"Hidden Gems" ?

[Brian_Ewen]

If these are Scotlands lesser known courses , what is the terminology for a true Hidden Gem nowdays ?

 

BOAT OF GARTEN IS THE BEST HIDDEN GEM
IN SCOTLAND - SAY BUNKERED READERS

Readers of Scotland’s No.1 golf magazine BUNKERED have chosen Boat of Garten as the best ‘hidden gem’ in the ‘Home of Golf’.

The Highlands club came out on top in the magazine’s ‘Secret 18’ competition which was launched earlier this year in conjunction with VisitScotland, the national tourist board.

The purpose of the competition was to bring some much deserved attention to some of the lesser known – but no less magnificent – Scottish golf courses. It followed a previous competition run by bunkered in 2004 to reveal readers’ ‘Top 20’ Scottish golf courses.

On that occasion, the list comprised the country’s ‘big guns’ such as St Andrews, Loch Lomond and Muirfield, with ‘hidden gems’ notable by their absence.

Hence, the decision was taken to redress the balance and give these unheralded courses their share of the limelight.

Readers were asked to pick their 18 favourite ‘hidden gems’ with the winner being the course receiving most votes.

Over 5,000 people submitted their nominations resulting in The Boat of Garten taking the top spot, narrowly pipping Open Championship qualifying course Ladybank. The Fife course was second ahead of another Open qualifying venue, Downfield.

Other courses to make the list included the likes of Lundin Links, Gleneagles Queen’s Course and two from St Andrews, the New and Dukes Courses.

The editor of bunkered, Martin Dempster, hailed the competition as a massive success, not only for The Boat of Garten, but also for golf in Scotland.

“This competition was intended to give some of Scotland’s lesser known courses their place in the spotlight,” said Dempster, “and it most certainly delivered. The Boat of Garten is a worthy winner and our warmest congratulations go out to the club and all of its members.

“However, it is not the only winner in this competition – Scottish golf is, too. The strength of this list clearly demonstrates the strength and variety of the courses we have here in the ‘Home of Golf’ and that is something that every Scot should be proud of.

“And, once again, bunkered readers have come to the fore, answered our call and proved that they are the most knowledgeable and informed followers of sport in this proud sporting nation.”

Sam Torrance Former Ryder Cup captain and Golf Ambassador for VisitScotland said, “Golfing in Scotland is simply wonderful. There are so many great hidden gems with one of my own favourites being Longniddry. Sam was at a golf event at The Carrick at Cameron House, one of the courses to make the Secret 18. He commented: “The Carrick is absolutely beautiful. A great layout, in the finest setting on the planet.”

Mark McCardie, Golf Product Manager for VisitScotland added: “We all know that Scotland has got strength in depth when it comes to great courses, but these results really highlight the exceptional quality and quantity of golf courses Scotland has to offer. What gives it added credibility is that the courses were chosen by the Scottish golfers themselves – the people who know best!”

All of the courses that made up the overall ‘Secret 18’ will receive commemorative plaques from BUNKERED to acknowledge their place in the list.

Meanwhile, lucky reader Lee Strachan can look forward to a fourball at all 18 of the courses as a prize for his list most closely matching the final, overall list.

Scotland’s ‘Secret 18’ in full:
1 Boat of Garten.  
2 Ladybank.  
3 Downfield.  
4 Gleneagles Queen’s Course.
5 Dunbar.
6 The Roxburghe.
7 Lundin Links.  
8 Crail Balcomie Links.
9 Duke's Course.
10 Glasgow Gailes.
11 Moray Old Course.
12 Murcar Links.  
13 Scotscraig.
14 St Andrews New Course.
15 Letham Grange Old Course.  
16 Turnberry Kintyre Course.
17 The Carrick at Cameron House.
18 Royal Aberdeen.

[Daryl David]

They can't be very hidden if I have played most of the them!
 

[Tony_Muldoon]

Brian with books like Finegan's, magazine's like Travel & Leisure and a site I would recommend, called GolfClubAtlas.com, are there enough golf courses in Scotland or Ireland for any gems to remain hidden?

I can imagine a very few courses emerging into the limelight in the next 20 years that today are not noticed. However I feel they are more likely to be found in countries where 'serious' golfers do not spend so much time at present. France, Belgium or former iron curtain country's?


Or am I wrong, are there some Scottish courses you'd like to suggest?   I have thought in the past of starting a thread asking for people to compile a list of 'gems' that are not in the Finegans books. Off the top of my head.
1 New Zealand
2 Luffenham Heath
3 Cardigan

I've only played seven courses in Scotland and I followed the herd.

[Phil McDade]

Brian:

As someone who's actually played Boat of Garten, I'd actually agree that it's something of a hidden gem, although it's certainly getting better known than when I first played it back in 1999.

I think it fits the definition because so many of the most famous, best, and traveled to Scottish courses are links, and B of G is about as un-linksy as it gets. Scotland -- unlike England -- lacks a truly world-class inland course, I'd argue, and thus it's my sense the traveling golfer (perhaps this is my U.S. bias) seeks out those courses that are most well-known, and thus finds himself drawn to the coasts, and not the middle of the Highlands. It's interesting the first four courses are all inland, two of them qualifying courses for the Open. (I can't recall a single American I've come across that has done the Scotland trip -- save for maybe one -- that has actually played B of G, but again that's a U.S. perspective.)

But I think it's odd in a few ways -- Aberdeen hardly seems hidden gem territory, and some of the others seem more like "overlooked" (courses in the shadows of more famous neighbors) -- Kintyre and the New, and perhaps ones like Scotscraig, Moray Old, and the Queen's course. (Though I was fairly astonished when playing the Eden with two longtime residents of St. Andrews that neither had ever played Crail Balcomie.)

Now, if they had added Fraserburgh, Inverallochy, Dunaverty, and Stonehaven, then they'd have a list that was perhaps more defensible as truly hidden gems.

[Steve Kline]

They can't be very hidden if I have played most of the them!
 

I agree. I've heard of or played almost every course on that list.

Royal Aberdeen a hidden gem??? You've got to be kidding. That course is just a gem - and a mighty fine one at that.

Glasgow Gailes - I thought it was probably the worst course I've played in my three trips to Scotland. Now Western Gailes I thought was tremendous.

Crail - once again hidden? Most people I have talked to that have gone to Scotland have played there.

The New Course - please. Nothing hidden about it since most people that book times at TOC have to play one of the other courses.

[Brian_Ewen]

At a push I could accept as Hidden Gems , The Boat , Old Moray and at a real push Letham Grange , but I think thats only because of their locations .

I just dont get how Open Qualifying Courses can qualify as a Hidden Gem ?

And ...

Surely price must also come into it ? . If R.A. , The Carrick , The Queens , The Dukes , The New , were true hidden gems , then they would not be charging £100 +

Phil , I know that you get it , but Aberdeen not hidden gem territory ? . I tell you Balnagask and Hazlehead fit the bill before Royal Aberdeen and Murcar .

[Phil McDade]

Brian:

I think Royal Aberdeen is the oddest course on the list. Great historical pedigree, host of a recent senior Open, and it's in Scotland's third-largest city! And agree about Open qualifying courses.

Now Hazelhead -- that's pretty obscure. Have they fixed it up? Are the Mackenzie greens still there?

How about Glencruitten, Powfoot, Machrie on Islay (discussed in some circles as the quirkiest course around, but it's really hard to get to...), Duff House Royal (more Mackenzie) and one of my favorites -- Dalmunzie at Spittal of Glenshee, said to be Mackenzie as well, near the hunting lodge.

[Brian_Ewen]

As I said Phil , I know you get it  

Hazlehead ? , I just wish some of you McKenzie experts would give it a look , before heading north to the usual suspects .

I know the fairways were dynamited but the greens and bunkering still look very McKenzie-like to my untrained eye .

Does it need fixing ? , certainly it needs some work on drainage , and the summer we have had , has meant condition was probably worse than normal , but hey its cheap and cheerful muni. golf , and I personally dont want that to change .

Speaking of Royal Aberdeen , has the Walker Cup been confirmed for there in 2011 ? . I have seen it mentioned as a possibility but cant remember it being confirmed ?

[Gary Daughters]

"Hidden gem" is probably any course not on the rota, minus Dornach, Prestwick and maybe Machrihanish.  Pitiful.

[Marty Bonnar]

How can The Carrick be a 'Hidden Gem'? It's been open for all of ten minutes, fercrissakes....

RATERS, gottaluvem.

FBD.

[Phil McDade]

Sean:

Your list contains several that are just really hard to get to -- does hidden mean "a long way from anything" in your book? Not saying it's a bad definition, but one that's sort of self-evident -- they're hidden if no one ever plays them except the locals.

Kingussie is a nice pick, overshadowed in the central Highlands by the Boat, but not nearly as good of a course, in my book. Edzell I've heard good things about; Ronan Rafferty did some work at Wick, a neighbor of Reay of sorts.

Traigh? Now that's a fun little course that hardly anyone talks about. I like it as a more obscure, hidden-gem nine-holer than Durness, which sort of has the cache of Peter Allis playing it and getting notice for the one clifftop-to-clifftop hole.

[Tom_Doak]

There is an excellent article in the new GOLF DIGEST by David Owen, who went to Scotland for ten days determined not to play any course he'd heard of in advance ... he just went to the first course and then took the locals' recommendations on where to go next, which took him to places like Boat of Garten, Kingussie, Durness, Reay, Strathpeffer Spa and Cullen.

I'm still bummed that I couldn't convince my interns to drive the extra two hours last summer so we could play Cullen.

[JC Jones]

I'm still bummed that I couldn't convince my interns to drive the extra two hours last summer so we could play Cullen.

I cant stop laughing at this.  Who do these kids think they are these days.

[Rich Goodale]

It is interesting (although not very surprising, once you think about it) that just about all of the "hidden" gems mentioned above are in fact out in the open, near one of more of the more conventional tourist routes (whisky, hills, coastlines, history, tartan, etc.).  They are in nice places, populated by nice people.  People like us.

To me, the real hidden gems are in the heart of Scotland, in the Central belt from West Fife through to Ayrshire, where coal was king, and the golf courses were built to the specifications and needs of the working man.  Nice people, but people not necessarily like us, and in not so nice places.

It's easy to schedule a trip to Cape Wrath, and whilst enjoying the breathtaking scenery, say--"Oh Henry, let's try that quaint little 9-holer in Durness!"  Or, on your way to a few drams of The Glenlivet decide to play Boat of Garten, or whilst in Edinburgh play Braid Hills.  How many of you, however, want to muck about the industrial wasteland of Scotland to try to find and play places like Wishaw and Auchterderran and Glenbervie and Hamilton and Canmore?

These places (and many others of their ilk) are truly hidden, and are gems in their own right, if you take the time to find them and take them for what they are.  Maybe this is the next project for Golf Digest........

[Phil McDade]

There is an excellent article in the new GOLF DIGEST by David Owen, who went to Scotland for ten days determined not to play any course he'd heard of in advance ... he just went to the first course and then took the locals' recommendations on where to go next, which took him to places like Boat of Garten, Kingussie, Durness, Reay, Strathpeffer Spa and Cullen.

I'm still bummed that I couldn't convince my interns to drive the extra two hours last summer so we could play Cullen.

Cullen is quite an amazing little course -- sporting, as the Scots would call it, and plays to something like a par of 63 and @ 5,000 yards. It plays on two distinct levels -- very flat ground next to the sea, and a flattish ridge that overlooks the seaside section. Most of the course is by the sea, but it occasionally plays up to and down from the ridge, with an especially thrilling front nine par 3 that plays from a clifftop to a partially hidden green far below.

What makes the course unique, however, are the massive sea stacks around which the course winds. They are enormous, and the course provides an odd juxtaposition -- you feel sort of tiny, because of the sea stacks, on what is really a short, "small" course. A few holes cross each other, and it has a great, great Dell hole -- a par 3 complete with an aiming rock to a green tucked behind the sloping side of a sea stack.

The clubhouse is very nice and welcoming, and the kitchen featues "Cullen skink," a local delicacy, and something along the lines of a New England clam chowder. A much better course than nearby Royal Tarlair, which has one great hole, two or three other decent ones, but mostly indifferent holes. Cullen is worth seeking out.

[KBanks]

I nominate Newbattle and Haddington in East Lothian, and Dunblane New in Perthshire.

If you are in need of a serene parkland respite from the rigors of links golf, these three all fit the bill.

Ken

[David_Tepper]

Speaking of Cullen, has anyone played either Duff House Royal or Royal Tarlair, which are east of Cullen, near Banff?

Does anyone know how those courses earned the "Royal" distinction?  

[Brian_Ewen]

Mr Goodale

Thank you .

[Tom Huckaby]

This is great stuff, but it reminds me of an oft-repeated argument/discussion in here, and that is, what to do as a visitor to an area.  In a perfect world of unlimited time, one seeks out the real hidden gems Rich mentions.  But who has that kind of time?

As an example, I have to ask Rich:  if you had a Scot friend coming to the greater SF bay area, would you advise him to play Spring Valley in Milpitas?  Assume access is no issue and he can play anywhere else.

Did YOU ever play there when you lived here?

It is a hidden gem without a doubt, run by good unassuming people and it offers interesting golf at a very fair price.

It would, however, take quite the adventurer indeed to prefer it to Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Olympic Club, etc. etc. etc.  And Spring Valley is about 20 minutes from downtown San Jose, so easy to get to for darn near everyone.  Let's not even ask about a place like Dry Creek Ranch in Galt, which is darn fun and also a hidden gem, but legitimately in the middle of nowhere relatively...

Such is the problem.  So many courses, so little time.  So let's give a break to those who play the one's they can and miss the real hidden gems, shall we?  Every golf life has its realities.

[Ash Towe]

In New Zealand- Waipu

[Phil McDade]

David:

Royal Tarlair is in Macduff, the little coastal town sort of halfway between Inverness and Fraserburgh. Most of the course is laid out in a broad, flattish meadow, and the holes would be charitably described as dullish. But there is one terrific hole -- Clivet (13?), a par 3 of @ 150 yards from atop a cliff to a green perched on the edge of the North Sea. Pretty thrilling shot -- club selection, because of wind and downhill nature of shot, is something of a crapshoot (made a really neat 5 there -- waffled between a 7 and 8-iron, took 7, completely airmailed the green, reloaded, stuffed an 8 to within three feet and, of course, gagged the putt.) There are one or two holes leading toward and away from Clivet and the cliffs that are sort of interesting, but it's a course that asks the question: Is it worth it to play for just one hole?

Duff House Royal is just next door, in the twin town of Banff, and a parkland layout that winds around the magnificant and regal Duff House, and near a river. Said to have pretty intact Mackenzie greens; I showed up to play it, but they had an all-day ladies tourney there, and played Tarlair instead. Don't know how these courses get their royal designation -- someone once told me it was if a member of the royal family had played there, but I'm not sure that's the case.

Shivas -- the original article prompting this was in Bunkers, a Scottish mag whose readership -- just a guess here -- is probably 90 percent Scottish. The typical Scottish golfer -- heck, the typical Scottish person -- knows a fair amount about golf, and to live in Scotland and read Bunkers and not know Royal Abderdeen is kind of like an American saying: Notre Dame has a football team?

[Adrian_Stiff]

The boat is a true hidden gem and worthy winner I agree some of the others are too high profile to be 'hidden gems', I think most on here would like it, quite quirky with outbreaks of heather, pine, birch and some small greens, its well less than 6000 yards. I played it in 1974 and can remember it well.

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