ROYAL DORNOCH: To The Links Of

[Angus Moir]

Very detailed and interesting read about RDGC...

cannot agree on a 7 however....nearer a 9 in my book on the Doak scale and cannot see a consistently ranked world top 20 being a 7..but as a new poster I better watch what I say!

cruden bay is my old club and while I know it is loved by visitors for a variety of reasons..its not as good a course as Dornoch.

I am doing Castle Stuart for the first time in early July plus 36 at RDGC and 18 at Skibo and Fortose so will provide any further comments on RDGC after that visit...

Has anyone played Bonar Bridge btw?

[BCrosby]

A post above reminds me that Experience Royal Dornoch is a must buy. Rich Goodale's contributions are well done and the book is beautifully produced.

The same applies to the other two books in the series on TOC and Carnoustie.

Bob

[David_Tepper]

"Has anyone played Bonar Bridge btw?"

Angus M. -

I have played the 9-hole course at Bonar Bridge a couple of times, but not in at least 7-8 years. It is a pretty spot with some nice views, especially in August when the heather is in boom. But it cannot really compare to the nearby courses at Dornoch, Tain, Golspie & Brora.

DT

[Rich Goodale]

Welcome, "new poster" Angus, and don't shy away from telling us what you think.  Most of us on this site are MCMs (Mucci Certified Morons(tm)) anyway.

I agree with you on Cruden Bay vs. Dornoch.  Both places are great experiences, but they are not of the same class.  Don't worry about Sean's 7.  He's mathematically challenged (given that he plays like a 2 and pretends he's a 10) and thus probably doesn't understand the logarimthmic nature of the Doak Scale......

As to Bonar Bridge, give it a pass.  I've played there several times and while there are a few great views over Loch Migdale there are also lots of midgies and the golf is medicore at best.  If you want 9 holes within 30 minutes of Dornoch, go to Portmahomack, which I've walked but not played, but it looks like proper quirky links golf.  If you do and like it, let us know and I'll play it when I'm next up in Dornoch in a month or so.  Also, Portmahomack is a coll wee village with a great on-going archaological dig and history museum right near the course as well as a fine fish restaurant, the Oystercatcher (if it's still there).

Enjoy.

[Angus Moir]

Rich

Many thanks for the heads up on BB....

I am at RDGC 4th and 5th July if our schedules align...

Heard of Portmahomack and will try and squeeze it in if light permits...

And appreciate the guidance on posting...

Pebble Beach is over rated....there i said it!

[Rich Goodale]

Rich

Many thanks for the heads up on BB....

I am at RDGC 4th and 5th July if our schedules align...

Heard of Portmahomack and will try and squeeze it in if light permits...

And appreciate the guidance on posting...

Pebble Beach is over rated....there i said it!

Angus

If you are going to be at Dornoch on the 4th and 5th, you will have no difficulty finding me as I will be in the midst of ~50 of my extended family, ranging in age from 5 to 85, and I will be the only one not talking Glaswegian.  Let me know when and where you will be on thoe days.

As for Pebble Beach, it is overrated architecturally, but it is the only course in the world that I would say that $500/round can be "value for money," but I may be biased as I played the course most often (in the 70's and 80's) when you could play two rounds for $35 (including carts) and the last time I played there (2013) it was at rack rates with my wife, 2nd off the tee on the most beautiful day I have ever played the course, and it was worth the 10 Benjis, and possibly more.

Hope to see you in a few weeks.

Rich

[Jon Wiggett]

Angus,

Rich is right that Portmahomack is a better game than Bonar Bridge but I would not dismiss it so quickly. The extending of the course has lost much of the charm though it is undoubtedly safer however the hole 6 through to 9 are worth seeing including the wonderful 7th. I suppose it depends what you are looking for but if it is something a bit different whilst giving value for money then many of the more illustrious courses could do worse than take a leaf out of the book of many of Scotland's wonderful hidden 9 holers.

Jon

[Ryan Coles]

David

I would never call 16 a weak hole.  But for my tastes, a hole that much uphill needs a bit of charm to make up for the slog element.  The 16th couldn't be called a charmer like Sandwich's 10th.  A big part of the charm comes down to yardage...the hole is too long for that sort of grade.  It strikes me as purely a connecter from the lower links up to the lovely 17th.  

Ciao

Sean

Look to the left as you walk up. A lovely view no?

I really enjoy your analysis of courses, but I hope I never get to the stage where I play somewhere like Dornoch and devote my thoughts to nit picking. The experience there for me is about the whole, not the sum of its parts. It has an intangible charisma that I think is difficult to rate or classify. Reading criticism of Dornoch, however mild is like watching the family pet being tortured.

Dornoch ain't a 7!

[Sean_A]

Ryan

You may be right, but I don't love Dornoch like other people seem to.  For whatever reason (and I did mention several), the course doesn't thrill me like people tell me it should and it certainly is far from perfect or "if you miss one hole you miss something special".  Its interesting because I think of Dornoch in a dead heat with St Enodoc and Ballybunion, but for me the odd holes of St Enodoc means it carries the day in terms of personal favourites.  FYI - a 7 is an extremely high score from me.  I am not one of the Ran or Rihc types that gives out 9s like sweeties in a doctor's surgery  .  I would be happy to return someday...and thats all that really matters.  All the other talk is cheap sport.

Ciao

[Colin Shellard]

I'm a big fan of Dornoch, might have something to do with the fact I've always shot good scores there, but it is just a lovely place to play golf. A course that is easy on the eye, strategically challenging without needing to steal half the balls out of your bag (that said I think I've only ever played it in Spring and Autumn - always the best time to play links in my opinion) and a great variety of holes. The shoreline holes are my favourites I must admit. 16 does seem a little out of character with the rest of the course, but I guess it was needed to link to the final 2 holes.

I like it and look forward to my next visit.

PS - I also love staying at the Royal Hotel on the first tee, great bar, wonderful view from the restaurant window and better than expected food when I was last there. Wonderful being able to put your shoes on in the hotel and walk down to the 1st tee.

[Angus Moir]

Rich

I tee off at 3.40 on the 4th at RDGC after a warm up at Skibo that morning...

Given the date i will look for the Stars and Stripes and hopefully find you!

Playing with Neil Hampton first off following morning...hangover permitting!

Look forward to saying hello or as they say in Aberdeen where i hail from, fit like !

[Michael Graham]

I thought I'd bump this thread of Sean's after seeing photos today of an architect firm's proposed plans for Dornoch's new clubhouse. They're only proposed plans so the finished clubhouse could look radically different but I thought they were worth sharing. Thoughts?


http://jamstudio.uk.com/projects/commercial/royal-dornoch-golf-club

[Ryan Coles]

I think this was the chosen version:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lLEo4s7CwIw

They can afford it. They'll be due a massive VAT rebate shortly. I think the contention is about the location rather than the building.

[Michael Graham]

Ryan


Thanks for posting the video. I'd missed that. I've only been up to Dornoch once but the clubhouse did feel in need of replacing, or significantly updated at the very least. It had a slight air of damp golf shoes/dog.  I guess it's the problem of squaring the fact that RD is a members club while at the same time accepting a significant number of visitors annually who are paying expensive green fees.

[Ian Mackenzie]

I do not believe that a new clubhouse is being pursued at this time.

[Andrew Simpson]

Wouldn't they be as well to build a new clubhouse above the third or fourth now that the location has been ruined by the ugly concrete boxes that are looming over the course now!
Near the start Dornoch's location is mentioned as four degrees short of the Arctic Circle. I'm probably being pedantic living  North of Dornoch and still on the mainland but as far as I'm aware it is a bit over eight.
Thankfully I'm glad to say my pedantry doesn't stretch as far as the golf course and after over 30 years I still take joy out of playing there without looking for the negatives. It has a few weaknesses but I'm not going to score a hole badly for losing a ball in gorse when I'm the one to have played an errant shot.

[Rich Goodale]

I thought I'd bump this thread of Sean's after seeing photos today of an architect firm's proposed plans for Dornoch's new clubhouse. They're only proposed plans so the finished clubhouse could look radically different but I thought they were worth sharing. Thoughts?


http://jamstudio.uk.com/projects/commercial/royal-dornoch-golf-club

I think this is a spoof, Michael.  If it is not, I will probably not renew my 34+ years membership in the club at my earliest convenience.

Rich

[James Boon]

According to the Jefcoate Anderson website, theirs was the winning entry of a competition of 6 entries.
http://www.jefcoate-anderson.com/portfolio/Royal-Dornoch-Golf-Club-House
So the JAM Studio designs would have been one of the other 5.


Can't say I'm too excited about either of these designs to be honest, so I wonder what the other 4 entries were like? But as we can't post under pseudonyms I wont expand my crit any further...    Perhaps an alternative version of an "armchair architect competition could be a clubhouse design? 

[/size][size=78%]Cheers,[/size]
[/size]
[/size][size=78%]James[/size]

[Jon Wiggett]

Wasn't this all put on the back burner after last years AGM?

[Rich Goodale]

According to the Jefcoate Anderson website, theirs was the winning entry of a competition of 6 entries.
http://www.jefcoate-anderson.com/portfolio/Royal-Dornoch-Golf-Club-House
So the JAM Studio designs would have been one of the other 5.


Can't say I'm too excited about either of these designs to be honest, so I wonder what the other 4 entries were like? But as we can't post under pseudonyms I wont expand my crit any further...    Perhaps an alternative version of an "armchair architect competition could be a clubhouse design? 

[size=78%]Cheers,[/size]

[size=78%]James[/size]

Thanks for that link, James.  I actually like the Jefcoate-Anderson design in that it gives homage to the current clubhouse while significantly expanding the views over the courses and the sea.  The bottom bit needs to be changed to look less like a prison block and more like a welcoming place, but that should not be hard, given that the budget will not be seriously limited.  Should this design be built, I would look forward to enjoying it in splendid isolation 95% of the year, and in a less chaotic experience in the ~5% of the year when it is full of other people.

[Niall C]

I also like the look of the winning entry, or at least the version without incorporating the clocktower and roof ridges which just looks bizarre. I look the use of the stone in a contemporary design, and the extensive views offered to the course and the coast. Not sure about the internal layout which seems to replicate what's already there in that the bar is tucked round the corner from the main area which also appears to be largely taken up with dining.


Is the building to be located in the current position or is it going to be moved nearer the sea ? Indeed is it going to be developed ?


Niall

[Bill Crane]

Wow, what a tough group.
After six rounds, my impression is this a tremendous golf course and really worth getting to know well.

If we are criticizing # 7, #16 and one par three that should be hit with a different club, that is rarefied air.  #7 and #16 would be stand out holes on many courses.  Oh and probably seven greens are non plateau.

Actually, I think there is a nice mix of uphill, downhill and even holes in slightly different directions for a links course.

Simply a wonderful golf course.

  Wm Flynnfan
 
 

[Sean_A]

Wow what a tough group.
After six rounds, my impression is this a tremendous golf course and really worth getting to know well.
If we are criticizing # 7, #16 and one par three that should be hit with a different club, that is rarefied air.  #7 and #16 would be stand out holes on many courses.  Oh and probably seven greens are non plateau.
Actually, I think there is a nice mix of uphill, downhill and even holes in slightly different directions for a links course.

Simply a wonderful golf course.
  Wm Flynnfan

Bill

I don't think I am tough on Dornoch. Regardless of the numbers, and I admit to being conservative with the Doak scale because I have not seen enough of the great courses in other parts of the world, my Doak 8 places Dornoch top 10 in GB&I...ahead of some seriously excellent courses.   

Ciao 

[Ian Mackenzie]

Wow what a tough group.
After six rounds, my impression is this a tremendous golf course and really worth getting to know well.
If we are criticizing # 7, #16 and one par three that should be hit with a different club, that is rarefied air.  #7 and #16 would be stand out holes on many courses.  Oh and probably seven greens are non plateau.
Actually, I think there is a nice mix of uphill, downhill and even holes in slightly different directions for a links course.

Simply a wonderful golf course.
  Wm Flynnfan

Bill,


Glad you made it over. My wife and I were there again in early September.


No secret at all - as it's on prominent display in the clubhouse - is that the GCA firm of Mackenzie/Ebert has proposed some changes to the course. By FAR the most significant changes will be to hole #7.


According to the diagram that I saw the 7th hole would be moved towards the water so that the right side butts up to the ridge where the mess of gorse exists today. The green would also move right and my guess would be close to 50 yards.


I recall that #16 may get lengthened and the right-side bunkers would be made more visible. There's a "ball magnet" on that left side where I seem to regularly hit my tee shot giving a blind prayer shot up to that large, flat green.

[Thomas Dai]

Mackenzie/Ebert has proposed some changes to the course. By FAR the most significant changes will be to hole #7.

According to the diagram that I saw the 7th hole would be moved towards the water so that the right side butts up to the ridge where the mess of gorse exists today. The green would also move right and my guess would be close to 50 yards.

Interesting. Sounds similar to the revised 9th at Cruden Bay. Nice spot for photographs too.
atb