Golf in Scotland

[Txxxxxxx]

Anyone ever play TRUE links style golf in Scotland before?

Well I did...Let me tell you...The links style courses here in comparison to links style I have played in Canada are night and day. I played Murcar Links. It's a semi-private course near Aberdeen. I got on with a co-worker who is a member there. The elevation changes and the rolling hills are ridiculous. They don't have carts, which is standard for almost all of the courses I have looked at here. They do have pull carts, which they call buggies. Thank JEEEEBUS I had one of them or I would have been pooched after 9 holes.

I only lost two balls the entire round, but I was hitting out of the fescue on 90% of my second shots. It didn't matter if you stripe one down the middle. The fairways are firm and the ball will most likely roll down the side into the junk. I don't think any of the three players, including myself, had one flat lie where the ball was at even level with our feet. Besides on the tee box of course.

The greens were very nice, but there is literally no grain to them, so reading putts is a bit different. You must also ALWAYS select a club shorter than your yardage. If you land pin high, you will have no less than ten to fifteen feet past the hole for your putt. Almost every green had severe slopes around the edges. So if you were off, you were chipping up and over a ridge.

I now have a better appreciation for The Open and how difficult the conditions are. I only had links style courses in Canada to compare it to, but it's a totally different beast on the ones here.

Anyway...The link for the course is below. Check it out!

http://www.murcarlinks.com/

[mgedit]

Spent 3 weeks on golf holiday in Northeast of Scotland 3 years ago (where I was born many years ago). You are right, it is a different and very challenging game. Played links courses exclusively. Locals like to say nae wind, nae rain ... it's nae golf! One of the courses had a strand of electric fence around every green to keep the sheep off! If you truly love the game, you really need to plan to play in Scotland once in your life. Of course, the Scotch and beer are good too Cheers, Mike

[Txxxxxxx]

I'm lucky enough to take advantage of being here for work every second month. I don't always have a lot of free time, but when I do, I'm going to try and play some of the more famous courses. I'm looking into making a trip South to Gleneagles and Carnoustie at some point.

The biggest obstacle for actually planning golf here on the more notable courses, is they ballot system. It's basically a draw to see if you get a time. Fine for someone who is actually in the area, but not see easy for someone who has to travel from one city to the next.

[mgedit]

I must admit that some of the lesser known courses I played were just as much fun and very inexpensive compared with the "name" courses. You are in an enviable position. Hope you are able to get lots of golf in when you are there. Cheers, Mike

[funk-like]

I made 2 trips in 2009 for a total of 24 days in St.Andrews and surrounding areas. Golf was the only thing on my agenda and it was fantastic. Of course the Old Course is not to be missed, but I also loved the New and Jubilee as well as Castle - all in St.Andrews. South of there in Gullane (where Muirfield is) there are 3 great courses - Gullane 1, 2 and 3 and right next to it is the town of North Berwick where the North Berwick course is one of my favorites anywhere. You can't go wrong just trying to play any of the courses there - its an experience for sure. Embrace it, enjoy it and stay dry and warm!

[justsomeguy]

I'm lucky enough to take advantage of being here for work every second month. I don't always have a lot of free time, but when I do, I'm going to try and play some of the more famous courses. I'm looking into making a trip South to Gleneagles and Carnoustie at some point.

The biggest obstacle for actually planning golf here on the more notable courses, is they ballot system. It's basically a draw to see if you get a time. Fine for someone who is actually in the area, but not see easy for someone who has to travel from one city to the next.

You can avoid the ballot system by showing up early in the day as a walk-on single. You might have to wait an hour or two but you will probably get on. I played the Old Course at St-Andrews that way a few years ago and it was a great experience.

[Txxxxxxx]

Yeah I heard that from another fellow. I could do that no problem if I was going on my own, but I'd most probably be heading down that way with another golfer.

I'll give it a try though at some point for sure. At least if you don't get on The Old Course, it's probably possible to play one of the other ones there.

[mjf]

You can avoid the ballot system by showing up early in the day as a walk-on single. You might have to wait an hour or two but you will probably get on. I played the Old Course at St-Andrews that way a few years ago and it was a great experience.

It doesn't necessarily have to be early in the day either. I was there in May a couple of years ago and showed up at the Old Course around 3:30pm. There were 3 of us and we were really just hoping to get into the lottery for the next day. However, there was a spot for a single and a twosome within the next hour. So we teed off at 4:40 and finished at dusk.