[Jim Franklin]

Thanks Daryl for the suggestions, I will make note. Also, I should have said I am not a huge seafood fan and there seems to be an abundance of seafood eaten in Scotland.

I will say the golf there is worth the struggle for food. My two trips to Scotland were the best two trips I have taken for golf.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

It may hurt me to admit, but even as a transplanted Brit...I have to go for the US 5.
I hvae played 4 out of the 5 on both lists, and think the US side edges to victory!

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Sorry make that 3 out of 5 on the US team...but I would place Merion in my top 5 anyway and then it would be 4

[Gary Daughters]

Jim,

Sutherland House (I think that's the name.. Sutherland something) on the square in Dornoch is a truly fine restaurant.  Try Luigi's for lunch.. their local salad greens are memorable.  The dinner scene at Tain GC, worth the little trip, is remarkable for its earthy comraderie.  Plus if you go to Dornoch you must play Tain period.

The club at Lossiemouth serves a fine meal if you happen to get over that way, which I do recommend.

Udny Arms in Aberdeen purports to be the originator of the aforementioned Sticky Toffee pudding and serves up a nice dinner as well.

Gary

[Jim Franklin]

Awesome Gary, thanks for the info. I can't wait for my next trip.

[Mark Pearce]

The Cellar in Anstruther, The Cross at Kingussie.

Plenty of very fine food (The Peat Inn, several in Edinburgh, many in Glasgow) and some very good basics (I assume there'll be a BUDA VI trip to the Anstruther Chippy).

[Mark Buzminski]

Sitting here, sipping a single malt at the end of the day - I'm going to have to go with the Scottish 5.

[Bill Gayne]

Speaking of the BBC, I've been watching TopGear on BBC America and it can be extremely funny. It's on Saturday and Monday nights.

You gotta, gotta, gotta start watching Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares on Fox in America or Kitchen Nightmares on the BBC.  It is, hands-down, the best reality show, ever.  You might never want to go out to eat again, but that's a different thread...

[Jordan Wall]

Not even close.

Augusta, National, Cypress, c'mon now..

[Chris Kane]

How many of the ten courses listed have you played Jordan?

[Jordan Wall]

Chris,

None.

But there's no way I choose the Scotland five.  If anything because of access.

But, if that were not an issue, my two dream courses are on the American list, CPC, and NGLA.
No way I could pass those down, even if, as mentioned, access were no issue.
Cypress Point would be like an absolute dream...there is no course I'd rather play, ever.

[Mark Pearce]

First of all, the question isn't really a fair one as has been pointed out because any of us can play all of the 5 Scottish courses without any problem, whereas the US courses are down to privilege, who you know and a bit of luck, so more of a real dream.  Also, your 5 may not be my 5.  I know that my dream Scottish 5 wouldn't include North Berwick.  It's great, but not top 5.

Then, of course, there's the inclination to favour what we know.  Jordan's answer, given by someone who has never played a links course, illustrates that.

What does the question really go to?  Is it "which 5 would you chooseto play if someone offerred you a trip next summer?" or "if you only had 5 courses you could play forever, which of these 5 would you choose?".  The answer to those two questions is different, of course.  The US courses are ones I've never played and probably never will, so I'd jump at the chance to experience those great places.  However, if I had to choose 5 courses to play for evere it would be a Scottish 5 because I could not choosenot to play links golf.

And the food doesn't make much difference to me.  I'll eat well in either Scotland or the US!

[Matthew Hunt]

USA by a wisker, but scotland would claw it back if it could include Ireland.

[Steve Verde]

I would like to echo Jordan's sentiments. I have played only one course that could be considered top 5 caliber (Merion) but I think that the US 5 would be much more appealing that the Scottish 5. The US list has variety where Scotland is all links courses. My personal top 5 courses in the US that I would most like to play would be: Pine Valley, Cypress Point, Shinnecock, Sand Hills. There is great variety in style and strategy at those courses while the Scottish links all encourage the ground game. I'm not saying this to say that they are all the same. I'm just saying the US has much greater variety.

I would rather play the top 5 in Ireland (Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Lahinch, Ballybunion, and maybe The European Club) than the top 5 in Scotland

[Jordan Wall]

I would like to echo Jordan's sentiments. I have played only one course that could be considered top 5 caliber (Merion) but I think that the US 5 would be much more appealing that the Scottish 5. The US list has variety where Scotland is all links courses. My personal top 5 courses in the US that I would most like to play would be: Pine Valley, Cypress Point, Shinnecock, Sand Hills. There is great variety in style and strategy at those courses while the Scottish links all encourage the ground game. I'm not saying this to say that they are all the same. I'm just saying the US has much greater variety.

Call me crazy, but I would rather play the top 5 in Ireland (Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Lahinch, Ballybunion, and maybe The European Club) than the top 5 in Scotland

Steve,

I agree.
If I could play any course in Europe, it would be RCD.  TOC would be a close second.
And I think I would take an Ireland trip over a Scotland trip.
But Scotland is still a dream of mine too!

[Gary Daughters]

You guys can say what you will, but I'd still rather drink a beer on a bench outside Royal Dornoch than on the veranda at Augusta National.  More ghosts at Dornoch.

[JESII]

For what it's worth, it doesn't seem like the Scottish courses can hold a candle to the US courses from a variety perspective...but then again, I'd guess the American courses don't hold a candle to the Scottish on an individual, day-in and day-out variety basis.

[Doug Bolls]

I've played the Scotland courses except Macrahanish - plan to catch it in '09.  I have only walked Augusta and PV.
I am evolving in this "dream course" adventure - right now I would say I tend toward the Scotland courses - they have far exceeded my wildest expectations as a golfing experience.

For example, it was magical walking up to the Redan in the late afternoon, blue-grey sky and a golfing friend right there with me.  Same at Royal Dornoch and TOC.  Just magical!

I just don't think I can recreate something like that just because it's ANGC or PV.  Frankly, now that I've walked PV, I'm not sure I would really enjoy playing it - I don't think I have the game for it.  If you're not long off the tee, and have a low, single digit handicap, you are in for a very long, unrelenting day.  I opt for Scotland.

As for food, don't forget the lunch buffet at Muirfield.

[Rich Goodale]

Jim,

Sutherland House (I think that's the name.. Sutherland something) on the square in Dornoch is a truly fine restaurant.  Try Luigi's for lunch.. their local salad greens are memorable.  The dinner scene at Tain GC, worth the little trip, is remarkable for its earthy comraderie.  Plus if you go to Dornoch you must play Tain period.

The club at Lossiemouth serves a fine meal if you happen to get over that way, which I do recommend.

Udny Arms in Aberdeen purports to be the originator of the aforementioned Sticky Toffee pudding and serves up a nice dinner as well.

Gary

Gary

Next time you are in Dornoch try Luigi's at night, the Castle and Two Quail.  They are all better than Sutherland's, which I agree is a very fine place to eat.  I've also heard that the new chef at Tain is great, which might just bring me back there...  There is also the Bridge Hotel at Helmsdale, which Philip Gawiath can vouch for.

As to the main point, I'd go for the USA if only because I haven't played 3 of the 5 you have listed whilst I know the Scottish ones very well.  However, it is a hypothetical, and one which really doesn't compare apples to apples, at least if you look at the two experiences realistically and holistically.

To do the USA Gang of Five you would need a Gulfstream and a lot of time and logistical angst.  If you took only a week to do it you would be frazzled at the end, and probably remember pakcing and unpacking your suitcase more than the golf.  Two weeks would be the minimum I would even think of spending on a trip like this.  But what if you decided you liked Pine Valley or Augusta so much that you wanted to stay for a few more days, or even a week, to hang out with the home boys and play some more golf?  This is where hyoptheticals become fantasies, at least in the USA.

Alternatively, you could do your Scottish Gang of Five with a minibus rather than a jet easily in a week, and if you wanted to stay for two weeks, you could have at least two good days at each place.  Not only that, but if you decided you wanted to stay for half of the time in North Berwick, to hang out with the home boys, you could do it, on the spot, most times of the year!

Not only that, but your list, as fine as it is, is personal.  Just off the top of my head I made up 3 more lists which could be just as satisfying, using 15 other Scottish courses.  How about:

Muirfield
Carnoustie
Turnberry
Loch Lomond
Western Gailes

or...

Royal Aberdeen
Cruden Bay
Murcar
Panmure
Gleneagles (Kings)

or...

Brora
Machrie
Elie
Gullane
Kingsbarns

What Scotalnd has that the USA will never have is both propinquity (pace Zelda Gilroy...) and access.

And the golf ain't bad, either.

Rich

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()