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Gary Daughters

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Tain
« on: February 20, 2006, 08:51:56 PM »

Has anyone played this modest little course?

Call me a heretic, but I found it firmer, faster and funner than its eminent neighbor Royal Dornoch.

Sean?  Rich G?  Mark R?
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David_Tepper

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Re:Tain
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2006, 09:27:10 PM »
Gary -

There has been discussion about Tain on this board in the past. It certainly has its fans here. When were you there?

I played Tain on my first visit to the Dornoch area (May, 2000). Even though I have been back to the area six times since, I have never felt compelled to go play there again. After RDGC, I would prefer to play either Golspie or Brora before Tain, mostly because the other two are pretty much along the water. At Tain, you only get close to the water on a couple of holes.

There is a nice gallery of photos of the course at:

www.tain-golfclub.co.uk/gallery/1.html

I will try to play there this May.

DT    
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Gary Daughters

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Re:Tain
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2006, 10:14:51 PM »

David,

I did a search on "Tain" but it got pretty convoluted.  Couldn't find anything.

I was at Tain last August.  Played it as an afterthought and ended up having the time of my life.  It's just one of those things.. sometimes something just clicks.  Totally unexpected.

I haven't done NGLA, Pebble, PV or Augusta Natl, but if I had one last round to play I know where I'd go.

I may have my ashes scattered there.  Serious.

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THE NEXT SEVEN:  Alfred E. Tupp Holmes Municipal Golf Course, Willi Plett's Sportspark and Driving Range, Peachtree, Par 56, Browns Mill, Cross Creek, Piedmont Driving Club

Stan Dodd

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Re:Tain
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2006, 11:18:12 PM »
Played 54 holes at Tain last trip. Enjoyed every hole.  Chipped in from behind the 18th green and got standing O from the parties in the bar.  Great!!  It was the end of a 36 hole day after a 2am binge in Drnoch the nite before  It took 14 holes before we could speak to  each other.  The next 18 was much more civil.  Tey have a very reasonable Coutry membership.
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ForkaB

Re:Tain
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2006, 11:57:41 PM »
I've played Tain probably less than I should have, but during the time when I was single and spending 1-4 months in Dornoch every year (the 1980's) the Dornoch bridge hadn't been built, and it was a 30-40 minute drive to Tain, and after the bridge was built, I was married with kids and not as available for the odd game of golf as would be desirable..... :'(

That being said, I think that Tain is a very good course and a lot of fun, but not as good or as fun as Brora or Golspie.  Others can and do differ!  It is a great and welcoming club with numerous Open competitions from April to October.
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Gary Daughters

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Re:Tain
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2006, 07:03:02 AM »

Sean,

I think Tain has more character.  Brora is all there right before you.  At Tain, you never know what's coming next. I believe it has more variety and offers more drama, though the finish isn't as strong as Brora.

Both are remarkably fun, great bookends for Dornoch.  I only wish that I hadn't wasted a morning at Skibo and had played Golspie instead.
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Mitch Hantman

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Re:Tain
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2006, 07:19:40 AM »
Who else has an opinion of Skibo?  It looked good on Shell's WWOG.  
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Gary Daughters

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Re:Tain
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2006, 07:39:25 AM »

Mitch--

I could go on quite awhile about Skibo, but I'll let others weigh in as they will. If you're interested here's the link to a review I wrote for travelgolf.com.  Out of fairness to the club I didn't go totally Shackelford.
 
http://www.scotlandgolf.com/departments/coursereviews/carnegie-links-skibo-castle-dornoch-1422.htm

Sean--

I would agree that #12 and #13 at Tain might be considered bland, but only in another setting.  Something about the rest of the course seems to pull them up.  

Has anyone else heard the notorious shepherd behind the fifth tee?
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THE NEXT SEVEN:  Alfred E. Tupp Holmes Municipal Golf Course, Willi Plett's Sportspark and Driving Range, Peachtree, Par 56, Browns Mill, Cross Creek, Piedmont Driving Club

ForkaB

Re:Tain
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2006, 08:55:15 AM »
Mitch

Skibo is well worth playing, although you do wonder what they could have done if De Savary weren't operating on a shoestring budget and/or had hired an architect with more imagination and flair than Donald Steel.  It's a solid course with some very good holes, and once they figure out exactly what to do with the routing and let the final version bed in for a while, it has the potential of being very good--nothing near Dornoch quality, but (in its own way) as good as say Brora or Nairn.  They have a very good greenkeeper there now, Gary Gruber, so we will see.

Gary D.

Good and fair article.  It's no big secret who owns Skibo now, but since there is nothing I can find confirming it publicly, I'll not spill the beans..... :)
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Gary Daughters

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Re:Tain
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2006, 09:04:52 AM »
Rich --

It's only a secret at Skibo.  All you have to do is ask around Dornoch.   ;)
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THE NEXT SEVEN:  Alfred E. Tupp Holmes Municipal Golf Course, Willi Plett's Sportspark and Driving Range, Peachtree, Par 56, Browns Mill, Cross Creek, Piedmont Driving Club

ForkaB

Re:Tain
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2006, 09:08:50 AM »
Gary

The best strategy was to be told by the Skibo members who live in Dornoch.  They knew it well before it even happened! ;)
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Gary Daughters

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Re:Tain
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2006, 09:11:05 AM »

The plot thickens!
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THE NEXT SEVEN:  Alfred E. Tupp Holmes Municipal Golf Course, Willi Plett's Sportspark and Driving Range, Peachtree, Par 56, Browns Mill, Cross Creek, Piedmont Driving Club

ChipRoyce

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Re:Tain
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2006, 10:07:04 AM »
Oh come on... you can't hold this back....

Do tell?
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Gary Daughters

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Re:Tain
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2006, 10:17:54 AM »

Chip,

Hell, you might find me Shortly at the bottom of the Dornoch Firth.
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THE NEXT SEVEN:  Alfred E. Tupp Holmes Municipal Golf Course, Willi Plett's Sportspark and Driving Range, Peachtree, Par 56, Browns Mill, Cross Creek, Piedmont Driving Club

Mark_F

Re:Tain
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2006, 03:13:32 PM »
Sean,

You aren't in the minority at all.

Tain is okay, a few nice holes, but some horribly bland stuff as well - redeemed as a hole only by the stunning magnificence of the 15th green.

It's a pleasant round, but not much more than that.
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