GolfClubAtlas.com > Golf Course Architecture
Portmahomack aka Tarbat Golf Club - Eric Terhorst revisits
Garland Bayley:
I played Tarbat Golf Club in 2018 before the Buda competition was held at Brora and Golspie.
I have long wanted to do a thread on the club, but I like my threads to use Google Earth images of the course in question.
The Google Earth images available in 2018 were quite poor, and every time I tried to start a thread I got hung up on trying to make use of them.
Finally, I went back to Google Earth, and found that they had made new images a year after I played there.
Tarbat has not only captured my imagination. It also captured Kyle Franz's imagination as he brings it up in his first feature interview on this website.
https://golfclubatlas.com/feature-interview/kyle-franz-june-2011/
When asked, "Which five courses were perhaps either too obscure or have made the most impressive improvements since Tom Doak published his Confidential Guide?"
Kyle responded in part as follows:
"5. Tarbat Golf Club – Portmahomack, Scotland – There is certainly plenty of course countrywide that might be worthy. However, I can't help but plug this largely unknown little 10 hole course as I can whole heartedly recommend it given its proximity fo Dornoch (make sure you play the alternate “16th” to make it an even ten holes). There is plenty of design merit besides location. It was laid out by none other than John Sutherland in 1909 – And if you know your Royal Dornoch history you know it's pretty safe to say he was riding a nice little hot streak from 1890-1910 from the creativity standpoint! If you're in town to see its famous neighbor and have a little spare time in between rounds on the big courses make the 20 minute trip over for quick warm up or late evening game at Tarbat. There's a few excellent little holes any keen student of architecture can enjoy and it is a prime reminder of how simple the game can be while still being architecturally relevant."
Perhaps even Tom Doak has taken note of the club, as he posted:
--- Quote from: Tom_Doak on January 30, 2020, 05:15:48 PM ---To check out this thesis, today I stopped in at a small town club in Scotland which I'd never seen in my travels. (I had only got to about 10km away before.)
They have nine holes of rugged links terrain with a few houses about. The locker room had 14 lockers; the handicap sheet indicated about 20 full members and 40 seniors. The honesty tray of used golf balls for 20p was a clear indicator.
I fear its time is short and the local golfers will have to drive to the next town 10 minutes up the road to play. A shame really as it is a lovely wee course, and once it's gone, the kids who grow up there will be much less likely to take up golf. The primary school is right next to the clubhouse. Perhaps they will keep two or three holes even if the club folds? One can hope.
I wish I had been there on a busier day to meet some of the members and hear what it means to them.
--- End quote ---
This illicited the response:
--- Quote from: Thomas Dai on January 31, 2020, 03:05:46 AM ---
9-holes, links terrain, few houses about? Primary school next to the Clubhouse?
Would the course/Club happen to be - Tarbat GC at Portmahomack?
atb
--- End quote ---
As far as I could see, Tom never answered Dai's question on the thread. However, I saw the locker room, and although I didn't count them 14 seems to be about right for what I saw. As to driving 10 minutes up the road to play golf, that would be at Tain Golf Club. As to what the course means to the members, they know they are really fortunate to have such a wonderful place to play.
I can also report that I bought out the entire stock of logo'd merchandise that they had. I bought both of the golf caps in stock.
Finally, Eric Terhorst also thought highly enough of the course to produce a thread about it (no longer with photos). I will be replicating what he said about the course, and adding my photos.
"On my recent all-too-brief visit to Scotland, we were looking for a warm-up on the way to Dornoch on a Monday morning, and spied a red flag on the Michelin map that marked the 9-hole golf course at Portmahomack, a village on the out-of-the-way peninsula east of Tain."
"According the Club’s web site:"
"The club was founded in 1909, and John Sutherland, the famous secretary of Royal Dornoch G.C., advised on the design of the original course."
"As shown in the aerial view courtesy of Google Earth, the village separates the course from the beach, so it’s not hard by the water. But if you look closely at the aerial, you can see the shadows of some dunesy hillocks in the center and southern part of the property, on which the best holes are located."
Tarbat2019GoogleEarthSite by Garland Bayley, on Flickr
IMG_8921PortmahomackDornochFirth by Garland Bayley, on Flickr
Garland Bayley:
Some more recommendations for Tarbat:
Rich Goodale:
"go to Portmahomack, which I've walked but not played, but it looks like proper quirky links golf. If you do and like it, let us know and I'll play it when I'm next up in Dornoch in a month or so. Also, Portmahomack is a coll wee village with a great on-going archaological dig and history museum right near the course as well as a fine fish restaurant, the Oystercatcher (if it's still there)."
"Portmahamock, on the other hand is an oldie but goodie. Laid out ~100+ years ago by the (should be) legendary John Sutherland, and probably relatively untouched over the past century. Where it seems to have been touched is the 1st and 2nd holes, which are agricultural rather than Sutherlandish, and an attempt to make the course larger rather than better. After that, however, you are on a roller coaster ride through rough linksland, with heaving fairways and more heavingly seemingly unhittable/unstayable greens. Throughout these 7 holes you can see where old holes might have been, and as a bonus, you find that this is not at all a 9-holer but a 10-holer! The 5th/14th plays from a differnet green from a different tee. Locals play the course using both 5th tees on both tours and then ending on 7/16, which is conveniently by the clubhouse. With a little bit more money and a little bit more understanding of its history and TLC, this could be one of the greatest 9-holers in the world."
If anyone can explain Rich's numbering here, it would be appreciated.
Jon Wiggett:
"I would place Castle Stuart, Nairn and Boat of Garten as must plays in the Highland area. These closely followed by Golspie, Brora, Wick, Tain, Fortrose, Portmahomack and Reay in that order for the links that are accesable."
In a year in review.
"MOST SURPISING COURSE: Must be Wick. Went up there expecting a run of the mill links but found a time capsule. Wick is no fuss, fun golf in its most traditional form. Lots of quirk and challenge with none of the commercial rubbish found at so many of our courses these days. Welcomming members and good value. RUNNER -UP: Portmahomack. For much the same reasons as Wick. Great little links 9 holer."
Another mention:
"Two courses close to me that I played for the first time in the last couple of years that exceeded my expectations were Portmahomack (great little nine holer close to Tain) and Spey Bay which is a solid well under the radar 18 hole links."
And finally:
"There is something special about playing Carrbridge, Portmahomack or Abernethy where you put your money in the honesty box and go out and play a fun round at a reasonable price on a course that fits the landscape."
Kris Shreiner:
"the nine hole charmer at Portmahomack across the Dornoch Firth, near the not to be missed Oystercatcher dining spot"
With all this praise, it is time to take a closer look at the links:
Tarbat2019GoogleEarth by Garland Bayley, on Flickr
The yardages given are for the yellow tees, because the scorecard says (and I was so instructed) "White, blue, and red tees are for competition use only."
So we are looking at 4880 yards and par 68. In the routing, you will see that it is a 10 hole course, as first time around they play the par 3 7th, and the second time around they play the alternative par 3 16th. I had dropped them an email before leaving the states, and their reply suggested that I could pay for 9 holes and play 10 if I was short on time. It was quite convenient to play 7, then move over to 16 tee, and play it. Allowed me to head back to play 18 at Tain in the afternoon.
The club is served by a very modest clubhouse.
IMG_8878TarbatClubhouse by Garland Bayley, on Flickr
Which is very convenient to the bus stop. (I used public transport for my trip.)
IMG_8922TarbatParking by Garland Bayley, on Flickr
Thomas Dai:
Great start Garland. Looking forward to the rest.
atb
David_Tepper:
https://portmahomackgolfclub.com/
While in the area, I would also recommend visiting the Tarbat Discovery Centre, the best "local" museum I have seen in the Highlands.
https://www.tarbat-discovery.co.uk/
Garland Bayley:
--- Quote from: Thomas Dai on January 18, 2022, 03:06:53 AM ---Great start Garland. Looking forward to the rest.
atb
--- End quote ---
Elsewhere, Dai has expressed an interest in playing Tarbat over playing Royal Dornoch.
--- Quote from: Thomas Dai on May 29, 2013, 07:03:40 AM ---...
Some friends and I had a not to dissimilar experience at Royal Dornoch a while back. Four Ronald McDonald look-a-likes chatting loudly about all the courses they's already played on their 'tour of Ireland and Scotland' teed off a few groups in front of us. As golfers they were so poor as to be a safety hazard and as to etiquette and manners, well they simply didn't have any. After only a few holes there was a 6 hole gap in front of them and a long queue of disgruntled folk waiting on every tee and fairway behind. Now I love the course at Royal Dornoch, but if this is the kind of thing you can expect there, and from some enquiries it didn't seem that unusual, then the next time I'm up that far north I'll ignore Royal Dornoch and spend my time and £$£$ at Brora, Tain, Golspie, Fortrose and Portmahomack instead (Skibo not being appropriate without funding from a lottery win).
...
--- End quote ---
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version