[John Chilver-Stainer]

The new owners of the Machrie have received planning approval for some alterations to the legendary Machrie.

DJ Russel, the golf designer at Archerfields is the named designer.

The second hole will be altered by putting the tees over towards the 5th Tee giving a straighter line and better views.
This is definitely an improvement over the present hole which was anyway a hybrid after the originals holes over the burn were lost.
The present 2nd Hole has an almost right angled dog leg, which can be cut off easily, reducing the so called Par 5 to an easy 2 shot hole.
The improved angle will make the hole a more realistic Par 5
.
The green will also be pushed further back into a more interesting position in the dunes.
This will also be an improvement as long as the green remains open at the front.

The 3rd Green will be lightly modified to provide more room to the left.
This is one of the quirkiest greens on the golf course, set in a blind bowl, I just hope they keep the quirk.

The 7th gets a new Tee with improved views

The biggest change is a new 10th Hole. The Tee will now be on the dune to the right of the 9th Green and play towards the sea.
This is a huge improvement to the old totally non-descript 10th which was put in a few years back.
DJ Russel should be careful not to design the green only for the “long hitters” which at 165 yards into the atlantic winds could be a stretch for some.
The plan shows a raised green with 2 bunkers in front and “trouble all around” as he describes it.
Hopefully he provides at least one “feed in” for a bounce into the green complex and enough target area for some recovery oppurtunities outside the green surface.    

The biggest advantage of the removal of the old 10th is the lengthening of the 11th and the removal of an internal out of bounds. Presently the Tees of the 11th are placed to the right of the fairway, so it was easier to play up the 13th fairway the wrong way – thus the internal out of bounds.
Now the new Tee is straighter and longer, and the white posts can be removed.

This will please one of my playing buddies, who managed to play 4 balls over the internal out of bounds on the 13th hole!!!!
Getting a very juicy 14 for his efforts - very humbling considering he had played the first 9 in level par.

Thankfully the quirky aspects of the course are not going to be touched, neither are there any attempts to remove the blindness.

I trust Willy Campbell  approves.

[jeffwarne]

The changes on 2 and 11 should be quite good as 2 tee shot was a bit awkward and the internal OB on 11 was aggravating   (not intimately familiar with the other holes enough to evaluate the other changes)

When I was  there the only change I would've suggested was another pass with the mower on each side of the very narrow fairways, lined with very tall rough
Great spot.

[Niall C]

John

Thanks for that. Its a course I've yet to play. Do you think these changes will make much difference ?

Also interested to know what they required to do to get consent, for instance is the course a SSSI ?

Niall

[John Chilver-Stainer]

Niall,

Yes they will make a difference to the general experience by correcting three bad post-original modifications with three highlights. Certainly as far as the new Tee positions, Line of play and views across the bay goes.

However the Jury will still be out until the Greens have been constructed.
The Machrie’s greens are generally gathering greens with few bunkers surrounding them. Half the fun of the Machrie are judging the roll of the ball into the often blind greens and the recovery chips after missing them.

Hopefully DJ Russel won’t be tempted to “tart” up his greens with lots of bunkers or put the back of the greens hard up against the SSSI, leaving no room for recovery behind the green or block the entrance to the greens with steep ridges and bunkers..

I got the information from the Argyll and Bute Council web site.

http://publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=externalDocuments&keyVal=M3ICQSCHCH000

The SSSI was taken into consideration,  however it’s only thanks to the new owners that the Machrie has more or less remained the same and not had all the blind ridges removed.
I still believe classic courses should have a historic classification and only be modified if they pass stringent controls of a higher historical golfing authority, so we don’t lose the great quirky features to the whims of owners, golf course architects, players or greenkeepers.

Get over to Islay post haste, Niall, and enjoy a weekend of great golf and single malt.
The course was in great shape last year with the some of the best fescue greens I’ve played on.

John

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

John:

Thanks for the post. The modifications should do a lot in improving the course. Too bad the Mount Zion hole is lost forever.

Anthony

[Neil Regan]

"Too bad the Mount Zion hole is lost forever."
Lost but not forgotten.

One of my favorite postcards.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Anyone care to remind me about the history of Mount Zion and how and why it was lost?

[jeffwarne]

Anyone heard anything about the progress of the Ardfin course on next island over Jura?

[Neil Regan]

"Anyone care to remind me about the history of Mount Zion and how and why it was lost?"

Ally,

Anthony wrote about it in 2010
Machrie in Financial Trouble,2010

"...  In 1979 the farmer who leased the property on which a portion of the golf course sat – an arrangement dating back to its inception – decided he wanted the land to once again become the domain of bovine and ovine. With that pronouncement, five of the original holes were lost, including Mount Zion, a dastardly creation that ended at a green site possessing many qualities but forgiveness was not among them. ..."

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

"Anyone care to remind me about the history of Mount Zion and how and why it was lost?"

Ally,

Anthony wrote about it in 2010
Machrie in Financial Trouble,2010

"...  In 1979 the farmer who leased the property on which a portion of the golf course sat – an arrangement dating back to its inception – decided he wanted the land to once again become the domain of bovine and ovine. With that pronouncement, five of the original holes were lost, including Mount Zion, a dastardly creation that ended at a green site possessing many qualities but forgiveness was not among them. ..."

Ally,

I'm nearly sure he wrote an article in the Golf Course Architecture magazine a couple of years back. The hole is a little overgrown but as it's a feld grazed by cows, all the features are clearly visible.

[Adam Lawrence]

"Anyone care to remind me about the history of Mount Zion and how and why it was lost?"

Ally,

Anthony wrote about it in 2010
Machrie in Financial Trouble,2010

"...  In 1979 the farmer who leased the property on which a portion of the golf course sat – an arrangement dating back to its inception – decided he wanted the land to once again become the domain of bovine and ovine. With that pronouncement, five of the original holes were lost, including Mount Zion, a dastardly creation that ended at a green site possessing many qualities but forgiveness was not among them. ..."

Ally,

I'm nearly sure he wrote an article in the Golf Course Architecture magazine a couple of years back. The hole is a little overgrown but as it's a feld grazed by cows, all the features are clearly visible.

He did indeed - January 2010 issue, the one with Lost Farm on the cover. Sorry for delayed response - have been away, and only just got to my back copy file.

Adam

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