Ayrshire, Argyll & Askernish

[AJ_Foote]

Hello all.

About to embark on a wonderful trip.

I fly out from Melbourne Sunday night and will arrive in Glasgow lunchtime Monday.

The point of this post (my first GCA topic!) is not to gloat, but to seek some input.

First, here's where I'll be playing in the next couple of weeks:

Prestwick St Nicholas
Troon
Troon Portland
Prestwick
Turnberry Ailsa
Glasgow Gailes
Dundonald
Western Gailes
Askernish (several times)
Machrihanish (several times)
Machrihanish Dunes
Dunaverty
The Machrie (several times)

So, my question...

What would you guys like to read/hear?

Most of these courses are well known and well reviewed by many on this site, and the last thing I want to do is to give another subjective view or ranking about what courses I did or didn't like.

I'd like to make a useful contribution to the site I've enjoyed so much in recent times, so over to you - what would you like to know?

Cheers,

Andrew

[James Boon]

Andrew,

Is that the order you will be playing them and if so, how are you getting around that part of Scotland? Driving, ferry, flying or a combination of all of these?

I've traveled a decent amount around the Hebrides apart from down to Islay. So I'd be interested to hear specifically about your plans for the Outer Hebrides, as in are you taking the long road and stopping "to smell the flowers" or are you just flying straight out there and then heading back (which would be a missed opportunity in my view   )

Cheers,

James

[AJ_Foote]

James,

That is the order, if all goes to plan.

We're flying in to Glasgow, spending five days in Ayrshire, then flying to Askernish and back, then driving down to Machrihanish, then ferrying over to Islay and back to Glasgow and home.

I spent a while working out the intricacies of this trip, and that turned out to be the best plan.

There are anywhere between one and five of my buddies joining for various legs.

I'd spend a year "smelling the flowers" if I could, but the family might not deem it such a good idea...

Cheers,

AF

[Jim McCann]

Andrew

That’s an excellent itinerary you’ve assembled for your golfing trip to the west of Scotland.
 
I agree with Brian that your games at Machrie, Dunaverty and Prestwick St Nicholas will be as good as you’ll experience at some of the better known venues.

If you had a spare morning/afternoon/evening when you’re on the Mull of Kintyre, the ½ hr drive along the single track B842 road from Campbeltown to play the 9-hole Carradale course is highly recommended.

It’s a terrific wee track and the views across the Kilbranna Sound to the Isle of Arran are simply stunning.

Hope you get some decent weather for the trip.

Enjoy.

[Michael Goldstein]

Andrew - awesome trip planned. Have just returned from a similar itinerary - my suggestion play at the end of the day and take some nice photographs. Enjoy the golf and the single malt. Oh and try and pop over to Jura to take some photographs of the site over there - that'd be cool.

[Garland Bayley]

Dunaverty photos. Most of the others have been done, but I'm pretty sure Dunaverty hasn't.
No Shiskine this trip?

[AJ_Foote]

Jim - yes, I know of Carradale and hope to squeeze it in.

GJ - tried to fit in Shiskine, but it didn't work this time around. Can't play 'em all!

[Jim McCann]

GJ Bailey

I don't want to steal the pictorial thunder of Andrew but here's a taster of what he'll find at Dunaverty:



And if he manages to play Carradale then he'll find this near the end of his round:



I'm sure I've posted that one before in relation to what a REAL 9-hole golf course looks like (unlike Royal Worlington & Newmarket)...  

[Thomas Dai]

Carradale looks terrific. I've always fancied a Mach/Mach-D/Dunaverty trip and Carradale looks like it would be a fun addition. Thanks for highlighting it Jim and nice to see more posts from you recently.

Andrew, a wonderful sounding trip. I'm looking forward to some photos tours and to generally hearing how you got on.

All the best.

[Niall C]

Andrew

Agree with Brian, look forward to seeing photos of Prest. St. Nicks, a personal favourite of mine that I'm sorry to say I haven't played for a number of years. If you've got time on your hands and looking for somewhere to play when you're in Ayrshire (which in fairness it doesn't sound like you'll have) have a go on the Troon muni's. Located just over the rail line from the Portland course, the courses genrally don't have a view of the sea but that doesn't mean they aren't links.

Niall

[jeffwarne]

Great itinerary

Only thing i would add is take ferry across Aran to machrihanish(or back) and play Shiskine and Carradale along the way

[Jim McCann]

Brian

I'm sorry, nothing will change my opinion of RW&N.

When I played there, I was with one of my Top 100 colleagues (a guy who, like me, has played every one of the current Scottish Top 100)
and his opinion, like mine, was "much ado about nothing".

Another English member of the Top 100 Team (a fellow who, like me, has played more than two thirds of the current GB&I Top 100) also played the course recently and his opinion - one that I always respect - was that he was "severely under whelmed" by the course.

If gca aficionados think that we three Top 100 reviewers (as well as respected author James Finnegan) have missed something about the place then so be it.

The tale of Hans Christian Anderson's "Emperor's New Clothes" in relation to RW&N also springs to mind...

[Paul Dolton]

Hi AJ

Be interested in what you think of Prestwick St Nichloas. Ive played it only once, thought it was very good and the eighteenth being very close to the car park!
Have a great trip.

[Sean_A]

AJ

So long as you are asking.  Below are the ones which interest me most with the highlighted ones being of particular interest.

Prestwick St Nicholas
Troon Portland
Dundonald
Western Gailes
Dunaverty

Jim

The things which set the Sacred 9 apart from most courses, not just par 3s are superior greens, great use of land, great walk and great par 3s.  Not to say you are wrong, but you are mistaken - tee hee.

Ciao

[James Boon]

Andrew,

I think Brian and Sean sum up the courses most of us would like to hear more about. But I'm always keen to hear what people think of Askernish as well.

I was just making sure you appreciated the idea of smelling the flowers and seeing the stunning scenery that will be all around, and not just bombing along to the next course.   As I took the slow road to Askernish, I'd be interested to hear more about your experience doing it the flying way.

Jim,

At risk of continuing the alternative thread within this one, are you seriously saying that you have played RW&N once, formed your opinion, and nothing will change it?  

Cheers,

James

[Pete_Pittock]

At The Machrie, when does quirk and blindness lose its allure.
Compare contrast the Gailes
Scotch Whiskey

[Jim McCann]

James

In a word: No!! (but you already know that via the PM I sent you  )

Pete

I'm sorry, I don't know what point you're trying to make - have I missed something obvious?

Meanwhile, using your reference of quirk and blindness as a flimsy excuse, here's a gratuitous snap of the wonderful 17th on the Machrie, one of my favourite holes in Scottish golf: