A Return to The Hidden Places of Scottish Golf

The so called "Bridge Over The Atlantic” to the Isle of Seil is barely wide enough for one car. The camber is such on the beautiful 19th century structure that you are driving completely blind as you proceed almost vertically up the arched roadway. As I approached the ancient bridge a few days ago - on the way out to play Isle of Seil GC - I realized that you must have faith to drive over the bridge, trusting that the way is clear. There is no traffic signal. You can see nothing as you start up the incline. As I write this on a beautiful morning in Lochgilphead, Scotland, I realize that this trip has been a similar leap of faith and hope.

As some of you that have read my writing or follow me on social media may know, my youngest son Jordan died suddenly on May 17, 2021. For most of his life he was a happy, sweet boy who loved golf and happened to be uniquely gifted at playing the game. We had talked a lot over the years about Scotland and Scottish golf, something that I have loved almost my entire life. A few days before he passed away, we discussed the possibility of him joining me on my next trip. He watched YouTube videos of old Open Championships during his last week of life. The last 3 months have been extremely difficult. I have come back to my favorite country to try to recover - or find a way to keep going - as much as someone can after such a senseless, unfathomable tragedy. Being back in this stunningly beautiful place for a few days - and the sincere welcome I have received from so many people - has somehow been helpful. I have felt the presence of my son with me out on these ancient links and moorland courses.

This series on No Laying Up originally started as a chronicle of a trip I took in May 2019 with my middle son Jake. It grew out of a lengthy conversation I had with Tron Carter later that year. I will continue to write about that journey, but also try to figure out a way to integrate some things from this visit. As I write this, I am roughly halfway through my itinerary – which has evolved as I have met people or just had a feeling about visiting a certain place. My (now good) friend from the 2019 trip, Robbie Wilson, graciously invited me to stay at his house in Lochgilphead for the first 10 days. Otherwise, I’m not sure that I could have managed a trip so extensive in scope.

My goal is to visit places I’ve always wanted to see, but just never managed to get to. I am also planning to write a book about this trip and try to tell Jordan’s story as part of the narrative. My current working itinerary is as follows:

August 16 - Isle of Skye GC / Lochcarron GC

August 28 - Machrihanish GC (Open Competition)

I am playing many more 9 holes courses (and 12 holers) than 18. This may seem strange to some people, but I love the smaller “wee” courses of Scotland. It also allows me to keep the walking somewhat manageable. I’ve always believed that you get the truest sense of Scottish golf at the smaller courses – they are often the center of social life and activities in their town. My basic criteria for a great golf course – architectural character, enjoyment and how visitors are welcomed - is different than many architectural critics. This type of trip is obviously not for everybody, but it is what I love.

The revelations thus far have been numerous: Isle of Seil GC with its’ perfect golf hut, the remote and wild machair of Isle of Colonsay GC - where you could just as easily be playing golf in the 1800’s, stunningly beautiful Traigh GC and the utterly brilliant Gairloch GC are a few that are at the forefront. I will likely play Dunaverty GC more than any other. I am a member there and it’s a perfect golf course. The trip will end at the first course I ever played in Scotland in 1994 – the ancient links of Prestwick. I appreciate those of you following along on Twitter and Instagram and I cannot thank the great people of Scotland enough for the welcome I have received so far.

Jordan had an original Scotty Cameron Newport Oil Can putter from the mid-90’s that he used from the time he was 12 years old. He loved that putter. He won a state championship with it in 2015. I brought it here with me and have been using it the entire trip. Not long after he died, a good friend told me I would eventually want to play golf again and the course is where I would find my son. I think he was right. Scotland has a way of opening your soul to the spiritual side of things – if you let it.

Hidden Scotland: A Return to the Hidden Places

Editor's note: When it came time to roll out our (long overdue) new website we wanted to do something celebrating the people we've met through golf and the places that are still out there for us to explore. We've only scratched the surface on who we need to meet and where we need to go. Jim Hartsell embodies that spirit to the fullest. I met Jim through Sweetens Cove a few years ago and we became fast friends. He's spent the last two-and-a-half decades exploring Scotland and digging deeper than nearly any American I know, non-Tom Coyne division. As an Registered Building Architect, he brings a unique perspective to golf travel, both on and off the course. We're thrilled to roll this series out over the next few months and hope you enjoy. - Tron

Cruden Bay Golf Club, A Birthday Celebration 

Much has changed since my first trip to Cruden Bay Golf Club in August of 1994. The course was then largely unknown to visiting American golfers, who ventured north of St. Andrews mainly to visit Royal Dornoch. I first learned about it from Michael Bamberger’s classic 1992 novel 

.  In those days, there was a sense of adventure and discovery in traveling to what was one of the world’s greatest hidden gems. The welcome extended to visitors in the small, utilitarian white clubhouse was warm and sincere. The course - designed by the impressive combination of Old Tom Morris and Tom Simpson - was wild, fun and an altogether unique layout. I am happy to report that these things have not changed in the intervening 25 years.  Cruden Bay remains one of the friendliest and most welcoming clubs in golf.  While it has climbed high in the world rankings since 1994 - and can no longer be considered “hidden” -  it is a course that must not be missed when visiting Scotland.

The Original Club House/Starters Hut at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

Change, when it does come, does not proceed with haste in an ancient place like Scotland. Unlike Americans, Scots generally take a more measured approach when considering things like road infrastructure improvements, rightfully taking the time to consider all the effects on their beautiful country. The drive up from St. Andrews was not an easy one in 1994. Today it is made with relative ease, given the completion of the A90 bypass of Aberdeen. This new stretch of motorway has cut at least 30 minutes off the total drive time. Not that I recommend bypassing the famed granite city of Aberdeen, but time is precious on a Scottish golf trip. While you may feel a slight pang of regret as you head north on the A90 at Stonehaven - knowing you are only 2 minutes from that wild and wonderful clifftop golf course - difficult choices must be made. I urge you not to bypass a day at Cruden Bay when planning your dream golf trip.

Walking from the car park around the beautiful modern clubhouse (another change since 1994) you are suddenly confronted with a panorama of dunes and linksland that is unmatched. In the distance stands the impressive cliff top ruins of Slains Castle - the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula - as if additional enhancement of this glorious scene is necessary. It is the most stunning “reveal” in golf.

Jim's 1994 Cruden Bay bag tag. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

It is believed that golf was played on this dramatic linksland as early as 1791. The genesis of the current links dates to 1894, when the Great North of Scotland Railway Company commissioned the course and a stunning hotel (sadly now demolished) to promote railway tourism. Old Tom Morris himself provided the initial routing. Cruden Bay Golf Club was founded in 1900. The current course layout dates to 1926 and is the work of noted English architect Tom Simpson.

As we arrived on a sunny May morning, the wind was already steady at 15 mph. Entering the brilliant pro shop (one of the best in Scotland) I was greeted warmly by Head Professional Neil Murray. Mr. Murray asked if I had played the course before.  I explained that I had played it many times, but it had been almost 20 years since my last visit. “Well, you will find it much the same as you remember, except for the 9th and 10th. We built a new 9th hole a few years ago and relocated the tee on the 10th", said the friendly pro. I was soon to find out the stunning effect this seemingly minor change had made to the physical experience of playing Cruden Bay. We talked about my memories of the course,  as I purchased several items from the well-stocked shop. I mentioned in passing that it was my son Jake’s first trip to Cruden Bay and it also happened to be his birthday. That off-hand comment led to one of the highlights of our entire trip.

The original clubhouse, one of my favorite buildings in Scotland, serves as the starter’s hut. At the time of our visit, it was being converted to a golf museum. The friendly starter greeted me and asked if an American called Chris could join our twosome, since it was his first visit to the course. I was happy to be a tour guide and found that I immediately remembered the correct lines off the tees - in spite of the almost 20 year gap in my experience. On almost every hole, there is an appropriate line that is most likely not readily apparent from the tee. One of the most joyous aspects of links golf is the strategy of where to land the ball on the ground. This is especially true on the tee shots at Cruden Bay. I think it may be the best “tee shot” course in the world.

Original Clubhouse at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

It’s difficult to think of a place that is more fun to play than Cruden Bay. The opening tee shot should favor the left side and must avoid a bunker, but in general does not cause excessive anxiety. The approach to the 2nd, to a dramatically raised plateau green, is one of the best approach shots on the course. At the 3rd, one of the great short par fours in the world, you start to enter the wild heart of the links. At 268 yards, the blind tee shot must land between dunes on both sides, which will funnel the ball down to the perfectly sited green. A well struck tee shot may result in an eagle try, but if you are too aggressive double bogey or worse is in play. This is a perfect golf hole.

3rd at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

It would be natural to expect a let down after the sheer joy of the 3rd, but it is not to be.  Quite simply, the 4th hole at Cruden Bay is one of the great par threes in golf. The tee is set behind the 3rd green, with the fishing village of Port Erroll and the river (called the Water of Cruden) to the left, and at 196 yards plays slightly uphill over a valley between the dunes and the river. The green sits perfectly among the massive dunes. Standing quietly on the 4th green at Cruden Bay, with the sound of the wind blowing through the grass covered dunes, it is impossible not to feel why Scotland is the true home of golf.

View of the 4th Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

Beginning with the tee shot at the 5th, you enter the most mighty and towering dunes in Scotland. The next 4 holes are routed masterfully through these sandhills. It does not matter if Old Tom or English Tom gets the majority of the credit, the holes are all memorable and great. The burn fronting the green on the par five 6th is a lovely -  but devilish - wee stream that ensnares its fair share of golf balls.

8th at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

The 250 yard 8th is another drivable par 4, and is the physical and spiritual heart of the great links. Tom Simpson called the 8th "an outstanding jewel of a hole, mischievous, subtle and provocative, the element of luck with the tee shot being very high." It would be hard to argue with his assessment, even decades later. The 8th green does indeed sit like a jewel at the base of the towering gorse covered hills. Par in Scotland is in many ways irrelevant, but I love the fact that the 8th remains a par 4 and the club has never changed anything about the hole. In a lifetime of playing this game, it remains my favorite hole.

View from the 8th green at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

The view from the 8th green across the 16th hole, to the beach and ocean beyond, is stunning. As you make the steep ascent to the new 9th tee -to what may be the metaphysical summit of golf - it becomes apparent that the prior view at the 8th was only a prelude of the vista to come. The climb to the 9th tee at Cruden Bay is one of the more arduous I’ve ever encountered. However, the reward more than compensates for our momentary struggles. A few years ago, in an altogether brilliant design move, the 9th hole was shifted around 100 yards to the east, right along the very edge of the highest point on the grounds. As a result, a formerly average par four (by Cruden Bay standards) was transformed into one of the great par fours in golf. In my view - along with the 17th green at the Old Course, the 8th green at Machrihanish and the 11th tee at Dunaverty - the 9th tee at Cruden Bay is one the the spiritual epicenters of the game. You can’t help but take in the unparalleled view for several minutes, most likely in stunned silence. The details are always perfect in Scotland, so there is a bench by the tee to assist in your recovery from the climb.

8th fairway with 16th green. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

When the new 9th hole was created, the 10th tee was moved about 50 yards to the west. As an added benefit, this has made the 10th a much better hole.  Driving from the heights of the new 10th tee to the valley floor below is a great thrill. It is a wonderful and testing par 4, in what is likely to be a strong crosswind. The 11th is a nice par three  - and almost a certain bogey -  if the green is not reached on the tee shot. The 12th is a good par four, but thought by many to be the weak link in a stretch of otherwise incomparable golf holes. As we putted out on 12, I noticed what appeared to be another green in the distance, set against the impossibly blue ocean. This hidden green was an addition since my prior visits.  I made a mental note to try to find out more about it.

View from the 9th tee at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

The 13th runs along the ocean and is a truly great par five. The tee shot must avoid the winding burn and high grass along the beach. The 2nd shot should be played to the left side of the fairway to open up the approach into the massive green, which lies at the base of the dune mountain from which we have just recently descended.

View of 13 and 14 from the 9th tee. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

Whins, the 14th,  is another singular hole in my golfing experience.  The tee shot is played blind, from an elevated tee hard by the beach, to a fairway that appears non-existent. The aforementioned gorse covered dune is there to destroy any tee shot that has, as the great Prestwick caddie Chris McBride says, “Left-wing tendencies.” If the relative safety of the fairway is reached, one of the great blind approach shots of the world awaits. The almost rectangular shaped green is located over a dune down in a sunken pit, at least 15 feet below surrounding grade. I don’t know of any other green site like this anywhere in the world.  If you don’t have a smile on your face after playing this hole, then you probably shouldn’t be playing golf at Cruden Bay.

14th green at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

I have always viewed the 15th and 16th as two sides of the same coin. Back to back par threes, they continue the glorious madness that Old Tom and Tom Simpson have so thoroughly maintained for 14 holes. The 195 yard 15th is played over the end corner of the ever-present mountainous dune, blind and dog-legged, to a green which we can only trust is out there somewhere. I have hit everything from a full driver to a 9 iron on this hole. It is madness and sheer fun. The 16th finally breaks us free of the great dune’s clutches and is somewhat more conventional. It is played from an elevated tee to a beautiful green site set amongst the dunes. I once made a 13 on this hole in a 40 mph crosswind, en-route to a score of 106, with tee shot after tee shot flying wildly onto the beach. The very next morning I had a tap-in birdie 2, on the way to a handy 75. That is links golf in a nutshell.

15 and 16 at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

The 17th and 18th are good holes, though not as good as their predecessors, and serve admirably to take us out of the mighty duneland back to the welcoming confines of the clubhouse bar. The tee shot on the 17th must avoid an unusual grass covered mound in the middle of the fairway, thought to be the burial ground of Scots and Danes killed in a battle in the year 1012. Is the story true? I don’t know and honestly don’t care. I choose to believe it is. The tee shot on the 18th should favor the left for the best angle into the green, but out of bounds lurks along that entire side. We shook the hand of our new friend Chris and invited him to join us for lunch in the clubhouse bar.

Not enough can be said about the hospitality shown to us by the staff at Cruden Bay.  It is something I will never forget.  We had a wonderful and delicious lunch, complete with the requisite pint of Tennents. As we were finishing up our meal, the strains of the Happy Birthday song started to play over the sound system. Somehow the bar staff had also managed to insert Jake’s name into the song, as the dining room manager came out to our table with a shortbread and strawberry cake complete with a birthday candle.

Lunch at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

Les Durno, the great General Manager, came out along with the cake and introduced himself. A man who obviously loves Cruden Bay, we immediately struck up a conversation about the history of the course, the old railway hotel, and the brilliant changes to the 9th and 10th.  I mentioned that I thought the new 9th hole had put Cruden Bay at an even higher level in the golf world. “Aye, it has indeed. I remember walking out into the gorse with the architect on his first visit. You could see what a great hole it would be before we even started work. It’s been a brilliant change to the course.”  Curious about the hidden green I had seen behind the 12th, I asked Les about it. A smile lit up his face, “Ah, yes. That’s the alternate 12th hole. We play it in the winter. There are some that would love to make it a permanent hole, with some possible reworking of the 11th and 12th. You should play it when you go back out this afternoon. The wee tee is up in the dunes to the right.” We played the alternate 12th hole in the afternoon and it is a delightful par three. I can see why some members prefer it.

Birthday Cake at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

Les and I continued our splendid conversation for several more minutes, with the old clubhouse and railway hotel as a major topic. He then took me to meet the wonderful long time booking secretary Elaine Stephens, who I remembered talking to on the phone all those years ago in 1994. We spoke briefly about the old days of fax machines and actual written letters for booking golf reservations. As I was leaving to join my son for the afternoon round (with two complimentary drams of Cruden Bay whisky), Elaine said kindly, “I am so pleased you made it back to Cruden Bay.”

Whiskey at Cruden Bay. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

I may begin to sound a bit repetitive, but the food in the Cruden Bay clubhouse is excellent. You cannot go wrong eating lunch or your evening meal there - with the added bonus of one the greatest clubhouse views on the planet.

Room view from Cruden Bay Bed & Breakfast. Photo provided by Mr. Jim Hartsell

One of my favorite hotels of all-time, The Red House Hotel in Cruden Bay is now called the Cruden Bay Bed & Breakfast. The excellent restaurant that served The Red House is no longer open, but Ian Devenish still runs the B&B and I am sure the welcome remains one of the best in Scotland. Stay in Room #4 and you will be presented with an unmatched view of the mighty links - many late evenings I have sat silently with a whisky in that bay window.


I have also stayed in the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel. It is a favorite of visiting golfers and highly recommended. It has a nice bar and excellent restaurant.

The nearby city of Peterhead has many lodging and dining options and is an easy 10 minute drive after a round at Cruden Bay. I have played the links at Peterhead GC and it is worth adding to your itinerary, if you have the time.

Hidden Scotland: Cruden Bay Golf Club

Elie: The Elegant and Ethereal Home of James Braid

It is believed that golf has been played on the links of Elie in the East Neuk of Fife since the 16th century. Most historians attribute the design of the current layout to Old Tom Morris in 1895.  James Braid, the legendary 5 time Champion Golfer of The Year, and golf course Architect, was born in the adjacent village of Earlsferry in 1870.  He won his first tournament at age 8 on the links at Elie. Some historical accounts mention that Braid himself made revisions to the course in the 1920’s. However, this claim is not substantiated (or even noted) in the essential and definitive “James Braid and his Four Hundred Golf Courses,” by John F. Moreton and Ian Cumming, so I am inclined to believe Braid did not actually work on his childhood course. In spite of this, we only have to look at the understated elegance of just a few of Braid’s fully credited designs - Brora, Panmure, Fraserburgh. Kilspindie, Millport, Stranraer, Boat of Garten, St. Enodoc - to see the massive influence that Elie had on his design philosophy.

The Club House at Elie.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

The Golf House Club (commonly called Elie) is located a mere 5 miles from Anstruther.  Fife has so many truly great golf courses, in such a concentrated area, that it can be difficult for the visiting golfer to decide where to play. The decisions on which clubs to visit can seem monumental to a visiting golfer, because they are - each day of a Scottish golf trip is precious. If you are fortunate enough to visit Fife, you must make time to play at Elie.

Elie measures 6,233 yards and has 16 par fours and 2 par threes, for a strict par of 70. In my experience, this is a very unique assembly of holes. On the surface, such a seemingly bland assortment might seem to be a recipe for monotonous golf. It is not. The Golf House Club is a sheer delight, from start to finish. The pair of par threes are two of my favorites in Scotland.

We arrived early for our 12:30 tee time and were greeted warmly by the Head Professional Gavin Cook.  Mr. Cook’s well-stocked shop has to be among the most singular in golf.  A Royal Navy submarine periscope, salvaged from the HMS Excalibur in 1966, is mounted in the center - and extends through the roof of the small octagonal shop, which is curiously detached from the beautiful clubhouse. The periscope allows the staff to see if the fairway is clear beyond the hill, over which the blind opening tee shot is played. I can’t think of anything else remotely like this in the world of golf. 

The Periscope at Elie.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


The course was not crowded on a Tuesday afternoon and we were told we could go off immediately, “But I’m sure you’ll be wanting some lunch first,” the friendly pro said. We did indeed. When playing golf in Scotland, I always recommend that you have lunch in the clubhouse, whether before or after your round. (Note to Americans: Remove your hat when entering the clubhouse!) The Scots have mastered the art of the perfect lunch: a “toastie” (a small toasted sandwich) and soup. A pint of Tennent’s before assaying the 1st at Elie is never a bad idea either.

We each had the ham and cheese toastie with potato-leek soup. It was - as with most things in Scottish clubhouses – simple, yet perfectly executed and beautifully presented.  I mention all this to relay an incident that occurred as I was paying our bill at the kitchen window. It was a nominal amount, around 20 pounds for the 3 of us. The service had been excellent. As I paid with a 20 pound note, I also offered the steward a 5 pound tip. He quickly said, “Oh no, sir, that is too much. I cannot accept that.” A little confused, I asked, “How much should I give you?” “A pound will be sufficient, sir,” he replied with a smile. Can you imagine this same scene occurring in an American clubhouse?

Lunch at Elie.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


With lunch taken care of, and 4 pounds richer for it, we walked back to the Starter’s House / Pro Shop and Gavin told us to play away. It was a somewhat overcast day, but a very pleasant 60 degrees. The blind opening shot at Elie sums up the essence of Scottish golf. You play away over the hill, trusting that the white marker in the distance will lead a well struck drive to the safety of the fairway beyond. One of the great joys of golf is cresting a hill after a blind shot to see where your ball has finished. This singular golf pleasure occurs often at Elie, with blind shots appearing with a wonderful frequency.  The 420 yard par four 1st hole perfectly sets the tone for what will surely be one of the most enjoyable links you will ever play. On this early afternoon, the constant 20 mph breeze was directly behind us as we started.

1st Green at Elie.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


There is a feeling of constant movement - of the progression of golfers in the distance as they matriculate around the links - that is prevalent at Elie. The 284 par four 2nd plays back up the hill - and directly back into the wind that assisted us on the 1st - to one of my favorite greens in the world. I have mentioned previously that yardage is irrelevant in Scotland.  The 2nd hole, a full 136 yards shorter than the 1st, played at least two clubs longer than its predecessor on this day. Upon reaching the elevated and exposed green, you can be forgiven for pausing to take in the entire wondrous scene of the links and town that unfolds in front of you. The ocean is in view from the rolling dune land for the next 15 holes. This is one of the great vistas in all of Scottish golf.

2nd Green at Elie with Club House beyond.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

The par three 3rd hole plays 204 yards downhill to a brilliantly sited green, with deep bunkers guarding the right and left flanks like ancient Scylla and Charybdis. A word about the bunkers at Elie – they are deadly. The village, with all its charming Victorian structures, borders the left side of the hole. This spot - the 2nd green and 3rd tee at Elie - ranks in the upper echelon of places to be in the entire world.  We stood on the tee in silence for a few seconds before Jake said quietly, “Wow.” You might even imagine that you can see all the way over the Firth of Forth to North Berwick on a clear day. One of only two single-shot holes on the entire course, a par on the 3rd hole is well earned.

View from the 2nd hole at Elie looking into town.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


Approaching the 4th tee, golfers will notice a small pub just a few steps from the teeing ground.  On an increasingly cold and cloudy day, the 19th Hole Pub looked warm and inviting. With no golfers in view behind us, we ducked in for a restorative wee dram of Bowmore whisky. The proprietor greeted us warmly and we discussed how her business had been of late. If the course is not crowded, you must stop in for a dram or pint. If you need to keep moving, you can always come back for a longer visit after your round. It is my sincere hope that the pub has been able to survive the current world pandemic and economic crisis. The world needs places like the 19th Hole Pub in Elie.

Whiskey and a Pint at The 19th Hole Pub.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


There is not a bad hole on this ethereal, mighty and ancient linksland. The 4th and 5th holes continue the outward trek away from the clubhouse and lead us to the 6th, which deserves a special mention. It is a short par 4 at a seemingly insignificant 306 yards. The drive is completely blind. If the last group of hidden bunkers beyond the ridge are carried (possible, with a helping wind), the ball careens wildly towards a large, sloping green. The backdrop of the green is simply the North Sea.  There are several bunkers to be avoided - which are basically a stroke penalty anywhere at Elie. This hole once again demonstrates why the experience of Scottish golf cannot be replicated in other parts of the world, as much as a designer might make the attempt.

The 4th Green, with the village of Elie beyond.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


We laughed out loud at the 6th hole – it is pure golfing fun.  As we putted out on the wild green, the clouds were growing more ominous in the south and the wind started gusting to 30 mph.  As the great Peter Alliss often said during Open coverage, “If you don’t like the weather in Scotland, just wait a few minutes. It will change.” There is sometimes a valid reason for a cliche’s existence.

6th Green and 10th tee.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


The routing at Elie is unusual and brilliant.  Old Tom, in his wisdom, chose to take the 7th and 8th and 9th holes back inland away from the ocean, in a somewhat circular pattern. This creates totally different playing conditions on these three difficult par fours. The 7th, a short 241 yard, semi-blind par 4 is a particular favorite.

At the end of this circular and interesting inland journey lies another 3 hole stretch, the 10th, 11th and 12th, that rivals any triumvirate of holes on the planet. All 3 holes are hard by the sea, which has grown increasingly unsettled on this day.  The 10th is a perfect golf hole.  It plays blind from the tee at 280 yard - over a rocky hill with the wind most likely blowing across - to a wonderful semi-punchbowl green.  Once again, if the ridge is carried from the tee, the ball careens downhill towards the hold.  This is the pure, unfiltered essence of golf. I imagine there are eagles and triple bogeys in equal measure on this hole, depending on the wind. It is a lovely and brilliant golf hole.

The 10th Green at Elie.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


The 131 yard 11th is the second and final par 3 at The Golf House Club.  It is great, memorable and if that is not enough - hard by the sandy beach. The wind coming off the ocean was now creating a havoc that cannot adequately be described with the written word. It took a concerted effort to not get blown over by the gusts. After we hit our tee shots on the 11th, all Hell broke loose. A storm of Old Testament proportions came in off the North Sea.  We managed to finish the hole, still somewhat in one piece. On the 12th tee, the rain was blowing sideways with such force that it stung painfully as it hit our faces. We saw a few other golfers conceding to the weather and making the long walk in.  From the tee, it was obvious that the 12th is a great hole. Jake asked me, “Should we go in, Dad?”  I said, “Well, we are probably 3 miles from the clubhouse. We’re out here and who knows when we’ll be back. We might as well finish now.”

The 11th Green at Elie.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


Unfortunately, the 12th proved to be our last semi-playable hole of the day.  We both somehow managed to make bogey on the difficult and beautiful 434 yard cape style par 4. The green is sited perfectly with the rocky beach on the left and tall headlands beyond. It completes one of the great three holes stretches in the world.  On the 13th tee, it simply became a survival test. The temperature dropped 20 degrees, seemingly within seconds.  At some point, if you make a trip to Scotland, you will likely be confronted at least once with the sudden onset of challenging conditions. The most expensive Goretex waterproofs are useless in this type of weather. Still, I urge you to finish your round no matter how difficult it might be. I am so glad we finished that day at Elie.  Almost two years later, it is something we still talk about frequently - with great affection. Experiences like this often become the most precious memories over time.

The remaining holes were all par fours, of course. Visibility was not great and our shots were mainly being played along the ground. We were simply trying to advance the ball forward. In spite of the storm, I still recall the 303 yard 15th hole quite clearly. For some reason, the 40 mph gale shifted directly behind us and we were able to launch our tee shots in the air like a bottle rocket. The drive is played blind (of course) over a tall dune ridge, which then feeds downhill to the green. It is yet another wonderfully blind and fun links golf hole.

Proper Benches at Elie.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


We managed to get through 16 and 17, which turned us right back into the hurricane force winds that had briefly aided us on 15. I am not exaggerating this statement – at this point, if the ball got more than 3 feet off the ground, it would be blown off the planet.  I played the 17th  with a choked down 7 iron from the tee, just trying to hit half punch shots about 60 to 80 yards. It was so cold I could not feel my hands or feet. Jake and I were laughing constantly at this point. What else can you do?

It seemed that the conditions eased just slightly on the 18th, which is a lovely and elegant 340 yard par four.  There are two perfectly placed bunkers on the left hand side at about 270 yards off the Gents Tee. We dutifully holed out and shook hands, our clothes completely soaked through. Grabbing a change of clothes from the car park, we went into the clubhouse to try to rejoin some semblance of humanity.  As we entered the locker room, a gentleman burst out in laughter when he saw us. We must have been a sight indeed. “You guys actually finished? We saw you out there. We walked in after the 9th. I am just now getting warm,” he said with a smile. He introduced himself as Martin from Yorkshire, up from England with a group of golf buddies to play the great links of Fife. We commiserated over the weather and he told me how much they had loved the first 9 holes. “It is a great links,’ he said. I agreed and wished him well for the rest of his golf holiday.

When I was a golf crazy kid growing up in Alabama, I dreamed of one day playing links golf in Scotland. In these dreams, I had an ideal vision of what Scottish links golf must be like - mainly formed from reading about golf history and watching The Open Championship. The Golf House Club, Elie is the perfect physical manifestation of these dreams. It embodies everything that is great about Scottish links golf.

Finally semi-warmed and dry, we returned to the 19th Hole for the all-important recap of the round. Of all of golf’s sacred rituals, this one is perhaps my favorite. It seems to take on an even greater significance after a round in Scotland. When conditions had started to look really bad on the 9th fairway, our faithful photographer Kaylin had wisely sought out the refuge and warmth of the pub. As we sat down at the bar, the bartender looked at us with a laugh and said, “You guys actually played in that?” Grabbing the bottle of Bowmore she said, “You need a drink.”  Did I mention that I love Scotland?

 and the Elie clubhouse are a perfect place for lunch and a pint.  The 19th Hole has a good bar menu that includes a great burger and the requisite fish and chips. They really have anything that you would want after a day of golf.  Returning to nearby Anstruther, 

 is a place that I have enjoyed over the years. The food is always excellent and it has a great atmosphere.  You can spend a lovely evening at The Dreel. Again, you are only a short drive from the wonders of St. Andrews.

Crail, Lundin, Leven and Kinghorn are all golf courses in Fife that are worth a visit. The picturesque village of Crail has a beautiful town square and is a lovely place for an afternoon break from golf. You could easily spend an entire golf holiday in Fife.

Hidden Scotland: The Golf House Club, Elie

War Memorial, Anstruther Golf Course.  Located next to the 2nd green, this monument memorializes the men and women from Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester who died in WWI.  

"Golf is preeminently the game of the Scot: slow, sure, quiet, deliberate, canny even – each man playing for himself.” – Arnold Haultain, The Mystery of Golf, published in 1908

The town of Anstruther, about 20 minutes southeast of St Andrews, has everything you could wish for as a visitor on holiday in Scotland. It’s a beautiful seaside fishing village with pubs, shops, restaurants - all easily walkable – and with the first tee of a brilliant golf course right in the middle of it all. If you don’t have the best fish and chips you’ve ever had in one of the town’s many “chippies”, then you must be a vegetarian. The ubiquitous food staple of Scotland is prepared at a higher level in Anstruther. There is much for the non-golfer to enjoy in “Ainster”or “Anster.” (the local pronunciations). However, golf is our main focus. The game has been played on the links at Anstruther Golf Club, originally known as Billowness, since approximately 1890.

Recently there has been a growing acceptance of golf courses with less than 18 holes and/or a par other than 72, some of which I will examine in detail as this series progresses. Additionally, the idea that a course must have a certain mixture of long and short holes to be a real test of golf has come under welcome scrutiny.  If there was one, Anstruther Golf Club would be a 10 on the Hartsell Scale.  Easily described as – 

“A superlative golf course with unlimited architectural character, just exceptionally fun. Play it all day with your friends and then have fish and chips in the clubhouse, with a pint of Tennents.”

The par of a golf course is more or less irrelevant in Scotland; as the golf is so dependent on the conditions of the day.  It may take two well struck shots to reach a par 3 or a par 4 might be driven with a well struck 4 iron. This is especially true at Anstruther, which is a totally exposed headland links. Additionally, the main objective in golf is to get the ball in the hole in less strokes than your opponent. Given these facts, does it really matter if a course is a par 34, 66 or 73? I believe that it does not. Any golfer would be pleased to go around Anstruther in level fours at 36.  It has one of the most unique mixes of golf holes that I have ever played, with 4 par fours and 5 par threes for a total par of 31.

Anstruther Golf Club. Photograph by Jim Hartsell

Standing on the first tee - with the green located somewhere in the distance on a plateau at least 50 feet higher than the tee - you immediately know a special day is imminent. It is a scene unique in the world of golf.  An imposing granite monument, originally dedicated to the local heroes of World War 1, sits at the top of the hill. It has silently watched over the links since 1920.  Leave it to the Scots to place an important monument on a golf course, where it is sure to be seen and remembered on a daily basis.

Play at Anstruther is, of course, dependent on the wind. On the day of our visit it was steady at 15-20 mph, which I imagine is probably the daily standard.  This gentle breeze completely changed direction between our morning 27 and afternoon 18, resulting in a drastically different golf course in the evening. Before lunch, the first hole played straight downwind.  The steep summit could be reached with a well struck driver, leaving a traditional Scottish run- up shot to the green as the correct play. After lunch, the wind changed direction and the hill could not be carried with the tee shot, thus rendering the 2nd shot completely blind and vastly more difficult. Playing downwind, this 270 yard par 4 is an opportunity for a birdie. It would be wise to take advantage of this hole, because it is one of the few relatively easy chances on the course.  This is one of my favorite opening holes in Scotland.

The 1st tee at Anstruther Golf Club. Photograph by Jim Hartsell

Once the summit of the 1st is reached, the joys of the Old Tom Morris designed links are fully revealed. The golfer can be forgiven for pausing a moment to take it all in – the town of Anstruther sweeping away below, the monument and the rocky shores of the Atlantic.  The 2nd - a 160 yarder aptly named Monument - plays straight out to the ocean in a strong crosswind. The green is sited on the edge of the cliff with the expanse of the ocean as a backdrop; a memorable and testing par 3.  Headland golf of this caliber is a rare and special pleasure.

The 3rd and 4th, both par fours, play on top of the plateau. The 3rd is a longish hole at 402 yards, has fairway bunkers to be avoided, but with a helping wind actually plays much shorter than the 4th at 286 yards. The 4th hole, Magazine, is one of the best par 4’s in Scotland.  It plays along the clifftop, with the ocean on the right, dead into the prevailing wind. There is safety to the left.  However, in taking the cautious route off the tee, the approach must played over an old stone wall and remnants of an old World War 1 arsenal building used for the storage of ammunition that was used for a gun training building on the 5th tee. The correct angle is down the right side of the fairway, but this brings the cliff into the equation. Whether you are bold or hesitant off the tee, the green seems to float above the ocean below. This is the Scottish golf of your dreams.

The 4th green at Anstruther Golf Club, viewed from the safe line off the tee. Photograph by Jim Hartsell

This brings us to the 5th hole, called Rockies.  In my experience, it is a one-off in the world of golf. A blind, dogleg 247 yard par 3 played from the clifftop to well……the sky. It was once voted the toughest par three in the UK by readers of Golf Monthly, as a plaque by the tee proudly reminds us.  I asked a  friendly member in the bar if he thought it was indeed the toughest par 3 in the country, “Oh aye,” he replied matter-of-factly, “because it’s a par 4.”  The majority of members do, in fact, treat the hole as a par 4.  Many of the older men, and a lot of the ladies, play back down the 4th fairway to pitch straight down onto the green from the upper level. I played the hole 5 times and I am still at a loss to see how the green could actually be hit in regulation. There is a smallish strip of fairway on the beach level, where the green sits. There is the potential to lay up there as there, with an iron, and play a wedge in. All that said, a “bogey 4” on this hole feels like a very good score. It is an altogether beautiful, bizarre and laugh-out-loud fun golf hole.

The Rockies.  Bizarre, fun and one of a kind. Photograph by Jim Hartsell

The 6th hole is another brilliant par 3  - with the green sited on the same lower level as the 5th - in the base of the cliffside.  It plays 128 yards from both the lower Members tee, as well as from the much more dramatic Medal tee on top of the hill.  In our ignorance and excitement, we had started our first nine of the morning playing the Medal tees.  Climbing back down from the unbelievably good 6th Medal tee, we were caught red-handed by the Greenskeeper, who had shown up to work on the 5th green. “You shouldn’t be playing the Medal tees,” he said sternly. “Well, I’m sorry, it’s our first time here and there was nobody in the clubhouse when we started,” I said embarrassingly. He smiled and said, “Aye. In that case, I’m glad you got to see the view from up there, but stick to the yellow tees for the rest of the day.”  This is the type of welcoming attitude that prevails at Anstruther.

The Medal Tee on the 6th. Photograph by Jim Hartsell

The tee shot to the 171 yard par three 7th (three consecutive par 3’s!) plays back over the 6th fairway to a green located back on the upper headland.  I hit a full driver on this hole in three of our five rounds. Par is well-earned and will likely be a winner in virtually every match.  At this point, we have climbed back up to the upper plateau level to play the par four 8th, a difficult and longish hole with an out of bounds fence down the left. A par here is also to be respected, for it will be hard-fought. This hole is very difficult when played into a strong wind.  The closing 9th is a 230 yard par 3, playing back into town from the previous heights of the 1st green.  It is a unique and dramatic finishing hole that is perfect for match play. It actually plays much more like a par four, reinforcing one final time that par is irrelevant at Anstruther.

In the welcoming bar, Matt Maclachlan, the friendly Clubhouse Manager for over 10 years at Anstruther Golf Club, came to our table to visit as we had our requisite Tennents and perused the bar menu. (There is a brilliant full service restaurant on the other side of the bar called fittingly, The Rockies.) He was genuinely interested in our feelings about the course and introduced us to a few of the members who were in for a late afternoon pint.  In a wonderful phenomenon that I have only seen in Scotland, everyone we met was genuinely interested in our thoughts about their wee course. We had a lively discussion about how to play the 5th and where to get the best fish and chips in Anstruther. (The clubhouse received a deservedly high recommendation.) I followed up with Matt recently to talk about working at Anstruther:  

“Believe it or not when I first walked in the door I had no interest in golf and I wasn’t even all that keen on golfers. Needless to say, that is not the case today and those feelings were gone after only a few months in the job.”

I asked what he enjoyed the most about his job at the club: 

“I couldn’t narrow it down to just one thing. From the always changing fantastic views up and down the firth and the North Sea, the interactions with the members and visitors each day, the staff team we’ve put together, it all just adds up to a fantastic place to work. Everyone that walks through the door here gets afforded the same welcome, as if we’ve known you all our life. Whether it’s a member, visitor or just someone visiting the Rockies Restaurant, our aim is to have people say to themselves as they leave “well we will definitely come back here” and 99% of the time it works.”

 I can personally attest that it does work, as I plan on returning to Anstruther for a second time as soon as international travel is allowed once more.  A more welcoming golf club cannot be found.

I touched on this in my inaugural piece in this series, 

. We only visited Anstruther by chance that day, because we were shut out of playing The Old Course. Missing out on The Old might seem an impossible blow to recover from on a Scottish golf trip. Instead, Anstruther Golf Club became a highlight of our visit to Scotland. It has now been almost two years and we talk about Anstruther every time my son and I get together.

After playing all morning, we decided to cancel an afternoon round at the historic Lundin Links so we could keep playing Anstruther. We did not want to leave. Walking off the 9th green, after our 45th hole of the day, I could tell that Jake wanted to keep playing. There was still enough daylight left for at least 9 more holes, but my old legs were failing.  As I shook my son’s hand in the never-ending Scottish twilight, he said, “Dad, this is the most fun I’ve ever had playing golf.” I could only smile and say, “yes, me too.”

view from the Anstruther Golf Club bar. Photograp

Anstruther is famous for its fish and chips and deservedly so. You can’t go wrong eating fish and chips in the clubhouse bar at the club or at any of the several of the “chippies” in town. I almost always default to having lunch in the clubhouse, and in this case it was great. If you want something a little more adventurous, The Rockies Restaurant in the Anstruther clubhouse is excellent.  The Dreel Tavern in Anstruther is also a brilliant restaurant that I would love to visit again. You should give yourself a few hours just to walk around the seaside town itself. It is one of my favorites in the world.

St. Andrews is only a 20 minute drive away from Anstruther.  The town is one of the best places on earth, whether you are a golfer or not.  Even if you miss out on playing The Old, as we did, an afternoon and evening walking around St. Andrews is worth the precious time away from the course. You may find a bookstore that you never want to leave. For food and other refreshments, everybody knows The Dunvegan, but it’s reputation is well-earned and is a must visit for a pint and/or a meal. We had a wonderful pub meal at The St. Andrews Brewing Company on a cold, rainy night, trying several of their excellent beers - the Oatmeal Stout and the Pale Ale received high marks from our table.

Hidden Scotland: Anstruther Golf Club

A couple of days before embarking on a dream golf trip to Scotland with my son Jake in May of 2019, I had set the alarm for 4 am to enter the online ballot for a tee time at the Old Course. To my surprise, I found that the course was to be closed for visitor play for the duration of our visit to St Andrews. As it turned out, this was a blessing in disguise. On the day we had devoted to playing the most famous course in golf, we instead drove twenty minutes south to Anstruther Golf Club. We put our green fee in an honesty box and proceeded to spend the day on a wild Old Tom Morris nine hole layout by the ocean. It was the most fun I’ve ever had playing golf.

2nd Green at Anstruther Golf Club.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell


Golf is supposed to be fun. This concept has been lost for a long period of time, especially in the United States. For many years, courses were designed and promoted based on their length and difficulty. As part of this trend, courses that did not fit the standard of 7000 plus yards, 18 holes and par 72 were relegated to the semi-derogatory category of “short courses” or “holiday golf.”  With the increasing popularity of nine hole courses like Sweetens Cove Golf Club in South Pittsburg, Tennessee and Winter Park Golf Club in Florida, Americans are slowly starting to realize that the Scots had it right all along.

The somewhat arrogant implication by certain golf experts has often been that these non-standard, “quirky” layouts are not serious golf, or should even be played by serious golfers. If a golfer is going to the trouble of crossing an ocean to play, they must surely test themselves at championship venues like Carnoustie, Troon and Turnberry. The day we played Anstruther, I hit a full driver into the 7th, an uphill 145 yard par 3. This seems like serious golf to me. Each successive hole asked a new and exciting question. We could not wait to go back around.

Fun and challenging courses can come in all formats and lengths. Par really doesn’t matter at Anstruther Golf Club, other than as a vague frame of reference. The concept of playing golf simply  for the sheer enjoyment of it has never been lost in Scotland, a country that has the best collection of fun, “quirky” layouts in the entire world. Seemingly every small town you pass through has a golf course that serves as the social center of the community.

We arrived at Anstruther Golf Club around 8:30 am to find the clubhouse was locked, except for one door leading into a small vestibule outside of the locker rooms. Nobody was around, except for a local member about to go out alone. Perhaps sensing my confusion, he said, “Normally you pay in the bar, but they don’t get here until 10. Just put your money in the wee honesty box and go play.”  What followed was a collection of five par 3’s and four par 4’s (Par 31) that almost defy description. Every hole was memorable and fun. How often can you recall every hole in detail after only playing a course once? Anstruther is that kind of place. We played all day.  When we came in for lunch following our first 18 holes, I asked the helpful bar manager if I should give her additional money for a day ticket. She looked a bit confused and asked, “You want to play all day? Oh I don’t know, just give me 10 pounds to cover the both of you.” When I told her how much we loved the golf course, she immediately handed each of us an Anstruther ball marker. It would be difficult to find more generous and welcoming people than the Scots.

Yardage is also completely irrelevant when you are playing by the ocean in Scotland.  The downhill 238 yard par 3 9th at Anstruther, playing right back into the lovely fishing village, required anything from a 5 iron to driver and full 8 iron during our 45 holes that day. We did not want to leave the place. Matt Maclachlan, the friendly General Manager, met us in the clubhouse bar after we finally decided to stop playing. “I’ve been following your day on twitter, he said. I’m so pleased you’ve enjoyed the course.” We discussed strategy on the various holes with Matt and some older members who were in the bar for an evening pint. When I asked one elderly gentleman how to play the tee shot on “The Rockies” -  a blind 238 yard par three 5th played over a cliff and down to the rocky beach located precipitously below -  he shook his head slowly and said, “Hit it and pray.” At Anstruther, there is a sincere appreciation for the game and a genuine interest in how visitors feel about the course. A day playing golf at Anstruther, with the sun out and the sparkling ocean in full view, is a perfect day.

5th Hole at Anstruther Golf Club.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

After visiting the Golf House Club at Elie, we reluctantly left the Kingdom of Fife and headed north.  Following rounds at Cruden Bay and Fraserburgh, we reached Cullen Links. Cullen, which lies about 3 hours north of St. Andrews over the Firth of Tay and up the coast, is 18 holes. That is where the similarities to a standard 18 hole golf course end.  It is a par 63. It is 4800 yards. There is only one par 5.  Several shots are played over and around massive red rock formations that look like a scene from Frank Herbert’s Dune.

Many golfers in the USA were first introduced to Cullen through the popular YouTube travel series Tourist Sauce by the golf merchandise and multi-media group No Laying Up. In the video segment,  the NLU boys are seen playing with two time club champion and lifetime Cullen member, George Clark. We were able to arrange to play Cullen with George and he greeted us warmly in the clubhouse bar upon our arrival.  After a nice lunch - and requisite pint of Tennent’s - we paid the modest green fee at the bar and went out to play.

Cullen Golf Club.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

With a short and efficient Scottish swing, George was a joy to play with. He gave us the grand tour of the ethereal Cullen Links. You could sense his pride in the course and excitement in the fact that it was starting to receive some notice in the golf world due to the visit from NLU. “I had a man stop me on the street in Aberdeen and shake my hand.  He said, “You’re George from Cullen in the No Laying Up video!” It’s all been amazing. Our visitor play is up 30% just now.”  He hopes the time has come for more acceptance in the game for courses like Cullen. “I live in Aberdeen now and I’m a member at Murcar, but I drive up here as much as possible to play.” You cannot play Cullen Links without a smile on your face. You might even shoot around par. You may not lose any golf balls. You will play fast. You will hit shots on the ground and over towering red rock obelisks. These are all good things.

Jim with Mr. George Clark at Cullen.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

After saying goodbye to George in the small Cullen car park, we were off to Covesea Links, about a 45 minute drive up the coast on the A96. Despite having already played 36 holes, we reckoned there was just enough time to get in 9 more holes before dark. We didn’t know much at all about Covesea, save for a few random pictures on Instagram and twitter. Even most of the Scots that I had talked to on our trip were not familiar with it. Despite our growing weariness, the lure and excitement of another 9 relatively unknown holes of Scottish seaside golf was too strong to pass up.

Following a ¾ mile drive down a single lane gravel track off the B9040 just past Lossiemouth, we entered the hidden world of Covesea. Angela Burnett came out of her trailer to greet us - the lone car on site. She and her husband Andy, the course designer and builder, are the owners of Covesea and live on the property. The course is obviously a labor of love for both of them. She told us she was very happy that we had made it to their wee course and mentioned that the American author Tom Coyne had visited previously. Concerned that we might not be able to find a place to eat dinner after our round, she made us reservations at a nearby local restaurant in Lossiemouth. We were treated to these types of small kindnesses time and again at places like Covesea.

The course itself is nine holes, 2,000 yards, with a par of 31. There are five par 3’s and four par 4’s. I got the impression that very little, if any, earth was moved to create these natural golf holes in this almost mystical, secret cove. We played when the sun was low and the course was bathed in a golden hue, accentuating the vibrant yellow blooms on the gorse. The uphill par three 5th and the short downhill par three 9th are brilliant. It is a relatively new course and not that well known, but one of the most beautiful settings for golf that can be imagined. We left feeling that we had experienced something really special and unique in the world of golf.  Our dinner reservation in Lossiemouth ended a perfect day.

2nd Fairway at Covesea Golf Links.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

After a beautiful and leisurely drive through the Scottish Highlands, we based the remainder of our trip in Kintyre and Arran, a veritable treasure trove of hidden and generally unknown (to Americans) golf courses. I had heard of Carradale Golf Club, but had never made the sometimes harrowing drive from Campbeltown up the B842 to this beautiful spot on the headlands overlooking Kilbrannan Sound and the Isle of Arran. We were greeted warmly in the small car park next to the tidy clubhouse by the club secretary Rhona Elder. “We are so pleased you made it to Carradale,” she said formally. “The committee has met and decided that you can play off the medal tees today. We want you to get the full experience of the course. Robert, our Greenskeeper, is out there as well, if you have any questions.” We put our green fee in the honesty box and walked out to the first tee, all alone in the stunningly beautiful landscape of the Kintyre Peninsula. On a clear Tuesday morning, we had the course to ourselves, other than several people walking their dogs.

6th Hole at Carradale.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

The blind uphill par three 1st lets you know immediately that this is pure, thrilling Scottish golf. Robert Strang, the Greenskeeper, met us at the top of the hill by the 1st green. I asked him if the course was in good condition at the moment. “Oh aye, aye. It is indeed. Ken Brown was out here last week and was very complimentary.” I can confirm that the former European Ryder Cupper was correct in his positive assessment of the links. The downhill second, with an approach shot played over an old stone wall, was a particular standout.  When we reached the 4th, we understood why Rhona and the Committee had given us the wholly undeserved honor of playing off the medal tees. The 4th tee at Carradale commands a view of Scotland that may be unmatched in the world of golf. We stood in awed silence for 5 minutes, taking in the entire world of this underrated links, before hitting our tee shots. Carradale is a sheer joy to play.

We were based in the lovely town of Campbeltown - home of the legendary Springbank Distillery - for this part of the journey. Machrihanish Golf Club - 10 minutes from town on the B843 - is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest courses in the world, and rightfully so. I first played it in 1994 when it was virtually unknown to American golfers. It has remained the standard by which I judge all other true links courses. However, the ultimate revelation of our journey lay not at legendary Machrihanish, but in the penultimate round of our trip. Located some 15 minutes south of Campbeltown on the B842 in the village of Southend, Dunaverty Golf Club is 4799 yards with a par of 66. There is 1 par 5 on the course. The western side of the course is leased from a local farmer, who has grazing rights. I had played the course on previous trips as a much younger man, including a wonderful day in 1994 with my Dad. Yet somehow Dunaverty had not remained as prominent in my memories as Machrihanish.

Machrihanish Dunes.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

The magic of golf twitter had allowed us to join up at Southend with Robbie Wilson, a Machrihanish member and fine local golfer from Lochgilpead who plays the course frequently. Robbie looks after historical monuments in Kintyre and Argyll for Historic Environment Scotland, a job which fascinated me as an Architect. We had much to discuss as we walked this mighty golfing ground with our new friend. Scots play golf with remarkable and admirable speed, but we never felt rushed as Robbie gave us the grand tour of the world of Dunaverty. He pointed out the correct line on every shot and offered advice on strategy that we would have never known to employ. We laughed out loud at the sheer brilliance of hole after hole. Just when we thought we must’ve seen the unfathomable heights of the course, the next hole would somehow top it.

Dunaverty Golf Club.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

I cannot pick a favorite hole at Dunaverty. I love all of them. The punchbowl par three 4th, the thrilling par four 5th, alongside and above Brunerican Beach, the uphill par four 9th over a ridge and down to yet another fantastical punchbowl green. The downhill par four 11th, with all the mighty world of Dunaverty laid out below you. The brilliant par five 13th, with a blind second to a wonderfully sited green, played alongside a 5,000 year old standing stone. The unique 17th with the brilliant 2nd shot over the Coniegien Burn and back onto Machribeg Farm. All of these are great golf holes. The local cows, sensing our approach, joined us in the 18th fairway for a perfect finish on a perfect golf course. The great British golf writer Bernard Darwin wrote about the feeling of “pleasurable excitement” you have when playing a great links course. Dunaverty gives you much more than just that feeling. It is a fantasy world of true links golf.

After one last day in Campbeltown and an incredible tour of the Springbank Distillery, we left the Ardshiel Hotel early to catch the first ferry to Arran, from Claonaig to Lochranza. We were to cross the Kilbrannan Sound, which we had viewed previously from the unforgettable 4th tee at Carradale. Our trip to the fringes of Scottish golf could only end with 2 rounds at the mythical Shiskine Golf Club in Blackwaterfoot. The ferry foreman, seeing our golf caps, asked quickly, “Where are you going to play? Arran has more brilliant wee courses than any place in Scotland.”

When we mentioned the entire day was planned for Shiskine, he said, “Aye, indeed. You cannot go wrong there. Great golf course. If you have time, try to play Corrie on the other side of the island. You must play there too. 9 holes. Absolute stunner of a course.”  Our gears started turning and we called Caledonian MacBrayne to change our ferry reservation to the last one of the day. Maybe we could play Shiskine twice, and somehow get in 9 at Corrie Golf Club, before the 7:20 ferry departed for the mainland.

6th at Shiskine.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

How do you begin to explain heavenly Shiskine? It has 12 holes, a front six and a back six, with a par 21-21-42. There is a single par five, four par fours and seven par threes. It may be the perfect golf course. Every hole is memorable. The par three 3rd and 4th holes are brilliant and unmatched in the game. The par four 6th, the Shore Hole, is a potentially drivable hole to the most perfectly sited green I have ever seen. What you see in front of you almost does not seem real, as if you are in some wild fever dream of golf. The greens are fantastically sited in natural dells or on precarious plateaus. We lost 1 ball between us in 24 holes. Yet to consider this mere “holiday golf” is to do a disservice to the course. You must think about the correct line for your tee shots and the proper way to play your approach shots. The correct shot may be 40 yards off line from what appears before you. As you walk off the 12th hole, you immediately want to go back and start again.

7th at Shiskine.  Photograph by Jim Hartsell

We ate lunch in the lovely clubhouse and quickly headed back out to play another round. Checking in with Head Professional Douglas Bell, in his well-stocked golf shop by the first tee, (complete with Isle of Arran ice cream) we began to tell him how much we loved the course. “Aye, it’s a nice spot indeed,” he said simply. Scots are masters of understatement. I told him every hole was great and he nodded his head in agreement, “Aye, they are.”  When Jake informed him of our plan to try to quickly play 12 more at Shiskine and then rush over to Corrie to play before catching the last ferry to Ardrossan, his mood suddenly grew serious.  “Corrie is a fine course and not to be missed, but I urge you to take your time and enjoy your last 12 holes here at Shiskine,” he said while gesturing out to the links. “You don’t want to rush this. Look at what is out there in front of you. Enjoy the walk and remember your time here together.”

Heeding Mr. Bell’s wise advice, we savored each perfect hole that sunny afternoon at Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club. Corrie Golf Club would have to wait for another trip. The true soul of the game of golf resides in places like Anstruther, Cullen, Covesea, Carradale, Dunaverty and Shiskine. To dismiss these courses as mere “holiday golf” is a mistake that should not be made. Show up, put your money in the honesty box, and try to stop smiling for the next 3 hours. You might even take a trip where the green fees are not a major expense. There is a lesson to be learned from the Scottish game. Golf is supposed to be fun.

Hidden Scotland: The Fringes of Scottish Golf

The sensation of longing for a place one has not yet been.

The flight from Atlanta to Chattanooga is about 30 minutes from wheels-up to touch-down. The idle waiting on the tarmac at the world’s busiest airport was, of course, much longer.

Not that I was keeping track. I didn’t have to. The minutes waiting to push back from the jetway felt like hours, and no one could convince me that they were not. I was sitting in seat 36A on an MD-88, which, for the uninitiated, is a special little corner of personal hell. It is a “window” seat with no window, as one of the fuselage-mounted engines happens to be riveted directly into your left eardrum. To my right, across the aisle, sat a polite but talkative 16 year old girl who left her inside voice somewhere back in grade school. Her entire life story, spilled wistfully to her half-interested seat-mate, became the cadence of my last nerves zapping bright white spots in my narrowing vision, as a feeling of mild claustrophobia welled inside of me. I needed a distraction.

Closing my eyes, I took a few deep breaths while I cocked my head to the side and rested it against the plastic interior of the airplane. In my mind’s eye, I replayed from memory the flyover video I’d watched no fewer than twenty times in the previous seven days–hole by hole, shot by shot–of the reason for enduring the pleasureless vibes of basic economy air travel.

Finally getting airborne was a relief. The whir of the fully spooled-up engines ignited my senses, as did the g-forces that pinned me further back in my already…

seat. I’ve flown all my life, but never had a flight felt so constricting, yet so liberating all at once. The quick hop gave me a few fleeting minutes to day-dream. I recalled, perhaps imperfectly, one of my favorite lines from Travis Hill’s splendid story in The Golfer’s Journal No. 2. “A glorious plume of vape smoke filled the morning air. ‘When that clears,’ he said, ‘you’ll see one of the greatest opening par fives in the world.'”

A calmness came over me. Our flight began descending as quickly as it reached its ultra-low cruising altitude of 14,000 feet. We touched down a few minutes later, and even though I was in the last row, I did not feel impatient while watching the passengers filter down the aisle, swiftly turning left and disappearing off the plane in single file. I grabbed my belongings and shimmied my way between the seats and past the flight crew who bid me a good night.

I pulled my suitcase up the jetway’s slight incline until I was thrust into the empty, dark terminal. Looking up, an advertisement crested the only hallway, over the escalator heading down toward the baggage claim.

“You’ve arrived! GIG CITY Home of the Nation’s Fastest Internet,” the mural proclaimed.

“Who woulda thunk it?” I mused to myself. As nice as the greeting was, and as ordinarily excited as a tech-literate millennial like me might otherwise be about such a revelation, I couldn’t help but shrug about the irony of such a first impression. After all, the internet had (thankfully) brought me and my companions for this trip together; soon enough, we’d all use the web to tell the world how great our pilgrimage had been. But for the next 24 hours, I wanted to get as far away from the real world as possible.

I deeply longed, in the truest sense of the word, for a place I had not yet been. But I was closer than ever to the destination of my daydreams–Sweetens Cove Golf Club.

The premise for our trip–or the excuse, if we’re being honest–was a 10 vs. 10 match play team event in honor of D.J. Piehowski’s thirtieth birthday. The Thirsty Cup, as we dubbed it, was nascent in its creation, but already historical in its importance–at least in our own little corner of the golf Twitterverse.

We didn’t have a clear set of rules. Or a definite format. We barely had a trophy.

But we had a vision, and two fearless leaders to execute it. The inaugural matches would be played between Team Tron and Team D.J.

While Team D.J. may have been slightly more golf-inclined, Team Tron, of which I was a part, “put a strong emphasis on team room vibes,” as our captain so eloquently put it. We were fine putting on the 

I summoned a ride as I waited outside the terminal in Chattanooga. After a ten minute jaunt through the sleepy river-edged town, my Uber driver promptly delivered me at the front porch of our 

 accommodations. As a working stiff, I was the last to arrive, shortly after midnight. I barged through the front door to a rousing cheer, obviously fueled by the collective consumption of a few adult beverages. Although the pairings party was already well-underway, it became apparent rather quickly that I hadn’t missed much in the way of locked-down information. I grabbed a beer out of the fridge, shook a few hands, and found my way to the last available seat on the couch.

I sat quietly, watching Captains D.J. and Tron delve out pairings over cross-talk that would rival any cable news show at 2:30 in the afternoon. Thankfully, one of the participants, Kevin Van Valkenburg, kept studious journalistic notes on the matches–pairings, sequence, and all. I listened intently for my name to be called.

My first partner, for the two-man scramble, would be Travis “the Thrill” Hill, of The Golfer’s Journal fame. My second partner, for the alternate shot, would be Adam “So Good” Sarson, our resident ambassador from the Great White North. I could already tell this was going to approach levels of fun I hadn’t even considered.

While the pairings party started to wind down, I knew the only chance of making a contribution to my team was to get at least a modicum of precious sleep. Soly, benevolent soul that he is, offered me the opportunity to set up my air mattress in the master bedroom closet. It struck me as odd, to be sure, but also practical. And when I finally inflated the air mattress within it, I realized that in a house full of 16 dudes, I had actually lucked into a quiet, dark corner to call my own. This was becoming a theme of the day, but the closet was decidedly more comfortable than seat 36A that I’d occupied a few hours earlier.

The final obstacle to achieving a good night’s rest was my own excitement. Spoiler alert: I didn’t overcome it.

Less than an hour later, I was tip-toeing around downstairs, searching for coffee-related items, and trying not to wake the whole house. Second spoiler alert: I didn’t overcome that obstacle, either.

Our caravan approached the driveway, and slowed down as our tires crackled over the gravel. The little red sign that reads “Sweetens Cove Golf Club” is slightly overgrown and deliberately unassuming–in other words, the exact opposite of the course itself. A veer to the right reveals a little green shed and an unpaved parking lot–both as unassuming as the sign out front.

Then, you drive to the edge of the hill, and you see it.

A first impression that sticks with you. Photo by Jim Hartsell.

The first thing that hits you is the scale–you couldn’t imagine nine holes could occupy so much playable turf.

The second thing that hits you is the shear, unrelenting beauty of the place. The amber hues of the tall, waving grasses against the subtle hazel of the turf. The rolling mounds that mimic the smoky blue-grey mountains surrounding three sides of the property. For our group, that morning, we were treated to misty fog that settled right on top of us; it served as a bubble enclosing us in our own little world–just 20 young men, a “trophy,” and a little slice of golf paradise.

 features at Sweetens Cove; the place feels like a living monument to bold thinking in golf architecture. The course speaks loudly for itself. That’s one reason why everything else about the place is so understated. Perhaps most refreshing is that the architect, Rob Collins, and the general manager, Patrick Boyd, intuitively understand how the course bellows, and they don’t need to add much else in the form of spoken words. They let you find your own way of trying to express it. And if a simple google search for “Sweetens Cove” is any indication, 

. I must now try my best to conjure some that haven’t been written before. Here’s what I came up with:

Sweeten’s Cove is a Three Michelin Star restaurant in a truck-stop town that can notoriously support not one, but 

 Subways (and only one of them serves food that might qualify as edible). But locale, if not for the natural topography, is basically beside the point. As the Michelin Guide portends, “Three stars is the ultimate accolade, afforded only to those restaurants that offer ‘exceptional cuisine’ that is ‘worth a special journey.’” There is no doubt that what Sweetens is serving up is worth the meandering trip to South Pittsburg, Tennessee. Sweetens’ kitchen offers a sumptuous, indulgent nine-course tasting menu, and Executive Chef Collins knows how to make an impression.

If you first eat with your eyes, the par five opening hole is the perfect precursor upon which to begin your feast. Bombs away from the highest point on the property, the first tee shot is equal parts inviting and intriguing. Collins offers generous width to atone for the lack of your driving range aperitif. But his plating of bunkers and grasses and a far-flung water hazard also guide you on how to use your utensil of choice. The first bite is satisfying, sure. But it only hints at the depth and breadth of the assault on your palette to come. Indeed, the first green offers a sampling of two classic design features, with both a punchbowl and reverse redan incorporated into the same massive site. The green is fronted by a Dye-inspired bunker that would surely meet the approval of the man himself.

The Mitre Bunker that guards the first green. Photo by Kevin Livingood/Rob Collins.

Now that all your synapses are firing after your initial experience with a King/Collins green, the second hole offers no let-up from the intensity of the first. The green here is the capstone of a peppery dish–the spicy note of a stew composed from rolling undulations of the putting surface keeps building until you find the bottom hole and a much deserved reprieve.

The third hole is your first entree–this dish would be that perfectly rosy-colored duck breast at your favorite French bistro. The unrelenting shot values represent a new depth of flavor with each bite sized stroke you take, until you reach the finale and find that the course’s only aerial hazard, protecting the perched green, is waiting to ask one last question about how daring you feel.

Only upon reaching the fourth tee do you understand how special this feast of the senses is about to become. KING, as it is called, is the “we don’t really have a recipe–a pinch of this; a dash of that” course that changes in flavor profile every day but never deviates away from its delicious core concept. A front left pin may be a treasure hidden from view, while a back right pin shows you everything you need to know about the hole without revealing any secrets on the execution required. Maybe 120 yards today; maybe 190 yards tomorrow. A great chef must give his staff room to experiment with the menu.

By this point, you might be wondering about a less-inspired-by-comparison, transitional dish. At first glance, the mere 290 yards comprising the fifth would seem to be just that. But this small, rare, cheese and nuts course–ostensibly serving as a lighter bridge between the first half of the track and the second–is anything but a throwaway. The tee shot asks you more than a few questions, and only upon a second or third or fourth helping may you finally discover the answers. The green is guarded by a deathly pit one might say is the pungent danish blue cheese on the plate; not inedible, but perhaps delightfully bitter in taste if curiosity or carelessness leads to an unexpected detour.

The captivating fifth packs a lot of punch into a meager sub-300 yards of terror. Photo by Rob Collins.

If you ordered the wine pairings, you’ll finally get a big ol’ taste of water on the sixth to wash it all down. A nontraditional take on a classic, the cape-like vibe of this crescent wonder is a big, beefy wagyu feature. It is just the type of dish that deserves a preliminary tête-à-tête stare down for a minute while you build up enough courage to take it on. This brutally long and deftly protected hole is not for those with a weak heart (or high blood pressure).

If there is a palette cleansing hole, it would be the seventh. A shorter par 4, this hole reveals its hidden splendor as a tart, crisp coulee setting up the grand finale. In my trip to Sweetens, I first had the opportunity to meet Rob and Patrick, formally, as they sat behind this hole and watched our opening match of the Thirsty Cup. Admittedly, I may have been slightly more bashful had I not absolutely stuffed my approach to four feet while they looked on. But having conquered the hardest part of this hole (finding the appropriate tier of the multi-plateaued green), I puffed my chest and confidently strolled over to offer my hand to Rob and Patrick, giving my finest personal compliments to the Chef and Sous Chef, respectively. Ever humble and gracious to host us at the Chef’s table, Collins whipped up something truly delectable for a two-course dessert.

Architecturally, there is nothing I would change about Sweetens Cove. Every hole presents infinite strategic options–each shot demands your full attention–each hazard is deftly placed in the exact location from which you want to make your next swing. What’s more, we found out first hand that the mammoth greens, with all their swales and rolls and plateaus, truly define the strategy of the hole, all the way back to the tee.

A prime example is the non-traditional biarritz eighth. With its beastly swale, it could only be the devil’s food cake of our culinary experience. The green is almost comically large and oriented about forty degrees front-right to back-left from the fairway. The pitch, meanwhile, is in the opposite direction. While the majority of the green is perched four to six feet above the fairway, the middle portion is a deep swale in the biarritz vein; so deep, in fact, that a pin cut at the bottom of it is barely visible from certain places 130 yards away for the non-discerning taste-tester who couldn’t find the correct angle. I’m speaking from experience.

The spectacular eighth green, and the swale-bottom pin we were treated to in the morning sessions. The grounds crew, led by the incredible Brent Roberson, re-cut us a fresh “eff you” pin on every green while we ate lunch. Photo by Rob Collins.

Just when you think you’ve reached the richest part of the journey, Chef Collins serves his signature crème brûlée and double espresso to get your heart pumping one last time. The short ninth is a mega-redan style par 3. In many circles, an ending par 3 might be deemed anticlimactic–the unfortunate result of a poor routing that left the architect jammed up coming back to the clubhouse. This is not such a hole.

Instead, the ninth is a very intentional confectionery delight that caps off the crescendo building since your opening tee shot was struck a mere 10 feet away from from the final green. This dessert presents in a small dish, but below the crunchy surface of a perfectly crisped top layer, you will find a sweet, creamy center of the green that, depending on the day’s pin location, offers anywhere from a “better than usual” to “exceptional” chance to write a closing 1 or 2 on the card. If that’s not enough to leave you feeling satisfied, I can’t help you.

The extravagant design features, the cult following, and the off-the-map location could all lend itself to the type of pretentiousness one might typically associate with a haute cuisine establishment of such vaunted credentials and reputation. But maybe the most pleasant surprise of all is that nothing about the place is remotely stuffy, trendy, or chic. From the simplicity of the “clubhouse” to the lack of a driving range or shortgame practice area, to the two-figure price tag for an all-day pass, and beyond to the almost 

Articles

Hidden Scotland: A Return to the Hidden Places

Hidden Scotland: Cruden Bay Golf Club

Hidden Scotland: The Golf House Club, Elie

Hidden Scotland: Anstruther Golf Club

Hidden Scotland: The Fringes of Scottish Golf

Unquenchable Thirst: A First-Timer's Journey to Sweetens Cove

STRAPPED: Iowa (The Maize Runners)

Video: Playing Shinnecock Hills

NLU Special Ops: Winter Park GC

NLU Special Ops: The Bandon Experience

The Bandon Experience: Bandon Trails

The Bandon Experience: Old Macdonald

The Bandon Experience: Pacific Dunes

The Bandon Experience: The Punchbowl

The Bandon Experience: Bandon Dunes

The Bandon Experience: Bandon Preserve

Whistling Rock

Cape Kidnappers