[Neil Regan]

I recently found these photos I took in 1995, with film.
Machrihanish has never been photographed properly, imho.
Dave Scaletti, Aidan Bradley, Casey Lambrecht, please go spend a week or two there.

[Joshua Pettit]

Neil,

I am in Scotland for a couple months, and I hope to go see Machrihanish while I'm here.  I'll definitely bring my camera, and I'll see what I can do to satisfy your request.

[KBanks]

Neil,

Don't sell yourself short, those are beauts!

Couldn't agree more that Machrihanish is not easily rendered in photographs, or in words.

Ken

[Mark Bourgeois]

Neil

Can you define "properly"?
 
One definition could be "capture its essence." I have not played it, so can't comment -- but I like how your first photo shows a rolling landscape, a nod if you will to the sea in the distance.

Mark

[Phil McCracken]

Nothing like some good "essence",  and Machrihanish has plenty of it.....

I have pictures from '94 to my last visit in 2006. Will try to post them soon, when I dig them out of storage!

[Michael Dugger]

Neil

Can you define "properly"?
 
One definition could be "capture its essence." I have not played it, so can't comment -- but I like how your first photo shows a rolling landscape, a nod if you will to the sea in the distance.

Mark

I think what he means is nobody has spent a significant amount of time there, taken quality, hi res pictures from varying angles under varying conditions.

And then made them available to us!!!!

[Dean Stokes]

Looks like a slice of heaven to me boys..........

[David_Tepper]

Iain MacFarlane Lowe's book "Scottish Golf Links, A Photographer's Journey" contains 11 quality photos of Machrihanish.  My guess is he has taken many, many more pics.

[David_Tepper]

You can also find 200+ pics of Machrihanish online at Frank Pont's website:

www.golfarchitecturepictures.com

[Norbert P]

From David Tepper's suggestion . . .

   

(Check out the UFO in the upper right.  Probably scouting crop circles.)

BTW... I don't remember the wind generators. Are they new?

[Neil Regan]

posted with permission from David Scaletti

from David:

  It's one of my favourite shots, I have plenty of favourites I must admit, but I really like how it illustrates the wild contours of the fairways.
I waited for quite some time to get that shot, the sun just wouldn't do what I wanted. To pass the time I searched around in the rough
until I found a golf ball and then rolled the ball around on the green to see what crazy things it would do, and what different lines
would result in the ball ending up in the same place. It is quite some green!
...
I had a couple of days there, but a longer period is needed to ensure reasonable weather and the chance to get to know it well.
Who knows?? Maybe sometime in the future.




Thanks, Dave. That's what I'm hoping for.

[Norbert P]

Neil, I must admit, that photo totally disoriented me as I remember the 3rd heading due West toward the Atlantic, but it actual heads southward (after checking a course overhead). I only mention it because the shadows seemed impossible for an evening sunset.  Obsessive compulsive, perhaps.    I'm sure very few people ever see this hole at sunset, being that most would be finishing up a round - not starting one.  So, this is one reason photographers can get better shots than a regular golfer clicking away during a round.  We may get some Hero Light for a hole or two, but with their patience, amongst other things, they can get great shots of a whole course.

  I remember waking up at dawn at Bruneau Dunes in Idaho, hiking through some virgin dunes and approached a lone photographer.  I tried to talk to him but his terseness said "You're killing the precious light!  Leave now! and make no footprints as you go! Now or I will kill you!"  He didn't actually say it, but I could feel it. I took no offense, as I understood (eventually)  the situation.

  Nice shot David.   And if we ever meet, I'll only approach when camera is in case.

[Neil Regan]

Slag,

  Because Machrihanish goes right up the coast to the 9th and then turns back, it's easy to think that the holes go north (or west for #3). But there is enough bend to the bay and tack to the routing that the wind can vary 180 degrees going out, while apparently always being behind. And it can switch quickly, from off the sea to off the land.

   I remember playing one day when the Seals wouldn't fly, the wind so strong to sea. My brother's tee shot off the high 17th was out of bounds left over the small course and finished on the beach by a tent at the mouth of Machrihanish burn. That same wind had earlier blown a ball 120 yards or so backwards in the air to the 12th tee. I caught that on the fly.

[Norbert P]

   I remember playing one day when the Seals wouldn't fly, the wind so strong to sea.

 Even Willy Loman couldn't forget Machrihanish. 

Is Seals another name for Oystercatcher?   Oh, on second thought, probably Seagulls.

The M Burn that you spoke of that crosses the second fairway, I walked right by feller as he was pulling out a nice little trout with his pole there.   Scotland gives nice images to remember.

[Neil Regan]

   I remember playing one day when the Seals wouldn't fly, the wind so strong to sea.

 Even Willy Loman couldn't forget Machrihanish. 

Is Seals another name for Oystercatcher?   Oh, on second thought, probably Seagulls.

   The US Navy Seals and the RAF had an "official secrets" base there for years. Some landing lights for their runway are in play on the 9th hole. The 12th tee had a sign on the fence warning you not to go into their territory which was covered by the official secrets act.

  They would practice in the fiercest weather. Take-offs and landings and troop drops. On the day before the day I caught the tee shot, we watched a Navy plane practicing take-offs into a wind stronger than its take-off speed. The plane rose backwards. The next day the wind was stronger.

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