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Keiser's Coul Links Project (Embo/Dornoch)
Ian Mackenzie:
--- Quote from: Kalen Braley on March 29, 2016, 10:56:46 AM ---Is Bandon any worse off because of its influx of courses?
--- End quote ---
Exactly. Plus, ask the people in Nova Scotia and Tasmania, too.
Progress will always have detractors and that is understood. Shit, there are people in Dornoch TODAY who resent RDGC and how it messes up their town, impedes access to the beach, etc. But, ask the shopkeepers, restaurant owners, waiters, merchants, etc...
One of the goals of the project is to attract more visitors to the area to benefit the local economy. As in benefitting the people who live in the town year round. There are second courses going in at Aberdeen and Castle Stuart and perhaps a Nicklaus course in Inverness...? Dornoch is being smart.
Perhaps traffic at Coul Links will ease congestion at RDGC (at least after 10:30 am). Perhaps more people will play Brora and Golspie instead of driving up to Dornoch for one day then returning to Inverness in their van. Maybe they will stay in Dornoch and visit the other courses. Perhaps new golfers will go to the Highlands instead of to Ayrshire or Edinburgh. Only 10% of all golfing visitors to Scotland go to the Highlands and, last I heard, golf tourism is one of the most vibrant parts of the Scottish economy.
Sure, it is understandable that there is concern about turning a bucolic hamlet like Dornoch into a tourist mecca, but the region does need a sustainable revenue base for it to be a viable economy for future generations. It's not Team Keiser who is promoting this, it's the Highlands and Islands Enterprises (http://www.hie.co.uk/). HIE, from what I have heard, is very suppportive of the project as is the town of Dornoch. Why are there so many hotels and homes for sale in Dornoch today?
Regarding the "Lakes" at Coul....that is seasonal flooding from a tidal pool and stream that are on property. There are no lakes and ponds.
Ally Mcintosh:
--- Quote from: David_Tepper on March 29, 2016, 09:58:33 AM ---"Is the small lake permanent? Will it be part of the course? That will be unusual for a links, right?"
MClutterbuck -
It is likely too early in the routing process to answer that question.
Yes, ponds/lakes on a links are unusual.
DT
--- End quote ---
I didn't look at the photos but assume these aren't lakes but Dune Slacks which often get flooded on a seasonal basis. Most dune systems will have some dune slacks which were usually created in the low lying areas as new ridges were formed due to accretion.
Often the routing process stays away from them, sometimes they are utilised. In the summer they are often characterised by different flora and fauna rather than lying water.
Ian Mackenzie:
--- Quote from: Thomas Dai on March 29, 2016, 11:42:24 AM ---
--- Quote from: Kalen Braley on March 29, 2016, 10:56:46 AM ---Is Bandon any worse off because of its influx of courses?
--- End quote ---
Out of interest was there much golf of note near Bandon before Mr Keiser's development?
Even if Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart and Skibo/Carnigie were suddenly removed from the face of the planet they'd be plenty of quality golf courses worth travelling to play along the Moray Firth coastline.
Atb
--- End quote ---
Before 1999, there was ZERO golf of note around Bandon, OR. Mike Keiser is revered in Bandon at a level that is incomprehensible to most.
Yes, Thomas, you are certainly correct that there would be plenty of quality golf.
And, if there was viable industrial growth in the local economy, your hypothesis would have some serious merit.
And, if only I could make more putts, I would have won that qualifier last year...;-)
Mark Pearce:
Ian,
What has viable industrial growth got to do with the number of existing golf courses in the Moray area? I'm not sure what point you are making or think Thomas is making.
Joel_Stewart:
I probably shouldn't comment but I'm told by a reliable source that this course is now 50-50 on being built.
There's an ongoing winter bird study and in the summer another bird study based on nesting.
Furthermore this winter the property in question was heavily flooded. Bill Coore is on site this week to see if this will be an ongoing problem.
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