[Rich Goodale]

3 weeks ago I had the opportunity to play Golspie in an Open competition.  Whilst I have played the course many times in the past, this was the first vist for me in over 10 years.  This hiatus had nothing to do with dissatisfaction with the course and everything to do with the time pressures of parenthood.

When I first played Golspie in the early 1980s I thought it was a fine course, but overrated vis a vis Brora (in those days--and even in some quarters today--the latter was felt to the be preferred "second course" to Dornoch).  Now, however, since Brora has become a sanctified "hidden gem" and Golspie has been largely ignored, I think the relative overrating is the other way around.

Overall, Golspie has a seemingly unique combination of roughly 1/3 links holes, 1/2 heathand ones and a few parklandish types.  Just about all through the course (maybe the 1st, 14th and 15th being excepted), the soil is sandy and springy and very conducive to good and interesting golf.  The condition of the course, which informative rumors had considered to be spotty at best, is now excellent.

There are (and have always been) some superb golf holes.  2-5 are classic seaside holes, with the latter (a par 5) of particular interest given the blind 2nd shot which entails all sorts of risks and reward options, depending on your game and the weather.  6 heads back inland and with 2, 10, 16 and 17 comprises a group of par-3's that would be outstanding on any course.  7and 8 are more hard than appealing, each requiring a long and straight drive between the heather to avoid disaster and give hope to a par.  10-13 are fine heathland holes, where good players often play cautiously off the tee to avoid temptation.  14 is a slog, which has been lengthened, but not yet improved.  15 can grow upon you, particuarly the grass bunkers/"tattie pits" which guard the left side of the fairway.  16 and 17 played the same club for me even though their yardages were 175 and 215, respectively.  Yes the wind does blow at Golspie.  The 420 yard 18 is a bit goofy, but so is the last at Dornoch--both of them are puzzlements if you are looking for a par.

The bottom line?  If you are in the Highland, by all means play Dornoch as often as you can and Brora for a break, but if you have some time and/or a sense of adventure, play Golspie too.  It is, in fact the hidden gem of the area.

[Brent Hutto]

Bill McBride's travelling road show will be playing a match vs. a group of Golspie members on the morning of our last day in the Highlands. I'm looking forward to seeing the course even if for a single round. You mention the second at the fifth but generally speaking is it the sort of course that is discomfiting to the golfer seeing it for the first time? Or can you mostly navigate safely with no local knowledge and only have a handful of blind, semi-blind or tricky shots?

Just trying to get a feel for exactly which kind of butt-whipping we might expect from the locals...

[Rich Goodale]

Bill McBride's travelling road show will be playing a match vs. a group of Golspie members on the morning of our last day in the Highlands. I'm looking forward to seeing the course even if for a single round. You mention the second at the fifth but generally speaking is it the sort of course that is discomfiting to the golfer seeing it for the first time? Or can you mostly navigate safely with no local knowledge and only have a handful of blind, semi-blind or tricky shots?

Just trying to get a feel for exactly which kind of butt-whipping we might expect from the locals...

Brent

Unless the locals are totally devoid of hono(u)r, they will let you know about any hidden hazards.  As for butt-whipping, unless "Ace" can beg for more shots than you are allowed (remember that USGA "indexes" are NOT handicaps, which should be about 15% higher), look forward to 3-4 hours of "Thank you Sir, can I have another!?"

Slainte

Rich

[Mike Leveille]

Rich:

I agree that, with Brora having become relatively more discovered, Golspie is probably the hidden gem in the Dornoch area, for precisely the reasons you stated.  It presents a very enjoyable round of golf at an incredibly reasonable price.

Brent:

Although Golspie is much more straightforward than some Scottish links courses (such as Machrie, Prestwick), I suspect the locals will have a significant home course advantage.  I can think of four holes where the visitor is likely to be a bit confused on his first visit (4, 5, 7 and 18 - I think 4 is actually the semi-blind par five referred to by Rich).  As I recall the sequence, the 5th is a short par four amongst the dunes with the green blind from the tee at the bottom of a slope - driveable downwind and, if I recall, if you lay-up off the tee and have a wedge for your approach, the approach shot is blind as well.  The 7th is another short par four (perhaps 260 - 280 yards), with the incredibly rippled green set 30 to 40 yards over the crest of the large hill in the fairway - again, blind from the tee and from the approach at the bottom of the hill.  The 18th is a really strange animal - a long par four with a huge mound in the middle of the fairway (perhaps 300 or so yards off the tee) that makes for a completely blind second shot to a green that sits out in the open.  Just make sure you take a look at 18 from the clubhouse and you should have a pretty good feel of how to play the second shot, assuming the crafty locals have not already closed out the visitors long before 18.

Mike

[Bill_McBride]

I'm hoping we somehow stumble to a couple of points against the Golspie guys.  Maybe a few of theirs will be more hungover than ours, we're playing at 9 a.m.! 

The 18th with the giant mound in the middle of the fairway - sounds like one of the stranger holes at Castlerock in Northern Ireland.  Blind second over the mound to the green of a 430 yard par 4.

Hello Mike Leveille!

[Brent Hutto]

Sounds like a sporty course, I'm sure we'll have a blast. And in the end these things always seem to come down to who makes the putts, don't they? FWIW, I love mounds in the middle of fairways and am not opposed to a handful of blind shots per round as long as they don't cost me more dollars/pounds/pints/etc. than I can afford at the end of the day.

This game will be Day 5 of our week in the Highlands so no doubt our party's collective stroke-begging skills will be honed to a very fine level by Friday. So we've got that going for us, right?

P.S. Two days later I get to play Cruden Bay for my first time...with a scorecard in hand, no less! That will no doubt be one for the books.

[Mike Leveille]

Bill and Brent:

As an added bonus at Golspie, you will get to enjoy your post-round pints in what I think is a perfect little clubhouse bar.  The clubhouse may be no archtitectural masterpiece and it is certainly not fancy by any means, but the bar/dining area has a great view over the course, has friendly service, and serves a basic lunch of soup, sandwiches, etc. that are tasty and cheap.  It really is all one needs after a fun day out on the links.

Mike

[Bill_McBride]

Bill and Brent:

As an added bonus at Golspie, you will get to enjoy your post-round pints in what I think is a perfect little clubhouse bar.  The clubhouse may be no archtitectural masterpiece and it is certainly not fancy by any means, but the bar/dining area has a great view over the course, has friendly service, and serves a basic lunch of soup, sandwiches, etc. that are tasty and cheap.  It really is all one needs after a fun day out on the links.

Mike

Best of all, we leave Golspie and head to Royal Dornoch for a farewell round on the championship links!

[Rich Goodale]

Bill and Brent (and Mike)

Don't count on that apres-golf pint.  Golspie has lost their liquor licese and if you are lucky, you will be able to buy a diet coke from some teenage girls in the lounge, at best.  Of course, if you are really lucky the club will have sorted out this grave SNAFU come June.....

Rich

[Jason Topp]

Pretty good pictures on the web site:  http://www.golspie-golf-club.co.uk/course_images.htm

[David_Tepper]

Richard -

As gca.com's resident Golspie enthusiast (and Country Member since 2002 ),
I am pleased to read of your decision to re-visit Golspie and happy to see you found it agreeable. I am especially happy to read you found the course in good condition.

The club hired a new head greenskeeper (Alex Macdonald) from the RDGC staff last summer and I have been hoping he would inject some youthful energy & enthusiasm into the course. It sounds like good progress has been made so far. I am looking forward to seeing for myself when I get to the Highlands in a couple of weeks.

I agree with much of your assessment of the course's strengths and weaknesses.  As a group, the five par-3's are varied and quite good. It must have been a VERY windy day if you hit the same club on both #16 & #17!

You refer to #7 & #8 as being "more hard than appealing," but I think you are referring to #8 & #9, certainly two of the hardest par-4's on the course. I do think both holes do have their architectural merits.

#8 has a diagonal ridge in the landing zone off the tee that is easier to carry hitting to the right, which encourages driving down the right side of the fairway and creates a dogleg effect on what looks to be a straightaway hole. The approach to the green is also more open playing down the right side of the fairway.

In my mind, #9 is a world-class par-4 and is the equal of any par-4 to be found at RDGC or Brora, with the possible exception of Foxy. Again, the best play into the green is down the right side of the fairway.

Both holes are spectacular in late summer, when the heather is in bloom and both sides of the fairways are swathed in purple.

Golspie GC is very much a "bare-bones" operation and is run with a very small paid staff, both on the course and in the modest clubhouse.  Even yours truly has been seen at times out on the course sanding & seeding divots. Guest play is welcome and very much encouraged!

I do believe the club has resolved its liquor license issue and will be serving from a full bar next month.

Bill & Brent -

Upon your arrival in Dornoch in June, you will provided with my personal notes to playing both Golspie & RDGC. Although they are written from the perspective of a rather mediocre golfer, I trust they will be of some help to you.

DT           
         

[Bill_McBride]

Bill and Brent (and Mike)

Don't count on that apres-golf pint.  Golspie has lost their liquor licese and if you are lucky, you will be able to buy a diet coke from some teenage girls in the lounge, at best.  Of course, if you are really lucky the club will have sorted out this grave SNAFU come June.....

Rich

Sounds like we might be sober for the p.m. round.  No kummel?

[David_Tepper]

Bill -

According to an article in the Northern Times (www.northern-times.co.uk) of April 10, the liquor license at Golspie GC has been renewed.  The good spirits are again flowing, both figuratively and literally.

I am not aware of a kummel tradition at any of the clubs in the Highlands.

DT

[Brent Hutto]

Upon your arrival in Dornoch in June, you will provided with my personal notes to playing both Golspie & RDGC. Although they are written from the perspective of a rather mediocre golfer, I trust they will be of some help to you.

Well, speaking for myself I'd say the perspective of a mediocre golfer is probably more useful than notes from a highly-skilled one!

[Bill_McBride]

Bill -

According to an article in the Northern Times (www.northern-times.co.uk) of April 10, the liquor license at Golspie GC has been renewed.  The good spirits are again flowing, both figuratively and literally.

I am not aware of a kummel tradition at any of the clubs in the Highlands.

DT

No problemo, we'll bring our own! 

[Sean_A]

I too would echo the sentiments of Rihc.  While Golspie has one hole (#14) which has no redeeming qualities and a few others which don't inspire, it does have more than its fair share of very good holes. 

#2 is a lovely par 3 which is quite surprising after playing the 1st. 

The par 5 4th is odd and unless you can have a go after a very good drive then playing out onto the 18th fairway is not a bad call at all. 

The 5th is a cool little par 4 with a sort of fake bowl green which doesn't really gather as much as it just runs away from the fairway.

The 5th is a solid par 3.

#6 continues the old time links stuff with a blind drive with a cool green. 

As David suggested, #s 8 & 9 and very good holes - I especially like the 8th.  Low key stuff that I find very satisfying.

The course does go into a bit of a lull coming back to the house until the par 3 16th.  Its not bad stuff excepting the 14th, but its not compelling. 

18 is a wierd par 4 over the mound, but not a bad hole at all. 

All in all, Golspie is worth a go.  It isn't nearly in the class of Brora or Dornoch (both of which I am equally happy to play), but it is a very affordable filler course to balance an experience of Scotland out. 

Ciao

[James Boon]

I haven't been that far north for a few years now, so I didn't realise that Brora had become so well known?

I'm sure I won't be the only one to say that I'd rather play Brora and Royal Dornoch but having had a few rounds at Golspie I can say that its certainly worth playing if you are in the area. My recollection is that if 8, 9 and 10 where on a full heathland course they would be considered good solid holes, and that quite a few of the more classic links holes would fit in well on many a links course.

I'm not sure about the whole split personality thing myself and some of the bland more parkland holes on the second nine, but don't let that stop you. Tee it up and have fun!

James

[David_Tepper]

James Boon -

Brora made it on to the Golf World (UK) magazine's list of the Top 100 courses in GB&I when it was last published in the summer of 2006. It squeezed in at #99.

That certainly raised the course's profile.

On the other hand, you can show up many hours of most days of the week at Brora (and Goslpie as well) and pretty much count on being able to head right out on the course.

DT

[James Boon]

David,

Must have missed that issue even though I always try to get the Top 100 Courses copy.

I still find if I tell people of Brora they haven't heard of it, but then again maybe most of my regular golfing partners don't know much about quality courses, golf architecture etc, which is why I've joined you guys recently on here!

Cheers,

James

[David_Tepper]

James Boon -

Brora also gains some visibility as the home base of the James Braid Golfing Society. 

www.thebraidsociety.com

In addition to Brora, Braid also had a hand in designing Golspie, Fortrose & Rosemarkie and Nairn. These four courses comprise the Highlands portion of the James Braid Golf Trail.

DT

[James Boon]

David,

Well after what you have said and whats also been written on this thread, I better stop referring to Brora as a hidden gem then! Good to see its getting recognition as its a fantastic course.

Thanks also for letting me know that Braid designed Nairn. I only this morning accepted an invite to a golf day there in September and I hadn't realised he had designed it as my copy of The Architects of Golf by Cornish and Whitten is in storage at the moment, damn house moving!

Must try and drop in on Golspie and Brora (and Dornoch!) while I'm up there.

James

[Gary Daughters]

How many times must I say this?

Tain

[Rich Goodale]

David

Great to see that Golspie is no longer dry, as a clubhouse without liquor is like a golf course without wind.

Bill

There are always several bottles of Kummel in the bar at Dornoch, awaiting visiting parties.

James

Nairn was initially designed by Archie Simpson, who also did Murcar and worked on all the other top courses north of Perth.

Gary

Yes, Tain is a good course too.

[Walter Bart]

Have enjoyed  playing it three or four times. The contrast between the links and inland holes makes for a  unique round, although I hear that Tain has similarities.  When reaching the very colorful " heather  holes" my game tends to go south. I wonder if it has anything to do with the tighter fairways or is it just my head  taking over?

   Nice view of the course from the modest, friendly, clubhouse, enhanced greatly with Bellhaven and some fish and chips.

PS I believe David won a handicapped event there last year. Correct?

[David_Tepper]

Walter -

Almost, but not quite!

DT

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