My Pilgrimage from North Berwick to Carnoustie

[Matthew Essig]

A lot has been said on this website about courses from the Edinburgh area. I am a high school graduate preparing to attend the University of Washington with the intent of becoming a golf course architect. I haven't yet begun my formal studies, but my education starts today. My father has brought me to the Edinburgh area for my high school graduation present to learn and experience the essence of links golf. We are playing 12 courses in 13 days, beginning with Crail (Balcomie) today.

I am not going to be doing full photo tours because there are enough of those. My plan is to post my opinions, my favorite holes(s) and least favorite hole(s) and maybe a couple other tidbits.

If you want the whole enchilada, I will be posting it ALL on a blog at.....
essigtrip.blogspot.com

I would love to hear some feedback!

PS: For those of you wondering, the trip includes Crail, Elie, Lundin, Old, New, Eden, Jubilee, Castle, Carnoustie, Gullane #1 and #2, and North Berwick.

[Joe Fairey]

Matthew,

Sounds like a great trip, and a bright future ahead for you...my only suggestion...if you truly want to experience the essence of links golf,
cancel the Castle, and play Leven.....there you will experience true links golf....trust me...if you need help, IM me and I'll put you
in touch with a member who will likely have you out.....enjoy your trip....

[Thomas Dai]

Matthew,

A trip to be envious of. Photos from the sides and rear of greens would be much appreciated, especially from North Berwick.

Have a great time.

atb

[Bill_McBride]

Matthew,

Sounds like a great trip, and a bright future ahead for you...my only suggestion...if you truly want to experience the essence of links golf,
cancel the Castle, and play Leven.....there you will experience true links golf....trust me...if you need help, IM me and I'll put you
in touch with a member who will likely have you out.....enjoy your trip....

If you're thinking of Sir Martin Bonnar he will probably play with them!

[Jaeger Kovich]

Matthew - I just got back from NB/Gullan. If you can swap out Gullan #2 for Kilspindie you may want to consider it. Also, I would use the "right to roam" and drive your car through the gates at Muirfield, park at the beach, and have a stroll around the course. Apparently if you just explain that to guard at the gate, they are more than happy to help... You would learn more from walking around that place than Gullan #2 for sure. I highly suggest both a walk and play at NB as well... its to much to take it in just 1 play.

[Marty Bonnar]

Matthew,
If you have time and would like to see Leven, I can possibly get us a teetime for Saturday? PM me!
Cheers,
MB.

[Ryan Coles]

Matthew,

Sounds like a great trip, and a bright future ahead for you...my only suggestion...if you truly want to experience the essence of links golf,
cancel the Castle, and play Leven.....there you will experience true links golf....trust me...if you need help, IM me and I'll put you
in touch with a member who will likely have you out.....enjoy your trip....

I think the Castle should stay. There are plenty of 'genuine' links in the list.

Leven / Lundin (both of which are overrated in my view) will blur into one faded memory. The Castle is a different and interesting experience.

[Garland Bayley]

I hear Royal Aberdeen is only 80 miles from St. Andrews.

[Niall C]

Ryan

From the OP its clear that the intent of the trip is to experience and learn about traditional links golf. What do you think Matthew would learn playing the Castle in terms of a links experience ?

Niall

[Ryan Coles]

Niall

You'd have to ask him, he included it.

Having played virtually all on his itinerary. I don't believe he'll regret playing the castle.

Life is too short to only play courses which fit neatly in the 'traditional' pigeon hole.

[Niall C]

Ryan

I'm with you, bolloks to what daddy wants to show me and lets just have a good time. I suppose that might work. Just seems to me that it would be a wasted opportunity.

Niall

[Ryan Coles]

To put it another way, what does Leven offer that Lundin doesn't and vice versa?

[Garland Bayley]

The kid plays Bandon and Chambers Bay all the time. He can get off the links once at the Castle Course can't he?

[Mark Pearce]

To put it another way, what does Leven offer that Lundin doesn't and vice versa?

Really?  Two very different courses in my book.  I haven't played the Castle (no desire, to be honest, I've walked it and it does little for me) so won't comment on Castle vs Lundin/Leven but to say that Lundin and Leven offer the same experience is nonsense, in my opinion.

[Ryan Coles]

To put it another way, what does Leven offer that Lundin doesn't and vice versa?

Really?  Two very different courses in my book.  I haven't played the Castle (no desire, to be honest, I've walked it and it does little for me) so won't comment on Castle vs Lundin/Leven but to say that Lundin and Leven offer the same experience is nonsense, in my opinion.

Then you'll have little difficulty in answering the above question, Mark.

I just don't see why the Castle Course is so hastily dismissed and that Leven / Lundin are put up as the epitome of links golf.. They are nice enough, but distinctly average and over rated due to their fife location.

[Mark Pearce]

Ryan,

You'll have to remind me where I held out Lundin or Leven as the epitome of anything.  That said, both have 9 very good holes, those that formed the original combined course.  The new holes on each course are less good (poor in a few cases) but very different in style.  Neither may be great but I like both a lot.  Both have holes of real interest.  Leven offers more quirk, plenty of blind shots and very large greens.  It also squeezes 18 holes into a small area.  Lundin is less "different" but more attractive.  The new holes are almost parkland and, frankly are almost all weak.  Leven's new holes are more interesting but very densely packed and continue the theme of blindness.  I like the way Leven sits in a fairly unattractive setting and the almost brutally hard finish, with its Carnoustie like concrete banked burn.

I said I wasn't going to compare either to the Castle course, and I won't, that's a futile exercise. 

[Ryan Coles]

Mark

Very good analysis of the courses. Although, no getting around the fact that they share the same bit of coast and even used to be parts of the same course. I think it's fair to say the Castle offers more of a contrast when complimenting one or the other. And on a 12day trip, surely there is some scope to experience some modern along with the traditional. Hence why the Castle was probably included.

Joe Fairey suggested dropping out the Castle to play Leven, despite traditional courses like Crail, Lundin, Jubilee and New already being in.

Ei incumbit probatio, qui dicit, non qui negat; cum per rerum naturam factum negantis probatio nulla sit

I'd be interested in hearing the reasoning as to why. And perhaps if his position would be the same if it was KB, CS, or TRC instead of the Castle.

[Matthew Essig]

Matthew,

A trip to be envious of. Photos from the sides and rear of greens would be much appreciated, especially from North Berwick.

Have a great time.

atb

I will do the best I can.

Matthew - I just got back from NB/Gullan. If you can swap out Gullan #2 for Kilspindie you may want to consider it. Also, I would use the "right to roam" and drive your car through the gates at Muirfield, park at the beach, and have a stroll around the course. Apparently if you just explain that to guard at the gate, they are more than happy to help... You would learn more from walking around that place than Gullan #2 for sure. I highly suggest both a walk and play at NB as well... its to much to take it in just 1 play.

I will keep the "right to roam" in mind. There is a break day in the middle of our trip that will consist of a lot of roaming.

The reason we chose to play Gullane #2 was to learn why it isn't highly ranked. Why isn't it special? Is it just overshadowed by #1? Is it on the worse land? Are then holes not creative? It is to personally see what is wrong with it.

Matthew,
If you have time and would like to see Leven, I can possibly get us a teetime for Saturday? PM me!
Cheers,
MB.

We play Lundin Saturday afternoon, so we were thinking of possibly playing Leven Sat morning; however, we put our names in the ballots and will be the third group out at the Old course Sat morning.



To all saying drop Castle for Leven....

My father and I did talk awhile about which to play. I ended up choosing Castle for the sole purpose of experiencing a modern architect's view and vision of a Scottish links. Maybe I made the wrong decision. Maybe I should of kept the traditional links in the rota, but only time will tell.

The kid plays Bandon and Chambers Bay all the time. He can get off the links once at the Castle Course can't he?

I wish I could play Bandon and Chambers Bay "all the time," but I have only been to Bandon twice and Chambers 4 times.

[Bill Brightly]

Matt,

I'll be doing a similar trip this August, except that we will stay in the St. Andrews area and spend our last day in North Berwick before we fly home. I'll be reading your posts and blog with great interest.

[Brent Carlson]

Matthew,

Best of luck to you and pops.  I'm sure you will love it.  My only advice is to soak in the culture, and play with some locals.  Those are my best memories.   I'll be reading your blog with interest.  Have a great time over there.

Brent

[Ken Moum]

PS: For those of you wondering, the trip includes Crail, Elie, Lundin, Old, New, Eden, Jubilee, Castle, Carnoustie, Gullane #1 and #2, and North Berwick.

0
Matt, there are times when I wish I could go back to my high school graduation year (1965) and take a different path.  Reading about your plans has made today one of those times.

Anyway, I've played most of what you plan, and would only suggest that you at least drive by Kilsspindie for a look.  You can see the whole course from Gullane #2, and unlike Gullane, it doesn't involve any mountain climbing.

K

[Mark Chaplin]

Matthew you'll wonder why Gullane #1 is so overrated. Add in value for money and it's a no brainer #2 all day long.

If you succeed as a GCA you are highly unlikely to be given a pristine piece of links land to develop a course. Playing the Castle will be extremely useful in seeing what can be produced from a few farmers fields. Don't miss it.

[Sean_A]

Matthew,

A trip to be envious of. Photos from the sides and rear of greens would be much appreciated, especially from North Berwick.

Have a great time.

atb

I will do the best I can.

Matthew - I just got back from NB/Gullan. If you can swap out Gullan #2 for Kilspindie you may want to consider it. Also, I would use the "right to roam" and drive your car through the gates at Muirfield, park at the beach, and have a stroll around the course. Apparently if you just explain that to guard at the gate, they are more than happy to help... You would learn more from walking around that place than Gullan #2 for sure. I highly suggest both a walk and play at NB as well... its to much to take it in just 1 play.

I will keep the "right to roam" in mind. There is a break day in the middle of our trip that will consist of a lot of roaming.

The reason we chose to play Gullane #2 was to learn why it isn't highly ranked. Why isn't it special? Is it just overshadowed by #1? Is it on the worse land? Are then holes not creative? It is to personally see what is wrong with it.

Matthew,
If you have time and would like to see Leven, I can possibly get us a teetime for Saturday? PM me!
Cheers,
MB.

We play Lundin Saturday afternoon, so we were thinking of possibly playing Leven Sat morning; however, we put our names in the ballots and will be the third group out at the Old course Sat morning.



To all saying drop Castle for Leven....

My father and I did talk awhile about which to play. I ended up choosing Castle for the sole purpose of experiencing a modern architect's view and vision of a Scottish links. Maybe I made the wrong decision. Maybe I should of kept the traditional links in the rota, but only time will tell.

The kid plays Bandon and Chambers Bay all the time. He can get off the links once at the Castle Course can't he?

I wish I could play Bandon and Chambers Bay "all the time," but I have only been to Bandon twice and Chambers 4 times.

Matthew

None of the Gullane courses are outstanding and all are pretty much the same sort of design.  The biggest difference is length.  I think #3 is probably the best design, but it is short enough that it can be over-powered unless wind is about.  #2 is a good choice unless you really want to enter the proper clubhouse.  

I also think the Castle over Leven is a good choice.  The Castle has its problems for sure, but it does do a lot right.  That said, if you get an invite to Leven (or most anywhere), the Arble Rule is to take it up if it doesn't cause much itinerary grief.  While far from great, Leven will not disappoint.  

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Of course the Castle is a good choice...

If you want to be a GCA, it's remiss not to check out highly thought of examples of modern architecture... The Castle Course is an excellent case study because you will see plenty of things you like and admire and some that you may question and have to think whether they can be deemed a success or not... It's a course that pushes some boundaries so is best investigated...

[Thomas Dai]

I've always been curious that folk criticise the severe greens at the St-A Castle course but wax lyrical about 'that' MacKenzie green at Sitwell Park.
atb

PS - why so few, if any, mentions of Luffness when East Lothian courses are mentioned?