Machrie on Islay, 1891: 750 yard hole, and Mt. Zion

[Neil Regan]

An article about Machrie, © 1999, Douglas MacKenzie. Some Excerpts below.

It would take something out of the ordinary to induce Victorians to travel to the remote island of Islay. Willie Campbell, the course architect from Bridge of Weir, set out to create just such a magnet by producing a course of enormous length and difficulty. The 'basic' course was over 6000 yards long when it was opened by Mrs Lucy Ramsay driving the first ball using a club with a silver head in 1891 (see photograph) but, in case this was still too easy, an extra green was added to allow an option of the 8th being 750 yards and the 9th, 620....

In its original form there was no hole less than 200 yards in length. It was still a tough course. Harry Vardon once described the 17th, Mount Zion, as ' the hardest hole I have ever seen.' (Its appearance around the turn of the 20th century can be seen in the second photograph.)...

There was a recent thread about this course, and some changes being made.

[Jack_Marr]

I am planning to go to Islay some time, mainly to visit the distilleries. Is this a links course? I'd love to play it.

[Darren_Kilfara]

Jack, if you're going to Islay anyway, you'd better bring your clubs, because the Machrie course is certainly worth a look. The issue is normally whether or not you want to make the trek across to Islay (a three-hour drive from Glasgow and a two-hour ferry thereafter) in the first place; I couldn't honestly recommend that to everyone. But if you're on Islay already, the golf course certainly has much to recommend itself - it's truly a diamond in the rough.

Cheers,
Darren

[Bill Weber]

Jack,
I would second Darren's comments only more emphatically. IMO it is truly a hidden gem and does indeed deserve a look. Blind shots abound and other golfer's do not. If you can get in, a stay at the B&B Glenmachrie nearby would treat you to some of the finest food and accomodations in Scotland.