Royal West Norfolk, Brancaster, England

www.rwngc.org

White tees par 71, SSS 71, 6457 yards
Red tees par 75, SSS 75, 5882 yards

The entrance to the course

Royal West Norfolk, often referred to as ‘Brancaster’, was founded with royal patronage in 1892 and I doubt that it has changed much since then.  Situated on the North Norfolk coast it is squeezed between salt marshes and the magnificent Brancaster beach.  There may not be another golf course where you are warned to consult the tide times before playing as the access road is under water at high tide.  The first tee is across the sandy approach to the beach through a wrought iron gate and feels like stepping back in time.

The 4th is guarded by a wall of sleepers and pot bunkers

 We played the course with our son William and our cairn terrier Maisie on a sunny day in June.  It is memorable for its long carries, intimidating sleeper walled bunkers and fast greens.  We were fortunate to have a dispensation from the secretary to play a three ball as like Muirfield this is usually a two ball course.  It is a traditional ‘nine out, nine back’ course with the prevailing wind assisting in the first nine and hindering in the second. 

 

The challenging 9th green

The first hole shares a fairway with the 18^th with an ideal drive having a slight draw but beware overdoing it as there is long grass and out of bounds on the beach to the left.  The first par 3, the 4^th hole, has a raised green protected by a wall of wooden sleepers and three pot bunkers – be short at your peril!  The course’s most memorable holes are the 8^th and the 9^th, on both of which you have to negotiate large areas of tidal marsh land which at high tide make islands of parts of the holes.  The par 5 8^th requires creative thinking and has been likened to ‘a man crossing a stream by somewhat imperfect stepping stones, so that he has to make a perilous leap from one to the other’.  The ninth hole is a par 5 for ladies and a par 4 for men.  There is a long carry from the tee to the narrowest part of the fairway and then either a lay-up or a perilous shot over tidal marshes to a green set at a right angle to the fairway. 

Beach huts by the 16th tee

The golfer then turns for home but into the prevailing wind.  Many of the holes on the inward nine follow the dunes on the right and there are some excellent par 4s.  The par 3 1th is guarded by a huge bunker at the front but there is at least a landing area over it.  The 16^th tee has a line of quintessentially British beach huts to the right of the tee.  The 18^th is a straightforward hole until you encounter the large semicircular bunker at the front of the green which must have ruined a number of medal cards!

The clubhouse is almost on Brancaster beach

A seat and lunch (must be pre-ordered) in the wood panelled Smoke Room is a welcome respite in a clubhouse from the Edwardian era.  Royal West Norfolk is a hugely enjoyable experience in a magical place.

Worth playing?  Without doubt

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!

King's Links, Aberdeen, Scotland

http://www.sportaberdeen.co.uk/venues/kings-links-golf-course/

White tees par 71, SSS 69, 6292 yards
Red tee par 68, SSS 70, 5218 yards








The first hole is overlooked by Pittodrie stadium,
the home of Aberdeen Football Club

King's Links lies within the city of Aberdeen on the land between the town and the beach.  It is thought that golf was first played in this area south of the current course in 1625.  The Aberdeen Golf Club was responsible for laying out a course on this land in 1780, the first recorded instance of a golf course being laid out.  In 1872 the course was extended to form 14 holes, incorporating some of the current site. One hole was added in 1873 and in 1876 three more were added to make an 18 hole course.  It is now a public course run by the local authority.

King's Links looks like a true links course but doesn't play like one.  The fairways are soft with frequent patches of casual water despite a dry autumn, possibly because part of the course lies below sea level and is prone to flooding.  The greens were slow and holding with few contours.  Despite a friendly welcome we were disappointed by the quality of the course which was very worn in places. 



Crows bathing in the casual water on the 8th fairway

We played on a pleasant but windy Saturday when the course was very busy.  There weren't many memorable holes although the 10th is a lovely par 3 to a plateau green.  There were no sea views despite its proximity because a road on a raised causeway lies between the course and the sea.  The finish was weak with two par threes and a short par 4.

Worth playing?  No - not really a true links experience.

 

Balnagask, Aberdeen, Scotland

http://www.sportaberdeen.co.uk/venues/balnagask-golf-course/

White tees par 70, SSS 69, 6059 yards
Red tees par 72, SSS 72, 5575 yards


Balnagask is a public course in the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland.  It lies on the Balnagask headland between the estuary of the River Dee and Nigg Bay with stunning views over Aberdeen harbour and the historic Girdle Ness lighthouse.  The golf course was first opened in 1905 having been designed by Archie Simpson who also designed the more famous Murcar Links and Nairn (see 31st May 2013) amongst others.  It was then modified in 1920 by James Braid and finally in 1976 by the Hawtree Company responsible for the design of the nearby Trump International Golf Links. 



The 3rd green with the entrance to
Aberdeen harbour in the background

We played Balnagask on a windy day with a coastal haar which restricted some of the lovely views but the condition and quality of the course exceeded our expectations of a public course.  It was well maintained with typical links greens and fairways.  It lies on very undulating ground which means that there were a lot of blind shots and since the course was very quiet we lost our way on a number of occasions.

The 17th green overlooks Aberdeen harbour. 
The spires of the city can just be seen in the mist 

The first nine runs along the Dee estuary and the sea and overlooks the entrance to Aberdeen harbour.  There are a number of challenging par fours, many of which play into the prevailing westerly wind.  Two of them plus the 10th are par fives for ladies. There is only one par three in the first nine, the aptly named Spion Kop, which is played to a high plateau green.  On the tenth tee the views of the lighthouse, Aberdeen's beach and the harbour are quite distracting especially on a windy day when the waves crash into the rocks.  The 10th itself is a lovely undulating par five with a green set in a narrow valley but in general the second nine is less memorable.  The round finishes with a long downhill left to right par three with a green which is difficult to hold.  This course is remarkable value for money - it was £8 each for the round which included a discount for the weather!

Worth playing? Yes.  Good value but hilly and probably too many blind shots.

Strathtyrum, St Andrews, Scotland

http://www.standrews.com/Play/Courses/Strathtyrum-Course

White tees par 69, SSS 66, 5620 yards
Red tees par 68, SSS 67, 4705 yards

Strathtyrum is one of five true links courses at the golfing mecca which is St Andrews. Designed by Donald Steel, it was opened in 1993 when a local farmer who had won the honour in a newspaper competition struck the first drive as fighter jets from RAF Leuchars flew over the first tee.  It was named for the neighbouring estate from whom the St Andrews Links Trust bought the land.

The 2nd and 5th share a double green.
The backdrop is the town of St Andrews

Strathtyrum is a much less testing course than its bigger neighbours and was built to relieve some of the congestion on the other courses and to present a much less stern challenge for the holiday golfer. It lies inland from the Eden course so there are only occasional glimpses of the estuary. We played it with Lynn and David Lawson on a cool and dreich Scottish day with only a light wind. 

The par 3 third with a typically contoured green

It is short and flat and although pleasant to play the holes are not particularly memorable.  The greens have a hint of the normal Donald Steel upturned saucers and are well contoured but easier to hold than on most of his courses.  The course was in excellent condition as one would expect in St Andrews.

Worth playing?  If you want to play in St Andrews but don't want the challenge of the bigger courses.  A good starter for beginners or children.



Bundoran, Eire

www.bundorangolfclub.com

Blue tees par 70, SSS 70, 5729 yards
Red tees par 73, SSS 73, 5116 yards

Bundoran is a seaside town in Co Donegal in Eire which became popular when railways were built in the late 19th century to bring people from the towns to the seaside.  A large hotel, the Great Northern Hotel, which remains today was built in 1894 and a 9 hole golf course constructed in the land around it.  It was initially designed by a Scot, GL Baillie, and then extended to 18 holes in 1904.  Harry Vardon, the legendary golfer who won the Open six times, redesigned the course in 1927.  Another famous name linked with the course is that of Christy O'Connor who was the professional from 1951 to 1957.

The 5th green

Despite this illustrious history and despite the warm welcome we have come to expect in Ireland this course was a disappointment for our last of this Irish trip.  Bundoran is not quite a true links as it lies partly on a clifftop and the fairways do not run fast and hard.  The first nine especially had a number of weak holes such as the par 4 4th and 5th and the ninth which runs steeply downhill to the rather unattractive rear of the hotel.  The second nine was a little more 'linksy' especially on the 11th which runs along Donegal Bay and from which we could see the perfect place to build a links course amongst lovely unspoilt dunes!  The course was worn and appears to have been overplayed perhaps because it is so reasonably priced.

The view from the 11th green over Donegal Bay

Worth playing?  Not if you are expecting a links course of the quality to be found around this area.

Strandhill,Eire

 www.strandhillgolfclub.com

White tees par 70 SSS 70
Red tees par 72 SSS 72

A chilly morning!

From the moment of arrival at the clubhouse Strandhill golf course is spread out in front of the observer and it is clear that this is a proper links course.  Views of the sea, dunes and typical crumpled fairways stretch across the landscape.

The view towards Knocknarea from the 5th tee

Strandhill lies on a promontory which juts out into Ballisodare Bay on the west coast of Eire just north of the town of Sligo.  It has two aspects overlooking the sea at Cullinmore bay and Strandhill Beach.  It is overlooked by Knocknarea, a large limestone hill topped by a cairn which is thought to date from 3000BC and is reputed to contain the grave of the mythical Queen Maeve.  A huge sand dune dominates the view to the west. Strandhill was opened in 1931 as a 9 hole course designed and laid out by the members using a horse and plough and the natural contours of the linksland.  It was redesigned in 1939 by John McAlister, still as a 9 hole course.  It wasn't until 1973 that the course was extended to 18 holes and it was subsequently redesigned, again with the input of some members.

The 7th hole from the green. 
The tee is half way up the dune in the distance

The first hole lies on the side of a hill making it difficult to hold the fairway from a drive and the sloping green from the second shot.  The next three holes. a par 3 and two short but testing par 4s, run alongside the beautiful Cullinmore Strand,  The fifth is a par 5 whose fairway is the epitome of a links course with wonderful humps and bumps leading to a sunken green.  The 6th hole crosses over to Strandhill beach which lies along the left of the par 4 7th with its tee set into the large dune giving a panoramic view of the famous surfers' beach.  After four less dramatic holes the course then turns into the dunes and some fun and quirky holes.  At the 13th local knowledge must be useful to aid in deciding how much of the dune to cut off with the drive and how to negotiate the very narrow entrance to the green.  The 14th is a lovely par 3 which requires a very accurate shot to the green and the uphill doglegging 15th with its fairway at right angles to the drive and plateau green will test the best.  Some relief is offered by the gently curving downhill 16th and the par 3 17th until the sting in the tail - the difficult uphill, right doglegging 18th with thick rough and dunes on the left, out of bounds on the right and a tricky sloping elevated green.

The narrow entrance to the 13th

Worth playing?  Definitely - a lovely course overshadowed by its bigger near neighbours.

Scurmore, Enniscrone, Eire

www.enniscronegolf.com/

White tees par 72 SSS 72
Red tees par 72 SSS 70




The view from the 6th tee

Scurmore is the nine hole course alongside the Dunes course at Enniscrone which was designed by a combination of Eddie Hackett and Donald Steel.  It is a bit of an anti-climax after playing the Dunes course as it lies mainly along the flat ground inland and lacks sea views.  The first few holes are fairly featureless barring a few water hazards with the best saved for last.  The 6th tee is elevated and requires a drive over daunting rough.  The 7th is an uphill par 3 with trouble on the left (thick rough) and the right (a deep grassy hollow) for the errant drive.  The 8th descends to the flatter land with a drive over shaggy dunes onto a fairway at right angles to the line.  Unfortunately the ladies' tee is completely blind to the fairway as it is set too low amongst the dunes making it a bit if a 'hit and hope'.  The greens were hard and fast but the fairways were lusher than expected for a links course.



The 7th hole climbs into the dunes.  The flag can just be seen on the horizon

Worth playing?  Only as a bit of light relief after playing the big course,

Enniscrone Dunes, Eire

www.enniscronegolf.com

White tees par 73 SSS 73
Red tees par 73 SSS 73



Golf started in Enniscrone at the end of the first World War but the first written record was in 1922 when the local newspaper announced that medal competitions were being played at Enniscrone Golf Links but it was not until 1930 that nine holes were laid out and the course was formally opened a year later when the annual membership fee was £1.  During and after the second World War the
fortunes of the club foundered and it wasn't until the late 1950s that the club revived because of an influx of labour into the area.  In 1974 a new 18 hole course designed by Eddie Hackett, the great Irish golf course designer, was opened.  Donald Steel was commissioned in 1999 and added six new holes in the dunes to the main course and three more on the flat land to make the smaller Scurmore course and these were opened in 2001.



The second shot at the 1st hole enters the dunes

Enniscrone Dunes can be summed up as towering dunes, tight lines, difficult greens and a number of blind shots.  This is definitely a course which rewards the straight hitter as even a shot slightly off line will be punished with heavy rough at most of the holes.  We were lucky to play it on a day with little wind - add strong winds and it must be almost impossible.

The tenth hole is in the flat section of the course

After the first drive along flat land the hole doglegs into the dunes with the green, like many, cut into the slopes.  The next three holes wind between the dunes and are picturesque but tricky.  The course then opens out onto flatter land which is the weakest part of the course but has some Eddie Hackett holes with interesting green complexes.  The ninth and tenth run along Scurmore beach and then the next ascent into the dunes begins.  The next stretch is particularly attractive starting with a lovely par 3 with a two tier green.  The 13th is a short par 4 with a blind shot from the tee with an unusual traffic light system which lets the golfer know when to play. 

The fourteenth hole from behind the green
The Knoc na gCorp dune can be seen in the background

The 14th ('Valley of Diamonds') is a tough par 5 with a double dogleg up to a green nestled in the dunes.  It is dominated by the Knoc na gCorp (or Hill of the Dead) dune on the left which legends says was formed by the locals piling up bodies of defeated Viking raiders!  The next three holes follow the Atlantic Ocean with the 15th a difficult par 4 with the green cut into the side of the dunes - anything short or right ends up in a deep swale.  The 17th is a delightful par 3 only marred by an ugly caravan park behind the green.


The view from behind the 16th green, a most attractive par 5

Worth playing?  Yes for the beauty of the dunes but only if you don't mind blind shots and tight lines.