Golf course

[Ags]

A wee place to meet for a wine Ags without worrying about transport.

That should maybe read "a place to meet for a wee wine Pans Lass" - it's quite pricey BUT what a transformation!! Finally managed a wee trip along the road for a pre-dinner drink last night. It was a joy to see the bar and to see it busy. A very tasteful renovation with obviously no expense spared. Fantastic for the area, and definitely worth a visit. Well done The Dunes.

[caro]

Can only echo all that's been said - excellent day at opening on Tuesday - and a great testament to all the hard work that has been going on in the area developing the course and village over the past few years.

Well done to all!

Now, Ags and Pans... do we really need another reason/excuse for drinking wine?!

[DOUBLE A]

Did anyone get a chance to play the course, if so what were the thoughts

[kintyre 84]

Ask your big brother - John and Peter played!!!! Peter was very impressed and said that in a couple of years it will be the most amazing course. He thoroughly enjoyed it.

[mrn]

Friends of my husband's brother recently played the course and while they said it was rough around the edges they thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience from being picked up to playing golf and being catered for. They said the course will be a cracker but will take time. Of course it is easy to enjoy something when it is at the expense of your company and apparently no expense was spared!

[Ags]

The reports here are much the same, one of the reporters who played last Sunday or Monday said it was really tough and he couldn't say he "enjoyed" it but, give it 4 or 5 years and it will be amazing.

[bakbjerg]

..playing golf and being catered for. They said the course will be a cracker but will take time. Of course it is easy to enjoy something when it is at the expense of your company and apparently no expense was spared!

Great for the area with an injection of money and jobs.
Hope they value the locals enough to keep things, (jobs and pub), going through winther as well, because I'm still worried that the americans will stay away from October to March.

[bill]

Not such a good report from worldgolf.com

So far, all of the WorldGolf.com reader reviews of Machrihanish Dunes have been negative, with nothing but one and two-star ratings.

Said John Simons, a 2-handicap, of his round: "Shots are all blind and you have no idea where you are going," he wrote. "I love links golf, but this course just does not cut it. You also need to be a Billy Goat to walk the course."

http://www.worldgolf.com/column/machrih ... -10387.htm

[Pans Lass]

Just thought I would inject some positive reviews to counteract the negative from other golfers who have played the course.....found on the same website !!

The course is VERY young and will mature. But the turf conditions of the greens and tees are very good considering the course's youth. And the fairways were not bad either.


This is not a course for pansies. If you don't consider walking a part of golf, stay away. If you don't consider nature a part of golf, stay away. If you can't stand the thought of getting an unlucky bounce, stay away. But if you want to experience golf as it was before riding carts and over-manicured fairways became the norm, if you value natural beauty in all its many links golf forms, if you like being surprised by odd lies and the occasional crazy bounce, and especially if you enjoy being challenged by situations that you are unlikely to encounter on other courses, then you should by all means play Machrihanish Dunes and indeed play it more than once. Seems to me that many golfers are so concerned with their "score" they forget to really experience the place they're in or fully appreciate the situations that only places like Machrihanish Dunes will generally present. This course is different -- in a good way. I wish there were more like it.


Machrihanish Dunes is fantastic. I think the natural terrain and the concerns for the environment have created a superb layout that the true fan of links golf will find unique, challenging and memorable. I can't wait until I get to come back.

The front 9 is a bit of a walk, but the use of the land is brilliant and the back 9 is just as nice, and a bit of an easy walk.

I had 5 blind shots in 18 holes, one of which was because I hit it into a deep bunker. I've certainly played other courses that featured many more blind shots.

The course is new, but the greens were excellent and I had good lies on the fairways.

The course is tough, but fun. It isn't everyday you get to play on natural conditions in such a beautiful location.

5 Stars for Mr. Kidd's effort!
Ratings

'There are some blind shots, but the yardage book and course guide/spotter are very helpful. And the shots are only blind the first time you play the course. Besides, blind shots are FUN. They're not a negative here, just as they're not at The Machrie on Islay or Lahinch or Prestwick or elsewhere. They bring and element of surprise to the game. This course, to me, is superb because unlike so many dull US courses, you are engaged by every shot and so many shots require odd things like imagination and inventiveness. Evidently, those are things that other reviewers don't value as highly as I do.'

[bakbjerg]

...I had 5 blind shots in 18 holes, one of which was because I hit it into a deep bunker. I've certainly played other courses that featured many more blind shots....
...There are some blind shots, but the yardage book and course guide/spotter are very helpful. And the shots are only blind the first time you play the course. Besides, blind shots are FUN. They're not a negative here, just as they're not at The Machrie on Islay or Lahinch or Prestwick or elsewhere. They bring and element of surprise to the game.

Pans; Did you write a few days ago, that you considered taking up golf after that great opening
(Am I wrong, or have you taking it up very fast)

[Pans Lass]

...I had 5 blind shots in 18 holes, one of which was because I hit it into a deep bunker. I've certainly played other courses that featured many more blind shots....
...There are some blind shots, but the yardage book and course guide/spotter are very helpful. And the shots are only blind the first time you play the course. Besides, blind shots are FUN. They're not a negative here, just as they're not at The Machrie on Islay or Lahinch or Prestwick or elsewhere. They bring and element of surprise to the game.

Pans; Did you write a few days ago, that you considered taking up golf after that great opening
(Am I wrong, or have you taking it up very fast)

Sorry bakbjerg...the above statements were individual quotes from other golfers that I found on a website ...not my own !

First golf lesson with Mairi Cork this Thurday .....

[History]

Not such a good report from worldgolf.comhttp://www.worldgolf.com/column/mach ... -10387.htm

When you think of the millions of golfers worldwide I don't suppose a few negative reports in a magazine will matter in the long term. If golfesr want beautiful lawns and pleasent walks with dress shoes then they shouldn't come near links courses.

There was a really positive feel good factor at the opening. I'll hang on to that for now

[bakbjerg]

The way golf began

A good slogan. But shouldn't the green fee be followed with a set of niblicks / old wooden shafted irons ? It's no where near the way golf began if you use modern golf clubs