I recently made a trip to Mull with my wife and a few friends, and managed to take a ferry across to see Iona Golf Course on the Isle of Iona! For those that haven’t heard of it (as I hadn’t), this island is on the south western side of Mull, and is just a short 10 minute ferry crossing from the (bigger) island. There is an abbey there, which I believe was one of the first (if not the first!) place where christianity came to Scotland.
While others were taking in the sea views, the quaint little village, and the abbey, I made my way on foot to Iona Golf Course on the western part of the island, mainly off the back of a recommendation from Clyde Johnson.
It takes about 25 minutes walking briskly to reach the course from the ferry pier, and you can buy a scorecard for £1 (which acts as your greens fee) at the post office before you set off on foot. In the absence of any manmade features or indicators, the scorecard was a lifesaver as it had a rough map on the inside, which gave you a general feel for the routing. Without it, there is no chance to know where to hit it.
I arrived, and was greeted by one of the most idyllic settings in all the world. As you crest the hill on the road you see nothing but blue Atlantic Ocean beyond, and a beach that is secluded and perfect. Before the beach is the course, which roughly runs in a sort of figure 8 routing, first heading south for 3 holes, before hugging the beach for 3 more. After 7 you then hop a fence, and play numbers 8-16 before hoping the fence back to play 17 and 18.
Iona is one of the very few courses left where you can’t really find many good photos on the internet, and I think I’ll leave the photos off for the time being, just because half the experience is trying to find the holes, and discovering it for yourself. I will just run through a few holes that stood out to me:
3rd Hole - Is this the best par 3 in Scotland?! It very well might be (seriously no hyperbole!). The yardage is roughly 165, but it plays straight uphill, and played into a breeze when I stepped to the tee. The pin appears as if it is at the top of Everest. To the left is one of the coolest natural sand scrapes that rips across the face of the green. They say that Mother Nature is the best architect and this sand pit is evidence!! It is to be avoided at all costs. For those that bail out to the right (as I did), you are left with a devilish uphill chip shot to a green that runs away from you! Once on the green, you can see that there is a bank to the back to stop any running shot, and a good bit of movement. A half par hole for sure!
4th Hole - Pick your line between the rock formation and the beach carefully. While a generous and ample landing area, you might have a blind approach if you don’t carry the crest of the hill. The approach is played down to a small green in the valley.
7th Hole - A blind par 3 with the pin in a dell. Lots of fun. Did your ball end up in the hole? Run as fast as you can to see!!
10th hole - Maybe the best par 4 that no one talks about. This is the most strategic hole on the course! The green and pin are hidden between two rocky mounds, which are oriented at about a 45 degree angle from the tee, so you can’t actually see the flag from the tee. There are MILES left…But! Playing to the left will leave a blind approach over one of the rocky mounds to an extremely narrow green, meaning your distance control has to be spot on. Making matters complicated is that on the ideal line from the tee runs a naturally forming cattle path / quasi-barranca. Playing out right way will definitely make the approach easier, but it is flirting with disaster!
11th hole - Clyde posted a photo of this par 3 - it’s blind over the crest of the hill to a pin, which is again sandwiched between two rocky hills. The greensite is very Mackenzie-esq. It slopes severely from back to front, and wouldn’t look out of place at Crystal Downs. Did Mr. Mackenzie consult here? It’s been a debate that has raged for years. Perhaps the sheep close to the 11th green know?
16th hole - One steps up to the tee (but not too close to the box indicating the start of the hole as there are some very suspicious cattle lingering nearby) and stripes one down through one of the sheep paddocks. Playing closer to the right will open up a view of the green, but brings the beach path into play and the fence. Playing to the left will leave players blind to the green with a massive mound in the way. The green is right next to the corner of the fence, which is 5 paces off the beach. The views are breathtaking!
And there you have it! Before anyone thinks of booking their travel to Iona, I want to ensure I don’t oversell the above. When I say ‘greens’ above, well, there are no greens! It is all one height…and the height depends on how hungry the tenants of the land are
This is about as no frills as you can get. But for those that like a bit of adventure, who don’t need yardages, laser shooters, or pristine putting surfaces, then Iona will be a buried treasure that awaits.