Match VII ended in a three-way tie...so Carnoustie Burnside is added to the mix. Burnside is not a course I would currently place among the top 100 GB&I, but I do have a lot of time for the course and I would have no hesitation recommending others play it. On to the match
#1. C's opener hasn't changed, short and to the point except for trees compromise the proper strategy of the hole. BD's opener is an in your face short par 4 played over a quarry then to a huge blind green which slopes hard right. N&P's also starts with a short par 4 where we get an early view of the dreaded caravan park. The hole though is quite good. NO BLOOD.
Beau Desert
#2. C's short 4 comes straight back near the first tee. The green imaginatively slopes right. BD's banger par 4 is a reverse dogleg which is overly constricted by trees/rough up the left, but an excellent hole regardess. N&P is stuck in doldrums with a very dull par 5. CB's longish par 4 has its green squeezed between OOB and sand....good hole. However, I think
1 SKIN TO BEAU DESERT
#3. BD's short hole is very clever moving away from the tee, yet the green gives the appearance of being back to front. C's short par 4 is excellent and these days it will take some control on the part of flat bellies not to run through the green with the drive. N&P's short isn't bad, but nearly of the quality of BD's. CB's short hole plays over a fronting bunker and is very good. However, neither it or BD's short are good enough to topple C.
1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH 
#4. C's par is a drop-shotter to skinny green, not bad, but no great shakes. BD's short par 4 is blind from the tee and moves deceptively hard right to a green set below the fairway...awkward hole indeed. N&P is still groping around for form with a very so-so par 4. CB's homage to THE South America is by comparison rather bland. I think by default, BD takes the win based on the very tricky approach.
1 SKIN TO BEAU DESERT#5. BD's par 4 swinging downhill and left then uphill is excellent. C's long par 4 is very good as well, but lacking the character of BD's effort. N&P comes alive with a cool green for its par 4. CB's 5th is an unusal par 3 over water and hemmed in down the left by trees. NO BLOOD
Narin & Portnoo
#6. BD's modest par 4 plays straight downhill to a very tricky canted green. C's par 4 is rather dull despite a very good green. N&P's par 4 plays awkwardly around OOB left then to a pulpit green which is very cool. CB's short 4 legs right, but the green moves left...another cool hole. However, I think N&Ps green site alone takes the day here.
1 SKIN TO NARIN & PORTNOO#7. N&P's knob to knob par 3 requires sharp flight control. Far less dramatic, but perhaps more fun, BD's redan-like par 3 is comfortably the better design. C's par 4 isn't really in the conversation. CB's par 4 drifts left over bumpy ground...another good hole. I am going to go for design quality over beauty here...
1 SKIN TO BEAU DESERT
#8. BD's tight legger left is saved to some degree by a good green. N&P's short and sharply downhill par 4 is the thing of dreams...a very fine hole. C's par 4 is very good because of the green, but no match for N&P. Neither is BC's fine long par 4.
1 SKIN TO NARIN & PORNOO
#9. N&P comes right back with another rollicking hole. Playing over an abrupt crest to a green set well below...this is awesome stuff. BD's 9th is a great short par 4 which is ever so tempting to have a go at. The green too is excellent!. C's par 3 is a bit of a dog's dinner visually, but the hole ain't bad. BC's par three to a pulpit green is excellent, however, I have to go with the raw golf here...
1 SKIN TO NARIN & PORTNOO#10: N&P's par 5 swinging right and diving to a green squeezed by dunes is very good stuff. BD's 10th is a crafty short hole which produces far more bogies than the card suggests it should. BC's medium length par 4 turns awkwardly left to a sunken green...yet another lovely hole on an unheralded course. C's awesome 10th, however, takes the prize....as it has done for several matches now.
1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH
#11. C backs up the 10th with another good hole using the same water, though the drive is a bit obscure for such a dangerous shot. N&P's par 3 to the boundary is very good as well, as is BD's longish par 4 with a severely tilted green. CB's 11th is good without being exceptional. This one is too close to call; NO BLOOD.
Cavendish
#12. C's modest par 4 features a killer green running away from play. N&P is in the doldrums with this hole and the next. BD's long par 4 double legs between trees, the sort of hole I usually don't care for. However, I do like that if one can curb the urge to hit driver, its possible to lay-up then play over the trees protecting the second leg. The rare use of green wall trees which I like claims the day. CB's par 4 is also quite unusual. The boomerang green can dramatically alter the hole and for this reason it takes the skin....
1 SKIN TO CARNOUSTIE BURNSIDE
#13. CB's green is a mini-punchbowl...another good hole. BD's medium length par 4 plays downhill with the green following suit. C's par 3 is a marvelous take on the Redan playing much more uphill then the orginal. N&P....doldrums. Gotta give this one C...
1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH 
#14. C's par 5 bending around a wall is a very clever way to make a flat hole interesting. BD's par 4 is superb. The approach is very obscured to a difficult and rather large green. N&P's par 5 moving to the left is good, but a bit tight. CB's long par three to a plateau green saddled in a dune ridge is superb and takes the skin...
1 SKIN TO CARNOUSTIE BURNSIDE
After 14 holes I have the match:
Beau Desert: 3 skins (2, 4 & 7)
Cavendish: 3 skins (3, 10 & 13)
Narin & Portnoo: 3 skins (6, 8 & 9)
Carnoustie Burnside: 2 skins (12 & 14)
NO BLOOD: 1, 5 & 11
More to follow.
Ciao