[Phil McDade]

A nine-hole course on the grounds of the Dalmunzie Castle estate, deep in the Scottish Highlands, has been attributed at times to Alistair Mackenzie. Robert Kroeger's "Complete Guide to the Golf Courses of Scotland" says it was designed by Mackenzie in 1921. This travel story -- from the Milwaukee newspaper no less:

http://www.jsonline.com/features/travel/29374944.html

attributes the course to Mackenzie as well. The Dalmunzie website is a bit more circumspect, suggesting that Mackenzie might have been involved, perhaps along with Braid, both of whom worked on the nearby Rosemount course in Blairgowrie:

http://www.dalmunzie.com/golf-g.asp

Anyone know any more details, or provide more insights? Anyone played it? It's not exactly on the beaten path.....

[Rich Goodale]

I've played it.  So has Slag Bandoon, so hopefully he'll chip in too.

MacKenzie was surely involved (I spoke to the Captain of the club when I was there), but I doubt it was much more than a 18 stakes in the ground/9-short holes for the local laird sort of effort.  It is more of a private folly than a golf course, and whilst sporty is not likely to advance one's knowledge or appreciation of Mackenzie.  There is only one bunker remaining and it is as big and flat as a man-hole cover.  The 8th, an otherwise charming medium sized par-3 has a large tree growing out of the green.  There are some interesting shots (not least of which the mid-iron to that 8th green!), and some vestigal evidence of what might have been a MacKenzie green on one of the fairways.

All that being said, it's something completely different and the views can be awesome.  The adjacent hotel is also worth the detour (good food and great service--at least it was 5 years ago), as are walks in the nearby hills.  One of Scotland's few ski areas is within a few miles in case you are unlucky with the weather.

Rich

[Phil McDade]

Rich:

Thanks -- I had the impression it was one of those private estate courses that architects were occasionally asked to do.

[Scott Macpherson]

Funny you talk about this course, I was just talking with Neil Crafter about it last week!

He is the one who should, and will I hope, contribute to this thread as he seems to know the most about all things Mackenzie.

But I can tell you I have stayed in the Castle and played the wee 9 hole course. It's fun, interesting, raw.  Mackenzie's involvement is difficult to substantiate however.

What is interesting though is that one hole (the one featured in my attached photo – I forget what number it is but perhaps the 7th) is suggested to be Mackenzie's formative design that later lead to the more refined version at Augusta. Which hole? The 12th of course.

Now, whether that is fact or fiction... who knows?

Come in Neil......





At this hole the tee shot is across the water, to a square shaped green that runs away (slightly) from the line of attack. The Castle is up to the left.

[Rich Goodale]

Excellent call, Scott!  That hole is indeed one of the MacKenzie templates, just like the 12ths at Pitreavie and Augusta.

[Neil_Crafter]

Phil and Scott
I have to say we know very little about the origins of this course - I have been able to find absolutely nothing on it in The Scotsman and suggest that the local newspapers would probably be the best source - presumably in Blairgowrie.

This was what I found from the Dalmunzie website. It would seem it was originally built as a private estate golf course for Sir Archie Birkmyre around 1922:

"Dalmunzie golf course is among Britain’s highest and is enveloped by stunning mountain scenery. The views in all diections are simply superb and can justify even a bad round! The course was introduced for the personal use of Sir Archie Birkmyre and his family and friends in 1922. Its design is open to some conjecture and concerns two of Scotland's greatest golf architects. Dr Alastair MacKenzie of Augusta National fame and his contemporary James Braid of Gleneagles fame. They have both been put forward as the designers. It is possible both were involved as Dr Mackenzie designed the nearby prestigious course of Rosemount (then Lansdowne) in the early 1920's and James Braid the re-design of Rosemount in 1930. Over 350 years of ownership by the Macintoshes came to an end when Dalmunzie was purchased in 1920 by Sir Archibald Birkmyre who had leased the property as a shooting retreat since 1907. Sir Archie immediately built a new driveway, Britain's highest golf course, a spectacular 2 1/2 mile railway to Glenlochsie Lodge, and extended the main house."  

I like the photo of the 12th and thanks for posting it Scott, very cute little hole. I have nothing else other than this, but I'm interested that Kroeger recorded it as being a Mackenzie, as he seems a pretty good researcher. Phil, could you possibly scan and post the section from Kroeger about Dalmunzie? Only things I do have are a post card showing the location of the course from 1960 and the writing of the sender on the back says that it is a 6 hole course, also shows what might be a bunker or two. Also an ordnance survey map of the area from around 1920 or so (no mention of the golf course).

[Marty Bonnar]

Now a pretty nice hotel with low green fees!

http://www.dalmunzie.com/golf-g.asp

cheers,
FBD.

Note to self: Try to read Posts above before stumbling in blindly...sorry, Phil.

[Rich Goodale]

Neal

It could well have been a 6 holer.  There are clearly some added holes to the north of your postcard, and maybe the last 2 on the flood plain are new.  Also, the "MacKenzie green" I referred to above is in the middle of the 450 yard hole, which seems very out of character.

If I were you I'd contact the hotel directly and get a contact for the club, which is independent of them.  They might know more than is on the website, but as it has been significantly upgraded over the past 5 years, I would doubt so.

Good luck

Rich

PS==if you are still looking for information about Knock, let me know by IM.  I have a good source.

rfg

[Phil McDade]

Neil:

I lack the ability to scan; instead, I took a picture. Hope this helps. Kroeger I believe only had one printing of his book; mine is listed as 1992.

[Niall C]

I had the pleasure of playing Dalmunzie last weekend. Met the Australian lady who runs the hotel and was very nice however couldn't offer anything more than she was vaguely aware the course was a MacKenzie. Even with it being a saturday afternoon, there was only two other golfers on the course. So as a fact finding trip to find out more about MacKenzies involvement, it wasn't much of a success.

However I thoroughly enjoyed the golf and the course definitely comes into the category of "sporty" even if the greenkeeping were any more basic it would be left purely to the rabbits to keep the grass short.

Theres now no sand bunkers on the course, or if there is I managed to miss them. I would also surmise that the last two holes probably weren't in the original routing. Looking through previous threads, those holes have been invariably described as being on boggy ground which I can confirm was the case with my visit. The par 3 8th is an interesting hole as Rich suggests with a couple of trees out front of the green however the par 4 dog-leg 9th which loops round the 8th just doesn't seem to work well, particularly in relation to the 8th.

Looking at the old postcard that Neil posted, the lost green referred to by Rich is right beneath the arrow beside golf course and shows the two flanking bunkers. I suspect that this was a double green or at least a single green played to from opposite directions. Given the course was originally a private one with limited play, I imagine this wouldn't have posed a problem. The course clearly wasn't intended to be a championship test in terms of length. I reckon most of the holes would have been par 3's or short par 4's.

If I'm right then at some point the 3rd and 4th would have been combined to form the existing 3rd hole, and what was then the 7th and 8th holes were combined to produce what is now the 6th hole with the two lost holes been replaced by the new 8th and 9th holes on the boggy ground. I suspect this was done not only to try and provide some more "standard" golf in terms of length but also to allow for greater play.

Looking at the features of the course, I can definitely see some good work in at least a couple of the greens, with the 2nd and 6th greens in particular melding in nicely with the surrounds, but some of the others have lips and ledges on them that look as though they may have been added later and look a bit clumsy.

Overall a good fun 9 holer although I wouldn't necessarily drive half way across the country to play it. But if you are in the area why not ?

Niall

[Adrian_Stiff]

Dalmunzie was a 6 hole golf course in the mid 70s. I dont know exactly when 3 new holes were added. Perhaps it was 9 then 6 then 9 again.

[Phil McDade]

Niall:

Thanks for this update. It seems you really have to try to be in that neighborhood.

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