Where do I play this Friday- East Scotland advice

[Marty Bonnar]

I played Craigielaw quite some time ago - in fact, before the clubhouse was completed so that makes it maybe ten years or so.

I recall being totally under-whelmed with it. Every greensite seemed to be a Post-Ross push-up and the bunkers all mini-Hells. Maybe I was just bitter about the Eden, of course.

I have just been looking at the pictures on the website and it actually looks allright now. Maybe I was harsh. I will go back and give it another view sometime. I'll bet I'd still rather play Kilspindie though.

FBD.

[Mark Pearce]

I played Craigielaw quite some time ago - in fact, before the clubhouse was completed so that makes it maybe ten years or so.

I recall being totally under-whelmed with it. Every greensite seemed to be a Post-Ross push-up and the bunkers all mini-Hells. Maybe I was just bitter about the Eden, of course.

I have just been looking at the pictures on the website and it actually looks allright now. Maybe I was harsh. I will go back and give it another view sometime. I'll bet I'd still rather play Kilspindie though.

FBD.

I bet you would, too.

[Jon Wiggett]

Mark,

I have also played Craigielaw. It must go down in the 'one of the best opportunities missed' category. Donald Steel could have done so much more but instead a bland, smooth, overly difficult and under challenging course was built.

[Bill_McBride]

Mark,

I have also played Craigielaw. It must go down in the 'one of the best opportunities missed' category. Donald Steel could have done so much more but instead a bland, smooth, overly difficult and under challenging course was built.

Jon, I'm curious how a course can be "[an] overly difficult and under challenging course" - please elaborate.  I would have thought the two to be mutually exclusive.   Or do you mean Craigielaw doesn't require quirky (creatively challenging) shots?

I've driven by it en route from Gullane to North Berwick via Kilspindie but never played.

[Jon Wiggett]

Bill,

the course has very many long holes into the prevailing wind with up turned saucer greens and contouring in front of the greens pushing the the ball away to the edges. A problem is not a challenge if the solution is either to easy or too difficult.

You are correct in your assessment that the course has too little (actually no) quirk but then again along side Kilspindie many courses would struggle in that department. I do not however believe that a good course needs to have quirk in order to be great. The examples of Muirfield or Birdale prove that point.