Mackenzie & Ebert - International Golf Course Architects

Askernish
South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

The news about the Askernish project seems to be spreading far and wide with growing excitement. The quest to find the Old Tom Morris layout has led to a routing design inspired by the values and construction methods available in the days of 1891 when the golf was first played over the classic sand dunes. It will be an ideal venue to play with hickory clubs, which seem to be in vogue once more.

The project really will present a course which is a Living Golf Course Museum. The creation of the course is so similar to the way that the first courses evolved. Golfers just playing the land as it lies and the greenkeepers gradually refining conditions as the course becomes well known and more popular. Rudimentary putting conditions to begin with but gradually an improvement of the surfaces by minor levelling and conditioning. Tiny tees which will, over time, need to be made larger. Bunkers formed by the cattle and where the golfers’ divots will wear the grass away. Golf as it used to be. It really has been a case of following in Old Tom’s footsteps.
The first round took place on the course the day after it was staked and the official opening was in August 2008.