Enlighten me about Dornoch’s greatness.

[mike_malone]

I played it four times since Friday and want to hear why you love it/ rate it highly. I’m open minded.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Mike,


On ASGCA's first trip to Scotland as a group, nearly every architect in the group came away saying it was the best course we played over there, and maybe anywhere.  At the time RD wasn't as well known as it is now, in part thanks to the architects playing it up.  BTW, after our first Ireland trip, I would hazard the guess that we said the same thing about Royal County Down.   

I loved it.  Not even sure why.  What ever "it" is, Dornoch seems to have "it."

I will say, playing with Peter Dobreriner helped the ambiance. 

I was looking forward to the famous Foxy bunkerless green, and didn't see the big whup.  Like nearly everyone else, I found the 17th green to be awkward. 

A great example of a course perhaps being better than the sum of its parts, perhaps an example of a course with two different sections (upper and lower) being cohesive, perhaps an example that chasing after spectacular features to make a better course is often futile. 

[Mark Chaplin]

I’d argue part of the romance is it’s remoteness, it doesn’t make my top 20. Overrated and fails on being a proper members club. We couldn’t get a time all day long with a member, club chasing the bucks rather than serving the “owners”.

[Sean_A]

Well, Foxy is one reason Dornoch is great.  I am hard pressed to find all that many better holes than 2, 4, 6, 11 & 17.  Thats six very good reasons.

The greens too are very good, if a bit too much on the domed side, but I think too much is made of this as many of the greens are large.  In truth, if the greens were more varied size it would be better.


Ciao

[Rich Goodale]

Mayday


I've been a member there for 38 years, played the course hundreds of times, played all contenders on GB, and it is easily the best track North of Royal St. Georges or Carnoustie.  That being said, ranking it #4 in the world as GD recently did, was OTT.  It is far too short for the modern game, but only >1% of the golfing world need to worry about this.  Players like you and Mark and me will rarely break 80 from the tips, but if you see that as a flaw, so be it.


Mark


Dornoch never has been a "Members Club" and never will be, if I have my way.  It has always been split between those who call it "Dornoch" and those who call it "Royal Dornoch."  Long may the former of us prevail!


Rich

[Ian Mackenzie]

I played it four times since Friday and want to hear why you love it/ rate it highly. I’m open minded.

Please tell us YOUR impressions.
It's subjective and there are no wrong answers.


Some love RDGC.
Others prefer Castle Stuart or large, cart-balling resorts.


Some people like jazz, some like rap/hip-hop and some LOVE country.
In the end, it's great to listen to music and to play golf.

[mike_malone]

I played it four times since Friday and want to hear why you love it/ rate it highly. I’m open minded.

Please tell us YOUR impressions.
It's subjective and there are no wrong answers.


Some love RDGC.
Others prefer Castle Stuart or large, cart-balling resorts.


Some people like jazz, some like rap/hip-hop and some LOVE country.
In the end, it's great to listen to music and to play golf.

I will share my thoughts but I’m conflicted so wanted to see if others’ comments could help me. They already have.

[Matt Dawson]

Mark

Dornoch never has been a "Members Club" and never will be, if I have my way. 

Rich

Rich


I've never played RD, and consider it one of the courses in these isles that I would like to get to one day. But the quote above, in response to Mark's point about not being able to get a game all day with a member, puzzles me.


Can you explain how this is a good thing, as a member?

[Garland Bayley]

Too foggy for my tastes.

[Adam Lawrence]

I think there's little doubt that Dornoch does well in the ratings on sheer beauty and the charm of the town. It's unarguably a wonderful golf course, with some classic holes, but I do agree with Rich that putting it top five in the world is really pushing it.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have only played the course twice. The first time I teed off at 8pm. The first five holes looked easy but with the wind coming off my left shoulder and the way the greens were sited, I mad three quick bogies. The green on the par three sixth could not have been placed any better. I think it became my favorite par three. Seven and eight were a little letdown but then we turned for home and the course got even better. At the time I knew very little about GCA but when I walked off 14 with a four after a miraculous pitch, I felt as though I had played the perfect hole.


When I played the next day, I couldn't wait to return. Unfortunately, I have not been back.

[Thomas Dai]

I hope the author doesn’t mind but this seems an opportunity to link to two ‘In My Opinion’ pieces within another section of this website -


http://golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/dornochgoodale/


And


http://golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/the-architectural-evolution-of-royal-dornoch-golf-club/


There’s a lot more to the Golf Club Atlas website than just the Discussion Board.


Atb

[David_Tepper]

With regard to whether Royal Dornoch is a "members club" or not, it must be remembered that Dornoch itself is a village of 1,200+ people in what I believe is the largest and least densely populated county in Britain. The current population of the County of Sutherland (less than 20,000 I believe) is roughly 75% of what it was 150 years ago. The largest cities in Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh & Aberdeen) are a minimum of 3 hours away by car.

Like the other clubs in the Highlands, RD would struggle financially to survive (and maintain its 2 courses to a high standard) if its primary source of revenue was from the local membership. As a result, RD has a large non-resident membership (from elsewhere in the U.K., from Europe and from North America). Given the favorably publicity RD has attracted over the years, RD attracts substantial visitor play.

It should also be noted RD is very generous in making the course available to the golfing public by hosting numerous open tournaments over the course of the year, as well hosting high-profile amateur events every year or two.         

[mike_malone]

David Tepper and Stan Dodd are two reasons to admire RD.


Yesterday’s caddie wanted me thrown off the course for even doubting the Top 15 label. I loved him for it.

[Ryan Coles]

No pompous asses in their long socks with ugly dogs in tow is a big plus for me.


It’s been said that the course is routed in the same way as how you might go out for a stroll and back to the Clubhouse. An exhilarating walk in itself.


Not every hole is stand out in its own right, but the overall experience, not to mention shot values, are right at the very top of GB&I imo.

[Ryan Coles]

Mark

Dornoch never has been a "Members Club" and never will be, if I have my way. 

Rich

Rich


I've never played RD, and consider it one of the courses in these isles that I would like to get to one day. But the quote above, in response to Mark's point about not being able to get a game all day with a member, puzzles me.


Can you explain how this is a good thing, as a member?

Simple economics. The members get what they’re prepared to pay for. They can’t have their cake and eat it.

[Ally Mcintosh]

For me, it’s the Scottish entry in to my “elegant” Hall of Fame, reserved for those courses that perfectly mix a championship aura with beautiful greens and a multitude of ground undulation.


Portrush is my Irish entry
Sandwich is my English entry
Porthcawl is my Welsh entry

[Rich Goodale]

Mark

Dornoch never has been a "Members Club" and never will be, if I have my way. 

Rich


I've never played RD, and consider it one of the courses in these isles that I would like to get to one day. But the quote above, in response to Mark's point about not being able to get a game all day with a member, puzzles me.


Can you explain how this is a good thing, as a member?

Matt.   I do not know when or why Mark was unable to get a game with a member, but it must have been a glitch, given the 20+ hours of daylight at this time of year. If you or Mark are around in the 7-17 July period, let me know and I'll get you a game.


Slainte


Rich

[James Brown]

Played it 10 times.  Great test.  Pure links.  Excellent mix of holes.  Amazing setting and views.  Several off the charts great holes.  A couple spine tingling super hard holes.  Subtle changes of direction out and back that mess with your wind sense. 

[Jim Nugent]

It's unarguably a wonderful golf course, with some classic holes, but I do agree with Rich that putting it top five in the world is really pushing it.

fwiw, Doak put in the top 13 or so.  In something as subjective as golf course ratings, with around 30,000 courses worldwide, is there really much difference between 5 and 13? 

[Brad Payne]

Too foggy for my tastes.

Haha, I would definitely agree! I couldn’t see the ball go 100yds! Great playing with you Garland!

[mike_malone]

I enjoyed Royal Dornoch immensely but to be in the very top echelon of courses requires fewer blemishes than I saw.
    The side to side chipping to multiple elevated firm greens seemed gimmicky in my view.


     The left to right on many of the early holes was repetitive along with the multiple revetted bunkers flanking or fronting greens. I am a Flynn angularity guy.


      More greens like Foxy with width sideways. More greens at ground level.


     
    I thought the "walk in the park" was sensational but I don't factor that in my analysis much. I played well the first three times in great weather with the gorse in bloom and great caddie experiences and playing companions.


   I just couldn't shake the feeling of repetitive looks and penality.


  Other great courses I have played that sit higher for me are Pine Valley, Royal County Down, Ballybunion, Lahinch, Royal Porthcawl, and Oakmont to name a few. I see this course in the Pennard, Deal, Rye, Saint Enedoc, Bethpage Black category of fine courses with some blemishes.


I think the ambience of location, mountains, gorse, and views throughout may affect some opinions like Pebble and Old Head do.


     

[Mark Pearce]

It has, for a long time, held a place in the top 5 courses I have ever played (Muirfield, Portrush, Cypress Point and TOC being the others).  My Aussie trip 18 months ago threw RMW and Kingston Heath into that company.  A game on Monday had me wondering whether it quite belongs in that company.  No doubt it's great.  No doubt it's top 5 in Scotland. 


However, the par 3s are brutally difficult.  There are more good but not great holes than at any of the other courses that I have mentioned (though I don't include 17 in that list, that I think IS a great hole). 


So yes, it's great but, like Rich, I think top 5 in the world is a stretch.


As an aside, this most recent BUDA trip has me wondering why Brora is not seen as a genuinely great course?  Is it really just because it's relatively short?  Is it snobbery over the joint use as grazing land?  As good a set of green complexes as I'll see this year.

[Garland Bayley]

Too foggy for my tastes.

Haha, I would definitely agree! I couldn’t see the ball go 100yds! Great playing with you Garland!

Great playing with you too, although I can't for the life of me figure out how an old fart like me can hit a three wood farther than a young buck like you. Must be that fairway bounce and roll thing.

[Garland Bayley]

Although I had limited view of the course in the fog, my favorite hole was 15. It reminded me a bit of (gasp) Chambers Bay.