[John_D._Bernhardt]

This golf club plays on a big grand course that is world class in every way. The first hole is known by all for its view and tee shot. I would like to add the "no curbing the dog on the course" sign as I walked off the tee set the tone of the day. I smiled and chuckled to myself all day feeling lucky to be alive playing this great course in a very fresh 5 to 6 club breeze. I awaited each time the course came to a high point to see the landscape of grand proportions which made one feel 2 more courses could fit on the land. Machrihanish, much like Dornoch and Cruden Bay are courses which take a man to a place of tranquility and beauty rarely found in modern society. You find yourself quoting Yeates or singing a song enjoying the challenges to the body mind and sole that only golf can give. The first deserves it place in golf for it is a great setting and tee shot. Yet after the 2nd shot on 2 do you really discover the essence of its greatness. It is a marvelous blind shot iron with a tough cross wind and not a clue until you cross the river and climb the hill as to the success of your shot. You turn in a 360 degree circle to see what you are leaving, the town, the modest clubhouse, the proshop and the wonderful first hole, take in the sea and the mull in the distance, look down at a wonderful undulating green of TOC or Berwick character, then you view the sea of dunes, sea oats and glory of Machrihanish Links and wonder where you will go after you finish out the hole. After 2 putting for my second par I saw a man standing on a tee. He was not in the group ahead of me so I wondered if Huckaby had not sent a leprechaun to chuckle at me when the ball would  get caught and float to points uncharted in the wind. It was a member who saw me warming up and noted my swing was good and  thought I would enjoy a round from the members tees. He was on the 3rd tee. He pointed to a rock and said to hit away into as strong a wind as I had ever encountered. My trolly blew over twice as we intoduced ourselves. The swing was solid and I ripped a strong 210 yard drive that would have been over 300 on a quiet day. Excitement ran through me for as we crossed the crest of the dune we entered a world that let me truely know the place call Machrihanish was one of uncommon greatness and beauty. Holes 3 through 8 are as fine a run of holes as there are on earth.
Please do not let this take away from 1 and 2 or the rest, but the 3rd sets the tone and lets one nkow the character of this great course. The blind tee shot, the bunkering is perfect for the numerous winds. The greeen sets up perfect to take a well hit running shot but you do have to carry a couple of bunkers 50 yards short of the green. 17 and 18 are the only average holes on this course.
As one gets to the back nine the balance of the holes blends perfectly you feel you have it everyshot in links golf by the 16th hole.It is not as refined as Dornoch nor as quirky as Prestwick. It does not have the history of the TOC or Muirfield. It does have a bigness a grand scale to it all the great courses have. I love the place and encourage one and all to trek there one in ones life.

[John_D._Bernhardt]

Oh I left out that all the above fits into 6225 yards from th tips. It played all of 7400 yards on the 3 rounds I played. As we all know distance means much less in links golf.

[aclayman]

JB- Your description is wonderful and makes me want to tee it up there immediamontay.
The idea of playing a course with that much "feel" could lend to further disappointments at other venues, huh?

[THuckaby2]

Great description, John!  Oh man, Machrihanish is on my SOMEDAY MUST list for sure... I'm working on a way over there, maybe 2002, more likely 2003...

And yes, my legions are everywhere.  You watch out down there on the bayou - these little folk love to travel!

TH

[John Bernhardt]

Adam, You know a day of golf much like a round with friends as always special. This place is just one of the rare spots that allow thae game to move to a higher experience. I hope all is well with you in socal.

[Dan King]

I'm thrilled you loved Machrihanish as much as I did. What a spot. I go back and forth on my favorite spots in the world, but Machrihanish has spent some time at the top spot. The minute I read about it in Michael Bamberger's To the Linksland I knew I had to go there and it didn't disappoint.

Any of you haven't gone there yet, plan enough ahead so you can reserve Room#3 at Mr. Baxter's B&B across the street from the course.

Ardell House
Machrihanish
Argyll PA28 6PT
Scotland
Tel: 0586-810235

There was a recent thread about poor finishing holes and Machrihanish was mentioned. I'd tend to agree that 17 and 18 fall out of character with the rest of the course. Bamberger mentions that it would be nice to find a par 3 somewhere back in the dunes and turn 17 and 18 into a strong three shot finisher.

Dan King
dking@danking.org

quote:"Machrihanish was not a grueling course, but any legitimate scratch golfer who went around in level fours would be extremely delighted. And yet I don't think a twenty-handicapper would ever struggle to break a hundred there.  Machrihanish was fun, yet challenging, a combination that is suprisingly rare."
--Michael Bamberger

[Gene Greco]

  Was there last week. Drove myself from Turnberry as the others in my group left me alone in Scotland and returned to their respective homes.
  Had reserved room #3 at Mr. Baxters but got #2 instead.
  Drank 50 year old Macallan at The Argiel House (three glasses) after having consumed numerous pours of Springbank and Campbell Loch in the Machrahanish clubhouse.
  Bought a headcover in the proshop and unceremoniously tossed my 975D headcover in the trash replacing it one which reads "Machrahanish Golf Links 1876". (My 4 wood is similarly covered with a "Cruden Bay" headcover).
  Playing alone on these magical links was, as Maslow would write, a peak experience in my life. I will return. Hopefully, often.

[Paul_Daley]

Well said John, your respect and reverance of Machrihanish comes through load and clear.

I agree, the first is a 'bottler', and once experienced, other lauded openers around the golfing globe pale by comparison.

I too, love the stretch between 3-8 and, combined with the 1st, this makes for a great outward half.

What a shame there are not more 6200 yard courses around, although, it is pleasing to see how Tom Doak is attempting to reverse the ugly modern trend.

During my research for Links Golf: The Inside Story, I found Anna Anderson (Sec/Manager) most helpful and charming.

Any red-blooded golfer who enjoys links golf, and has not sampled Machrihanish, has missed an experience just as educative as TOC, Cruden Bay, Prestwick, and Brora.

Make it a priority!

[John_D._Bernhardt]

Dan King, when you discuss places for a writer and golfer to pass the days of life on a reasonable budget. This may be the place. The south coast of Kintyre and the Mull provide many a haven of uncommon beauty not more than 15 minutes from world class golf.

[Paul Richards]

Machrihanish deserves a great deal of
consideration to be included in the
Worlds' Top 100 courses.

The 74 I carded there, despite an opening
double-bogey, thanks to a drive onto the
beach, is a memory of a lifetime.

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