royal_dornoch

The great Links of Royal Dornoch is one of golf's finest outposts, situated almost 200 miles North of Edinburgh, it is more than worth the journey north to get there. Old Tom Morris originally laid out the course in 1891, John Sutherland made a number of alterations in subsequent years. Today Royal Dornoch has a cult type following from around the globe, fuelled to some extent at least, by the praises sung by it's luminaries such as Tom Watson, an honorary Member, and American golf scribe Herb Warren Wind, neither of whom are bad judges.

Dornoch's opening hole, a simple PAR 4, is no indication of the joy - and trouble - about to follow. It is not until you reach the elevated third tee that you get a sense of this striking golf course laid before you, wondrous swards of fairway and green unfold for a mile in each direction, the embankments of the Old Dunes on the landward side of the Course, from April until June, are a never ending carpet of yellow gorse.

The course is just over 6500 yrds, but this no reflection on the degree of difficulty to be found on many holes, the first 8 holes following the natural humps and hollows of the Old Sand Dunes, while most of the remaining 10 holes flank the sandy beaches of Dornoch Bay. Sloping or raised greens are a characteristic of Dornoch along with elevated Tees, so the targets of Green and fairway are well presented although tough to find. Dornoch more than most is a thinking golfer's Course, Tom Watson is on record as saying 'I have played none finer, it is a natural masterpiece, there can be no finer accolade. On most holes a position has to be sought from where the Green can be accessed to your advantage no more so, than on the 445 yard Par 4, 14th hole, with no bunkers to contend with it relies on it's simplicity of design, the natural feature of a large sand hill on the right has created a double change of direction which makes fro some interesting approach angles.

Visitors to Royal Dornoch would be correct if they recognise elements of the architecture found at the great U.S. Courses of Donald Ross most notably Pinehurst No. 2. Ross was born in Dornoch in 1872 and went on to serve his apprenticeship at St Andrews, before returning to his home town as Professional and 'Keeper of the Greens' in 1895. Fours years later Donald Ross was off to America where he would become the Doyen of American Golf Architects.
Harry Vardon once described the 14th, 'Foxy Hole' as 'The finest natural hole l have ever played' after finishing your round at Royal Dornoch you may well describe the course as 'The finest natural Course you have every played'.