Category: Links (Page 10 of 10)

12. Buckpool; 8th April 2015

April 25, 2015 / Moly McMillan

Accessible Links golf with good views of the Moray coastline – A terrific warm up for golfing tourists before attempting some of the nearby monsters!

Summary: £30 (day), £25 (18 holes). Par 70. Score 88. Value (out of 5) – 3.5

Detail: Buckpool Golf Club is in the small fishing town of Buckie in Moray. Its links style course, elevated above the sea, has views across the Moray Firth towards the hills of Caithness.

View to Portgordon from the 15th tee

The course is built on sand, and has fast, rolling fairways, invariably lined by tall mature gorse bushes, which makes finding balls a touch painful.

The typical Buckpool terrain from the short par-4 12th tee

The approaches to fast tricky greens, are protected by several deep score-wrecking bunkers.

This was my first round of golf since August 2014, having suffered a back relapse, so I was absolutely delighted by my general standard of play. I was also blessed with one of the nicest April days one could imagine in this part of the world.

The Moray coastline has some outstanding links courses at Nairn and Lossiemouth, plus the majestic nearby Aberdeenshire links of Cruden Bay and, recently, the Trump International.

“Drive of the day” in front of the short par-4 12th, with moray firth in the background

For golfers not used to Links golf, Buckpool would be a nice start to a golfing break in the area. It has a friendly staff at the “golf club”, which is actually a local Sports & Social Club.

Course planner on back of local scorecard – great idea

Apart from 2 very bland holes (the 10th and 18th) played towards the unattractive clubhouse, the rest of the course is a delight to play. Tees, fairways and bunkers were all good, and the greens were excellent.

View from behind the 16th Green

With the severe gorse, it’s crucial to concede length for accuracy to score well.

Key Facts

Course Type: Links

Green Fees: Day £30. 18 holes £25 (All week)

Par 36 (2 par 5s, 12 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance(yellow): 5826 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 88

Moly’s Buckpool Scorecard, 88 with 3 lost balls!

9. Monifieth Medal; 5th July 2014

August 8, 2014 / Moly McMillan / 0 Comments

Classic and historic links experience

Summary: Cost £59 (midweek). Par 71. Score 87. Value (out of 5) – 4.

Grange, Broughty and Monifieth golf clubs, adjacent to the 18th green on Monifieth Medal

Detail. Monifieth Links is where I play as a member of Monifieth GC, alongside the members of Grange, Broughty and Panmure Ladies Golf Clubs! Confused? – then welcome to a historic Scottish Golf Links! The links are organised separately from the golf clubs, so you need to book tee times direct with the links, and contact the clubs if you want to check on food/drink/changing.

Golf at Monifieth was first referenced in local church records in 1639, with an 18 hole layout dating from 1880. Click here for a great resource on golfing history at Monifieth. Like all links courses, Monifieth can be either a tiger or a kitten, so it’s best if you can check the weather first – if wind and rain are forecast, stock up on golf balls.

Aberdeen to London train passing the 2nd as seen from the 17th

Monifieth is the first course east of Dundee on the north bank of the Tay estuary, and starts the coastal golfing heaven (or hell!) which has Carnoustie as its masterpiece. The Angus coast vies with the Fife, North Berwick, Aberdeenshire, Morayshire and Ayrshire coasts as the best collective place for golf in the world, I’ll leave you to make up your mind.

The course has an out and back feel, with the first 6 holes hugging the main Aberdeen-London railway line, before you turn to face the tough 7th, normally into the westerly prevailing wind.

View towards St Andrews Basin from the 12th Green

It’s an unusual links, in that it has limited sea views, but you can look across to the St Andrews basin, from some holes.

Walk from the tee to the fairway at the 7th, a challenge into the normal prevailing wind

There are several great holes, in particular the 4th, 7th, 13th and 17th holes, all par 4s. The greens are normally excellent, and are well bunkered.

The course is penal if you veer off the fairway, so its best to concede on length where possible. Although short by todays standards, the Medal is still used for final qualifying when Carnoustie plays host to the Open Championship.

Monifieth is a really down to earth place to play golf, which is highly recommended. I played with my son Andy (handicap 17), and I won with one of my best rounds on a day the wind decided to play kitten.

Key Facts

Course Type: Links

Green Fees:

April – October: £59 weekdays, £65 weekends

Nov – Mar: £25 weekdays, £35 weekends

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

Distance(yellow): 6420 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 87

Moly’s Monifieth Medal Scorecard – Gross 81

6. St Andrews Balgove; 26th Dec 2013

December 31, 2013 / Moly McMillan / 0 Comments

Opportunity to score low at St Andrews!

The Balgove course is one of the relatively recent addidions to St Andrews. It is in the complex which shares the Golf Academy, Eden and Strathtyrum courses. Doing a course at the Golf Academy normally includes access to the Balgove 9 hole course, and is used as part of the courses.

1st tee

The course is an ideal beginners course, comprising only one real par 4, with 2 other holes (1st and 2nd) being 220 and 219 yards long but marked as par 4s on the card for some reason. Therefore the SS is really 28 in my opinion, not 30.

Although a vary short layout, the greens are very nicely architected, to give a real feel for a links greens, with some good greenside bunkers as well. The putting surfaces are however very flat, which when coupled to the excellent surfaces, means that birdie opportunities should exist for all levels of golfer.

Balgove double green

The 6th hole, runs alongside the “bigger” courses and is bounded by severe gorse, so lost balls are still possible here.

Overall, this is a really fun little course, which should not take much longer than an hour to play, and as such is a great warm up to it’s more substantial neighbours – don’t get

9th Green

seduced though that you’ll score as well on the neighbouring courses as you will on this!

Key Facts

Course Type: Links

Green Fees: 20 Oct -13 Apr – £8; 14 Apr – 19 Oct – £15; Children £3

Par 30 (3 par 4s, 6 par 3s)

Distance: 1520 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 34

Balgove scorecard

Category: Links (Page 10 of 10)

12. Buckpool; 8th April 2015

Par 36 (2 par 5s, 12 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

9. Monifieth Medal; 5th July 2014

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

6. St Andrews Balgove; 26th Dec 2013

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