Author: Moly McMillan (Page 32 of 45)

Moly McMillan lives in Somerset. He is a business management consultant helping businesses scale and also devotes time to playing all of Scotland's golf courses, assessing their value for money.

55. Silverknowes. 20th Oct 2016.

October 21, 2016 / Moly McMillan

Golf of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish in Scotland

Round £22.70. Par 71. Value (out of 5) 3

Silverknowes is a small suburb in the north-west of Edinburgh on the south bank of the Firth of Forth with views across to Fife. The community evolved around the 1930s and the golf course opened in 1957 after an almost 30 year gestation.

The commending views of the Forth from the first at Silverknowes

The commanding views of the Forth from the first at Silverknowes

In trying to sum up my thoughts about Silverknowes golf course, I couldn’t help thinking about Abraham Lincoln’s famous quote about government being “of/by/for the people”. Arguably, no other country in the world would provide a low cost public golf course on such prime real estate as that on which Silverknowes is laid out.

The approach to the difficult 5th with the clubhouse in the background.

The course is managed as a pay-for-play facility by Edinburgh Leisure, a not for profit charity, which manages the leisure activities formerly run by Edinburgh Council, although there is also a separate private members Silverknowes Golf Club. Edinburgh Leisure operate 6 golf courses, with an annual 7-day membership to play all 6 costing around only £400 – excellent value.

The Arboretum backdrop to the 14th at Silverknowes

The par 71 parkland layout provides an easy walking course with several wide fairways, so you can open up with the driver, without carrying around a bucket of spare balls. However, you do need to keep a keen eye on your line as the lush and green rough make losing a ball possible when you least expect to.

The course has undergone several changes in the hole order over the years, but now has a relatively easy opening 4 holes, but toughens up from the 5th, with the stoke index 1 par 4 7th, being the first of a number of very difficult holes. Indeed, it’s actually worth playing Silverknowes to try out the Par 4 16th, which is one of the most difficult par 4s I have encountered, and that includes the 17th road hole at St Andrews. At over 460 yards, it’s dog leg apex is only about 170-180 yards from the tee, leaving an almost 300 yard second shot – not something many amateurs (or even professionals) have in their bag!

The “par 4” 16th at Silverknowes

The greens and fairways were in nice condition when I played, although annoyingly the bunkers had no rakes available, which caused myself and my partners on the day to have some interesting bunker lies. The tees and tee boxes were also in need of some added care.

There were however many magnificent views across to Fife and the several islands that festoon the Forth, and I would highly recommend playing in the Autumn as the colours of the many variety of trees on several holes make for quite an arboretum.

Unfortunately I found the trees a few too many times on my back 9, coming back in 52, having gone out in 41 – golf the great leveler! This course reflects so much of the ethos of golf in Scotland, and it is worth playing, just to understand that alone.

The urban backdrop a reflection of Golf in Scotland – The peoples game

Some Facts

Course Type: Parkland

Par 71 (2 par 5s, 13 par 4s, 3 par 3s)

Distance yards: 5942 (yellow)

Moly’s Gross Score: 93

Moly’s Silverknowes scorecard – 93 (41 out; 52 back!)

54. Culcrieff. 20th Sep 2016.

September 24, 2016 / Moly McMillan

Decent greens and fine scenery don’t warrant playing this overpriced course

Round £32. Par 66. Value (out of 5) 1

Culcrieff golf course is part of the well known Crieff Hydro hotel located in Perthshire. The parkland course, with fine views of the local Perthshire hills, was established in 1972 from a disused 9 holes, then extended to 18 in 2002, using a design by John Stark the local Crieff professional.

The greens at Culcrieff were the worst I’d ever experienced, as evidenced here at the 5th green, NOT one designated as GUR. Many others were much worse!

Being part of the Hydro, the course feels as if it’s managed as one of the very many holiday activities on offer, therefore there is no Golf Club oversight of the course. This apparent lack of specific golfing focus, has resulted in a course that is under invested and not worth the money to play. I rather suspect that holidaying golfers staying at the hydro are taken a bit for granted as a captive cash cow. When you look at the price of £32, there are very many council courses in Scotland in much better condition, and no more than £20. The best discount offer I could find was through www.teeofftimes.co.uk at £26, even that is over priced, in my opinion.

1st approach at Culcrieff with nice views

The greens were decent, granted, and apparently built to USGA specification, but the bunkers were the worse condition I’ve played, several were designated as GUR although they would have been better designated as Ground Under Neglect. The fairways also needed a cut when I played.

The 16th at Culcrieff had a tricky green to find.

Setting aside the condition, the course has some nicely designed holes that are challenging, not least because of the small greens. The dog leg left 2nd hole, although short at 295 yards needs a very accurate 2nd shot into a well protected green. The long dog leg right par 4 5th will test the longest hitters. The second to the par 4 12th will also require a longer shot that expected to hit the plateau green, and the downhill par 3 16th, aptly called “Deil’s delight,” is devilishly tricky to find the small green.

Nice finishing hole at Culcrieff, a 200+ yard par 3.

I played fairly decent scoring 32 stableford points with a gross 87. However, I shall not return to try again, and I would certainly not recommend playing here. In its current condition, it should be priced at about £15 – £20.

Some Facts

Course Type: Parkland

Par 66 (12 par 4s, 6 par 3s)

Distance yards: 4892 (white)

Moly’s Gross Score: 97

Moly’s Culcrieff scorecard – 87 for 32 stableford points

53. Stirling. 19th Sep 2016.

September 22, 2016 / Moly McMillan

“Camera’s Please” at this historically located parkland course with outstanding views.

Round £45. Par 72. Value (out of 5) 4

If you play at Stirling remember to take a camera. There are spectacular views of Stirling, it’s castle and other historic buildings and of the Trossachs, Ochill and Lomond Hills, even the Southern Highlands (in clear weather!).

2nd tee at Stirling with views towards the historic town – the rounded turret of the gaol is evident.

Given Stirling’s strategic and historic location, it’s not surprising that golf was played in the area currently occupied by Stirling golf course, by King James IV, King of Scots, in 1505. There was no golf course as such, on what was historically a “Royal Park” dating back to 1200 and used for Hunting – perhaps worth reflecting on when you hunt for golf balls here:)

3rd at Stirling, a typical well defined hole on this course

The current course was established in 1869, and has been subsequently developed by some of golf’s aristocracy – in 1892 Tom Morris Junior designed a 9 hole layout; in 1904 Willie Fernie of Troon extended it to 18 holes; and in 1967 Sir Henry Cotton redesigned the course with significant tree re-planting which is now bearing full fruit.

The apex of the dog leg on the 9th, with fine hill views

The resulting golf course does justice to the views on offer and at well over 6000 yards, even from the yellow tees, will challenge your handicap to the full (see Moly’s card below for evidence!). Stirling is a classic layout, with both front and back 9s, each having a par of 36 with 2 par 3s and par 5s. There is also a really good level of architectural variety, in terms of uphill, downhill, dog-legs right and left. The course sits on a hill and this is therefore no easy walk, but it’s worth it.

One of my playing partners, Gordon, plays at the 11th with Stirling Castle in the background

The highlight holes for me were the dog-legs: the par 5 1st is a tough start, the 9th offers great hill views from the dog leg apex, and the par 4 15th, which is SI2, is the best hole on the course in my opinion requiring a 220+ yard uphill drive to give access to the plateau green. The only omission in the design for me is the lack of a 200+ yard par 3, although the par 3 8th, at 180 yards uphill, required a recovery or long iron.

The 15th at Stirling with the Castle in the background

The course was also in great condition when I played along with some former colleagues of the charity Apex (Scotland), which does so much good work helping people rebuild their lives after offending. Only downside was that the greens had been treated with sand, making putting very slow and different compared with my local links greens.

Stirling also has a nice club house, serving good food. Its well worth playing Stirling.

Some Facts

Course Type: Parkland

Par 72 (4 par 5s, 10 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance yards: 6201 (yellow)

Moly’s Gross Score: 99

Moly’s Stirling scorecard – 99

52. Cullen. 13th Sep 2016.

September 18, 2016 / Moly McMillan

Treat yourself at this unique Moray coastal gem

Round £21. Par 63. Value (out of 5) 4

Cullen is only about 4500 yards long, with 10 par 3s, so it’s hardly the toughest golfing challenge you’ll ever face, but it’s difficult to articulate the absolute delight which awaits any first time visitor. Ask any golfer that’s played here for their “top 10” courses, and they are almost guaranteed to have Cullen on the list. It’s unique, quirky, unconventional and, most importantly, great fun.

4th green, with views towards Cullen

Cullen, which sits mid-way between Aberdeen and Inverness on the Moray coast, also has a great pedigree; 9 holes were designed by Old Tom Morris in 1870, then extended in 1905 to 18 holes by Charlie Neaves, the professional at nearby Lossiemouth. Thirteen holes fit snugly into a cavernous bay with sandy beach, plus 5 holes play on higher cliff ground with magnificent views of the bay. In addition to this, in itself, magnificent location, there is added the spectacular Boar Crag, a huge 80 foot high rock which dominates the bay, and forms a challenging hazard as part of a run of 4 par 3s from the 11th. It truly is a remarkable location.

The signature 7th hole tee shot

Without meaning to be too controversial, Cullen does in my opinion warrant adding to the debate about what constitutes a links course. Although most of the course hugs the coast line, the cliff top land, with 5 greens, is undoubtedly arable. In addition, the turf on the 13 beach side holes, is also much softer than, say, the turf on which the Angus links courses are played. So although this is undoubtedly classified as a seaside links course, few of the shots “feel” like they are links shots. This doesn’t diminish Cullen at all, but in a “what is a links course” debate, it’s worth discussing Cullen.

Fran, my playing partner, at the 9th green at Cullen

There are many highlights of the course. Both the 2nd and 4th are blind shot par 3s, requiring good distance understanding. Then soon after comes the fantastic long par 3 7th, at over 200 yards, with a drop of around 50 feet, which is one of those holes where your ball seems to stay airborne indefinitely; it also has wonderful views of the course.

The 11th green at Cullen with the indomitable Boar Crag

Later in your round awaits Boar Crag, and in particular the par 3 12th and 13th holes, where the rock formation dominates shots. I suspect several played treat themselves to the odd “provisional” ball off these tees – especially on the 13th, where you need to hit directly over the marker post, and not be fooled into hitting to the 16th green by mistake.

The difficult 12th tee shot at Cullen

The course was in excellent condition when I played, with the greens being very well paced and true. I played to my handicap and scored 79, although I irritatingly lost a ball on the 10th with one of those shots that you just don’t think is going to be lost.

Cullen also has a nice club house where you can dine on the other local delicacy, Cullen “Skink”, which is a hearty fish & potato chowder, before going out for another 18 holes – its one of those very few courses you want to be more than 18 holes!

Some Facts

Course Type: (mainly) Links

Par 63 (1 par 5, 7 par 4s, 10 par 3s)

Distance Yards 4404 (yellow)

Moly’s Gross Score: 79

Moly’s Cullen scorecard – a 79

Author: Moly McMillan (Page 32 of 45)

55. Silverknowes. 20th Oct 2016.

54. Culcrieff. 20th Sep 2016.

53. Stirling. 19th Sep 2016.

52. Cullen. 13th Sep 2016.

Par 63 (1 par 5, 7 par 4s, 10 par 3s)

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