Dornoch #7 Update

[Sean_A]

James B. -

I stand corrected. But even at 151 yards to the clubhouse, I have never felt "stranded" walking off the 18th green. I have had other feelings however.

DT

By stranded I mean the golfer (and folks in the house) is some distance from the house and a hole over.  I am not sure how folks could argue this is ideal or even close to ideal.  It is more like "I'll put up with it, it isn't so bad".  It sort of piles on to the indifferent finish of the course and leaves me feeling let down.  That said, many courses are like this or worse.  That makes the courses which do have an incorporated house into the design that much more noticeable. 

Ciao 

[Ally Mcintosh]

Sean, whilst you are no doubt correct that an 18th hole finishing right by the house is the best solution, I have a perverse affinity to closing holes with greens that finish stranded in a field... Not sure why... I think it sometimes comes with old style traditional courses that are some of my favourites... So that's probably the only reason.

[BCrosby]

90% of the 500+ pages tome are replications of John Sutherland's 1906-1912 brief essays for a London raggie, but as he was very well kent by the golfing powers that be in those days, it is very informative.  During that period he visited NGLA, Myopia, Garden City and Merion, amongst others and also took a trip Japan, all of which he discussed in depth.  He also reported on Opens, Amateurs and other high level tournaments, many of which he participated in.  The first 50+ pages are devoted to the editors and funders and interesting if not particularly informative.  It's worth the 25 quid it sells for, but shipment to the US would possibly double the cost due to its weight.

Thanks Rich. I was intrigued by the book when it appeared. So much of the history of the game is still buried in weekly/monthly golf periodicals from that era. Which is why Causerie looked interesting. It extracts and organizes some of that.

Bob

[David_Tepper]

"It sort of piles on to the indifferent finish of the course"

Sean -

"Indifferent finish," seriously? The last 5 holes of the course are about as different and distinct from one another as imaginable.

I will grant you they are all par-4's, which does introduce a certain level of sameness. But aside from that, I don't see how they constitute an indifferent finish.

DT 

[Rich Goodale]

Agreed, David


Sean must have OD'ed on malt whisky if and when he visited Dornoch.  It happens.........


rfg

[Norbert P]

RG . . . 
[/size]             "Sean must have OD'ed on malt whisky if and when he visited Dornoch.  It happens........."[/color]
[/size][/color]
[/size][/color]
[/size]    'Tis where I learned The Macallan Song . . .  quickly forgotten.        [/color]
[/size][/color]
[/size]    Best hangover I ever had.   [/color]

[Sean_A]

"It sort of piles on to the indifferent finish of the course"

Sean -

"Indifferent finish," seriously? The last 5 holes of the course are about as different and distinct from one another as imaginable.

I will grant you they are all par-4's, which does introduce a certain level of sameness. But aside from that, I don't see how they constitute an indifferent finish.

DT

David

After Foxy, Dornoch fizzles, with the exception of 17 and technology has mucked that hole up.  The other three holes...nothing special.  The 15th green spoils the party being so huge. 16 is a crap driving hole and often a slog.  18 isn't bad, but certainly not a memorable hole.  Like some others have said, to me Dornoch is not as heavenly as many make it out to be.  It is simply one among many excellent courses in GB&I.

Ciao

[David_Tepper]

"The 15th green spoils the party being so huge."

SERIOUSLY??? The large, well contoured 15th green is what makes it such a good (and challenging) short par-4.

#15, combined with #5, gives Dornoch two very good and very different short par-4's.
 
But, as the saying goes, there is no accounting for taste.

DT

Please note I make no claim regarding Dornoch's stature among the better & best courses in either GB&I or the world. Having played the course 400+ times by now, I clearly am a little biased in that regard.

[Sean_A]

"The 15th green spoils the party being so huge."

SERIOUSLY??? The large, well contoured 15th green is what makes it such a good (and challenging) short par-4.

#15, combined with #5, gives Dornoch two very good and very different short par-4's.
 
But, as the saying goes, there is no accounting for taste.

DT

Please note I make no claim regarding Dornoch's stature among the better & best courses in either GB&I or the world. Having played the course 400+ times by now, I clearly am a little biased in that regard.

Meh, it is far from an exceptional hole...not bad though.  I watch guys blast around either side of the mound and have a target as large as the moon to hit.  Me thinks this is another hole spoiled by technology.  A similar hole (with a large mound in the middle of the fairway and raised green) is Cruden Bay's 17th, but it is a far better hole...perhaps because it is longer and getting around the mound off the tee is much harder.  The strength of Dornoch is resoundingly the front side and that is with one of the best holes in GG&I on the back 9....#s11 and 12 are damn good too. Only a Dornochian could think the finish is anything special 

Ciao