[Ira Fishman]

Planning next year's trip already.


We have maximum of five rounds potential (no 36 hole days).


Current first option: Highlands to play Golspie, Brora, and RD each for the second time plus pick up a couple of others.


Second option: Penmure, Royal Aberdeen, Murcar, and Cruden (2x) each for the first time.


Third option: NB, Gullane, and Kilspindie.  Played NB 2x and Kilspindie 1x.


I am fully aware that you will object to definition of options.


Ira

[Peter Pallotta]

[In brackets, to signify a non- answer: I was wrong before -- thinking that the making of one new friend at a Redan in Scotland had only *temporarily* changed your curmudgeonly ways. In fact, post Scotland, you're much more like Ebenezer Scrooge after he'd seen the Three Ghosts -- you're a totally new man! I sit here imagining you standing on your head, giving raises to your employees, sending a Christmas turkey to Bob Crachit, booking yourself in as a single at courses all over town, and wandering around with a permanent smile on your face muttering 'I don't deserve to be so happy' over and over again. Yikes: what is it that they put in the water over there, scotch?!]

[David_Tepper]

Ira -

Since you have not played those courses before, I would suggest option #2. You may be able to fly into Aberdeen airport.

I would think about possibly including Fraserburgh, Inverallochy and Peterhead.

DT

[Garland Bayley]

...
Current first option: Highlands to play Golspie, Brora, and RD each for the second time plus pick up a couple of others.
...

Twice around Tarbat (10 holes with 8 repeated the second round)
Nairn

[Stan Dodd]

Option 2
Panmure is a wonderful day of golf.  Royal Aberdeen is top drawer.  Murcar is solid. Cruden Bay can't go wrong. And as David says add Fraserborough.  Great trip.

[Jon Wiggett]

Option 2
Panmure is a wonderful day of golf.  Royal Aberdeen is top drawer.  Murcar is solid. Cruden Bay can't go wrong. And as David says add Fraserborough.  Great trip.

Despite always promoting the joys of playing the Highland courses I too would probably suggest the above.


Jon

[Ian Galbraith]

The reason making such decisions is always so hard is that they are all excellent options and all are equally likely to  result in a great trip.
If you opt for East Lothian think about adding Dunbar as an option to change things up.


Just for devilment let me also sprinkle some love for Scotland's overlooked parkland delights:
Gleneagles (Kings and Queens), Blairgowrie (Rosemount & Landsdowne), Boat of Garten and Ladybank. 


Any of these, picked off on a short detour would be a wonderful complement to the links fare on the coast and let you see some of the beautiful Highland scenery on the way.


PS I know that is not the question you asked but you didn't  really expect us to stick to the point did you ?

[Bernie Bell]

Unless you've a moral objection, consider Trump Aberdeen.  Then, you could add your informed voice to the critics' chorus . . . or perhaps discover a guilty pleasure.  One play only, but I found Royal Aberdeen a pretty stern and unforgiving test for my mediocre skills.

[Ira Fishman]

Thanks as always--our trips have been so much the better because of those on this site who share their views and experience. And Ian, I assumed and counted on people not sticking to the options as I defined them.


David, there is a non-stop from Dublin to Aberdeen so indeed a few days in Ireland also under consideration.

Peter, one of the reasons I so look forward to our trips to Scotland and Ireland is that the charms of both places--and the unique golf--overwhelm my natural defenses.  The only slight negative is that I drink bourbon, not Scotch or Irish Whiskey, and it is not always easy to find any let alone decent bourbon in both countries. 


Ira

[MClutterbuck]

Far from being an expert, but having played the main courses in your lists, I would definitely go to the Aberdeen region and play Cruden x 2 and Royal Aberdeen before repeating areas you have visited.


 

[Bob Montle]

Another vote for Panmure and Fraserburgh

[David McIntosh]

Ira,

As a few others have said, I’d be inclined to try to see courses you haven’t yet played, which would point to option 2.

You’ve got a strong looking line up already but as you’re limited to five rounds I’d consider swapping Trump Aberdeen in for Murcar as it’s unquestionably a better course and they’re relatively close to each other.

I see that Fraserburgh has received a few recommendations. I haven’t made it there yet but it’s near the top of my Scottish to-play list.

Panmure is a course I really enjoyed and if down in the Angus area for that you should think about trying to play Carnoustie on the other side of the railway tracks as well. Not quite as convenient as the substitution I suggested above if you were going to be based in the Aberdeen area but well worth it as the course is one of the best in Scotland.

[MClutterbuck]

I second Carnoustie. I was reluctant to play it, since it gets so many mixed reviews (enjoyment factor). I was never too inclined to play a brutally difficult course as it was described to me most often. In reality, our experience was the opposite. I thought it was a very fair, playable course, quite a lot easier and wider than Western Gailes, for example.


The finishing holes are fantastic, starting with Spectacles. Amazing green site and double green.



I would say it is one of the 2 most pleasant surprises of the 20 Scottish courses I have played, together with Brora.

[Lou_Duran]

You’ve got a strong looking line up already but as you’re limited to five rounds I’d consider swapping Trump Aberdeen in for Murcar as it’s unquestionably a better course and they’re relatively close to each other.

I see that Fraserburgh has received a few recommendations. I haven’t made it there yet but it’s near the top of my Scottish to-play list.

David- really?  Unquestionably?  Based on a brief look from close to the clubhouse and recommendations from several well-traveled golfers, I am actually thinking about driving up to Balmedie before the Buda for a quick round.  And a) I don't like to drive nor b) pay $$$$$ to play golf.  Now, if you want to argue that Murcar is a better value, well, maybe you have something there.


Re: Fraserburgh, besides #1 and 18, I liked the links a lot.  We played it last summer, and, unfortunately, the turf conditions, especially on the greens, were awful.  One could still appreciate the design and the wonderful site, but it was hard to enjoy the playing conditions.


Re: Carnoustie, liked it a lot my only time there 15+ years ago and hope to get back soon.  The reactions to it might be akin to those aimed at Spyglass Hill when comparing the former to TOC and the latter to Pebble Beach.  If one doesn't like difficult courses that lack the natural beauty or historic significance, there are other options. 

[David McIntosh]

You’ve got a strong looking line up already but as you’re limited to five rounds I’d consider swapping Trump Aberdeen in for Murcar as it’s unquestionably a better course and they’re relatively close to each other.

David- really?  Unquestionably?  Based on a brief look from close to the clubhouse and recommendations from several well-traveled golfers, I am actually thinking about driving up to Balmedie before the Buda for a quick round.  And a) I don't like to drive nor b) pay $$$$$ to play golf.  Now, if you want to argue that Murcar is a better value, well, maybe you have something there.

Lou,

Balmedie is a very good course and is a couple of rungs above Murcar, which is solid enough (to use Stan’s apt description) but no more than that in my view. If you make the trip up to play it I’m sure you won’t be disappointed by the course. That said, I’d recommend you play Royal Aberdeen or Cruden Bay ahead of Balmedie if in the North East area as to me they are even better, great, courses. If you’ve already played those two then, of course, it makes sense to see somewhere new on this trip, particularly when it has come highly recommended.

The quality of the course and value are two different things as you know and the value equation is different for you and I because of Balmedie’s Scottish resident rate, which makes the green fee slightly more palatable for locals. The non-local fee doesn’t represent value to me. I was astounded though to see that Murcar charge £130 at the weekends (£110 midweek) during the summer months, which I don’t think is value either. This means the rates between the two are broadly comparable for residents but completely different for non-locals faced with paying at least double for Balmedie.

That’s a good observation re Carnoustie. Not being directly on the ocean, it lacks the visual wow factor of, say, a Kingsbarns or Turnberry however some of the best courses in the country (not to mention the world) lack in natural beauty as you put it - see Muirfield, TOC as further examples - but to my eye contain superior golf.

[Ira Fishman]

For many obvious reasons, I would want to play Carnoustie. My playing partner is my wife who is intrepid, but I try to avoid courses that seem unlikely she will enjoy. We skipped Ballybunion and Muirfield. The only course we have played that she did not enjoy is Nairn (and the greens at Old Mac). Carnoustie strikes me as Nairn plus more. Having said that, the most difficult course we have played is The Island Club which both of us loved on a windy day.


Ira

[MClutterbuck]

I think Carnoustie would be fine for most ladies. At least it was in the last days of May.

[Thomas Dai]

For many obvious reasons, I would want to play Carnoustie. My playing partner is my wife who is intrepid, but I try to avoid courses that seem unlikely she will enjoy. We skipped Ballybunion and Muirfield. The only course we have played that she did not enjoy is Nairn (and the greens at Old Mac). Carnoustie strikes me as Nairn plus more. Having said that, the most difficult course we have played is The Island Club which both of us loved on a windy day.
Ira

I once played Carnoustie in the company of 36 hcp lady, a genuine 36 hcp too. She loved it. When I asked her to elaborate she responded by saying that despite the occasional burn, where if necessary she could lay up, from the ladies tees there were no forced carries and upon landing plenty of roll on the ball.
Atb

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