XXXX Dundonald Links
Dundonald Links
Sitting right alongside Western Gailes , Dundonald Links is a much younger creation . Kyle Phillips designed this low , weaving links in 2005 , using the gentle and exposed dune land to establish ( and embellish ) the flow of holes . The routing moves in every direction so you can be sure wind will be a factor but you will have generous fairways to aim for … although strategic bunkering will put manners on you . The key to playing well here is to have a razor sharp short game and to find the right part of the magnificent , swaying greens . Slide off them and you will have some interesting challenges … although your putter may be the wise option . Home to the 2017 Scottish Open .
Machrie
There ’ s no doubt that part of the remarkable Machrie experience begins long before you reach the course itself . A ferry brings you to the remote island of Islay , and such remoteness has its own rewards . This is a breathtaking location that now boasts a revitalised classic links ( designed by Willie Campbell in 1895 ). The original links was renowned for its many blind shots over cavorting dunes of all shapes and sizes beside the Bay of Laggan … but the new design has rerouted holes so that most of these blind shots have been removed . Greens are being changed too , although some old green sites are being reused . Golf course designer DJ Russell has exploited the potential of this revered old site to give an old classic a modern twist … and one that contains not a single bunker . And remember , the island of Islay promises some of the best whiskey in the world .
Machrihanish Championship
The name alone summons up an air of mystery and romanticism … and the golf course promises that same spirit and beauty . It is as natural as you could hope for , holes rising and falling as if in the swells of an ocean . And the ocean only adds to the drama on this remote spot on the Kintyre Peninsula . Nowhere is this more evident than on the famous 1st hole where the tee sits above the shore and you must drive diagonally across the beach to find the fairway . It ’ s the sort of thrilling start that marks a course for greatness … but Machrihanish never falters and the variety of hole shapes and beautiful green settings will prove utterly endearing .
Machrihanish Dunes
If there was a classification for ‘ wild golf ’ then Machirihanish Dunes would hold the title . This is a young course , designed by David McLay Kidd in the 2000s , yet the land and nature have dictated the terms of the course ’ s development and layout , right down to the bunkering . Set on a Site of Special Scientific Interest the terrain buckles sharply and constantly … including on the greens . There ’ s no doubt that the wildness and the sheer scale of the dunes make this a muscular adventure ( there are some long green-to-tee walks ) but the location and that natural rhythm make the two Machrihanish courses irresistible .
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