Well said John, your respect and reverance of Machrihanish comes through load and clear.
I agree, the first is a 'bottler', and once experienced, other lauded openers around the golfing globe pale by comparison.
I too, love the stretch between 3-8 and, combined with the 1st, this makes for a great outward half.
What a shame there are not more 6200 yard courses around, although, it is pleasing to see how Tom Doak is attempting to reverse the ugly modern trend.
During my research for Links Golf: The Inside Story, I found Anna Anderson (Sec/Manager) most helpful and charming.
Any red-blooded golfer who enjoys links golf, and has not sampled Machrihanish, has missed an experience just as educative as TOC, Cruden Bay, Prestwick, and Brora.
Make it a priority!