Machrihanish golf club played on 14 and 15 September 2020

As previously stated we decided to leave Oban without playing the local golf course because of rain and wind. that is the Clencruitten Golf Course.

The course that the locals say is “One of the most beautiful spots in the world”. So off we went.

When we arrived at the south of the Kintyre peninsula we headed directly to the Machrihanish Golf Club. The weather was nice, mostly sunshine and just a little wind.  

And what did we found?

A view to a golf course rolling up and down, over dunes, into valleys and up again. Some greens are placed in these valleys. It looked like that it was a big hen sitting on its eggs that formed the depression, now ready for golf architects to design a green.

Here you can easily loose your sense of orientation and get lost.

The first round was more about finding our way. That is where to land your ball, still being in the fairway, as well as finding the direction to walk from the green to the next tee.

If you ever have been in the dunes on the west coast of Denmark, you will know what I’m talking about.

But to give you an idea I have found 2 photos that will illustrate what a real dunes course is all about, before it becomes a golf course.

Now you can go from these images and get a couple of arial photos of the  Machrihanish golf course.

You see; it is up and down. Not one blind shot after each other, but many.

There are posts to give you directions, but what about the bounce you cannot see?

In most cases, when over a hill, from the contours, you can predict how the ball will bounce. The logic in the layout is clear, you just need to play it a couple of times to see it.

This is not an easy course, but it’s a great and fun course to play. A course full of surprises. Not silly surprises, but clever surprises.

Therefore, this is not a course you only play once. You should play it many times. Stay here for at least a week and play this and the other Machrihanish course, called Machrihanish Dunes. (The next report will be about the dunes course).

When you arrive to the clubhouse, to the right of the first tee you will see these 2 signs:

Now you start to think; what is this all about “BEST OPENING HOLE OF GOLF IN THE WORLD” and who is the “authority” behind that evaluation and statement?

This is what the club is writing about the hole on their web site:

“The Machrihanish Golf Club has become well known over the years, especially for the Championship Course’s exceptional first hole, which requires the round’s opening shot to carry the Atlantic. “It can be a tough start, particularly into a breeze”.”

I don’t know about you, but I start to get a bit irritated over that kind of statement, more made to impress and attract green fee players than to give objective information about the course or a particular hole. (Are you surprised if I tell you that the golf course and nearby hotel is owned by a company named Southworth Development LLC, a privately held company based in Newton, Massachusettsan American company?).

The next picture is from the first tee. Just to the left of the sign. The fairway is running along the beach from right and into the middle of the picture.

This is a typical risk-reward hole. As more to the left over the beach you dare to go, and are successful, the more you will be rewarded. And if not successful, you will have to play a new ball or play the original from the beach, if low tide. In accordance to rule 17. And actually, you can find your ball if on the beach and also have good chance to play it as it lies.

I know at least one course in Denmark with a hole like this. Though – of course – the sea is not the Atlantic but the belt connecting the North Sea and Kattegat with the Baltic Sea.

The yellow dot is where the back tee is.

Take the short route and be sure or cross the sea and if successful you can reach this par 5 in 2 strokes.

But unsuccessful? Compared to the Machrihanish hole, the beach is not sand, but stones and seaweed. You will be very lucky if you can find your ball and, if you do, is able to get a shot at it. That is true risk-reward.

This is what Leading Courses write about Machrihanish:

“Here lies one of the really great treasures of Scottish golf; a golf course laid out on classic links ground that (in accordance to) Old Tom Morris was ‘designed by the Almighty for playing golf’. Old Tom made what must have been a long and tiresome journey from St Andrews to lay out the course in 1879 and his work has comfortably stood the test of time ever since. What joy there is to stand on the first tee at Machrihanish with the carry to the fairway that on what many believe to be the finest opening hole in Scottish golf.”

I should add that both J.H. Taylor and Guy Campbell have been involved in some redesign of the course.

Facts about the course

Unfortunately, due to the covid 19 and the fact that a new club house is under construction, all memorabilia, scorecard showing course records etc. is packed down and tucked away.

My game

It should be noted that I gave up scoring on my first round. Simply too impossible to play optimally on such a course the first time.

Evaluation Machrihanish golf course

Your questions, comments and recommendations are welcome