Golf course

[jdcarra]

One good thing for me is that I have got a great view now they have knocked that part of the Ugadale away ...enjoying it for the time being as I know once more chalets are built it will be blocked again .

Photos taken on the 5th April.

[Pans Lass]

Pity you canna see my hoose Jd but great photos . Good to have before and after photos. Watch this space .....

[Kintyre Forum News]

Your lucky JD - I nearly got lynched for taking some photos!

It is interesting to note Plans have been re-submitted for the Royal Hotel in Campbeltown - click here Really would make a tremendous difference to Campbeltown having the Royal open again. Can't help but think it would do very well....

This article appeared in this week's Courier at here

MACHRIHANISH Dunes, Kintyre’s new links course was given the seal of approval on Wednesday by Scottish Natural Heritage.

The 18-hole golf course has been built in the middle of a site of SSSI, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which is home to rare orchids and as Stan Phillips area officer for SNH said, ‘the biggest and best dune system in mainland Argyll’.

After five years of work on the course, from the planning stages to its opening this summer, SNH gave its formal approval of all the work and agreed the management plan of the golf course which will protect the SSSI when the course opens. The agreed management plan is now ready to be signed off with the Argyll and Bute Council planning department within weeks.

From the very beginning Machrihanish Dunes has employed its own project ecologist, Carol Crawford, of Natural Resource Consultancy.

‘I worked very closely with the course designer and SNH and during the building of the course I was the ecological clerk of works,’ said Carol.

The course has been designed in such a way that it bypasses and leaves untouched areas of wild plants.

‘The golf course weaves its way between all the special bits of the dune system where there are rare orchids,’ said Mr Phillips. ‘Everyone who worked on this course realised that it is a special place.’

Herb Glose, operations manager of Kintyre Development Company Ltd confirmed that the course is ready for its ‘soft’ play opening for limited play on May 2 and a grand opening in July.

Kintyre Development Company is also building a course snack bar and caddy house at the course to be called The Golf House. It also owns The Old Clubhouse pub, formerly The Beachcomber, the Ugadale Hotel in Machrihanish and the Royal Hotel in Campbeltown.

[Kintyre Forum News]

Things are moving fast out Machrihanish these days and the clearance of the land next to The Old Clubhouse (formerly the Beachcomber) and subsequent landscaping has made a huge difference to the look. Really impressive.

There was also a bit on the BBC programme last week about the new golf course - you can see it here at 22.56 in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... Episode_6/

[Ags]

Any news on what is happening with the new course and all the properties?? Still loads of work going on at Ugadale, and the front grounds are looking great. I assume, from the planning section in last weeks Campbeltown Courier, the "Beachcomber" is now not going to be demolished, can anyone tell us what the plans are for it?

[Golfmad]

The Old Clubhouse (aka beachcomber) is being completely renovated and will be reopen this summer.

The new course got more coverage today

http://www.golfmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/6291
http://www.findthefairways.com/golfnews ... -1713.html

I bet Wogan mentions it again

[campbeltownx]

Has anyone on the forum played the new course? If so, what did you think?

[howlsatthemoon]

The Old Clubhouse (aka beachcomber) is being completely renovated and will be reopen this summer.

The new course got more coverage today

http://www.golfmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/6291
http://www.findthefairways.com/golfnews ... -1713.html

I bet Wogan mentions it again

Well done to Andrew Cotter for getting a hole in one, but why show photos of him on the first tee at Machrihanish Golf Course, and no photos of him at Machrihanish Dunes

[DOUBLE A]

Both the courses getting a write up in Golf World's Top 100 Golf courses in Britain and Ireland.

Machrihanish rated at number 45

http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/Golf/cour ... -and-more/

with Machrihanish Dunes mentioned as 1 of 3 new courses that could feture in the top 100 when they next do it in 2 years time .

Edited as see the results were from November 2008.

[bakbjerg]

Has anyone local tried to play the corse and have a review of it compared to the original Machrihanish Golf Course

I'm definitely have to go there my self, but I'll wait till after the official opening. But what I've heard so far from americans playing both courses is that they have opened the golf course to early, and it's not worth the money (yet). To many blind holes, rabbit holes all over the fairways, to much walking between the holes, ...

Many of these symptoms comes with the concept of ”the way golf began”, and I find this concept brilliant, so I hope they will succeed with it. And I’m sure they will, when it comes to bring a lot of American “wanna-try-golfers” here through the summers, but I think they have to be careful not to let them self down by a bad first impression and reviews. And when the summer is gone, what then ?

If the course isn’t up to the standard yet, then better wait, or reduce the prices this first season. I have a group of 7 visitors coming here in September, and we where looking for one round on the Dunes, and asked for a greenfee quote, but the price was £ 95 a head, no matter how many we were or the fact that we didn’t want to play all day.

[Ags]

Just back a walk after a few days away, and, as I have said already it's great to see so much work going on in Machrihanish but good lord!!!! A new sign is up at the old entrance to Ugadale showing Machrihanish Dunes.....HOTEL.....BAR....GOLF SHOP Yes there is a golf shop, and very soon we believe there wil be a bar but when oh when are we going to have a hotel?? Isn't this what my old Gran would have called "putting the cart before the horse??"

[kintyre forum news 4]

Just got my invitation to celebrate the "Grand opening of the Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club and Ugadale Golf Cottages"
Lunch and Golf to follow. Tuesday 21 July.

Anybody else got one yet?

[katya]

Yep

[Ranald]

Just got my invitation to celebrate the "Grand opening of the Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club and Ugadale Golf Cottages"
Lunch and Golf to follow. Tuesday 21 July.

Anybody else got one yet?

Sure have.

[howlsatthemoon]

So have I, but unfortunately won't be able to make it as I will be on holiday.