TR: Blustery Scottish Links, Classic English Heathland, and Deal

16 days in May/June, 2410 miles, 14 golf courses, 49 pubs, 1 beer festival, 1 cider festival, an undetermined number of pints, and many bacon rolls to start the day. Just another two weeks puttering around the UK with golf clubs in tow.

**Golfing**

What started out as mucking about in England and then a planned few days up North to play Boat of Garten, Royal Dornoch, and Brora blew up into a full week of Scottish links "Top of the Pops", when chances to play with fellow WRXers - and all around standup gentlemen - Edaw68, FredStar, and BlueBlone cropped up. So a bit more ringing and emailing around, some chopping and changing and we end up with what follows. Obviously the Scottish courses are well trodden territory at this point, so hard to say anything new or interesting about them, but yammer on about them I will anyways.

Geographically the trip fit into:

* Scotland (**Royal Aberdeen, Fraserburgh, Moray Old, Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart, Elie**, and **Royal Troon**)

* Southeast England (**New Zealand GC, Walton Heath Old & New, Princes**, and **Deal**)

* Parts in between (**Huntercombe** and **Delamere Forest**)

And for my own entertainment I'll run through them in a TOTP-esque countdown from 14 to 1.

With only 3 of the 16 days not including some measure of precipitation to full on storms, I was hugely fortunate to play in almost no rain. One 20 minute spell at Walton Heath and otherwise there was maybe a combined 6 holes (out of 252 total) of drizzle spread out over 3 rounds. While I was lucky with the rain, the continual low pressure systems brought swing wrecking, ball swatting, 30mph+ wind to a bunch of rounds, to make it easily the windiest trip I've had. Fortunately that wind was without rain, so it was just equal parts ridiculous and fun to play in.

There were some dead-legged geriatric swings that sent the ball in any manner of direction but the intended one and the occasional putt that left me no better off than before I hit it, but there was also some quality swings made and good scores shot, so that overall I was happy with the golf played. Coincidentally those good rounds occurred with early morning first thing rounds

**Not Golfing**

For non golf, while I was fortunate with the car hires last year, this year I had this Vauxhall/Buick hatchback on stilts, that I guess is classed a small crossover (it's the burgundy thing in the top right). It did the job and was actually good fun to thrash around B roads and worked fine for one person - sometimes two - but for two or more golfers with all the gear you'd definitely want something a touch bigger:

The hotels and B&Bs were fine and loads of options are out there, obviously with finding good parking more difficult the more built up the area was in, but two places I did want to recommend were:

Dutch Mill, Aberdeen - small hotel, bar, restaurant, a mile or two West of town centre, rooms were big and modern and there was easy parking and it made getting to Royal Aberdeen dead easy

15 Peel Street, Partick, Glasgow - this was a full two bed apartment in a small block of flats near lots of pubs, restaurants, subway/train/bus stations, that made an excellent home away from home 3 night stay and was a good break from being in hotels and B&Bs. Would work well for playing Ayr coasts, while leaving non-golfers a city to explore.

A couple of non-golf pics (NOTE: all pics can be clicked to see bigger versions) and then onto the courses!

London:

Ely, Cambridgeshire:

Scottish Highlands:

The Clachann Inn, St. John's Town of Dalry:

Duxford Imperial War Museum

Now I'm hardly a world beater and I like what I like, which might not be what you like, but I've seen enough courses to have some idea what's what and with that here's what I think of this lot. And with the exception of Princes I'd play any of these again, with the top half being courses I'd run, not walk, back to.

**14. Princes (Himalayas/Shore) - Someone has to 'win' the wooden spoon**

- there are some interesting greens and interesting movement on some fairways, particularly on the Shore 9, but for the most part it was all just quite straight forward and quite plain

- Softer than any of the other courses, which could be due in part to the work going on

- at times the Himalayas 9 even reminded me a touch of Kiawah Ocean course, which certainly isn't something you want on a links course, no need to return, would rather just play more at the other two or drive down to Littlestone

**13. Moray Old - Fighter jets and gorse**

- classic play out of town and then back to town layout, and apart from 1 and 18, it's a very level walk through gorse corridors, as RAF fighters take off overhead

- speaking of the gorse it doesn't infringe on play nearly as much as some may say, even when myself and Edaw68 conspired to put a ball into the yellow thick stuff, it remained in play

- 18 is as fantastic finish a finish as some may say, to a solid old school course

**12. Fraserburgh - Just wait till you climb the hill**

- leave aside 1 and 18, which serve no useful purpose other than to warm up and then get you back to the car park, the Corbie Hill course is a charmer full of greens hidden behind sandhills, tee shots that seemingly fall forever, and ever present wind

- the par 3s form a strong quartet and the short fours offer up tantalizing little pitches to wonderfully sited greens - not as polished as the tour bus courses, but absolutely worth a play

**11. New Zealand GC - "No, no sir: we're a proper club"**

- as I was informed by the lovely club secretary when I asked about a code for the gentlemens locker room

- this place does have a wonderful old world feel to it, from that initial meeting, through to the golf course itself, not in a museum piece way, but in a forget the outside world way

- very springy fairways that led to a few 'good' drives finding the rough or heather and with it not being that long, more 3 irons could have been the way to go on the shorter holes

- green complexes had some really cool contours to them, that really upped the interest for approach shots and putting - like many other Surrey courses, makes for a great option on arrival day

**10. Walton Heath New - Not just the other course**

- strong ballstriking course, need to weave the ball between the heather and bunkers, with no real let down holes, but still easier and not quite as full on as the Old Course

- the long views were something else as the two 18s intertwined with one another throughout

- made for a great start to a 36 hole day, with wonderful service from the club secretary and clubhouse staff

- conditioning was excellent, one of the best on the trip and the greens were second only to the Old course on the trip

**9. Royal Troon - A course in three acts**

- straight forward and straight out and away from the club house, with where to go well defined, solid but unspectacular

- then shots played to every bearing on the compass, up down and around dunes, varied length and doglegs, plus the brilliant postage stamp which a 9 iron and two putts later I parred

- back to the clubhouse but with more movement and less obvious than the opening stretch with a couple genuine winners thrown in

- was pleasantly surprised and found it more fun than Birkdale for instance

**8. Castle Stuart - New money Dornoch**

- another pleasant surprise, after not being that keen on Kingsbarns after a 36 hole day there, I found Castle Stuart more interesting and fun, as it feels like a course worth a few plays with new things to learn and reveal

- that said, CS is golfing p o r n in its presentation, with continual, revealing long views across the water and gorse covered hills

- was the first of the bonkers wind rounds, with the first three holes dead into it, fortunately myself and Edaw68 managed some good golf to go with the good company and had a very enjoyable round

**7. Elie - Perfect answer to not getting picked in the TOC ballot**

- had myself, Fredstar, and Bluebone got picked we never would have played this course... I think we were all happy with the way things played out -

- this is a spectacular spot for a golf course, with the town, coastline, and headlands all featuring -

- the variety in the 16 par 4s is something else, you don't miss an extra par 3 or a par 5 or two -

- while an out and in routing, the length and bearing of the holes varied ever so well and add in the gale force winds and it was anything but ordinary

- I could play Elie, TOC, and Eden course and be completely satisfied with my Fife golf, really play this course

**6. Huntercombe - I could be a member here**

- Fantastic green complexes, with lots of mounding and depressions protecting the greens

- after a short par 3, the next four holes (including the lauded 2nd) play down and back up a hill, before leveling off for the rest of the round, but without any loss of interest that sometimes comes from routings on flatter land, and with multiple sub-18 hole loops

- another firm heathland course, with an excellent collection of par 4s

- I joined up with a member on the 1st tee and we had a great time and now I've got a playing partner for when I'm next back in the neighbourhood

**5. Walton Heath Old - Get ready for a fight**

- playing the course two days after US Open qualifying was an absolute treat, as the greens and the overall condition of the course were superb and definitely turned the dial up to '11'

- like Ganton and Woodhall Spa there's no d i c k i n g about here, pick good lines, make good swings, and savour the results... or don't do those things and be ready for a scrap

- on yet another windy day, the run from 2 to 8 was the strongest stretch I played on the trip, with anything not hit on the screws being left to the whim of the elements

- fortunately a couple of cracking two-shot par 5s in the closing stretch allowed two putt birdies to dab some salve on the wounds

**4. Delamere Forest - Heathland winner of the trip**

- great piece of land for a golf course, with cleverly presented downhill targets and crowned uphillers

- played as bouncy and firm as you'd want from an exposed heathland track

- driveable par 4s, blind shots, just the right amount of bunkering, it's all on offer here

**3. Royal Dornoch - The original resort course blueprint?**

- dare I say it? Overrated? Not in a drastic way, just in a "world best" way. As it's a fantastic track, lots of fun, and I played really well and had an enjoyable morning with a classy fella from the US making up our twosome

- the walk to the third tee is something else and it's hard not to be taken in by the surroundings, but does it have too many samey holes and maybe one or two pedestrian ones as well?

- definitely favours right to left off the tee, if that's your shape you're in luck

- I'll return - especially since I have 110GBP in credit unless someone wants to make a deal - and maybe think even more of it with multiple plays

**2. Royal Aberdeen - Mmm... Duney**

- it's always a bit of a backhander to the remaining holes, but wow is the front 9 at Balgownie an absolute joy, starting out with the supply ships and sea in front of you and then taking a quick turn to go down into, and play from the top of, massive dunes

- reminded me some of the big-duned Irish courses, especially in comparison to the relatively subdued dunes of many Scottish courses

- the framing of the holes on the front was spot on and while not as dramatic, there is still lots of good stuff to be found on the back

**1. Royal Cinque Ports - Everything I'd want in a links**

- yes the first hole is average, some of the holes out at the far end may lack movement, and it's an out and in routing, but faults be damned I adore this course

- hidden and obscured greens with contours, at turns subtle and epic

- the dune ridges through the centre of the course that give you any manner of stances and approach shots

- the wind which makes the brilliant par 5 3rd an all world two-shotter and the following par 3 4th a lesson in finesse, then as you turn for home that wind requires a run of solid ball striking to try and hold onto the score you cobbled together on the way out

- I'd take the pair of Deal and Royal St. Georges up against any pair of close-proximity courses and Deal definitely made for a fabulous way to wrap up the golf on my trip

Fine report Duffer. Your itinerary was a lovely mix of courses which would entertain even the most hardened traveller...I am envious.

Its been a time since I played Delamere. Superb routing and and awesome use of the house. The greens, however, are consistently flatish and without much interest...hence DF takes a big hit from me. I have no idea what happened with Fowler in this case because his greens are usually good and in the case of Beau Desert (not all that far away) they are great.

I greatly admire the bones of Huntercombe. The humps n' hollows are a wonderful alternative to bunkering. Although the original layout with its many centreline bunkers looks a better design. One of the great aspects of Huntercombe (same for New Zealand) is one feels he has entered a world of old when combining the house and course. The vibe is very genteel, but both courses can eat your lunch. If you like the humps and hollows you must play Kington.

Elie....great, great course. As you rightly say the town is lovely as well. There has been virtually no tourist development. The cricket on the beach is very cool as well. I was just there for three nights in May, sadly no cricket. Elie is most definitely not a consolation prize for the TOC ballot.

You should give Princes another go, but play the proper 18. You were given a terribly steer by playing Hims over Dunes. The Dunes is one of the best 9s in England and stands right there with Sandwich's front 9 and Deal's back 9.

I just played Deal again last Thursday. I don't know how Deal doesn't make top 100 world with room to spare. The awesome greens alone (the first also being a very good green just over the burn) make Deal something very special. I like the new work on the 16th with the left fairway as a choice. I will say the course (well 12-18) is a bit too tough for me in any sort of wind, but there is no denying its quality.

Ciao

Awesome pics, great writeup, thanks for posting!

We are just short of 5 weeks from leaving - got my email confirming my tee time for a "Gents Open" I'm playing at Kilmarnock is set - and was informed I'll be playing with a couple of other out of towners who are from Belfast, the day after . . . . . . my wife and I take a ferry day trip to . . . . . Belfast! We'll talk a little treason, lol. Karma-like and looking forward to participating. Wife and I are in a mixed greensomes over east at Winterfield the next week - cheap way to play, but also wanted to meet some people and experience the courses in a different way.

Great par on the postage stamp! Your post and a recent trip report that included Prestwick have me anxious to go.

Fun to read what some may consider "dissenting" opinions. My experience with links golf is pretty limited and just based on last year's first trip over. For me The Old Course is on its own list of one as a combination of course/experience, but on the other list of all the courses I've played anywhere (limited compared to many wrxers for sure), Royal Dornoch is my favorite, but really, I loved every course we played for different reasons (except the Struie course at Dornoch). Interestingly, on the way back from Chicago Sunday as much as she thinks Royal Dornoch is an awesome golf course, my daughter absolutely loved Brora and that is the course she talks about (again, after The Old Course) more than any other we played - it's almost like she is, but not quite, apologizing for not liking it as much as Royal Dornoch.

Missed a chance to meet up with a wrxer to play Moray Old last year, still disappointed we couldn't get down there, and just aren't familiar with any near Troon or North Berwick, but happy to enjoy a round or a dram and learn more about their areas/courses if the chance presents itself.

Liked the pics of the courses in England. Have seen some course vlogs from folks that have played those and always thought they would be interesting tracks, Delamere in particular. Any more pics?

Deal's back 9 and RSG front are pretty special. I personally thought RSG is my favorite links after TOC. Sunningdale was more enjoyable to me than Walton Heath as the gorse and heather at WH was pretty penal for sure.

Great report, @duffer987. Makes me very jealous that you've played all those courses, and I live in north west England! I've played Delamere and agree that it's a great course. I played it when it was a little browner though. Looks very lush from the rain that we've had recently. I'm playing Royal Dornoch in August so I'm glad to see it up there. Not as highly as some have rated it, but still very excited about playing.

@Hawkeye77 - 5 weeks will fly past! TBF they really are all for the most part good fun and so beyond what we typically get here and with the exception of the Castle Course, I don't think I've played a 'destination course' in the UK or Ireland where I thought I'd rather be elsewhere.

The postage stamp was the nerviest 130 odd yard shot I've made. It backed up a bit there, so the group behind us with their caddies were also on the tee with us. So getting kudos from the caddies was neat. One of the guys I was playing with actually got a sandy out of coffin bunker, it was well impressive!

The downside of course is always returning home to your regular courses after playing all these beauties. Fortunately I have a really cool muni to play here, so it wasn't terrible.

Clicking on any pic sends you to my flickr account, but the main page is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/13623225@N00/albums

@schley - I am still to get to Sunny - definitely #1 on my list! I typically just try to make rounds fit into when and where I'll be somewhere, but I think next time I plan to go over, I will secure a day there and build around it. WH Old from when you cross the road until you get to the far corner beside the M25 and turn around, was an absolute beast into the wind, a couple 4's I couldn't reach in two even with good hits - of course having Driver/7 iron into those two par 5s takes the sting off.

@jonnymc44 - that's it, when things are next door it's easily enough done, not getting to places. I grew up around Vancouver and pretty much everyone I met from elsewhere had been up to Whistler (our big ski resort) long before I ever got there. Dornoch is class, it really is. I had such an enjoyable morning round, I passed on my afternoon replay as I didn't want to 'spoil' the day - if that makes sense. You're in for a cracking time.

> @"El Gringo" said:

> Fine report Duffer. Your itinerary was a lovely mix of courses which would entertain even the most hardened traveller...I am envious.

>

> Its been a time since I played Delamere. Superb routing and and awesome use of the house. The greens, however, are consistently flatish and without much interest...hence DF takes a big hit from me. I have no idea what happened with Fowler in this case because his greens are usually good and in the case of Beau Desert (not all that far away) they are great.

>

> I greatly admire the bones of Huntercombe. The humps n' hollows are a wonderful alternative to bunkering. Although the original layout with its many centreline bunkers looks a better design. One of the great aspects of Huntercombe (same for New Zealand) is one feels he has entered a world of old when combining the house and course. The vibe is very genteel, but both courses can eat your lunch. If you like the humps and hollows you must play Kington.

>

> Elie....great, great course. As you rightly say the town is lovely as well. There has been virtually no tourist development. The cricket on the beach is very cool as well. I was just there for three nights in May, sadly no cricket. Elie is most definitely not a consolation prize for the TOC ballot.

>

> You should give Princes another go, but play the proper 18. You were given a terribly steer by playing Hims over Dunes. The Dunes is one of the best 9s in England and stands right there with Sandwich's front 9 and Deal's back 9.

>

> I just played Deal again last Thursday. I don't know how Deal doesn't make top 100 world with room to spare. The awesome greens alone (the first also being a very good green just over the burn) make Deal something very special. I like the new work on the 16th with the left fairway as a choice. I will say the course (well 12-18) is a bit too tough for me in any sort of wind, but there is no denying its quality.

>

> Ciao

>

>

Thanks a lot! As a single or twosome it really is easy to get on these non-tourist trail courses and get a really wide experience of UK courses - as you fortunately know being lucky enough to living there. And I am running out of my own personal 'must plays' so I think I will get a few more A/B road courses in next time, at the expense of the motorway courses - to attempt a tenuous analogy.

Ya I rang up Princes on Friday afternoon from M20 services and asked about Sat morning (since I was playing Deal in the afternoon) and that was what I got. When I was done 18, there was no one on the tee of the Dunes and no one on the course until maybe the 3rd hole, so I thought for a moment of hopping on and then settling up in the proshop afterwards, but with the afternoon round decided against it. Instead Sandwich was having their France Weekend Festival, so I had a nice walk around and lunch. Duly noted on the Dunes though - I will bear it in mind next time I'm down there.

I wonder if I played Deal 20 times a year if I would be less bullish, as I can see always coming in against the wind maybe wears thin after a while. But now that 16 is a cool split approach par 5, there's a bit of let up. I actually had some very solid and satisfying pars at 13, 16, 17 before getting hammered for a 7 at 18... as I answered the question of whether I could clear the burn after a mediocre drive, with a resounding NO. Hitting a driver on the par 3 coming in was the 3rd and final time of the trip I needed to do that. From an administerial POV, I also like that they now just have white tees at 6600 on the scorecard instead of the previous choice of 6400/6800 yellow/whites, there or thereabouts.

Yes that's why I could really see being a member at Huntercombe, as in addition to the quality of the course, you really have that sense of getting away from it there and with options to easily carve off your round after 5 or 11holes, for those after work/before work days. I'd not really thought about DF's greens being dull as such, I enjoyed the movement of the property and the variety of the approachs, I'll have a closer look next time. Interesting you mention Beau Desert, I know ones Fowler and ones Park Jr, but some of the bunkerless green surrounds at Huntercombe reminded me of BD.

Wow, great read.

I was in Scotland for the month of May and I can climb the wall into the Dutch Mill from my house. You lucked out with the weather but It was so cold in May. I was frozen most of the month and really disappointed that the weather was worse than normal! I still got on the course 18 times with a few practice days, shame I missed out in 4 comp days I was supped to play in.

I am determined to play with a GolfWrxer at Royal Aberdeen!

And after three, week long trips to Whistler, this winter its Revi for me!

> @scott_Donald said:

> Wow, great read.

>

> I was in Scotland for the month of May and I can climb the wall into the Dutch Mill from my house. You lucked out with the weather but It was so cold in May. I was frozen most of the month and really disappointed that the weather was worse than normal! I still got on the course 18 times with a few practice days, shame I missed out in 4 comp days I was supped to play in.

>

> I am determined to play with a GolfWrxer at Royal Aberdeen!

>

> And after three, week long trips to Whistler, this winter its Revi for me!

Ha. Ya I think we were both crossing the Atlantic at the same time, just in opposite directions. With lots of parking and cask ale available in the bar, Dutch Mill was a no-brainer.

You've got a fantastic course there. I went off on my own at 08:00 and being a swing, get to ball, swing again guy, I had to deliberately slow down at times to enjoy being there, take some pics, take some extra putts, and stare out at the sea. 3I to 15' on 3 was definitely the highlight, such a cool hole... one of many obviously.

I was digging my keys out of my bag beside the practice green around 10:40 or so and the starter came up to me and asked which group I was in. I told him - "oh I've been around already" and he looked at the clock and "well done, well done".

> @duffer987 said:

> > @scott_Donald said:

> > Wow, great read.

> >

> > I was in Scotland for the month of May and I can climb the wall into the Dutch Mill from my house. You lucked out with the weather but It was so cold in May. I was frozen most of the month and really disappointed that the weather was worse than normal! I still got on the course 18 times with a few practice days, shame I missed out in 4 comp days I was supped to play in.

> >

> > I am determined to play with a GolfWrxer at Royal Aberdeen!

> >

> > And after three, week long trips to Whistler, this winter its Revi for me!

>

> Ha. Ya I think we were both crossing the Atlantic at the same time, just in opposite directions. With lots of parking and cask ale available in the bar, Dutch Mill was a no-brainer.

> You've got a fantastic course there. I went off on my own at 08:00 and being a swing, get to ball, swing again guy, I had to deliberately slow down at times to enjoy being there, take some pics, take some extra putts, and stare out at the sea. 3I to 15' on 3 was definitely the highlight, such a cool hole... one of many obviously.

> I was digging my keys out of my bag beside the practice green around 10:40 or so and the starter came up to me and asked which group I was in. I told him - "oh I've been around already" and he looked at the clock and "well done, well done".

At the start of May I played the second and couldn't reach with a 2 iron, no wind its a 6 iron for me. That day was a nice 40mph wind from the North and hail, was not fun at all. My dads friends in the clubhouse as I was teeing off were banging on the wind saying don't do it!

We are lucky we only have 350 full members and maybe 100 other members so its easy to fly around as long as you miss the block bookings of visitors. I normally play at 7pm and can get all the way round in 2 hours 15. I get a month of golf in August and September and looking forward to it! especially on a day like today when I am stuck in for a delivery and it has not come yet!

Excellent report Duffer. Golf p o r n is a perfect description for Castle Stuart, just amazing touristy views. But no one should ignore it just because it's new. My second round there really opened my eyes to a ton of different shot options, it's very well done.

For those reading Duffer didn't mention it, but he had the shot of the trip on 17 at Castle Stuart. 200 plus yard par 3, into a brutal wind (sustained 25, close to 40 gusts) and he hits a knockdown driver right at the flag over a bunker, and disappears behind a small mound rolling toward the flag, to about 5 or 6 feet. The base of the flag/hole was blind from the tee, and I was purposefully not saying anything for fear of jinxing it, but I thought it was in. Great shot, Grant Rogers would be proud.

Dornoch is worth it's rep, really only one weak hole (#7) which is being rebuilt to be closer to a cliff edge and probably more dramatic that way. I loved the blind over the cliff holes where you can lay up to a cliff edge, or chance driver over a stake for a fairway below you.

Moray Old had some great par 3's, and landing lights on the holes from the RAF base were kind of a cool gimmick for me.

And for anyone going up to the Inverness area of Scotland, don't miss Brora. An absolute blast to play.

> @Edaw68 said:

> Excellent report Duffer. Golf p o r n is a perfect description for Castle Stuart, just amazing touristy views. But no one should ignore it just because it's new. My second round there really opened my eyes to a ton of different shot options, it's very well done.

>

> For those reading Duffer didn't mention it, but he had the shot of the trip on 17 at Castle Stuart. 200 plus yard par 3, into a brutal wind (sustained 25, close to 40 gusts) and he hits a knockdown driver right at the flag over a bunker, and disappears behind a small mound rolling toward the flag, to about 5 or 6 feet. The base of the flag/hole was blind from the tee, and I was purposefully not saying anything for fear of jinxing it, but I thought it was in. Great shot, Grant Rogers would be proud.

>

> Dornoch is worth it's rep, really only one weak hole (#7) which is being rebuilt to be closer to a cliff edge and probably more dramatic that way. I loved the blind over the cliff holes where you can lay up to a cliff edge, or chance driver over a stake for a fairway below you.

>

> Moray Old had some great par 3's, and landing lights on the holes from the RAF base were kind of a cool gimmick for me.

>

> And for anyone going up to the Inverness area of Scotland, don't miss Brora. An absolute blast to play.

Haha! Thanks! That was without a doubt my shot of the year: 202.5 yds to the flag and hit it 201. I would have called it a golfing season right there had it eeked out that last 5 feet! Good that you had a more subdued 2nd round there to get another look at the course.

An absolute pleasure to join a fellow Bandonista for two rounds too, that really was brutal wind, I don't know what it is with the coming together of WRXers, but Elie was similar.

@Edaw68 - do they have decent 3-wheel pushcarts at Brora? Definitely want to get to it next time around.

Brora has nice trolleys and bovine assistants!

FYI, the electric trolleys are pretty nice also, we used those the next morning for round 2!

^Nice! I like the one giving you a p i s s off stare.

Reminds me of Pennard in Wales - the thwack of a golf ball (done by a playing partner, not me) on a cow's backside is quite loud.

Edit: Total props for playing links courses with 'Stensons'. Well done sir, Well done.

I wouldn't turn down a round at Delamere under any circumstances as it's a course that always feels very special to me for reasons I can't quite state. Brora was the same way when I visited the Highlands. Can't say either of them is the best course I've ever played objectively speaking. But they have that sense of *place* along with excellent golf terrain that is hard to find just anywhere.

On the other hand Sandwich is probably the best course I've ever played. I can't think of a better place to hold a major championship and I can't think of a better place for a round with my weak 17-handicapper's game. And the sense of place out among those big dunes is awesome.

I remember spending a week staying in the town of Deal playing at Royal Cinque Ports every day, with a side trip for a 36-hole day (plus lunch) at Royal St. George's. If I were a rich man that's how I'd live out my days. One week like that after another.

> @"North Butte" said:

> I wouldn't turn down a round at Delamere under any circumstances as it's a course that always feels very special to me for reasons I can't quite state. Brora was the same way when I visited the Highlands. Can't say either of them is the best course I've ever played objectively speaking. But they have that sense of *place* along with excellent golf terrain that is hard to find just anywhere.

>

> On the other hand Sandwich is probably the best course I've ever played. I can't think of a better place to hold a major championship and I can't think of a better place for a round with my weak 17-handicapper's game. And the sense of place out among those big dunes is awesome.

>

> I remember spending a week staying in the town of Deal playing at Royal Cinque Ports every day, with a side trip for a 36-hole day (plus lunch) at Royal St. George's. If I were a rich man that's how I'd live out my days. One week like that after another.

Royal St. Georges is my favorite English course and like you I'm not keen to prescribe best/worst, but agree wholeheartedly.

It's like if someone asks what's my favorite Scottish course, I can immediately reply North Berwick, if someone asks from favorite English course, equally easy. Although I wouldn't proclaim NB the 'best', I very might well say so with RSG.

I use a travel time guide to determine my general recommendations on the experience of the day...so not purely course quality...that is a different matter. Delamere falls short of worthy a significant day trip (5 hours of drive time which roughly equals a round and drinks) . It can be a tough system, but it does sort the wheat from the chaff. The entire guide is below. Basically, a 1* is a very high recommendation.

3* Don't miss for any reason

2* Plan a significant trip around this course

1* Worth an overnight detour

R Worth A Significant Day Trip (no more driving than it takes to play and have drinks)

r A good fall back on course/trip filler

NR Not recommended

Ciao

> @duffer987 said:

> ^Nice! I like the one giving you a p i s s off stare.

> Reminds me of Pennard in Wales - the thwack of a golf ball (done by a playing partner, not me) on a cow's backside is quite loud.

>

> Edit: Total props for playing links courses with 'Stensons'. Well done sir, Well done.

I'm expecting big things out of them at Royal Troon!!

> @Hawkeye77 said:

> > @duffer987 said:

> > ^Nice! I like the one giving you a p i s s off stare.

> > Reminds me of Pennard in Wales - the thwack of a golf ball (done by a playing partner, not me) on a cow's backside is quite loud.

> >

> > Edit: Total props for playing links courses with 'Stensons'. Well done sir, Well done.

>

> I'm expecting big things out of them at Royal Troon!!

Ah you're getting a round in there, neat. I actually took Stensons for an Irish links trip in 2017. Ended up selling them, as I wasn't playing them fulltime and thought someone else could enjoy them.

Speaking of trolleys, Troon turned out to have the 2nd worse trolleys of the trip, the old shiny metal ones, but they did still have a pokey 3rd wheel.

great read and a terrific list of courses to play, very jealous :-)

> @scott_Donald said:

> Wow, great read.

>

> I was in Scotland for the month of May and I can climb the wall into the Dutch Mill from my house. You lucked out with the weather but It was so cold in May. I was frozen most of the month and really disappointed that the weather was worse than normal! I still got on the course 18 times with a few practice days, shame I missed out in 4 comp days I was supped to play in.

>

>** **I am determined to play with a GolfWrxer at Royal Aberdeen!

****>

> And after three, week long trips to Whistler, this winter its Revi for me!

You could always twist my arm to join you at Royal Aberdeen.

> @"i*windows" said:

> great read and a terrific list of courses to play, very jealous :-)

Thanks, it's the "benefit" of having typical North American golf buddies who cannot see beyond South of the Wall or to the other side of the Irish Sea, that I can just stuff 'em and go do these haphazard jaunts :-)

Going to Inverness first week of September with 4 others. We arrive Monday, start playing Tuesday. We already have tee times to play Castle Stuart (2x), Brora & Golspie, Royal Dornoch (2x), Nairn (2x), Moray New & Old. 5 days, 10 rounds. Should be a blast. Worried about weather that time of the year. Any recommendations for wet weather gear? We're all from California, never play in rain, but we do go out when it's cold (~35-40F).

September in Inverness should be fairly settled. A base layer and a windstopper plus usual waterproof gear should be enough to see you through all situations.

> @"eclectic taste" said:

> Going to Inverness first week of September with 4 others. We arrive Monday, start playing Tuesday. We already have tee times to play Castle Stuart (2x), Brora & Golspie, Royal Dornoch (2x), Nairn (2x), Moray New & Old. 5 days, 10 rounds. Should be a blast. Worried about weather that time of the year. Any recommendations for wet weather gear? We're all from California, never play in rain, but we do go out when it's cold (~35-40F).

Two Goretex jackets/pullovers + one pair of rain pants + two pair of shoes + lots of socks + two sets of rain gloves + one rain hat. That'd see you through a week if the weather turns.

Something like this can double as a 1/2 sleeve windbreaker when it's not raining: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Zero-Restriction-Gore-Tex-Waterproof-Stealth-1-2-zip-half-sleeve-rain-jacket/152320290011?hash=item2376ff2cdb%3Am%3AmxLZwfMC_hiJCfKqU8gCc2w%3Asc%3AUSPSPriority%2178758%21US%21-1&LH_ItemCondition=1000

> @"eclectic taste" said:

> Going to Inverness first week of September with 4 others. We arrive Monday, start playing Tuesday. We already have tee times to play Castle Stuart (2x), Brora & Golspie, Royal Dornoch (2x), Nairn (2x), Moray New & Old. 5 days, 10 rounds. Should be a blast. Worried about weather that time of the year. Any recommendations for wet weather gear? We're all from California, never play in rain, but we do go out when it's cold (~35-40F).

Well I get married on September 7 on the west coast of Scotland and really hoping it is going to be a gorgeous day.

I have a waterproof jacket in my bag, and if forecast is going to be bad and I have to play; use my big bag with an umbrella(if not windy), full waterproofs and an extra towel. You can hire or use a push cart on days like this. I think I have used my big bag 10 times in the last 5 years! but I am a fair weather golfer!

I played all 27 at Princes in March; it’s funny because the only holes that stand out to me in memory are from the Himalayas 9. Not to say the shore and dunes were bad, but the Himalayas was the most fun, if perhaps the least “Traditional links” of the 3. (Perhaps the 210 yard 4 iron I hit on 9 to 15 feet is swaying my memory.)

Regardless your trip is the type I wish I could one day take. Thank you for the fantastic write-up.