Friday 17 April 2009

Golfing at Machrihanish

I'm just back from a wonderful and remote corner of Scotland, which is in parts nearer to Ireland than England. 

From Glasgow you head up to Loch Lomond, and then take a sharp left which takes you over to Inverrary. Then keeping on going and you will come to Campbeltown. It's only a 138 miles from Glasgow, but it will take at least 3 hours - the scenery is stunning though, so it's a wonderful drive. 

Then a bit of a left and a right and you'll find yourself at Machrihanish Golf Club, one of the finest links courses to be enjoyed in Scotland - or anywhere else in the world for that matter.

Its most famous feature is the first, where you have to drive out over the sea to reach the fairway. Classic risk and reward shot - you can just chunk it over and find the generous fairway, but be miles from the pin, or you can try and take in on and flight your ball over the water to get in position for a better second into the pin. The one advantage within all of this is that it favours a slice, so I wasn't too troubled. Started it way out and sure enough my consistent slice bought it back in and in fine position for a chance at the green.

The second's not a bad either - drive up to a stream, and then hit a 7 iron into a green that's right on top of a hill. And then the third - you beauty land. Not long, but wonderfully protected by bunkers. 

There's so much more to be said about this wonderful course, but that might have to wait a while. I'm back there in my head - it's a slightly gloomy afternoon, with the treat of a little rain on the back nine - and I'm now walking to the fourth......

More to follow.

JohnD

No comments: