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Scotland Work in Scotland has featured regularly in the programme over the years, with the prestigious work at St. Andrews on the Strathtyrum and Balgove Courses an obvious highlight. The Carnegie Links at Skibo in Dornoch has established itself as a favourite whilst the extension and complete overhaul of the old Arran Course at Turnberry led to its re-launch as the Kintyre in 2001. On the East coast, Craigielaw Golf Club sits alongside its neighbours Gullane and Muirfield with magical views towards the famous Edinburgh skyline and the Forth bridges. Away from the sea and high in the Grampian mountains on Speyside is Ballindalloch. It is fast gaining a reputation as one of the best nine hole courses in the country. The Kintyre Course, Turnberry The improvements to the old Arran course at Turnberry were so extensive that the result was christened the Kintyre. Use of new land for seven completely new holes has transformed the links with outstanding views across both courses, the Firth of Clyde, Arran and the famous landmarks of Ailsa Craig and the lighthouse. An intensive period of construction started in November 1999 and finished in May 2000. The work included 12 completely new greens and the lifting and laying of turf over an area equivalent to sixteen football pitches. Already, the Kintyre has hosted the Scottish Strokeplay Championship and the Final Qualifying for the Open. In addition to the Kintyre Course project was the creation of what is now the Colin Montgomerie Links Academy. This included a short game practice area, a long game practice area, an enormous putting green and nine academy holes which now takes the old Arran Course title.
Strathtyrum Course, St. Andrews Perhaps the greatest privilege for a golf course architect is the opportunity to work on the St. Andrews Links. Working alongside Donald Steel in the implementation of his St. Andrews Links Development Plan was just that. The creation of the Strathtyrum and Balgove Courses was strongly influenced by the Old Course with rolling double greens and pot bunkers. They have proved immensely popular with members and visitors alike.
Skibo Castle, Dornoch
Skibo Castle is one of only a handful of links courses to have been created in Britain in the past fifty years. Within a year of opening it was voted Best New Course In Great Britain and Ireland by Golf World Magazine and had won a prestigious national environment award open to all courses, old and new. After neary 10 years of play, a change of ownership prompted a review of the course and a revision undertaken to the 12th, 13th and 14th holes that strengthens the course further. The revised holes opened in May 2004. “Blending unobtrusively
into the linksland, the course looks as if it could have been designed
by shepherds two centuries ago”
Craigielaw Golf Club, East Lothian On the shores of the Firth of Forth, this seaside layout lies just along the coast from Gullane and Muirfield and has been a roaring success since it opened in 2001. The memberships sold out in weeks and its new clubhouse in converted farm buildings has been an undoubted hit. Not strictly a links because of its heavy soils, the design and maintenance have combined to produce a course that is so close to the real thing. Deep revetted bunkers and large, rolling greens leave little doubt as to the inspiration behind the design.
Ballindalloch Castle, Speyside Nine hole courses are often seen as somehow inferior to eighteen hole layouts. Ballindalloch Castle Golf Course on Speyside further dispels this as myth. It has large, interesting greens and two completely different sets of tees for each nine, so there is no shortage of variety and challenge for those playing regularly.
The beautiful highland setting is another obvious draw.
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