"The Top 6 Modern Golf Courses in Scotland"

[David_Tepper]

Featuring the usual suspects:

https://www.linksmagazine.com/the-6-top-modern-golf-courses-in-scotland/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=insider10.5

[Niall C]

David

All predictable and worthy until you get to the last pick. Craighead is nice but if it had been designed by Joe Smith would it have got on the list ahead of the other also rans that were listed ?

Niall

[David_Tepper]

Niall -
Since I have not seen Craighead (or any of the other courses mentioned except for Castle Stuart), I cannot comment on its merits or compare it to the other courses.
I was a bit surprised to learn that 90 courses have been built in Scotland in the last 50 years. I would have guessed that number was much lower.
DT

[Niall C]

David

Yep, 90 does seem like a lot. I note in the article he mentions The King Robert the Bruce (aka the Boaby) course which is a redo of the old Kintyre course which in turn had borrowed some of the holes from the Arran course if a remember correctly. I suppose it depends on how exacting you are about the definition of "new".

That said, there was a lot of courses built in that period on a fairly modest budget, Craighead being one of them, and quite few are/were 9 holers. Off the top of my head I can think of some that have already closed.

Niall

[Tim Gallant]

Would Loch Lomond qualify as a modern build? If so, that would likely make my list of best modern builds in Scotland. Craighead is the only one I haven't played on that list.

[Adam Lawrence]

Would Loch Lomond qualify as a modern build? If so, that would likely make my list of best modern builds in Scotland. Craighead is the only one I haven't played on that list.

Yes, absolutely it would, and I think it's a pretty glaring omission.


I might argue that Skibo ought to be there too.

[Sean_A]

Shouldn't Turnberry be considered modern? Its a post WWII rebuild which has had a few significant amendments since.  Add Loch Lomond and thats six...except for the new Ardfin and what about Mach Dunes? 

If Turnberry isn't modern (which I don't understand why it wouldn't be), Doak is likely spitting up coffee, but Castle Course should be in the conversation.  I think it is comfortably Carnegie's equal. 

I am intrigued by Loch Lomond only because I never played it and by the new Turnberry for the same reason.  But I am not overly drawn to play any of these courses.  Its the older coures which still grab my attention.  Greatness is over-rated...and no, I don't think Carnegie or Castle are great courses.

Ciao

[David Davis]

FWIW


My list would be:


1. Ardfin
2. Castle Stuart
3. Mach Dunes
4. Kingsbarns
5. Renaissance

[Tom_Doak]

Ardfin doesn't count if Sean can't go there. Seems like a reasonable standard.


Sean, I don't drink coffee, but I might vomit at The Castle Course being in this conversation.

[Jon Wiggett]

Dundonald is another big name course missing but in truth there are many more that could be considered.

[Ally Mcintosh]

It’s maybe not the best of them but I think I like Mach Dunes most of all, probably because the landscape was untouched from tee to green.


Only moderns I haven’t seen are Ardfin and Skibo

[Sean_A]

Dundonald is another big name course missing but in truth there are many more that could be considered.

Tom..I am sure there is a toiltet nearby    Ardfin?  It looks interesting in pix, but isn't high on my to see list in GB&I,14th out of 15, just behind Cleveland.  If it falls in my lap all is well.   

I was just looking at some Dundonald pix and thinking I was perhaps a bit harsh in my assessment. 

Ciao

[Peter Pallotta]

It must be particularly hard to accurately assess the top golf courses in Scotland. I watched the SWWOG match between Couples and Norman from Steel's Carnegie Club, on a very windy day, and it seemed like an excellent golf course. But then reading this thread I thought: sure, in the high winds, *every* golf course except a really bad one must look & play like a really good one!
Peter

[Niall C]

Carnegie course ? Is that what they are calling Skibo these days ?

Peter

The course has been substantially upgraded with new holes since Norman and Couples likely paid it a visit, assuming we are both talking about Skibo.

Niall

[Michael Graham]

Carnegie course ? Is that what they are calling Skibo these days ?

Peter

The course has been substantially upgraded with new holes since Norman and Couples likely paid it a visit, assuming we are both talking about Skibo.

Niall

Niall


They are/were calling it the Carnegie Links at Skibo Castle - quite the mouthful. I bought a few bits and pieces in the pro shop when we were there a few years ago, I can't remember if the merchandise carries the Skibo or Carnegie name. Possibly both?

[Peter Pallotta]

Niall - the SWWOG I watched was from 15-20 years ago, at what was the 'Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle'.  As I say, it looked like a fine course (in that wind) even then. And then, as the corollary to my previous post,  I think: yes, and without any wind, most courses in Scotland (except for the bad ones) look like very good ones -- because it seems like you could play most all of them with just a putter, every shot trundling along that excellent turf forever, and up onto those at-grade greens. Just a trifle to say: from afar, I find it more difficult than usual to reach conclusions/make judgement about the architecture of Scottish courses.
P   

[David Davis]

Dundonald is another big name course missing but in truth there are many more that could be considered.

[size=78%]  Ardfin?  It looks interesting in pix, but isn't high on my to see list in GB&I,14th out of 15, just behind Cleveland.  If it falls in my lap all is well.   [/size]

Sean, as you well know I generally put links courses above everything else and as much as I hate to tell you this, Ardfin is in my Top 5 GB&I. 


See Ran's review http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/scotland/ardfin-golf-course/


Stop playing hard to get....

[David Davis]

It’s maybe not the best of them but I think I like Mach Dunes most of all, probably because the landscape was untouched from tee to green.


Only moderns I haven’t seen are Ardfin and Skibo

Ally, I almost agreed with you there. I also contemplate having Mach Dunes ahead of Castle Stuart. That is some crazy land it's sitting on and the routing being purely natural is also very interesting.

[Sean_A]

Dundonald is another big name course missing but in truth there are many more that could be considered.

[size=78%]  Ardfin?  It looks interesting in pix, but isn't high on my to see list in GB&I,14th out of 15, just behind Cleveland.  If it falls in my lap all is well.   [/size]

Sean, as you well know I generally put links courses above everything else and as much as I hate to tell you this, Ardfin is in my Top 5 GB&I. 

See Ran's review http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/scotland/ardfin-golf-course/

Stop playing hard to get....

I have seen the pix and Ardfin does look interesting and very difficult. However, if I am going to an isolated island for golf I would rather go see Machrie, Isle of Harris and Askernish first.  I don't know what it is, but modern courses don't interest me as much as classic courses.  I guess I really like the idea smaller footprint golf and economy of design.  Modern archies are necessarily and unnecessarily working to a different playbook than the ODGs and while sometimes their designs may actually be better, there is an element of charm which is often lacking.  It seems like much of the modern playbook is based on bigger is better.  I know, in some ways it is unreasonable to compare old and new because sometimes charm comes with age.  Don't get me wrong, places like Kingsbarns and Castle Stuart are great, but it always gets back to the same question for me...so what? None of the courses mentioned make my top six favourite Scottish courses.

Ciao

[David_Tepper]

The LINKS blog does end with the following paragraph, which cites several more courses than the Top 6 listed:

"Other top modern Scottish courses worthy of consideration: The Castle Course at St Andrews (2008), Dundonald (2005), King Robert the Bruce – Trump Turnberry (2017), The Duke’s at St Andrews (1995), Skibo Castle – Carnegie Club (1995) and Archerfield – Fidra (2004)."

[Tim Gallant]

Dundonald is another big name course missing but in truth there are many more that could be considered.

[size=78%]  Ardfin?  It looks interesting in pix, but isn't high on my to see list in GB&I,14th out of 15, just behind Cleveland.  If it falls in my lap all is well.   [/size]

Sean, as you well know I generally put links courses above everything else and as much as I hate to tell you this, Ardfin is in my Top 5 GB&I. 

See Ran's review http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/scotland/ardfin-golf-course/

Stop playing hard to get....

I have seen the pix and Ardfin does look interesting and very difficult. However, if I am going to an isolated island for golf I would rather go see Machrie, Isle of Harris and Askernish first.

Ciao

Sean,

This argument MIGHT hold if The Machrie weren't also a modern build. Only three greens from the old course remain, and having seen it this weekend, it is effectively a new golf course. Not saying that is a reason to not go see it, but for consistency sake, thought it was worth mentioning. [size=78%] [/size]

[Rich Goodale]

I can remember 30-40 "modern" Scottish courses in my 30+ years here , but most of them are shite.  Craighead is semi-shite, and Loch Lomond is OK but mucky too much of the time (Scheisskopf nearly got sucked under when "designing" the place.....)......


Worth seeing not mentioned that I have played include Durness, Dunnikier, and Fort William.


Ricardo