Help! Tain or Brora?

[Bill_McBride]

 

One round.  Please cast your vote if you've played both and have a clear preference.  Thanks.

[Ken Moum]

One round.  Please cast your vote if you've played both and have a clear preference.  Thanks.

This should be interesting, I haven't played Tain, but Brora may be my favorite place on earth.

Ken

[Tom Huckaby]

Bill:

THis should be interesting.  I haven't played Brora, but I really enjoyed Tain.

Tom H.

ps - that was just for you, Ken.  Had to say it.  I bet Brora is the more preferred answer.  Some dislike Tain.  Few ever have anything bad to say about Brora.

[Sean_A]

One round.  Please cast your vote if you've played both and have a clear preference.  Thanks.

Brora wins in a landslide.  Its a must see course and one of the very best golfing bargains in a land of bargains.

Ciao

[Stan Dodd]

I have played probably 8-10 rounds on each.  
I really like Tain it is a great walk serene and peaceful.  The golf is very good.  Good green sites, playing through corridors of gorse.  The sea is not in view on most holes.  A day well spent.
But, Brora  with the sea at hand the entire round, the great fun of the holes, the ability to think you can play a bit (until the last 4 holes) makes it my choice by a wide margin.  Also the Clynelish is grrreat.

[Doug Wright]

Bill,

I haven't played Tain but did include Brora on my trip a couple years back following a similar inquiry. You can't go wrong with Brora IMO. It has a number of very good holes and is picturesque. The sheep/wire fence features are pretty unique too.

[Gary Daughters]

Bill,

Having had a singular, unforgettable and inexplicable "out of body experience" at Tain,  I encourage you to 1) do all you can to play both, 2) play Brora.  Just be sure to tighten you hat.  There is no way you will not love it. 

[Bryan Izatt]

Played Brora a couple of years ago.  Real fun.  Drove in and out of Tain on the way back.  From that quick look seemed less interesting. 

Jerry and I will be at Brora on lucky Friday, the 13th of June, if you are in the neighborhood at the time and want to link up.

[Tom Huckaby]

LOL!
So it would seem to be Brora in a landslide, as I expected.

But Bill, let's just say if for some reason Brora can't be done, well... Tain was pretty darn fun.

TH

[Bill_McBride]

Played Brora a couple of years ago.  Real fun.  Drove in and out of Tain on the way back.  From that quick look seemed less interesting. 

Jerry and I will be at Brora on lucky Friday, the 13th of June, if you are in the neighborhood at the time and want to link up.

All right, Brora it will be.  I will take a look at Glenmorangie Distillery and Tain the same day.

Bryan, our gang of 8 is playing a match vs Golspie members that morning and a final round at Royal Dornoch that aftrenoon (Friday 13 June).  Off to St Andrews the next morning.  Are you staying in Dornoch?  Maybe a drink, we are staying right next door to the Dornoch Inn (and pub  ) Monday - Friday.

[Rich Goodale]

Bill

I understand from Melvyn Great-Grandson-of-Tom-Morris Morrow that Tain will be holding a hickory tournament on the 14th in hono(u)r of the old geezer.  You might want to get into that one.  Hopefully Gary D. has somebody with him when he reads this or there could be another possibly dangerous out of body experience in the cards.

Rich

[Melvyn Morrow]

Bill

Brora seems to be the general winner, but I believe it’s down to an open mind, your mood and the conditions at the time. On that basis I would go for the underdog and play Tain.

Part of the fun of golf is to play the different courses, but all are enjoyable in their own way and if you can I would play both. But don’t compare them, just experience the fun and challenge each brings to your game.

Rich - it’s not a Hickory Competition on the 14th, but for guests only - your club must have a connection with Old Tom to play in the Old Tom Tournament. So you will not get a game on the 14th of June at Tain.

[Rich Goodale]

Apologies, Melvyn.  I cold be fun for them to watch, however, on their way down to Fife.

[Bryan Izatt]

Bill,

We're at Brora at 10 a.m. and then at Dornoch at 15:50.  What time is your time at Dornoch?  Are you leaving directly after your round for St A?  We're staying at the Old Bank House.  We'll also be at Dornoch at 14:30 on the 12th.  Perhaps that evening, although we might be zonked as it's my first full day on the auld sod.

[Sean Walsh]

Bill,

Tain is a nice round of golf but Brora is special.  Not just the course but the whole atmosphere sets it apart.

I'd choose Brora by some distance. 

[Brent Hutto]

Brian,

The McBride group plays on the morning of the 12th, fairly early although I do not seem to have the exact tee time at hand. Some of us may do a replay later in the day but facing 36 the next day I most likely will not.

On the 13th our afternoon tee time at RDGC is late-ish, around 4.00pm or a little after. Once again I don't have the exact time. But we're spending the morning at Golspie and left ourselves plenty of time for after-round libations before returning for our farewell round at Dornoch. So we may possibly be the next group after you late on Friday.

I'm not going to St. Andrews but the sevensome who are will be departing Dornoch on Saturday morning. While the rest of the group plays at Nairn on Wednesday I will be doing 36 holes at Brora myself. I believe I have 11.00am and 3.00pm reservations there.

[Gary Daughters]

Rich,

You damn cynic.  Here's what an out of body experience at Tain looks like.



See the guy hiding in the shadows?  That's Melvyn's great grandfather, who happened to follow me in from (wouldn't you know it) #13.  But that's just the start, my friend. 

Not doubt you've never heard of Donald Denoon.

[Bryan Izatt]

Brent,

Seems likely we'll be teeing off at RDGC at relatively close times on Friday p.m.  What's the gang of 8 (or is it 7?) doing for dinner that night?  Perhaps we could meet.  We'll be leaving Saturday morning for Nairn and then on to Cruden Bay/Aberdeen for the Hawklaw Tankard on Sunday.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,

We're at Brora at 10 a.m. and then at Dornoch at 15:50.  What time is your time at Dornoch?  Are you leaving directly after your round for St A?  We're staying at the Old Bank House.  We'll also be at Dornoch at 14:30 on the 12th.  Perhaps that evening, although we might be zonked as it's my first full day on the auld sod.

We are currently free on Thursday 6/12 afternoon, with four two-ball tee times at Royal Dornoch starting at 7:30 a.m.  I'm thinking Brora that afternoon.  We play late afternoon at RD Friday, why not try to rendezvous in the clubhouse bar late that afternoon - perhaps supper there in the clubhouse.....

My cell phone number while we're there will be my US number - 850-293-6730.  Hopefully we can get together at least for some drinks.

[Bryan Izatt]

Bill,

Sure, let's try to rendezvous in the Dornoch, upstairs bar/restaurant on Friday evening.  Nice view of the first fairway.  We should be there around 20:00.  As best as I can recall the food there wasn't so great, although other more experienced hands could chime in on that.  The Eagle Hotel had a cheap (relatively) and cheerful pub for eating, as I recall.

Is there anyone in your group that's easily identifiable.  My friend Jerry is 6'4" and heavy set with real gray hair.  He'll also be the one in the buggy on a medical note.  We should be easy to identify.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,

Sure, let's try to rendezvous in the Dornoch, upstairs bar/restaurant on Friday evening.  Nice view of the first fairway.  We should be there around 20:00.  As best as I can recall the food there wasn't so great, although other more experienced hands could chime in on that.  The Eagle Hotel had a cheap (relatively) and cheerful pub for eating, as I recall.

Is there anyone in your group that's easily identifiable.  My friend Jerry is 6'4" and heavy set with real gray hair.  He'll also be the one in the buggy on a medical note.  We should be easy to identify.

We'll be the overserved eight some, with one guy probably face down in a plate of pommes frites.  Just a guess.........

[Bryan Izatt]

Well, we'll be the upright designated driver types.  Look up, look way up from the plate of pommes frites (no, make that chippies).

[Rich Goodale]

If you guys want good food, try to get a reservation at Luigi.

[Brent Hutto]

I think the man from Aberdour has a good point. I just called Chris at Luigi's and reserved us a place at Luigi's. I don't know how many in Bryan's group so I made it for 12 people for around 8.30-9.00pm. He said be sure to get there by 9.00 which I don't think will be a problem.

How's that?

[Rich Goodale]

Well done, Brent.  You will not regret your choice, and at that (this!) time of year you can wander over to the clubhouse at 11pm and still get the great views.

BTW, the name of the restaurant has been changed to "Luigi."  Chris gave me an explanation as to why they dropped the "apostrophe s" but I was too deep into the Barolo to remember what he said.

BTW2--points for anybody who can remember Chris' nom de plume when he used to post of GCA.com.