ROYAL DORNOCH: To The Links Of

[Philip Gawith]

Thanks Niall. My response is similar to Mark - hard to believe that you are citing that long list of course as being in the mix alongside Dornoch when it comes to quality. As you say, perhaps you just look at things a little differently from the consensus view whereby even the GCA's own finest put Dornoch around number 11 in the world! Methinks maybe your Brigadoon comment suggests a strong desire on your part to separate your views from what you regard as a certain mindless conformity on the part of many foreign visitors. Anyway, each to himself and i look forward to playing some of the courses you mention that i have not played. So many courses, so little time.


Sean, agreed. North Berwick certainly has enough high points i can see it might fill that same role if i had played it enough. Prestwick - my memory bank is a bit thin. I suspect a strong regard for GCA history plays a little bit of a role in that particular case!


Philip

[Niall C]

Philip


If you read my post you will see I only listed five that would be in contention with Dornoch for my top 5. The others I mentioned as being possibly in contention if I knew them better. In fact I notice I missed out Muirfield which is another one. In essence, I wouldn't quibble that Dornoch is in the mix, even if I probably wouldn't have it in my top 5.


The rest of the post was just outlining how I got there. As for what others think, well this is the site for free and frank discussion on golf course architecture !


Niall

[Mark Pearce]

Niall,
 
Thanks for your response.  I do recall that game with the Principal, David T and you (not least as Stan and I finished 3rd overall that weekend, I think!) and that I probably thought higher of Dornoch than you did.  As you say, looking for slightly different things in a course can produce quite different opinions.
 
BTW, Muirfield is also one that's also up there in my top 4, and one where I think there's a bigger delta from accepted GCA wisdom.