Moray Golf Club Unveils Course Changes

[Brian_Ewen]

http://www.bunkershot.com/post/119437516658/moray-golf-club-unveils-course-changes-moray

Moray Golf Club Unveils Course Changes



Moray Golf Club has released details of a series of course improvements that have been made ahead of one of the UK’s most prestigious amateur championships. The changes at the renowned Scottish links will provide a stunning backdrop for the Carrick Neill Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship in May – a Scottish Golf Union flagship event.

The on-course improvements, which include the redevelopment of 24 bunkers, the introduction of three new bunkers and removing four, were devised to enhance the much-loved routing of the Old Course which was first laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1889. Along with new tees and an ongoing gorse control programme which has stripped back encroaching bushes in order to expand the semi-rough and give more shape to the fairways, the six-week programme of improvements has been universally welcomed at the club.

“I am extremely proud of the work carried out by the greens staff over the winter programme,” explained John Thomson, captain of Moray Golf Club. “They have shown what can be achieved without having to break the bank. Their knowledge of reconstructing bunkers, building tees and managing the gorse around Moray is second to none and that makes them a valuable asset to the club.”

He continued: “Although the course improvements are part of a longer-term strategy, they have also been planned to coincide with the Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship which will boast an impressive field of talented players from 29 - 31 May. The course changes are living proof you can have a championship links that presents a stern, modern-day test for the very best amateurs while remaining a fair challenge for shorter hitters.”

Daniel Sommerville, Events Manager at the Scottish Golf Union, said: “We are looking forward to a great tournament at Moray at the end of the month. The Old Course offers a true championship test and we think all the players will enjoy the challenge. This year’s event boasts another strong, international field and, in a Walker Cup year, we expect a high standard of golf in the quest to lift the trophy.”

Moray Golf Club, which hosted the 77th Scottish Student Golf Championships while celebrating its 125th anniversary last year, is one of the most admired links courses in Scotland. Most recently it was among the climbers in Golf World’s Top 100 Scottish golf courses jumping three places to number 34. Greeted with “unanimous affection”, it was described by the panel as an “absolute gem” and “a hugely underrated course”.

For new courses manager Kevin Thomson, the programme of works has been particularly satisfying, especially the most significant change which involved swapping the 12th tee on the Old Course for the 12th tee on the New course, which was designed by Henry Cotton. “From our point of view, these projects are brilliant,” he said. “The tee-swapping was a huge job because we had to move paths and build new tees. When we stripped everything back, it looked like a bomb had gone off. It was only when things started to take shape that the golfers could see what was going on.”

He continued: “It would never happen on a modern course. One of our courses has been here for 125 years and the other came along soon after. It is unusual to swap tees but along with the bunker programme, the changes have made noticeable improvements. They’ve made the courses harder for better players and easier for less experienced players. It was a great project to work on and what has made it especially satisfying is the positive feedback from the members.”

The club has supported the changes by investing in new equipment, including a Toro rough cutter and a new Vredo overseeding machine. On the course, this has boosted the rate of sowing new fescue grasses as well as aiding the application of the weekly light dressing of sand which helps firm up Moray’s famed seaside greens.

The course changes will influence most of the 36 holes at Moray Golf Club but will in particular affect the 5th, 8th, 11th and 12th holes of the Old Course and the 12th on the New course.

Some of the first players to try out the new-look Moray will be the stellar field for the Carrick Neill Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship who will be aiming to join an impressive list of past champions that includes former Ryder Cup captains Bernard Gallacher and Colin Montgomerie as well as current European Tour stars Stephen Gallacher and Richie Ramsay.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Loved Moray Old.... Part of the reason was the bunker placements

...I will lose the will if they've "normalised" the centreline ones on the 5th... Or any other unusual placements... I bet they did though...

Either way, a course that shouldn't be missed in my opinion.

[Bill Crane]

Have not heard much about Moray here or elsewhere.  I don't recall the Confidential Guide rating for this course.

Is it worth playing on the way to Dornoch?  Or would Nairn be a better choice.   I am thinking of just going straight to Brora from St Andrews.

This looks like it has real potential - especially with the program to restrain the Gorse.


Wm Flynnfan

[Niall C]

Ally

In the few years I was a member there they redid a few bunkers and made a fantastic job of it, so I am reasonably confident they have made a good job of these more recent changes in terms of the quality of workmanship. Not sure about swapping the tees on the 12th, I'm trying to get my head round that and wonder why they are doing it, presumably to add length. I'll hopefully get to see it in the next wee while.

Bill

I'm undoubtedly biased but Moray Old is as good as any links in the north of Scotland although not maintained to the same high standard all year round as places like Dornoch and Nairn due to limited staff. Even without the gorse being blootered, Moray Old was not a tight course. With regards the CG rating it was pretty low but dates back to one of Tom's early visits over here or so I believe. Certainly needs a reappraisal on here and apart from Ally others such as Simon Holt have said a lot of really good things about the course.

Frankly, it's better than Brora (IMO) and probably any of the second tier links around Dornoch. Shouldn't be missed.

Niall

[Norbert P]

  Though I've never set foot on Moray Old, I have played The Tribute GC (outside Dallas, TX) and Tripp Davis used Moray's 4th (par 3) as his 8th.  It was and is one of the most intriguing greens I've ever seen.  I don't know how accurate of a recreation it is but it was noteworthy for its simplicity and uniqueness.  Basically, it's a diagonally oriented, slightly bowled, kidney shaped green with adjacent mounding for both defense and assistance.  Though it has bunkers they are not tight to the green.
 Sorry, I couldn't find a good photo anywhere.

Bottom line,  I won't miss Moray on the next trip.  Great to hear of investment in the non Rota courses.

[Mark Pavy]

Here's a video of Moray Old Course for reference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fhpofDsxgE

[Ally Mcintosh]

  Though I've never set foot on Moray Old, I have played The Tribute GC (outside Dallas, TX) and Tripp Davis used Moray's 4th (par 3) as his 8th.  It was and is one of the most intriguing greens I've ever seen.  I don't know how accurate of a recreation it is but it was noteworthy for its simplicity and uniqueness.  Basically, it's a diagonally oriented, slightly bowled, kidney shaped green with adjacent mounding for both defense and assistance.  Though it has bunkers they are not tight to the green.
 Sorry, I couldn't find a good photo anywhere.

Bottom line,  I won't miss Moray on the next trip.  Great to hear of investment in the non Rota courses.

That sounds pretty accurate to Moray's 4th which is only 8 paces wide with the mounding most significant on the right. There's a road very close as OOB too.

Niall, I'm sure the workmanship is great. Just hope the few bunkers they have removed aren't the ones directly in the line of play.

[Norbert P]

Mark, thanks for that video.  That's my first foray into the real Moray.

[Stan Dodd]

Moray Old is most certainly a course well worth the time and effort.  I am in Dornoch now and would certainly drive past Nairn for a game at Moray. IMO.  There are some great holes and not a stinker in the bunch. The finish 15 - 18 are very very good.

[Rich Goodale]

i fully agree with Brian, Stan and others.  Old Moray is the best course south of Dornoch except maybe Castle Stuart, depending on what you are looking for.  If you want modern construction techniques, a "Championship" course, a CCFAD atmosphere and high greens fees, go for Castle Stuart.  If you want pure links, an "anybody can beat anybody but a flat belly" course, a proper local golf club and reasonable rates, go for Lossie.  It is a truly hidden gem, at least on this parochial board.......

PS--Need to modify with "...best course South of Dornoch and north of Carnoustie"

[Ally Mcintosh]

Moray Old is most certainly a course well worth the time and effort.  I am in Dornoch now and would certainly drive past Nairn for a game at Moray. IMO.  There are some great holes and not a stinker in the bunch. The finish 15 - 18 are very very good.

Stan,

15 to 18 are excellent but 14 is my favourite green.

Throw those in with the punchbowl green at 2, the elevated 3rd green, the unique par-3 4th, the bunkering and semi- blind green on 5, the back to back drivable par-4's at 9 and 10 and the diagonal use of a burn on 11 and there really is a fantastic mix.

[Brian_Ewen]

http://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/Article/Improvements-made-to-the-Old-Course-at-Moray-Golf-Club/3414/Default.aspx#.VV34FE9VhBc

[Steve Lapper]

Let me heap just a wee bit more praise on Moray.

It's a charming and authentic links that never fails to provide an exhilarating round. I've gone round a good number of times, yet the last with hickories was pure fun.

The architecture is solid, complete and may yield one of the best finishing holes found anywhere in Scotland. The immediately overhead thunderous sounds of the RAF Tornados landing at the end of the 7th hole are ear-shattering and breathtaking. I suppose if one were time it amidst the return of a squadron, you'd have to be careful to not see your ball blown 100yds backwards off the jets exhaust.

See Lossie (Old Moray), Brora and Taiin...you'll not be disappointed.

[Niall C]

Thanks Brian. The article suggests that all the work was done in a 6 week period and was carried out by the greenstaff. That seems incredible to me given that they only have 6 greenstaff including the head greenkeeper, or at least they had. I wonder if they are referring purely to the new tees and paths around the twelth ?

When I was last there about 3 years ago they had recently put in at least one new bunker and filled in one other that I can remember, as well as having an ongoing programme of stripping out gorse. One of the features of Moray is the grass bunkers, many of which were sand bunkers which had either been turfed or left to go to seed once they were no longer "in play" thereby retaining the shape of the bunkers. They did that with the one that I saw being filled in on the 13th.

Niall

[Niall C]

Ally

The 14th green is terrific but not sure if its the best. I always wondered about it as it has a bit of a modern feel about it as well as the way it is orientated. I always felt it would make a great par 3 green with the tee about 160-180 yards back in the left hand gorse. To my eye the original greensite for that hole is the fairway lying adjacent to the next tee.

Niall

[Rich Goodale]

Let me heap just a wee bit more praise on Moray.

It's a charming and authentic links that never fails to provide an exhilarating round. I've gone round a good number of times, yet the last with hickories was pure fun.

The architecture is solid, complete and may yield one of the best finishing holes found anywhere in Scotland. The immediately overhead thunderous sounds of the RAF Tornados landing at the end of the 7th hole are ear-shattering and breathtaking. I suppose if one were time it amidst the return of a squadron, you'd have to be careful to not see your ball blown 100yds backwards off the jets exhaust.

See Lossie (Old Moray), Brora and Taiin...you'll not be disappointed.

Steve

Moray New is better than Tain and almost as good as Brora.  Why waste petrol just to cross the Kessock Bridge and skip Dornoch?

Rich

[Ally Mcintosh]

Ally

The 14th green is terrific but not sure if its the best. I always wondered about it as it has a bit of a modern feel about it as well as the way it is orientated. I always felt it would make a great par 3 green with the tee about 160-180 yards back in the left hand gorse. To my eye the original greensite for that hole is the fairway lying adjacent to the next tee.

Niall

It is that off-kilter orientation that I like with the green shedding to the left. The movement is significant but subtle and ties in well to the surrounds. Agreed, it doesn't have a nineteenth century extension of fairway feel. But I love it. I'd be interested to find out when it dates from.

[Steve Lapper]

Let me heap just a wee bit more praise on Moray.

It's a charming and authentic links that never fails to provide an exhilarating round. I've gone round a good number of times, yet the last with hickories was pure fun.

The architecture is solid, complete and may yield one of the best finishing holes found anywhere in Scotland. The immediately overhead thunderous sounds of the RAF Tornados landing at the end of the 7th hole are ear-shattering and breathtaking. I suppose if one were time it amidst the return of a squadron, you'd have to be careful to not see your ball blown 100yds backwards off the jets exhaust.

See Lossie (Old Moray), Brora and Taiin...you'll not be disappointed.

Steve

Moray New is better than Tain and almost as good as Brora.  Why waste petrol just to cross the Kessock Bridge and skip Dornoch?

Rich

Rich,

  We both know Dornoch remains in a league by itself north of the Old Course. My comments were directed at those folks looking to follow the herds to Nairn or Castle Stuart. Yes, Moray is better than Tain, but that doesn't mean Tain isn't fun and Brora is a good bit different than either, more like a mini-livestock themed roller-coaster ....still very much worth the visit.

[Niall C]

Rich

Re Moray New - I think it has the makings of being a really good links but isn't quite that yet. It has the basic bone structure and sandy DNA but not the looks. If I was the benevalent dictator of Moray I would look at blootering the gorse in certain parts of the course, redesigning all the green complexes with the exception of perhaps 2 or 3 of them and introducing more fairway/centreline features. I don't think a lot needs to be done to the routing

Ally

Come to think about the new bunker I referred to in an earlier post is the centreline bunker on the 9th.

Niall

[Alan Ritchie]

Moray old, definitely worth a game. certainly a few excellent holes, especially 18.

has held the scottish university championship for many a year. an abiding memory a year I played there was when I think the St. Andrews team overindulgence led to someone leaving a brown deposit in the 17/18th hole.. recommend keeping your glove on for retrieving the ball!

[Niall C]

Ally

I've read the club history which is the usual sporadic history of the evolution of the course. There is some debate as to what Old Tom did if anything but what is sure is that in the early years there was significant changes to the routing as evidenced by the old maps on the wall upstairs in the clubhouse. Colt did some work in the early 1920's and the club history book suggests he worked on the first and from memory the 5th but I've got to think he did more than that but haven't found evidence yet. Not sure if the 14th green is Colt, it looks later to me.

One of the great things about the course is the on course archaeology, of old green sites/bunkers etc.

Niall

[Jon Wiggett]

Let me heap just a wee bit more praise on Moray.

It's a charming and authentic links that never fails to provide an exhilarating round. I've gone round a good number of times, yet the last with hickories was pure fun.

The architecture is solid, complete and may yield one of the best finishing holes found anywhere in Scotland. The immediately overhead thunderous sounds of the RAF Tornados landing at the end of the 7th hole are ear-shattering and breathtaking. I suppose if one were time it amidst the return of a squadron, you'd have to be careful to not see your ball blown 100yds backwards off the jets exhaust.

See Lossie (Old Moray), Brora and Taiin...you'll not be disappointed.

Steve

Moray New is better than Tain and almost as good as Brora.  Why waste petrol just to cross the Kessock Bridge and skip Dornoch?

Rich

Rich,

I not sure I agree about Moray New as though good and great value at £25 last year it could be improved on quite a bit with some small changes over a number of years. The Old course is however a real gem and should be played. As for Tain, it is IMO tee to green as good a course as you will find but is let down quite a bit by the green complexes. Brora, on the other hand has probably the best set of natural looking green complexes in the UK.

Niall has probably the best idea of where Moray stands in comparison to other courses.

Jon

[Niall C]

Since someone mentioned the CG I thought I would dig it out to compare the relative scores "nearby" courses some of which have been mentioned in this thread;


Boat of Garten    5 - - -  (1985)

Brora                 7 7 7 6  (2006)

Skibo                 5 7 4 -  (2003)

Castle Stuart       7 8 8 -  (2013)

Fort & Rose        4 - - -  (2013)

Golspie               4 - 3 4  (1982)

Kingussie            2 - - -  (1985)

Nairn                  6 6 5 6  (2005)

Royal Dornoch     10 9 10 10  (2012)

Tain                    5 - 4 5  (2006)

Cruden Bay          8 8 8 7  (2006)

Cullen                  5 - - -  (2013)

Fraserburgh         6 7 - -  (2013)

Murcar                6 6 5 6  (2009)

Peterhead            - 5 - -    (1999)

Rosehearty          4 - - -    (2013)

Royal Aberdeen    7 8 5 8  (2013)

Royal Tarlair        3 - - -  (1982)

Strathlene            4 - - -  (2013)

Balmedie Int.        7 8 6 6  (2013)

Moray Old            4 - 4 -   (1982)


So according to the CG, Moray Old is on a par with Strathlene and Rosehearty, and not as good as Cullen, Tain and others. Now I'm a big fan of Strathlene and Cullen, both great holiday golf, but to put them on the same level as Moray Old is a bit bizarre. I can only think that Tom has become less severe in his marking as he has got older !!

Niall

[Rich Goodale]

Niall

Thanks for the Confidential Guide rankings.  Obviously, nobody on the crack Team CG managed to get to Lossie (or get there soberly) since 1982.  It beats the socks off Nairn, and maybe Royal Aberdeen...

As for the New, I'd never call it anything but fun, bur it.s easily in the top 2nd 18 for me (along with St. Olaf's, Struie, Gullane #2, etc.).