Macrahanish Dunes

[Aidan Bradley]

A David McClay Kidd designed course due to open next year......

[Marty Bonnar]

I have only two things to say:

Wow

and:

Eee!!

Looks like another MacHrIhanish trip next summer!!!!

FBD.

PS Great pics AGAIN, Mr B.

[JMorgan]

Sir Anthony Pioppkins wrote an insightful article on the new course. It appeared in GolfWorld? ... in July?  I think. 

Tony? 

Anyway, good read. 

They're selling the cottage shares now.

Aidan, those pictures are stellar. 

[Chris Kane]

It looks just like Machrihanish 

[Michael Dugger]

Are those images of the old course or the new DMK one???

[Brent Carlson]

Those greens look wild - typical to form for Kidd?

[Mike Erdmann]

Michael, they're the new DMK course, not the original Machrihanish.

I'm planning on spending a week in Machrihanish next summer, so this new course will make the trip even more worthwhile.  I just hope the influx of new visitors won't spoil Machrihanish.

[Rob Rigg]

Spectacular!!!

Can't wait to hear the commentary on the greens after the various Tetherow and 7th at SA threads.

Looks like Kidd stayed away from the eyebrows on this one  - more pics please!!! - The look is more natural than Tetherow or the Seventh.

And what a gorgeous piece of property. Where would you fly into to get to Machrihanish?

Time to put the clubs in the back of the kayak and start paddling across the Arctic Sea before winter sets in . . .

[Aidan Bradley]

Depending on where you are coming from, fly into Glasgow and take a wonderful 3 hour drive past Loch Lomond  all the way to the Mull of Kyintyre. Consider stopping off at INVERARAY  on the way and stay at the George Hotel. Some of the most beautiful sceneary you will ever see. A wonderfull adventure......

[David_Tepper]

Before everyone gets too excited, my understanding was the new Machrihanish Dunes course was to be a rather private club.  Does anyone know what their policy will be on unaccompanied visitor play?

The overwhelming number of clubs in Scotland (and elsewhere in GB&I) welcome unaccompanied visitor play, but there are a few that don't. Has Machrihanish Dunes announced what their policy will be in this regard?   

[Ed Tilley]

Before everyone gets too excited, my understanding was the new Machrihanish Dunes course was to be a rather private club.  Does anyone know what their policy will be on unaccompanied visitor play?

The overwhelming number of clubs in Scotland (and elsewhere in GB&I) welcome unaccompanied visitor play, but there are a few that don't. Has Machrihanish Dunes announced what their policy will be in this regard?   

http://www.machrihanishdunes.com/course/rates.shtml

It doesn't look like it will be too exclusive - seems like it is open for general play. 95 pounds in peak season - that will be about 50 dollars by the time the pound stops falling.

[David_Tepper]

Ed T. -

Thanks for the link and that info.

DT

[Andrew Mitchell]

Aidan

Thanks for the photos - excellent as ever.

Another reason to spend some time at Macrahanish.  Its about time I moved it from my dreams list to reality!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Aidan You have a gift to frame the subject in a most flattering light. Your pictures make one want to have a bench and spend the next 5 hours enjoying the view of each of your pictures. On to Macrahanish once again!!

[Ally Mcintosh]

I love that punchbowl green in the last photo.... I'm thinking about how I might attack that pin position... It looks almost impossible to go straight at it because of the shoulder on the right side of the green... It does however, look entirely plausible to run your ball all the way up the berm on the front left and let it take you back down to near the pin shown...

Of course I know nothing about the hole (length, orientation etc...) but I can always dream I guess

[Scott_Burroughs]

I'm planning on spending a week in Machrihanish next summer, so this new course will make the trip even more worthwhile.  I just hope the influx of new visitors won't spoil Machrihanish.

...says a person contributing to the potential problem.... 

[Kalen Braley]

I'm planning on spending a week in Machrihanish next summer, so this new course will make the trip even more worthwhile.  I just hope the influx of new visitors won't spoil Machrihanish.

...says a person contributing to the potential problem.... 

Scott,

I noticed that too, but glad you were the one who pointed it out...funny stuff!!! 

[Mike Erdmann]

I'm planning on spending a week in Machrihanish next summer, so this new course will make the trip even more worthwhile.  I just hope the influx of new visitors won't spoil Machrihanish.

...says a person contributing to the potential problem.... 

Guilty as charged.  However, having been to Machrihanish before, I'm going back because I love the place as it is.  I just hope it doesn't change.

[Anthony Fowler]

This looks truly amazing.  Here's a cynical question:

How does DMK get such amazing sites to work on?  He has a relatively small portfolio and yet we can rattle off quite a number of dream sites that he has worked on . . . Bandon, Nanea, Castle, Tetherow, now MD.  It seems to me that a handful of other architects who are just as good if not better than DMK (I mean no offense here to a very talented man) have not had a crack at that many sites of that quality.

Is DMK the best salesman in the business?  Did he just win the lottery by getting by Bandon which allowed him to cruise into other great projects?  If by chance another talented architect had gotten the first crack at Bandon, would they have been able to parlay it into such quick success?

As a final word, congrats to DMK on another great project.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

I somehow feel an organised gca trip to the area buziing under the surface...how much interest around earlu next august?

[Phil McDade]

I somehow feel an organised gca trip to the area buziing under the surface...how much interest around earlu next august?

Only if you include Dunaverty and Carradale on the itinerary...along with a day trip to Shiskine.

[Mark Pearce]

I somehow feel an organised gca trip to the area buziing under the surface...how much interest around earlu next august?

Too close to BUDA. Now BUDA 2009 (or 10, or 11 or..), that's a really good idea.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

I agree that does sound like a winner..count me in for 2010/11/12...or whenever it may happen.

[Darren_Kilfara]

I've offered up Machrihanish as a BUDA Cup destination in the past...once the new course opens up, it'll surely have to happen. (I need to find an excuse to justify the membership fees I keep paying at Machrihanish, as I haven't been able to get back there in more than 12 months!)

I'll disagree with Phil partly, in that Carradale is not worth adding to the BUDA itinerary - it's quirky, but not really quirky in a good way, and it's pretty, but not really pretty in a golfing sense. However, Dunaverty is a must-play, particularly for those of you who haven't seen it - the ideal three-day BUDA experience would feature one round at Dunaverty and five scheduled rounds at one of the two Machrihanishes, methinks. (Other side trips being optional/extracurricular.) Let's make it happen!

Cheers,
Darren

[Marty Bonnar]

Darren,
that is so spooky.
I was just about getting ready to post with an exactly similar idea.

What's the betting these loons will love Dunaverty the most!?!?!

Let's do it!

FBD.