Machrihanish ...if Lord Byron had been a golfer

ARE there really 48 courses in Great Britain and Ireland better than Machrihanish?


So Golf World’s 2004 rankings would have us believe but of those ahead of it in the list which I have played only Royal Dornoch impresses me as much.

If golf architecture, like other art forms, can be divided into Romantic and Classical schools then Mach is as Byronic as they come - remote, windswept,
big dunes, greens and fairways undulating like the wild ocean.

When the tide’s in your drive has to carry some of that ocean, on one of the most famous opening holes in golf...

It’s the epitome of Heroic golf - where the penalty for failure makes
the thrill of success all the sweeter. Having said that, the beach is a lateral
water hazard, rather than out of bounds, so recoveries are possible.

The reward for a decent drive on a bold line is a straightforward second to
relatively flat green and perhaps a par or better to get you on your way.

The second shot to the second is way up into the start of the real dunesland.
This undulating green is the best thing about the hole and a foretaste of what’s
to come...

Then it’s hole after hole of pure magic.

The third is a blind drive over this marker post...

...followed by a fascinating second to this great green. Yes, bad shots can
get lucky with a kick onto the green but the imaginative player can also use
the banks and slopes to coax his ball close along the fast-running turf. There
are few greens like this one around, mainly because they are so hard to drain
properly without the sandy soil enjoyed by links like Machrihanish.

It’s followed by the only short hole going out - in fact the only non-par4.
The green is a decent size target for such a short shot but no recoveries are
easy if you miss it.

The fifth sets up beautifully for a draw off the tee, leaving this second:

Again there's a myriad of ways of getting close - and plenty of ways to blow
it as well. A good recovery's needed if you miss it right. You might not get
down in two, but you'll have fun trying:

Sixth is just 301 yards but hitting, holding and putting the green are all
a joy. Drive displays Machrihanish's inspiring dunes:

Try shaping this with a bulldozer:

On the 7th it's the second shot that's blind:

Eight is up over the hill to a sunken fairway...

...then up again to another drunken green:

The ninth green is the last close to the sea before the course turns round
for home:

The front nine at Mach is a fine example of how interest and variety resides in more than yardages. Apart from the 4th every hole is a par 4, generally mid-length, but there is never a hint of sameness about the challenge.

The back nine isn't quite as strong as the holes going
out but it's still pretty impressive.

Tee-shot at the 10th, the first par 5:
...and looking back from behind the green:

12th is another par 5. If you decide to go for it in two, better be long than short, as this series of pictures show:
Closer, showing yet another drunken fairway:
...you don't want to be in these bunkers:


13th is a cracking hole. Depending on the wind, pin position and your inclination, either a low running second up the bank or flying all the way onto the top can work:

The green from the right:


15 and 16 are back to back par 3s. 15 is shorter at 160 yards but if you do miss the green it's easy to keep going from one side to the other:

16th, like so many holes here, will play differently every time depending on the wind:

Pure golfing gold at the end of this rainbow:


17 and 18, on flatter terrain, aren't up to the standard of the rest of the course and there's talk of combining them into a monster par 5 finisher and building another short hole somewhere out in the dunes.

But there are bigger changes than that afoot. The planning process is well-advanced for another 18 hole course, designed by David Kidd.
Members are apparently very supportive of this, as they will have playing priveleges and the new course and associated 'resort' will boost the local economy.
However, green fees at the new Kidd course are bound to be much higher and this, along with the increased visitor numbers the new resort is likely to attract to both courses may make the 'old' Machrihanish experience less special and more expensive.

So go now! The drive down the Kintyre peninsula is spectacular and was a significant part of the whole experience for me but Loganair also offer direct flights from Glasgow.
The official website is http://www.machgolf.com/main.htm and there's a good write-up on GolfClubAtlas