Two miles from Royal Dornoch on a site of Special Scientific interest. This, so a bunch of wealthy Americans can use our country as a playground, with green fees, no doubt, way beyond the reach of locals or most British golfers. No thank you. This is a disgrace.
Love the links. Got an ace at Musselburgh and hit the St. Andrews Lottery for a tee time 2 days after playing Brora and Dornoch. All of that is to say that it is ridiculous to think Could Links would have a dent on St. Andrews traffic. Oh wait, haha, you're just trying to start a ruckus with this nonsense. You kidder you. you got me!
No way the Dornoch area will rival the St. Andrews area. They don't have the infrastructure to handle a lot of overnight guests. Most of the coaches come for the day and then the golfers go back to Inverness where there are plenty of hotels and places to eat. The locals of Dornoch would like to see more commerce come to their town, but you maybe looking at 20 plus years before the area is built up enough to rival a major Scottish golf mecca. They have to first pass the Sutherland council which won't be so easy. I'm sure Keiser and Warnnock would love to build some type of lodge. That's what Mike does best. Someone should buy the Dornoch Hotel and renovate it first. I think the charm of Dornoch is the smallness and it being untouched. But, i do feel another golf course would be great!
Being a McDonald, I am biased to the highlands of course. Played Dornoch 3 times and after the first go around, it became my favorite place in Scotland to play - bar none. I am a huge fan of C and C and have played several of their designs from Oregon to Texas. They get it in my opinion and a spot up North would be awesome. If I hadn't got remarried, I would be in Dornoch every other year......
Just completed a 9 day trip that started in the Dornoch area and ended up on the Fife links at St Andrews. The northern route is wonderful and will only be enhanced by this addition from Mike Keiser. I have played most of his developments, including the Lost Farm in Tazmania, and all are world class. I have yet to go to Nova Scotia but will some day soon.
Royal Dornoch needs to be played. The others, Fortrose, Tain, Brora, Nairn are to be celebrated every day. The choice between them and Fife is tough, but history and more great courses condensed around such a small area makes Fife a perfect choice. Not usually mentioned but the two courses at Crail shoudl be included in every trip to Fife. The local links courses of Elie, Lundin Links and Leven Links are all Open Qualifiers and wonderful experiences.
There is a much more laid back in the northern counties but for golf, Fife is the place.
There has been a favorable mention for Cruden Bay and I have to agree with the comments. It is a very diffcult track and itbeat me up both times playing it. It is often included on the list of great golf courses in the world and should be. Tough, quirky, intesing challenging, and lots of fun to play. If you are looking to play in the wind, play here.
While I favor Fife, there is no downside to going on the northern route and you will be favorably surprised by the weather which is much nicer than expected by heading that far north.
I have had the pleasure of the work of Coors and Crenshaw on a recent visit to Pinehurst at the Dormie Club. Using natural terrain they created a delight, given what they will have to work with here they will be pushed to mess this one up. A await with anticipation this region is my favourite part of Scotland. We are blessed in GBand I with many fantastic Links golf courses and often it is not the named ones we wax lyrically about but the hidden gems. Their famous friends attract the tourist golfer the must play bucket list golfer and as the comments below often they are underwhelming and pricey. A once in a lifetime trip should include some of these but do not miss out on the local courses they are a delight and your wallet will be heavier, extra whiskey tastings!
Just got back from a 13 course trip up the East coast Scotland trip starting at St. Andrews and ending at the Royal Dornoch. Aside from the history the Old Course does not hold a candle to many of the others in terms of pure golf, design, challenge, conditioning or views. Dornoch, Kingsbarns, Cruden Bay and Trump were all outstanding. The Old Course, Carnoustie and Jubilee were very underwhelming given their reputations. Glad I played them once but that is enough. I would go back to Dornoch in a heartbeat.
Why do we need another golf course? Can't we leave open vegetated space alone for a change?
This article, and the comments just made me sit back at gaze dreamily out of my office window for about 10 minutes. Made the pilgrimage to Scotland in 2002. and played North Berwick (west), Dunbar, Gullane, Kingsbarns, St. Andrews (old), St. Andrews (new), and Carnoustie. Drove north to play Cruden Bay (twice), Royal Dornoch, Brora, and Nairn. Each course, and each location has its' own charm, and its' own challenge, and there are still so many well known, and less well known courses to play in that beautiful country. How do parents pick a favorite child? How do golfers who appreciate history, design, challenge, pick a favorite among these links? I trust Coore and Crenshaw to do justice to one of the few TRUE linksland locations remaining on this planet (Linksland being a defined geographical piece of land with definitive characteristics, and also in short supply on this earth). My only worry is that, with all of their designs, it will be built to keep most golfers away with Trumpian green fees. Finally if I could predict my time of dying, and could arrange for it to happen at Cruden Bay, or Royal Dornoch, I would be fine with that.
Played a similar tour in 2004( St. Andrews, Kinsbarn, Nairn, Gleneagle) and fell in love with Royal Dornoch. At the time many believed to be the finest course in Scotland and should be an Open site...but the lack of accommodations was a "handicap". It was a long bus ride from decent hotels. An anecdote: Put my approach in a bunker and my chip out went across the green into another bunker...after repeating this 3 times my caddie said "I'll wait here (by one of e bunkers), you'll be back" Still would go back.
While you are on the A90 stop off at Edzell and try 18 holes of Scottish devilment. All looks nice and simple then snap the strange bounce a bunker you did not see a gentle grass slope that brings the ball back to your feet so slowly that everyone can enjoy your embarrassment. It is great fun and locals are friendly too, never completed a round on my own yet. The town is worth a walk round as well. Then of course there is the drive up the Glen. Now where were you going.
