Originally the port for much larger and nearby Elgin, Lossiemouth is often referred to as the jewel of the Moray Firth. Jutting into the Firth like a fist, the town is flanked on the west by the two courses of Moray GC and to the east by a striking beach which begins in town where River Lossie meets Spey Bay. Despite nearby RAF Lossiemouth, the town is fairly quiet. Indeed, the area around the splendid Moray clubhouse is one of the busier areas. This may be due to the few hotels in town being scattered near the 18
th green of the Old Course.
While perusing the website I did confirm that Old Tom Morris designed the original 16-hole course in 1889. Very quickly the course was extended to 18 holes when more land was leased, although the architect isn’t mentioned. Instead, there are a few paragraphs about the club malts, of which there have been very few! For those who might be interested, since 2002 the club malt is a 12- or 15-year-old Glen Moray.
Unfortunately, the club may be most famous for striking future Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, a son of Lossiemouth and keen golfer, from the membership roll for being an anti-war Labour MP during WWI. The unpopular MacDonald would lose his seat in the 1918 elections. Apparently, the Welsh thought more of MacDonald for his phoenix like rise to power began in 1922 as the MP for Aberavon in Wales! Fourteen months later King George V called on MacDonald to form a minority Labour government. He was one of the first Prime Ministers to come from a working-class background and not be university educated. During MacDonald’s second turn as Prime Minister in 1929, the club rescinded the motion to remove MacDonald from the membership rolls and extended an offer of membership. MacDonald refused and it is thought after being booted from the club he never played the course again.
Painting by Solomon Joseph Solomon
Starting in town, the opening four holes are not the best of the course, but each are highly varied with a bit of something. #1
The second legs left to a sunken green.
The unattractive tee shot for the 3rd turns well right to a hidden plateau green.
The 4th is the true exception to the opening statement. One of the best on the course, this hole opens the par three account with the most interesting of the short holes.
It may seem like balls will come in from the left, but this isn't the case. The front left of the green shoves balls toward the left rear bank.
OoB lurks!
More to follow.
Ciao