Highland (Links) Golf Club MPT (Montesano Photo Tour) 9th Hole/2nd Deviation Up

[Ronald Montesano]

The seventh hole plays 171 yards, although it appears much shorter. Whatever your 175-yard club is, on a calm day, hit it. If you go long, you'll be on the fringe or in the simple back bunker at worst.

I hit my 165 yard club in a fit of macho at least six times, and six times I ended up in the front swale, putting up the slope. The ball never came back to my feet, but it also never finished closer than 10 feet from the hole. The green is wide, like the sea in Carrickfergus, and you can putt over. Seven is one of those nifty holes that rewards a solid iron with a solid par. If you've the least bit of hubris (or six doses of it, in some cases) it will mock you with a bogey.



Tee shot from back deck



Tee shot zoomed in



Oh, forgot to mention this little statue standing sentinel



You have to putt up the front



Really, you have to putt up the front



Bird's Eye View

[Ronald Montesano]

In my head, I imagine that the walk from the 7th green to the 8th tees (there are two of distinct angle, indicated by red arrows in photo #1 below) bridges the sea (Celtic, North, whatever) between Scotland and Ireland. In my head, the last two holes at Highland Links are more Irish than Scottish and I cannot explain why. Bear with me, then.

The left tee plays over a brace of briar patch, creating a dogleg effect into a needle-straight fairway. The right tee avoids said thicket, playing straight up the alley from tee to green. Both routes measure out to 350-ish yards from tee to hole bottom. For the modern golfer, length has no bearing. Driver may never be a proper play on this hole. By the time you figure out the angles from the left tee and how to hit it straight from the right, you've donated a dozen balls to the bunnies. Better to bunt a hybrid into the fairway and approach with a short iron.

The green is benign, although neither flat nor uninteresting. There is a bit of sand front left and some thicker material behind the putting surface. The enclosed nature from tee to green, with no ocean nor cliff in site, give more of a dell than a dunes feel (which causes the Irish evocation for me.)



The pathway to Ireland(for two holes)



Tee shot from the left tee



Tee shot from the right tee



A look from fairway center



A look from thick left stuff center



Just short on the left, prior to bunker



From behind the green



A look back from the 9th tee

[Ronald Montesano]

I'm leaving town for a few days and want to get this nine-hole MPT done before I depart. I'll have the final hole up this evening. Feel free to ask questions or make comments as you see fit.

[jeffwarne]

awesome tour Ron.
makes me want to go back-been 25 years

[Ronald Montesano]

The closing movement at Highland Links plays any distance from 105 to 136. It is my guess that folks who frequent the course settle a lot of bets on this wee pitch. The green is double tiered, low left and high right. There is a front bunker that sits in a strange-enough place to get your thoughts a-swirling. Another sand hole awaits long, in case you bully the ball past the flag.



Tee shot from back deck



Tee shot zoomed in



From up close, up frontl



From behind



From the lighthouse

[jeffwarne]

Ron,
I remember the first time I played there many years ago being a little underwhelmed by the finish (the second to last picture illustrates my last impression)
That of course is merely ridiculous as your fantastic pictures illustrate- an interesting short hole with a green full of great contour and slope.
Be easy on me, it was early in my hidden gem career..
at that point I didn't know many of my favorites (Palmetto, Aiken GC, Athens CC, Augusta CC, Highland Links) were gems-they just were places I enjoyed, had access, or could afford.
Played Kebo Valley on the same trip and though I remember enjoying it, I really enjoyed it upon a return trip a couple years ago.

The great thing about classic architecture being out of vogue 20-30 years ago was it made many of my favorites much more accessible and less crowded

[Ronald Montesano]

Ron,
I remember the first time I played there many years ago being a little underwhelmed by the finish (the second to last picture illustrates my last impression)
That of course is merely ridiculous as your fantastic pictures illustrate- an interesting short hole with a green full of great contour and slope.
Be easy on me, it was early in my hidden gem career..
at that point I didn't know many of my favorites (Palmetto, Aiken GC, Athens CC, Augusta CC, Highland Links) were gems-they just were places I enjoyed, had access, or could afford.
Played Kebo Valley on the same trip and though I remember enjoying it, I really enjoyed it upon a return trip a couple years ago.

The great thing about classic architecture being out of vogue 20-30 years ago was it made many of my favorites much more accessible and less crowded

This is as important a post as I've read on GCA. You synthesize 40 years of the golf cycle. I played Kebo with my wife on our honeymoon and even though I was not aware of the reach of classic architecture, I knew it was something special. I'd return in a heartbeat.

My misgiving about Highland Links is that it is only 9 holes. I wanted it to be more, but I feel why places like Highland, Whitinsville and Dunes have to be nine holes; I just can't explain it with words.

[SPDB]

Nice writeup. Makes me think of Tom MacWood, who had an eternal fondness for this place. Hard to believe he's been gone for over 2 years.

[Jon Wiggett]

Another good tour of an interesting 9 holer.

Thanks for posting it Ronald.

Jon