Category: Willie Fernie (Page 2 of 3)

105. Shiskine. 15th Sep 2020

July 6, 2021 / Moly McMillan

One explanation makes sense – this is perhaps God’s home course.

Round £26 (12 holes). Par 42. Value (out of 5) – 5

Shiskine is probably the greatest 12 hole golf course in the world, but that hardly does the course justice.

The Isle of Arran sits off the North Ayrshire coast, accessible all year round by regular ferry crossings from the Port of Ardrossan or, during Summer, from the Kintyre peninsular.

**Moly putting for birdie at the 4th “The Shelf” hole at Shiskine, in benign conditions.**

Several areas of Scotland self proclaim the title of best destination for golf, with the East Neuk of Fife and the North Berwick coastline being the headline events. But when it comes to the best value destination for golf (worldwide?) Arran sits comfortably at the top of any list – in my humble opinion. This island of 432km² has a population of 5,000, with a majority of the people working in the hospitality sector. Arran has 7 golf courses, which all sit on the periphery of the island and are easily accessed; none of them has a weekly green fee greater than £30. With many hotels, B&Bs and campsites, Arran is a must visit golfing destination.

Shiskine, set on the west of the island, is the jewel in Arran’s crown.

**The par 3 ‘Craws Nest’, 3rd, with views over the beautiful Shiskine layout.**

It is said you should never meet your heroes as it can be so disappointing. It was with a similar sentiment I embarked for Arran with nightmares about losing all my balls into the sea from Shiskine’s formidable first tee. Such was my desperation to play that immediately after pitching our caravan and with pristinely tranquil conditions, I psychologically ran to the course to grab a twilight round at only £21. Without a pre-shot routine, and with a vice like will to keep my head over the ball, I drove a low running drive over 200 yards up the fairway – hallelujah! Entering a trance like state, I then proceeded to play the 12 holes in 47, or 5 over par – not quite the best round of my life, but I cannot remember smiling so much to myself during a round of golf.

**The terrifying par 4 “Road Hole” first at Shiskine, with OOB left all the way to the hole**.

Perhaps by ‘divine’ intervention, a feasibility study in the late 1800s rejected building a deep water pier on the current golf course site to serve the local port of Blackwaterfoot. Sometime thereafter, Willie Fernie of Troon (who also designed Turnberry’s Ailsa course), laid out the original 9 hole course, which opened in 1896, although only the current 5th and 9th holes survive from then.

**The difficult stroke index1 second hole at Shiskine, a tough par 4 with a burn in front of the green capturing many of the blind second shots into the green. Take enough club.** **Atop Drumadoon Hill in the background was where 6 holes returned to waste during the first world war**

The course was extended to 18 holes just before the first world war using land above the current ‘shelf’ area of the 3rd green, but fell into disrepair during that war. Several attempts during the decades after failed to reestablish an 18 hole course.

Willie Park (Sunningdale and the North Course at Olympic Park, Chicago) then designed the current 12 holes between 1925-28. 18 holes play is reserved for member only competitions with the 1st, 2nd, 9th, 11th, 12th replayed with a further hole using a unique “15th” tee into the 4th green.

The course is not long, at just under 3000 yards from the white tees for the 12 holes, and 4,878 for the 18 hole layout; its slope rating is only 99 and disappointingly has no red ‘ladies’ tee boxes. It has 7 par 3s, 1 par 5 and 4 par 4s. Despite its short length, this is really fun golf, with very many blind tee or approach shots. I would strongly recommend reading the course guide, there is, for example, a bale out area to the right of the blind 3rd green, so aiming right of the flag is imperative. It’s rather hard to adequately describe the course other than saying it’s magical. It’s not perfect though, with the 12th a rather underwhelming short finishing hole. Nevertheless, it actually made me feel like I was playing my part in a Michael Murphy (Golf in the Kingdom) style mystical adventure with Shivas Irons as a playing partner. Perhaps I exaggerate. I can conclude by saying that I doubt you’d find anything like this course other than in Scotland and it’s a must play destination.

**The 4th at Shiskine, a collage of dreams.**

I’ve often pondered what golf handicap God might have? I’ve concluded that it would make sense if he or she were to have the exact average Scottish men’s or women’s handicap. God’s preferred course would be majestic, but not too difficult. For example, it wouldn’t have par 4s or par 3s that are really disguised par 5s or 4s respectively. It wouldn’t have any carries off the tee that effectively disenfranchise most higher handicap players. It would be set amid a beautiful landscape. It would offer a mix of guile and strategy. Some of the shots would be frightening. The greens, tees, fairways and all round conditions would be perfect. The weather or elements would play a significant part of the experience. Play would have to be fast – so he/she decided 12 holes was the best length. In the right conditions, it would bring you close to it’s maker.

Perhaps God did design Shiskine after all. Please go and play.

Facts:

Course Type: Links

Par 42 (1 par 5, 4 par 4s, 7 par 3s)

Distance: 2770

Moly’s Gross score: 47

**Moly’s life affirming 5 over for the 12 wonderful holes at Shiskine**

103. Colvend. 13th Sep 2020.

June 16, 2021 / Moly McMillan

A favorite course of The Times’ sports photographers Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher

Round £25. Par 69. Value (out of 5) – 3.5

They say you should never meet your heroes. After reading an article in The Times (25th Aug 2020) about Colvend golf course by the sports photographers Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher, I felt obliged to seek out the course whilst in the south west of Scotland on a golf trip a couple of weeks later. Marc and Bradley had written so lovingly about a place that was clearly deep in their hearts, to the extent that the “third hole at Colvend remains my favorite place”, even when compared with Open venues. Really?

Moly (top) replicates the photo of Marc Aspland (bottom) at the third hole “Solway View” that appeared in The Times article on 25 th Aug 2020.

Colvend golf course has 9 holes either side of the A710, the road which skirts the northern coast of the Solway Firth, from Dumfries and Dalbeattie. The course was established in 1905 with the 9 holes on the coastal side of the road, designed by Willie Fernie (Ailsa course at Turnberry) and the 9 inland holes were added in 2005 by Dave Thomas (Belfry, Spey Valley).

13th hole at Colvend, easily the stroke index 1 hole, and a clearly modern parkland design which could be picked up from the Belfry. Plan your way to a bogie and move on quick!

Although on the coast, this is very much a parkland layout, with great views on a couple of holes across the Solway Firth to the Lake District.

Looking at the card, you’ll see the difference in length between the original holes and the ones later laid out by Thomas – the par 4 18th at 266 yards, was the original 9th hole. There’s also significant architectural differences as well, with the coastal holes being very naturally laid out, and the inland holes being clearly “designed”, no more so than at the 13th, the clear stroke index 1 hole.

There are some neat challenges as well. The par three 8th has a hidden burn in front so take enough club, but with danger behind the green as well, I imagine this being a “lay-up par 3” for many of the members.

The dangerous 8th green, take at least 1 extra club to avoid the water in front, which is obscured from the tee.

The par-4 dogleg 18th is a clever hole. Only 266 yards long, I imagine the longer hitters see this as a risk reward hole, trying to drive the green. But the green has a burn in front and very large trees obscuring the approach, mean you need to be well back to get over easily. With no wind it’s probably something like 7 iron, then wedge to the green. Very strategic, and to be fair to Dave Thomas, it has the feel of the 10th at the Belfry.

Keep left on the 4th, with plenty of room to chip and putt. One of the original naturally designed holes.

The course was in decent, but not great, condition when I played, but to be fair we had only recently come out of the first prolonged covid-19 lockdown so everyone was just grateful to be out of the house. The greens had become quite mossy.

The 18th green at Colvend with treacherous burn awaiting to spoil a good round

Few things to be aware of. This is not an easy walk as the amount of buggies for hire in the car park attested to, so is not necessarily an occasional holiday golf game venue; the steep uphill first being one of several inclines to navigate. There was also a need for better signposting between the 16th green and the 17th tee, which left Fran and I lost for a few minutes.

The aptly named “Roon the Bend” 17th hole, which is difficult to find, the clue is its part of the 12th tee, but you can’t see that as you walk onto the “17th” tee.

Despite high winds I scored very well breaking my handicap with a steady round. I did walk off though a little perplexed at how “rose tinted” The Times article had been – it was a nice course, but sometimes over-marketing isn’t actually good business as it can just lead to disappointment. Perhaps it needed a clearer day for those views.

Worth playing.

Facts:

Course Type: Coastal/Parkland

Par 69 (1 par 5, 13 par 4s, 5 par 3s)

Distance: 5036

Moly’s Gross score: 83

Colvend Scorecard – 83 in high winds a great day out, level against SSS of 67

75. Arbroath. 6 May 2018.

May 14, 2018 / Moly McMillan

A must visit course for US Historians, fish lovers and record book chasers!

Round £40. Par 70. Value (out of 5) – 4

Arbroath is the largest town in Angus and it’s golf course sits about 2 miles to the east of the town and only 6 miles from Carnoustie. It probably gets bypassed by many visiting golfers moving north from Carnoustie towards the wonderful links courses in Aberdeenshire – this would be a wasted opportunity.

Arbroath has a remarkable claim for it’s influence on the modern world. The “Declaration of Arbroath”, a Scottish declaration of independence of 1320, is regarded by several historians as the model for the American Declaration of Independence.

The delightful par 3 7th hole at Arbroath (159 yards)

The golf course can also argue a potentially unrivaled and rich architectural history. Designed by Old Tom Morris, it opened in 1878, was redesigned by the Troon professional Willie Fernie about 30 years later, then James Braid remodeled the tees, to add length, and bunkers in 1931. That’s a strong golfing pedigree.

The course is predominantly an out and back layout. The first 7 holes are played westward into the, normally very strong and cold, prevailing wind, before turning back for the 8th to 10th; westward again for the 11th and 12th, then with 5 of the last 6 holes played eastward downwind back to the clubhouse. Strategically, 11 of the holes have reachable out of bounds to the right, so right handed slicers may wish to consider their options off the tee.

The Stroke Index 7, 375 yard 6th hole at Arbroath, a typically difficult par 4 on the opening stretch of holes.

Viewed from the tees, Arbroath seems at times flat and innocuous, but it has been very cleverly bunkered by Braid, and I’m sure the locals will have many advisory comments on where to miss the greens. The greens were also very hard when I played and difficult to hold (for all I guess other than very good golfers). Playing off the yellow tees didn’t give much respite either, as the 2nd and 17th both played as long par 4s, rather than par 5s from the white tees. There are also 3 ditches that cross the course, and these need to be carefully considered, especially as the flat terrain makes them invisible to the eye.

I rather suspect first time visitors rarely score much above 30 stableford points.

The very difficult green to find in 2 at the 13th at Arbroath, with the railway OOB on the right

The highlights for me were the par 3s, all of which had good surrounds, with the two on the back 9, the 14th at 200 yards (white at 232) and the 16th, being especially difficult.

It’s a well kept course, with good tees, greens, fairways and bunkers. The clubhouse has a friendly staff and good food, where you can try the Arbroath Smokie, the local smoked haddock delicacy protected by EU Trade regulations.

The wonderfully bunkered par 3 16th green at Arbroath

The other Arbroath claim to fame is the local Football Club, which holds 2 world records – the highest professional scoring record (winning 36-0), and their ground, Gayfield Park, being the closest to the sea in the world – only 5 and 1/2 yards away! Apparently, one famous game was abandoned after all balls were “lost at sea!”.

Not a great day for me, I lost 3 balls (6 shots) and 3 putted 7 times! I suppose that explains completely my 13 over par net! Oh, and yes, the greens are rather large and difficult!

Well worth a visit.

Facts:

Course Type: Links

Par 68 (14 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance (yellow): 5826

Moly’s Gross score: 98

Moly’s Arbroath scorecard – 98

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

Category: Willie Fernie (Page 2 of 3)

105. Shiskine. 15th Sep 2020

103. Colvend. 13th Sep 2020.

75. Arbroath. 6 May 2018.

53. Stirling. 19th Sep 2016.

Recent Posts

Useful Links