Brora (pictures)

[Eric Franzen]

Warmed up with two rounds at Brora before hitting the Championship Course at Royal Dornoch earlier this week.
A really enjoyable and interesting James Braid layout who teased/tested us with lots of dramatic and playfully sloped fairways and green sites.  Great set of par 3’s with a special mention of the 6th, 15th and 18th.


The 1st hole. Short with a really narrow entrance to the green.


The 1st from the back of the green


2nd green with a prime example of Broras beautifully small (and deliciously evil...) pot bunkers


The par 3 sixth hole.


The 15th - complete with highland sheep smart enough to avoid the electrical fence surrounding the green


A personal favorite -  the approach shot to the 12th.

[Jason Topp]

Eric:

Thanks for the pictures.  This destination is definitely on my dream list.  

Please explain why the approach to the 12th is your favorite.  It looks to be a bit of a punchbowl from the picture, but would appreciate learning more.

[Pete Lavallee]

Eric,

Thanks for the photos; it appears Heaven does indeed have a waiting room!

[ed_getka]

Eric,
   Thanks for the post. Brora has always been high on my list. Thanks for reminding me why. No wonder Philip Gawith and his buddies do an annual Dornoch/Brora trip.

[Eric Franzen]

Jason,

My memory was a bit blurry. It is the 11th hole on the picture.
The photo doesn't reveal the slightly elevated end of the fairway (right in front of a small valley with a burn) where a good tee shot will end up.

The bunkers on the left side is placed in front of the green, which is quite small. When the pin is tucked away in the back it really opens up for some interesting decision making. A personal favorite, yes. But it is just one of many mindboggling and fine approach shots that you will find on this course.

[Chris Kane]

Thanks for the photos.  Can't wait for their 4-day Open at the start of August.

[ed_getka]

Chris,
  Are you over there yet? Have a great time and report in once in a while to let us know what you are up to.

[Chris Kane]

Ed, I leave on July 11 - have a week in London, a week at the Open, a week travelling north where I not to spend too much money!, then five days at Brora.

[ed_getka]

Chris,
   I would highly recommend trying to get together with Philip Gawith while you are in the London area. Did you guys cross paths in Australia when he was there 5 months ago?
   Rich Goodale and Martin Bonnar are along your path northward to Brora and will add immeasurably to your trip. Have a great time.

[ForkaB]

Ed

Chris has been in touch with me, and it is I who will take the blame if he doesn't enjoy the 4-day Open in Brora (of course, when a tunamint is sponsored by Clyneleish, and you get a free nip of their malt after each round, it can't be bad.....)

Chris

Keep in touch, and remind me when you will be in Fife.  I'll be in Dornoch from 7-16 July and at Hoylake 19 July.

Eric

More good pics.  Particularly like the ones of the 1st, which shows the potential perils relating to its driveability (one of it's neatest features).

PS--isn't what you call the 15th the very short 13th?

[Chris Kane]

of course, when a tunamint is sponsored by Clyneleish, and you get a free nip of their malt after each round, it can't be bad.....

Rich, for how long will I be banned from Scotland if I add Coke?  

[ForkaB]

Chris

If it's Atlanta Coke, you'll probably be burned at the stake as in the "Wicker Man."

If it's Colombian Coke, you'll be eligible for asylum and given leave to reamin in the country on full social benefits indefinitely.

[RJ_Daley]

This isn't being a wisecracker, I just want to know what the local rule is for chip shots around those greens where your steel shafted club might touch the electric fence in back or forward motion?  Do you drop well behind the fence no closer to the hole?  But, of course you can't just pick up the post and wire and lay it flat while you take your shot, and then replace it like some golf course roping and removable signage rules.

The pastoral setting is absolutely alluring and appealing to some sort of inherent and subconcious ancient memory.

[ForkaB]

Dick

You can in fact pick up and lay down the posts.  The electricity is supplied by batteries, and thus non-lethal.  Otherwise we would be in a Carl Spackler "You really want to kill all the golfers!!!!??" sort of situation.......

[RJ_Daley]

As kids we used to play a game of who can touch the electric fence the longest...  is it like that, Rich?  It must provide a bit of the yips...

[ForkaB]

Dick

In my own personal experience, the major danger is a putt at the edge of the green, which you line up and then decide to look at from behind, squatting down 5-6 feet behind your ball.  You find that butt tissue is VERY sensitive!

[Ed Tilley]

If I was going on a 3 day, 3 course trip, to Dornoch which course would you recommend I play with Dornoch & Brora? Which of Golspie and Tain is the better course?

[Chris Kane]

Chris

If it's Atlanta Coke, you'll probably be burned at the stake as in the "Wicker Man."

If it's Colombian Coke, you'll be eligible for asylum and given leave to reamin in the country on full social benefits indefinitely.

Colombian Coke it is then, though I don't like my chances of getting it over there with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur!

[ForkaB]

If I was going on a 3 day, 3 course trip, to Dornoch which course would you recommend I play with Dornoch & Brora? Which of Golspie and Tain is the better course?

Ed

If you are on a 3-day trip, I'd recommend playing Dornoch and then other courses only if you get bored with Dornoch, (but if you do so, you might as well play Bonar Bridge..... )

If you must play 3 courses, Brora is next and both Goslpie and Tain have their merits. Flip a coin.