Category: Members (Page 26 of 27)

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!

11. Carrbridge; 18th Aug 2014

August 19, 2014 / Moly McMillan / 0 Comments

A seducing Scottish golfing experience on a classic Highland 9 hole course – but always take your waterproofs no matter what the forecast says!

Summary: £22 (day), £15 (9 holes). Par 36. Score 46. Value (out of 5) – 3.5

Detail: Golf has been played for well over a hundred years at Carrbridge, but the current course was recovered in 1980 after a period in the wilderness.

It’s difficult not to fall in love with Carrbridge golf course as it represents a classic Highland course. It’s short, thereby allowing golfers to feel long drivers of the ball; the greens and fairways are fantastic because even in the warmest summer you usually get enough rain to make the course play well; it’s completely unstuffy and accessible, welcoming players of all standards; and most importantly…..well just play it late in the day on your own while taking in the scenery and pondering your life and you’ll just never want to stop!

Golf in the Highlands requires you to bring your sense of humour

I played the day after the local Open Championship had been washed out, but the course had almost completely recovered and was playing its full length. It was only 11 Celsius, but the sun was shining on this August day when I set off, only to have the umbrella up and waterproofs on after my opening drive! Always carry your wet weather gear, no matter what the forecast might say.

Carrbridge is a great layout, with 9 very contrasting holes, with the burn (stream for the non-Scots) being in play on most of them. I would recommend playing 18 holes, rather than just 9, as 5 of the holes, the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th, require “blind” shots over some carry. These holes seem much easier when you’ve navigated them once. The 9th, a par 4, plays as the par 3 18th hole off a forward tee, avoiding a long walk up a steep track to the 9th tee.

The 4th Tee, with the gap to the fairway directly behind the 3rd Green…Watch Out!

The 4th hole from the white tee, represents a hazardous drive for both the player and anyone near the 3rd green, as you play directly over the 3rd green through a small gap in trees.

7th green looking back to tee – take 2 extra clubs to the elevated green

It’s important to take enough club at the 2nd, 4th, and 7th all which have shots to plateau greens, and are typically large and fairly flat.

Par 3 8th – Take enough club

There is only one real par 3, the 8th, which is a challenging hole, and again it’s best to be long so take enough club.

Carrbridge also has a lovely little clubhouse, which looks like a pavilion, and it’s a super place to sit and have tea and cake, even if you’re not paying golf, indeed this is one of the secrets of Highland golf clubs – they are great venues to just have a cup of tea and the ubiquitous “millionaire’s shortbread”!

Finally, it would be remiss not to mention the heather – it looks great, especially in late August and September, but you might end your round hating it!

Key Facts

Course Type: Highland

Green Fees: Day £22. 9 holes £15

Par 36 (1 par 5, 7 par 4s, 1 par 3)

Distance(white): 2720 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 46

Carrbridge Scorecard – the 9th (par 4) and 18th (par 3) have different tees

7. Blairgowrie “Wee” 9 hole; Wed 8th Jan 2014

January 10, 2014 / Moly McMillan / 0 Comments

Avoid Wednesdays and Saturdays!

Summary: Cost £10 (winter). Par 32. Score 43. Value (out of 5) – 3.5.

Detail. Blairgowrie has a population of 8000, it has some quaint but dated shops, certainly no high street coffee branded shops here. It does however have a fine golf club with 3 courses, 2 of which are listed amongst the very best in the world, laid out by the renowned James Braid! Blairgowrie epitomises the wonderful conundrum of Scottish golf.

The weather looked good and I set off after being advised during a quick telephone call that the Lansdowne course was free for several tee times around mid-day. However, as it turns out, Wednesday and Saturday are the days traditionally the members play en mas, and when I arrived the tee times were taken. I therefore settled for playing the Wee Course, and it turned out fine. But the message for visitors is avoid Wednesdays and Saturdays.

“The Wee”, is a lovely little 9 hole course (5 par 4s, and 3 par 3s), with ample lush fairways (they get their fair share of rain in Blairgowrie!) set in very mature woodland. Other than the 416 yard 8th, the par 4s are short and require accuracy, not length, from the tees, especially as some are dog legs where a driver will out-run of fairway. The bunkers have soft sand and were well raked, and the greens were big for a 9 hole layout.

The 2nd hole, a dog leg right, has a green protected by 2 magnificent trees making the approach an interesting challenge. Much easier to play in winter with less leaves!

2 trees guarding the 2nd green

However, the most intriguing hole was the par 3 7th, where you must trust your yardage as there is an unseen valley full of bunkers in front of the green.

Hidden Greens in front of 7th green

I had a disaster on the par 3 4th, where I pulled both tee shots well left, and ended with a 7. That actually sums up Blairgowrie – stay out of the trees to have any chance of scoring well. I look forward to tackling the Rosemount and Lansdowne courses, both championship quality.

News of the Day: Dennis Rodman, the US former basketball player, has apologised for angry comments he made about a US man detained in North Korea. Rodman is the most high-profile American to meet the young North Korean leader Kim Jong-un , who he describes as a friend. Bizarre!

Key Facts

Course Type: Heathland

Green Fees:

May – Sep; £30.00 per day; Winter £10 for 9, or £15 for 18.

Par 32 (5 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance: 2373 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 43

Blairgowrie “Wee” scorecard

5. Lundin Ladies 9 hole; 26th Dec 2013

December 31, 2013 / Moly McMillan / 0 Comments

Get past the Ladies Tee on this course!

Clubhouse and 9th Green

Lundin Ladies is the oldest all-female members club in the world, and as such deserves a visit for its place in golfing history. Interestingly, I don’t think it picks up quite as much criticism though for it’s single sex membership rules as does The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield does. Then again, Muirfield doesn’t have an honestly box!

In many ways Lundin Ladies is a quintessential Scottish small course, typical of the type often found in the Scottish Highlands; 9 holes, small clubhouse with external toilet, and honesty box beside the starter. As a womens club, the “back tees”, are the LGU Red tees, with the white tees being in front, therefore this is one of the few courses where my tee shots were guaranteed to land in front of the ladies tee!

It’s course signature is 3 standing stones set on the 2nd fairway, which also has a well positioned bunker down the right side, designed for a tee shot aimed to the right of the stones.

Standing Stones on the 2nd hole – an interesting hazard!

However, the ideal line is directly over the stones, as a good drive should clear the stones comfortably.

The course is relatively straight forward, with the first 4 holes, all par 4s, having wide fairways with accessible greens, albeit the 3rd (stroke index 1) is played uphill and the approach shot needs a club selection at least 1-2 clubs longer (advice I’m afraid I didn’t follow!).

Views from Lundin Links

Although near to the Fife coast there are no sea views, however this is made up for by some nice countryside views inland.

7th Teeing area

The 7th hole, a par 4, but really a long par 3 for men, is the most picturesque hole, with a long carry to a raised green.

With the right wind conditions, some of the par 4s are within range for the longer hitters; I actually reached the green on the 8th – the wind must have got up at that point!

I had a disastrous first 5 holes, 3 putting 2 greens and going out of bounds with a hook of the par 4 third hole. Luckily I played the last 4 in around par to save my card.

A nice course, well worth playing for its historical place in the history of golf. I’ll need to go back for those first 5 holes 🙂

Key Facts

Course Type: Parkland

Green Fees: 18 Holes £16.00; 9 Holes £10.00

Par 34 (7 par 4s, 2 par 3s)

Distance: 2365 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 44

Lundin Ladies scorecard

Category: Members (Page 26 of 27)

12. Buckpool; 8th April 2015

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

11. Carrbridge; 18th Aug 2014

Par 36 (1 par 5, 7 par 4s, 1 par 3)

7. Blairgowrie “Wee” 9 hole; Wed 8th Jan 2014

May – Sep; £30.00 per day; Winter £10 for 9, or £15 for 18.

5. Lundin Ladies 9 hole; 26th Dec 2013

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