the tee being rewarded with an easier approach shot. The 18th is a dog leg from left to right to a raised green and a welcome rest in the clubhouse!

Worth playing? Yes, it is a tough test of golf and the only links experience in the North Island



The view of the 18th from the clubhouse

Nairn Championship Course, Scotland

http://www.nairngolfclub.co.uk/

White tees par 71, SSS73, 6441 yards
Red tees par 75, SSS 75, 5735 yards

Nairn opened in 1887 and since then has had input from four legends of golf design - Archie Simpson, old Tom Morris, James Braid and Ben Sayers.  It remains essentially the same as then barring some lengthening for the Walker Cup matches in 1999 when the Great Britain and Ireland team including Luke Donald, Simon Dyson and Paul Casey prevailed by 15 points to 9.  Nairn was also kind to the Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup team, including a 16 year old Charley Hull, in 2012 when they won 10.5 to 9.5.  This win ensured that Great Britain and Ireland held the Walker, Curtis, Ryder and Solheim Cups simultaneously for the first time ever.


The 1st is a gentle opening hole

 This is a classic links course running along the beautiful Moray Firth in the north-east of Scotland.  The first seven holes run alongside the water with views across to the Black Isle.  The first is a benign starting hole with a fairly wide fairway although usually played into the prevailing westerly wind as are six of the first seven holes.  Clever bunker positioning enhances the 2nd, 3rd,5th and seventh holes and the par 3 4th and 6th holes test accurate club selection and shot execution.  The 8th and 9th look deceptively simple par 4s but the upturned saucer of a green at the 8th and the left to right sloping green at the 9th guarded by bunkers and gorse will test the best approach shots and putts.  An interesting feature of the course is the fisherman's bothy and ice house at the turn which was built in 1877 and housed around 5000 salmon per season.  The bothy is now a halfway house where the golfer can catch breath before embarking on the second nine.

The seventh green

The theme continues with lovely links holes, cleverly placed bunkers and tricky but excellent greens in the second nine.  The two par 3s, the 11th and 14th are particularly good.  At the 11th an accurate shot is required to avoid the six bunkers guarding the front of the green which nestles in a slight hollow.  The 14th is a long par 3 guarded by a bunkers front, right and left where keeping the ball below the pin is crucial.  However a short shot will roll off the front of the green and make a par difficult.  Do not be distracted by the magnificent views from the elevated tee!  The 15th also plays towards the Moray Firth and is a short par 4 and birdie opportunity provided the swale at the front of the green can be successfully negotiated.  The golfer then turns for home but there is little respite. The 16th and 17th greens are guarded by a ditch and burn respectively which will punish an indifferent approach shot.  The 18th is lined by out of bounds, bunkers and gorse bushes but as with most of this course will reward straight hitting.

There are sea views at every hole. 
From the 8th green the Black Isle is on the horizon

Worth a visit?  Definitely - a lovely classic links course with views of the sea from all the holes. A great test of golf.

The old icehouse has an insulating turf roof