Number 82. Played summer 2013. Traditional links designed by James Braid.
If you are looking for a true test of golf then you don't need to look much further that Irvine Golf Club's Bogside course. It is one of the toughest tracks that I have had the pleasure/pain to play. I have genuinely never lost so many golf balls in one round - my one tip for you is to pack plenty!
It isn't a long course but the fairways are very narrow and the plentiful gorse and heather is waiting to gather up any errant drives or unlucky bounces. This really is a course that relies on proper course management, it is a strategic course but it does have some visually scary tee shots! I was having nightmares about gorse bushes coming to get me for weeks afterwards.
Although a very tough course it has some very pretty holes; a bit like Glasgow Gailes it suffers a touch from not being directly on the coast line but the use of some trees and those wonderfully narrow gorse lined fairways are a sight to behold.
If you get the chance to play this course you should jump at it - it is in my opinion the most underrated course in this list. It is on a par with both Glasgow Gailes and that is 30 places above it. The clubhouse is very nice and I would recommend you go in and have a look at some of the portraits on the wall; this club produces excellent amateur golfers and after you have played it once you will realise that to compete in a medal here requires a great deal of skill.
Thanks. My thanks to Derek, Alasdair and Gordon for joining me at Irvine. This was part of our 4 course East vs West match. Gordon & I lost this match after an inspired Derek played the last 3 holes in -2.
Number 83. Played summer 2012. Parkland/Heathland designed by Willie Fernie.
A wonderful highland parkland course, this is a course that will test the stamina with its severely undulating fairways. It is not a long course and there are some generous fairways resulting in number of excellent driving holes. The superb views of the Tummel valley are a particular highlight and you will enjoy the stunningly scenic par 3 16th. It really is a quirky but fun course. There are a few blind holes and some interesting green positions (the elevated 5th hole being a prime example). It is certainly worth playing if you are in the area.
Thanks. A good day golfing with the big Canuck, SpecialKLFC; TheGolfBadger and Jan Solo; we had taken advantage of a truly sensation deal by Pitlochry of a fourball and a Carvery dinner for £99. Yes golf and your dinner for £25 per head, possibly the best value deal I have seen this year.
Number 84. Played summer 2013. Parkland designed by Willie Park.
Duddingston is set in the heart of Edinburgh and has a reputation of being a good course but one which does have drainage issues. The dry hot summer of 2013 has worked wonders for Duddingston and I was very fortunate to play it in perhaps its best condition for a number of years.
The greens were quick and true (not quite links quick but good none the less) and the fairways were lush and green. The bunkering isn't too tough but they are positioned well. I really enjoyed the routing of the course - it is fairly hilly for a parkland course and the changes of elevation were used well. There are some very pretty holes but I particularly liked the par 3s. The most intriguing thing about the course is how remote it feels out on the course but you are genuinely only about 15 minutes from the city centre! I am spoiled when it comes to my thoughts on parkland courses as I play a lot of golf at Blairgowrie and Gleneagles but Duddingston was a very enjoyable course.
It is an interesting comparison between this and Dalmahoy (East) - both are parkland courses in Edinburgh but if it was up to me I would play Duddingston every time over Dalmahoy. However, a note of caution regarding the drainage. As I have said I played it in great condition but even the member who played with me noted that it can struggle badly when wet. Therefore this is probably a course best played during summer - perhaps that is why Dalmahoy is ranked significantly higher.
Number 88. Played summer 2013. Parkland/Heathland designed by Cameron Sinclair.
Whitekirk is another course on Scotland's Golf Coast but unlike some of the more famous courses on that stretch of land (Muirfield, Gullane, Dunbar etc) it is not a links course. Set high on the hill with some magnificent views of East Lothian & the Bass Rock. However, the views could not save this from being a rather disappointing course.
It suffers badly from a great number of blind shots, allied to this it has very small greens & is an very exposed course so this can be a very brutal course. The brutality of the course, the poor condition & the generally poor routing means this is a course which I would avoid playing again.
There are far superior courses in the region but it will be interesting to see what Paul Lawrie does with his redesign.
On a positive note the clubhouse is very nice & the food was very good value for money.
Number 91. Played summer 2013. Parkland. Pic courtesy of Magners50
Ratho Park is situated just outside Edinburgh. It is a very short (under 6,000yard) parkland course. However, although it is short it is fairly tight - although the lack of length does mean that you are not punished should you play a long iron off the tee instead of a driver. There are some driving holes - particularly on the back 9 but in general it is a course which rewards the a more sensible approach. We played this course using vouchers from a charity auction and all 4 of us enjoyed our day. It is a fine course for a friendly game and you will certainly get a work out with your irons. It isn't a course I would readily return to and, in fact, if I was in the area and was looking for a parkland course to play I would prefer to play Duddingston or Bruntsfield link.
The road and railway line are on the right hand side of the first 3 holes will always be a concern to those of us cursed with a slice. The opener is a gentle start, a straight and fairly short par 4. There are some bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway and the green is in a dip so landing short of the green will result in the ball rolling onto it. The 2nd is a sterner test at 450 yards – there is a road crossing the fairway as well as bunkers on the right and a large trap on the left of the green. The green is large and fairly flat. The 3rd is the last hole that has the road/railway combination but also includes the burn as another potential hazard. It is a decent length par 3 with the burn running horizontal to the tee. A large bunker is placed centrally in front of the green. The right hand side is also protected by a large dune. Bunkers protect the left hand side of the green. All in all a difficult green to hit in regulation and anything short is in real trouble.
The 4th plays back towards the 2nd tee. The burn from the 3rd flows across the front of the fairway here – it shouldn’t be an issue given its short distance from the tee. The fairway is reasonably generous out left. Your 2nd shot needs to consider the road which crosses in front of the green. The 5th is another of the Burnside’s fine par 3s. At 158 yards, the trees on the left cause an issue for those that cut the ball left to right and the burn snakes around the green nearly fully encircling it. The 6th is a short dog leg right – finding the narrow fairway and avoiding the fairway bunkers is challenging. The green is protected by some more deep greenside bunkering but runs true as with all of the greens on the course. The seventh is another sub 400 yard par 4. A slice will be fine but you may be playing your 2nd shot from the Championship course. 2 bunkers protect the green – you certainly want to avoid the right hand bunker as it is a beast. Standing on the tee at the 8th it is difficult to see the pin – the green is slightly tucked in on the left hand side. It is a long hole so a good drive and long iron may still end up short. At this point the gorse becomes very evident and is a major feature for the next 9 holes. The 9th is another excellent par 3, the green is elevated and the tee shot needs to hit the generous green and stick. 2 bunkers are sunk in on the right and left hand side and anything short in the middle will roll back down the hill.
The back 9 starts with a blind drive – the best approach is to the left of the marker as a small gully on the right helps to funnel these shots into the rough leaving a difficult approach. Bump and run shots are the order of the day on the Burnside as lots of the greens, as with the 10th, allow the ball to roll onto the green. The 11th is another fairly straight hole with fairway bunkering on the left and right. Best position is to be left of the fairway as the right hand side has a large dune blocking your view of the green. Another large undulating green awaits. The 12th fairway is tight and protected by a large bunker which looks to be in the middle from the tee but is actually further left. There is plenty of space on the right due to the 13th fairway and it shouldn’t be too concerning to be out that far. Don’t be long on this hole as the green has gorse at the back from which it will be difficult to get out. The 13th runs back towards the 12th tee. It is a slightly uphill hole with lots of humps and bumps on the fairway giving you a difficult stance for your approach shot. The penultimate par 3 and the most difficult on the course, the fourteenth is a 228 yard monster. The green is elevated and it is pretty much all carry! Being short isn’t an option. The only par 5 on the course is next. The heather may cause some problems if you drive out with the fairway but there isn’t as much gorse on his hole as on others. If you can keep it on the fairway the hard ground will give you good round and the fairway is particularly generous in funnelling shots towards the green. The green is long and fairly narrow – the best approach is to pitch in front of it and let the ball roll towards the pin.
The last par 3 is a nice little hole. A large bunker protects the right hand side of the green and a shallower one the left. If you can avoid the bunkers a par is certainly a achievable. The 17th is down as the 3rd hardest on the course but certainly plays harder! You have to negotiate the burn, not once but twice as well as the road. You have a decision on the tee to either try to fly the first burn or to layup – the wind may be a contributing factor to your decision. The course ends as it began fairly benignly unless you slice the ball! Hard on the right hand side is the Championship course and anything sliced beyond the white stakes is out of bounds. The right hand side of the fairway is probably the best approach as two rather menacing bunkers protect the left of the 18th green. The green has a number of different breaks and also has changes in elevation to make the job of making par much more difficult.
The first hole is aptly named "The Short Hole" at only 146 yards it is a fairly straight forward short iron to a nice oval green. The green is pretty tricky as it slopes uphill from front to back. However, a true stroke stays the line. The biggest issue with this hole is the bunker staring you in the face which protects the front of the green. According to the starter this hole is being remodelled pushing the tee back towards the new starter's box which should make it a wee bit more challenging. You will have noticed the racecourse running around the outside of the course as you will have walked through the fences to get to the green at the first and most of the course's 9 holes are played inside this oval. It is a bit strange to see a large racing stadium to your right as you tee it up for your second drive! My favourite hole the Graves is rumoured to be where they buried the bodies of the dead soldiers after the Battle of Pinkie in 1547. It is a slight dog leg left and the green is in a large hollow which makes the second shot seem further than it actually is. Protected by gorse at the back of the green you are better to be short and run the ball on than to be too long. Once again another excellent green with some subtle breaks but with some decent pace to them. The third is another decent par 4 with the racecourse hard on your right - again the hole is slightly off centre and due the close proximity of the sixth green it can be confusing.
The fourth is a fun hole as you play over the racecourse! There is something quite disconcerting about playing a second shot from the "rough" when that rough is a racecourse and you are trying to work out to go over or under the large course fence! A beautifully large green with the old Mrs Forman's tea room behind it is the slowest on the course and seems very exposed due to the close proximity of the main road. Mrs Forman's is where the golfers used to stop for tee midway round - I like the idea of a "halfway house" every 4 holes! A wonderfully testing par 3 this hole is surrounded by bunkers - probably best to be short as there is more scope to manoeuvre into position than fall foul to one of the greenside bunkers off the back of the green that you can't see from the tee.
A short walk back across the racecourse leaves you with an elevated tee to drive towards the 6th green. The sixth green fortunately had the flag on the lower section when I played but if it was on top you would not want to be putting up the slope! It certainly can be a testing hole depending on pin position. The only par 5 on the course and a real cracker, with Arthur's Seat in the background and some strategic placed fairway bunkers to reach this green in 2 is possible but perhaps inadvisable A large green will help if your putting is up to scratch as it does seem to gather up lose balls and give you a chance to go at the flag with the short stick. By far the toughest hole on the course (although only SSI 3) the 240 yard par 3 is a beast - particularly if the wind is against you. Gorse is in play for errant tee shots and even if you do find the green you will find another testing multi layered green waiting to test your putting. The 9th is a lovely little dog leg left. Don't go too far right with your tee shot though as you will be playing from some very deep rough. When we played we unfortunately had a temporary green but I did get a chance to view the proper green and it was looking in superb condition with plenty of greenside bunkers to cause problems.
Number 98. Played autumn 2012. Parkland course designed by Old Tom Morris & James Braid.
When it comes to golfing pedigree you don’t get much better than a course originally designed by Old Tom Morris and then being updated by James Braid! Forfar has the pedigree and is also set within stunning Angus wooded heathland terrain. What is there not to like? It is not a long course and the fairways are generous. However, the small tight greens and the traditional Braid greenside bunkering do help to present a challenge to golfers of any level. However better golfers may find it just a touch short. One to be played if you are in the area.
Another week, another round at Gullane! This time it was to play the smallest of the three top 100 ranked courses in this superb town on Scotland's Golf Coast. Gullane 3 may be shorter than its too more illustrious siblings but it is not an easy course by any stretch of the imagination. As a Gullane course it has those world renowned greens and beautifully maintained fairways. The course is like a mini Gullane 2, it is more fun but still challenging - but unfortunately as you pass by Gullane 2 and look over to Gullane 1 those are the challenges you really want to be playing! I enjoyed my round but next time I visit it will be to play 1 or 2 - Im just hoping the wind doesn't turn up!
Thanks: A huge thanks to Joyce for the invite - she was the perfect host including playing of the gents tees with us! Also thanks to semi-regular golfing partners Dave W and Dave K - Dave W drove me there but Dave K was the driving force behind our victory!
Number 100. Played winter 2012. Traditional links designed by Tom MacKenzie.
Craigielaw is another of East Lothian's many excellent golf courses on the self-proclaimed "Scotland's Golf Coast". I was fortunate enough to have a voucher to play the course after attending the Scottish Golf Show 2012. However, I suspect that due to this offer the extra rounds by visitors have had an adverse effect on the condition of the course. The course was on full tees, greens and not on mats. The greens weren't too bad - a bit of top dressing but given the winter we have had they were pretty decent. The fairways were a different story - as you will see from the pictures below they clearly had taken alot of punishment last season and in my opinion a few more weeks of mats may have helped the fairways to recover. They weren't as bad as the Carrick at Loch Lomond (possibly the most overplayed course in Scotland?) but they did look as though they could do with less rounds. Aside from these minor issues, I thought the course was a decent enough track. The upturned greens weren't nearly as bad as I had heard and in fact were reasonably soft so allowed you to attack flags. I suspect at the height of summer this will not be possible but I liked the fact that there was a route into the green and this seems to be a course which would grow on you the more you play it. One word of advice if you have never played the course before - make sure you know where to go, the course routing isn't the most intuitive! The course has some very stiff local competition but it is a reasonable addition to the area.
Thanks. Thanks to the Scottish Golf Show for the voucher and to Stephen MacDonald and Gordon Blackwood for joining me. It was a fun day with the highlight being the first time I have beaten Mr Blackwood in a match play competition. So for that reason Craigielaw will hold a unique place in my affections!
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