To The North II: GOLSPIE

[Sean_A]

I must say right off that I don't reckon Golspie is a links at all.  It is mostly meadowy type grass.  There are a few holes where meadowy grass and links turf sort of mix and about 5 heathery holes.  I was impressed with the course overall, though perhaps I would have made the course only 14 holes or try to find a way to route/place the clubhouse in a different spot to really create a course which encompasses the primary excellent stretch of holes from #4-12.  If that were the 9 hole course it would certainly give Worlington all it could handle for best 9 holer in the country.  Though there are a few other good holes in the meadowy areas, namely the par 3s - #s 2, 16 & 17.  The course is really let down by #s 14 & 15.  Two rather boring holes that go straight to the house and back out.  The ball doesn't run properly in this high meadowy area and the rough is claggy - a Potterism.  

The club is about as basic as it gets.  The course is in decent shape, but it needs more tlc.  I reckon there was a big difference as to how the heathery holes played and the greens at that far end were much better than in the meadowy area.  We knew we were in trouble weather-wise when we rolled up at 9:30ish on a Saturday morning to find two cars in the lot.  Needless to say it rained all day.  Because of the rain I only got a few pix before it became obvious my camera was going to be damaged.  

The 5th is a lovely hole.  There is a ridge which must be driven or the approach is severely uphill and blind to a green tucked behind a a gradually sloping bank.  My favourite aspect of the hole are the two rear bunkers.  The green isn't at all large so I am guessing these are well travelled.



The short 6th was a good hole and the last of any semblence to links.


Despite the poor weather, to a man, everybody liked the course.  Like me, they thought the heather holes were the best.  I think #9 is the best hole, but 4 and 5 are good as well.  I think if I played the course again I would jump right on #4 and finish at #14 and call it even.  Overall, I give Golspie a 6 on the SRA Scale.  

Ciao

[David_Tepper]

Sean -

Thanks for the Goslpie pics. I am sorry you caught a rainy day there and were prevented from using your photographic talent to its fullest ability.

I agree with most of your obserrvations. A couple of points that might be of interest:

1) Golspie's head greenskeeper resigned a couple of months ago and I don't know if they have hired a new one yet. That might account for the conidtion of the course. The club members have been pitching in to help maintain the course until a new greenskeeper comes aboard.

The club has always been a bare bones operation and the condition of the course (even at its best) would certainly suffer when compared to Royal Dornoch.

You should also be aware that the holes along the seawall (#3, #4 & #5) were flooded this past winter as a bad storm swelled the ocean over the seawall. We are still picking stones out of the fairways on those holes.  

2) The clubhouse was originally sited along the shore at the northeast corner of the course (behind the #3 tee). I presume what is now the 3rd hole used to be the 1st hole. Coastal erosion forced it to be moved inland.

I actually like where the clubhouse now is, as you can now sit in the clubhouse and see much of the course. My biggest complaint of the clubhouse view from many "out & back" links courses is that all you can see is the 1st tee and the 18th green (Royal Dornoch & Brora are prime examples)  

3) I totally agree that #14 & #15 are the two most boring holes on the course. It is a shame the course did not use more of the linksland at the south end of the property.

4) I am sorry you were not able to take pics of #9 & #10. They are the best of the heathland holes and are stunning in August when the heather is in bloom.  

5) I think Goslpie's five par-3's are awfully good, even comparable to what Dornoch and Brora have to offer.

How was dinner at Luigi's?

DT

[David_Tepper]

Sean -

It would appear Peter de Savary has plans to upgrade the Royal Golf Hotel in Dornoch into exactly the hotel you describe. He also has announced intentions to develop the adjacent property by building about 10-15 apartments for rent and fractional ownership.

It remains to be seen if/when he is able to pull it off. When I was there in May/June, it did not appear as if any work had taken place so far.  

I don't know what the timeframe is for determining the future of the Burghfield.

The Mallin House Hotel, on Church Street, is another hotel in Dornoch that has sat closed and vacant for a couple of years now.

DT

[Rich Goodale]

Sean and David

The Burghfield ist kaput as a hotel, but it is just the bitter end of a long and slow decline that started at around the time I had my wedding there, in 1991.

In the 1980's it was the best golfing/country house hotel in Scotland, which means the world.  Those were the days, my friends.......

[Peter Pallotta]

Sean, thanks much for the entire "To the North" series. I always enjoy your posts. For some reason (maybe it was the mist) this little Golspie struck my fancy most of all. It might be that its two boring holes 'humanizes' it for me. (Apparently, when the Navajos were making their beautiful blankets, they used to purposely weave in a little mistake, "to let the devil out".) Anyway, that's why I posted my thanks here, but it applies for the whole series.

Peter    

[David_Tepper]

Sean -

Given how well your Brora, Dornoch & Nairn pics turned out, I am even more disappointed you caught Golspie on such a rainy day and were not able to give it your full photographic treatment.

I am now resolved to taking & posting some Golspie pics myself when we return in August. Hopefully, I will catch the heather in full bloom.

While #14 & #15 are the two least appealing holes at Golspie, I hope you noticed some of the interesting architectural features on #15. The 3 little grass cross-bunkers in the landing area off the tee are a unique and rather effective hazard and the bunker short & right of the green is quite attractive as well.

By the way, thanks to Mrs. Mackay, I have a copy of Goslpie's 100-year book. It includes a map of the 1910 course routing and the current one. I will make a copy and mail it to you.

DT  

[David_Tepper]

Sean -

The area between #4 & #18 is quite a good feature of the course. There is a large hollow on the right of #4 fairway (and to the right of #18 green) that comes into play off the #4 tee and then the large mound further down the right side of #4 fairway (and in the center of #18 fairway) that comes into play on your 2nd shot on #4.

The large swale 100-120 yards in front of the #4 green and the smaller swale to the left/front of the green make #4 a very good hole, a legitimate 3-shotter.

I have never thought of trying to play my 2nd shot on #4 over the mound and out into the 18th fairway. I can see where you might have a better angle into #4 green, but if you mishit your 2nd shot and get caught up on the wrong side of the mound, you could be looking at making 7 or 8.

#18 is a bear of a hole, certainly a par 4 1/2 in my book. However, I have heard that the young bucks are now able to carry the mound on #18 with their drives when it is playing downwind, which boggles my mind.

DT