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Richard Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Tain or Golspie
« on: October 21, 2012, 03:49:18 PM »
My regular fourball links tour is heading to the Highlands next year.
We have a couple of rounds at Dornoch and a couple a Brora.
We will be able to fit in one other course which we don't want to be too expensive or too far from Dornoch so Nairn is out.
Tain or Golspie?

Richard

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2012, 03:55:01 PM »
Richard -

As a country member at Golspie for 10 years now, I have every reason to recommend Golspie, especially as the condition of the course has improved greatly over the past 3-4 years.

Recent article in Nation Club Golfer magazine:

http://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/features/articles/golspie-golf-club.html

Objectively, I think Golspie is preferable because:

1) It has a greater variety of holes
2) It is closer to the water
3) The scenery & views surrounding the course are more impressive.

If you have not done so yet, be sure to check out the Dornoch Firth Golf Pass, as it may save your group a few pounds.

http://www.dornochfirthgolf.co.uk/default.php

DT
« Last Edit: October 21, 2012, 04:01:07 PM by David_Tepper »

Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2012, 08:05:19 PM »
Richard,

I would second David's recommendation. I would say that from tee to green Tain is as good as anything in Scotland but with the odd exception the greens and green's complexes are very pedestrian. Whilst Golspie is not as good tee to green it does offer the better all round golfing experience and should not be missed. If you are looking for a quick nine holes nearby then Portmahomack is real fun.

Jon

Gary Daughters

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2012, 08:37:20 PM »

Richard,

I haven't played Golspie, but to my mind Tain shouldn't be missed. 
THE NEXT SEVEN:  Alfred E. Tupp Holmes Municipal Golf Course, Willi Plett's Sportspark and Driving Range, Peachtree, Par 56, Browns Mill, Cross Creek, Piedmont Driving Club

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2012, 09:30:35 AM »
One more thing!

4) The five par-3's at Golspie, as a group, are far better than the par-3's at Tain. In fact, I think they are as good, if not better than, the par-3's at Dornoch and Brora.

DT 

Brent Hutto

Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2012, 10:07:08 AM »
Golspie has the Mannie up on the hill watching you tee off...not saying whether that's a plus or a minus...

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2012, 10:21:16 AM »

Ken Moum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2012, 11:11:10 AM »
If you have not done so yet, be sure to check out the Dornoch Firth Golf Pass, as it may save your group a few pounds.

http://www.dornochfirthgolf.co.uk/default.php

DT

David, my wife and I are putting a trip together for next summer, and all those courses are on our list...  We missed Golspie and Tain last time.

But I notice that the Golf Pass site hasn't been updated since 2011.  Do you know if it's still available?

Ken
Over time, the guy in the ideal position derives an advantage, and delivering him further  advantage is not worth making the rest of the players suffer at the expense of fun, variety, and ultimately cost -- Jeff Warne, 12-08-2010

Doug Wright

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2012, 11:21:52 AM »
Richard,

We had the same decision to make about 8 years ago and from checking here on GCA the conclusion was Golspie over Tain. We liked Golspie a lot.  Golspie has a great variety of holes both seaside and inland/heathland and excellent par 3s as David mentioned. We also played Royal Dornoch and Brora, which of course are both great, and  Dornoch Struie, which we didn't care for much. Perhaps Tain could replace Struie if you're planning to play that course.

Here is a link to a 2008 thread on Golspie: http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,34210.0.html
Twitter: @Deneuchre

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2012, 11:50:11 AM »
"But I notice that the Golf Pass site hasn't been updated since 2011.  Do you know if it's still available?"

Ken M. -

I am almost positive the Golf Pass was available in 2012. I cannot say for sure if it will be available in 2013.

DT

Patrick Kiser

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2012, 12:32:11 PM »
I'll second the nod to Golspie and that's not a knock on Tain by any means. Tain is quite good on its own.  But if you twist my arm and say only one ... I'd probably go with Golspie.

I think the land is a little more interesting at Golspie + the front nine is quite good when you think about the combined 4 9s between Golspie and Tain.  I especially enjoyed the stretch of 5-8 with 7 being something really unique and quite special I'd say.  That 7th has to be seen to be believed.

“One natural hazard, however, which is more
or less of a nuisance, is water. Water hazards
absolutely prohibit the recovery shot, perhaps
the best shot in the game.” —William Flynn, golf
course architect

Richard Muldoon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #11 on: October 22, 2012, 04:19:00 PM »
Thank you everyone for your advice, Golspie it is.
As it happens our itinerary might just give us enough time for a round at Tain as well.
Body willing of course.

Richard

Scott Warren

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2012, 01:36:29 AM »
Agree the par threes at Golspie surpass those at either Dornoch or Brora (though both are very good).

And as an example of transitioning through three or four separate environments (links, meadow, pine forest, open heath) without losing rhythm or flow, Golspie is as good a candidate as there is.

Ken Moum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2012, 12:57:47 PM »

Re. David Tepper's suggestion to look at http://www.dornochfirthgolf.co.uk/dornoch_firth_golf_pass.php


The site hasn't been updated in a long time, so I sent them note asking if it would be available in 2013.  I just got a reply indicating that it will be available next year.

Good news since my wife and I hope to play all those courses in 2013.

K
Over time, the guy in the ideal position derives an advantage, and delivering him further  advantage is not worth making the rest of the players suffer at the expense of fun, variety, and ultimately cost -- Jeff Warne, 12-08-2010

Rich Goodale

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2012, 04:12:29 PM »
Flip a coin.  You won't be disappointed regardless of whether it is heads or tails.
Life is good.

Any afterlife is unlikely and/or dodgy.

Jean-Paul Parodi

JNC Lyon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #15 on: October 26, 2012, 12:50:41 AM »
I didn't get to play Golspie when I was in the highlands, but it looks like a very neat golf course.  However, my folks and I stayed in Tain when we there.  After playing Brora on a Saturday afternoon, we drove back south and settled into our hotel.  At 6:30 or so, my dad and I walked 15 minutes from the hotel to the club, and played a late 18 on a gorgeous, albeit windy, May evening, finishing up around 9:30 with plenty of daylight to spare.  The course itself isn't a show-stopper, but it has some pretty neat moments.  1 is a very cool opener with a second shot over a farm round.  4 is a funky par five over some great terrain.  6 and 7 are two interesting fours at the end of the course.  11 is a brilliant Alps out to the Firth.  15 is a short par four over perfect links terrain, and 16 and 17 are two fun back-to-back threes.  The one funny thing is that 12 plays right along the Firth, but it occupies the most boring terrain on the course.  Overall, I recommend Tain, and it's preferable to play it when it's deserted in the late evening.
"That's why Oscar can't see that!" - Philip E. "Timmy" Thomas

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #16 on: October 26, 2012, 12:02:27 PM »
"16 and 17 are two fun back-to-back threes."

JNCLyon -

Oddly enough, #16 & #17 at Golspie are also both par-3's. I think they are better holes than the ones at Tain, but I am biased. ;)

DT

Alister Matheson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2012, 01:00:05 PM »
They are both super courses but I prefer Golspie ,as others have stated the par 3s are fantastic @Golspie.
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http://crudenbaylinks.blogspot.com/

Greg Ohlendorf

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tain or Golspie
« Reply #18 on: October 26, 2012, 08:58:36 PM »
Richard,

They are both worth seeing, but I'd play Dornoch again 100 times out of 100!

Greg

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