Brora (pictures)

[Philip Gawith]

Although this course is often mentioned here, I don't recall seeing pictures.

Here are a few that hopefully whet some appetites and serve as good memories for others. They are by no means complete, and I am a little vague about one or two of the holes, but they give a reasonable flavour of the location.

A little Christmas taster....


approach to the short par four 1st



View from 2nd tee




The 2nd fairway



The 2nd green



The 3rd...



Difficult short par three 6th



More of the 6th



And 6th green from the right - lots of slope, difficult to hit and hold, especially with a long iron in your hand and wind howling in your face!



Help....!




Short par three 9th




The 9th again



View from behind long par four 10th



The tantalisingly short par three 13th



Top of the course - view from 16th green



The 17th green - probably the most difficult hole on the course. If you hit this in two you are good, or lucky.

[Jeff_Mingay]

I haven't been to Brora yet, but the site looks similar to the property we're working with at Inverness, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia; specifically the course's proximity to the beach and the town, and the highlands in the distance.    

Interesting.

[Tom_Doak]

Philip:

Thanks for those pictures, although from what I remember of the course, it is much prettier than that as the sun starts going down.

The 17th is quite a golf hole.

[Philip Gawith]

You are right Tom - I will try to take some more pictures when I am up there in May. Certainly I have not done justice to 17!

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Isn't this just how golf was meant to be played!

[David_Tepper]

Philip -

Thanks for the pix. Looks like it was just a wee bit breezy that day.

DT

[ForkaB]

Good stuff, Philip

The "Help!" hole is the 7th, with the people behind the green teeing off on the long 8th.

If Kellyt Blake Moran is listening maybe he can post some of the great pictures of Brora he took during the 1st GCA Ryder/Buda Cup in 2003.

[Andy Levett]

No, it's rubbish. Don't go near the place.   More reasons to avoid it here

[ChipOat]

Andy:

Not challenging your opinion but what's so crummy about Brora?

It's not supposed to be Dornoch.  And it is, after all, the Highlands.

Assuming they had the cash (they don't) what should the town fathers do to de-rubbish their course?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I still cannot believe after multiple trips to the area that all I have done is look at a few holes over a pint.

[Mike_Cirba]

The 9th and 13th look like holes you could just play all day long.  

I'm sitting here in the middle of an ice storm and it looks like heaven right now.

[David_Tepper]

chipoat -

If you click thru the link on Andy Levett's post, you will soon realize that his comments here are more than a little facetious.

There is some evidence that Brora has become "discovered" (which I think is what Andy L.'s comments are trying to discourage). Last year, a 24-unit apartment/condo building was built on the site of the Golf Links Hotel, overlooking the Brora course. Because the units sold out so quickly, the developers have just announced they are acquiring another nearby property, where they will construct  a 17-unit building.

Fairway condos in the Highlands - who would have thought it possible?!?!

DT          

[Andy Levett]

David, Chipoat
I certainly wouldn’t want to deter anyone here from visiting Brora but the facetious tone was an acknowledgement that we don’t want it to become too popular.
But with all due respect to the success and influence of this website I don’t think we’ll turn Brora into Myrtle Beach by giving it a bit of exposure on GCA - compare 1,500 posters plus lurkers with the 1.5million circulations of some of the US golf magazines.
If anyone’s still in any doubt I love Brora and wouldn’t change a thing - unlike Rich Goodale who once suggested combining 17 and 18 into a par 6  

[ForkaB]

Andy!

You misunderestimate me!  I suggested that if you gave Brora to the right architect and gave him (or her) a free hand, they could build a course to rival Dornoch on that land.  I still believe that.  That being said, I love the place the way it is, and yes, there is NO chance of it becoming a Myrtle Beach.

The only negative thing I can say about Brora is that when I stumbled upon Ran's review of the place on this site in 2000, after spending 20 years thinking I was the only sane person in the world of golf who loved the course, I got hooked on GCA, and the rest is history, and a tragic one at that......

[Evan Fleisher]

The 9th and 13th look like holes you could just play all day long.  

I'm sitting here in the middle of an ice storm and it looks like heaven right now.

I'll second that notion!!! (from snowy and cold Dubuque)...

[Brent Hutto]

I dunno, Evan. Right now up around Dornoch it's around freezing with periods of rain and sleet. Brora's probably better than Dubuque but not exactly balmy.

[Evan Fleisher]

I dunno, Evan. Right now up around Dornoch it's around freezing with periods of rain and sleet. Brora's probably better than Dubuque but not exactly balmy.

Probably true...but I'll take ANYWHERE in Scotland over Dubuque right now!  We've got over one foot of compacted snow on the ground, temps in the teens, and no signs of relief on the horizon.

Did I mention that I'm tired of snow and winter already...and it's not even OFFICIALLY winter yet?  D'oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

[ForkaB]

I dunno, Evan. Right now up around Dornoch it's around freezing with periods of rain and sleet. Brora's probably better than Dubuque but not exactly balmy.

Yes, Brent, but the forecast is for Dornoch/Brora to be 45-50 degrees on Hogmanay (New Year's Eve).  Perfect winter golfing weather, and the party that night must be seen to be beleived.  Sad that I won't be there....

[Brent Hutto]

Did I mention that I'm tired of snow and winter already...and it's not even OFFICIALLY winter yet?  D'oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

That's gotta hurt!

[Evan Fleisher]

Did I mention that I'm tired of snow and winter already...and it's not even OFFICIALLY winter yet?  D'oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

That's gotta hurt!

It does!

Holidays in Cleveland (snow relief? I don't think so...), no warm weather travel plans until the summer and Spring about four plus months away, what's a guy to do but fream a dream...

...and maybe hit a few shots in our puny little indoor golf range.

I know, sucks to be me...

[mikes1160]

Philip,

Thank you for reviving memories of having played Brora in May of '01. We had just finished an extensive photo shoot at Carnegie Club and Dornoch and had come back to the Marine Hotel for lunch (just around the corner from Brora) when the general manager and head pro of Brora sheephisly approached us (four in all) and asked if we wouldn't consider taking photos of their course in exchange for tee-times. Two of us were due to play Dornoch in the afternoon (myself included) - the other two had limited golf skills and Dornoch would be too much for them. After quick glances at each other (especially the two playing Dornoch), we agreed, photographed the course, and all four had a grand time playing the Brora links.

And that's why I have yet to play Royal Dornoch  

[Doug Wright]

Fine photos Philip. I just visited Brora for the first time in October and found it to be a solid and very enjoyable course. The par 3s, in particular 6 (what a great green!) and 18, are excellent. I also like the finish of the short par 4 16th up the hill, the terrific and demanding par 4 17th, and the longish par 3 home hole under the clubhouse. Some nice bunkering as the photos depict. Along with its cousin Golspie up the road, Brora is worth a visit when in Dornoch.

[ChipOat]

Andy:

Now I get it!

[Mickey Boland]

Great photos.  I'm playing there next August while on my first trip to Scotland.  Can't wait to take my own pics.

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