Golf in Scotland
Golf in Scotland is not all about our grand Championship courses like the Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie, Muirfield or 2016 Open venue at Royal Troon.
There is so much more to explore for the visiting golfer and a recent trip Caddie Golf Tours made to the Isle of Arran, just off the west coast of Scotland, produced a fun golf trip that will live long in the memory.
A short 45 minute car journey from Glasgow to the ferry port of Ardrossan, just north of Troon, and we sail across to the Isle of Arran on a Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry. 60 minutes later and we are driving to the wee 9 hole course at Machrie Bay, on the west side of the island, for a fun round of golf before we meet our fellow golfers at the wonderful GlenIsle Hotel in the village of Lamlash.
This is the annual Autumn Oystercatchers Golf Meeting we organize and participate in with our two close golfing couples twice a year, Spring & Autumn, at great golf venues across Scotland. The Isle of Arran and the legendary 12 hole links at Shiskine GC was eagerly anticipated.
We got lucky with the weather when we teed off from the first hole as the morning rain subsided and we had a delightful afternoon of golf on one of Scotland's magical links courses. After a warm welcome from Dougie Bell, the resident Professional, who gave out some good advice and was kind enough to snap a few photographs, we drove off in a light drizzle that subsided by the time we reached the 2nd tee.
It is not often you get the opportunity to go Out 27 and come home In 23 scoring a 50...then you remember that it is 6 holes Out & 6 holes In, a 2996 yards Par 42. I managed to play to my handicap of 8 thankfully getting my game together after a sticky first 3 holes then golfed properly on this wonderful golf links with good friends enjoying a lot of chuckles.
The boys played out in front and our lovely girls fought their battle with the Shiskine GC directly behind us and it truly felt that we all had the links course to ourselves. A real treat to golf.
The result of our wee Oystercatchers Golf Competition was, as usual, extremely close. We play Stableford (4 points for eagle, 3 points for Birdie, 2 points for Par and 1 point for Bogey) and after two barren years I managed to sneak the Best Gentleman Golfer with 24 points against Matt who also scored 24 but lost on a 'countback' of the Inward 9 holes.
The Best Lady Golfer was Mary with a resounding 23 points that included a couple of Birdies giving her a boost of 4 Stableford points due to receiving a stroke on those holes...Nett Eagle! Mary's nearest challenger was Erica scoring a respectable 16 points.
There is so much more to explore for the visiting golfer and a recent trip Caddie Golf Tours made to the Isle of Arran, just off the west coast of Scotland, produced a fun golf trip that will live long in the memory.
A short 45 minute car journey from Glasgow to the ferry port of Ardrossan, just north of Troon, and we sail across to the Isle of Arran on a Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry. 60 minutes later and we are driving to the wee 9 hole course at Machrie Bay, on the west side of the island, for a fun round of golf before we meet our fellow golfers at the wonderful GlenIsle Hotel in the village of Lamlash.
We got lucky with the weather when we teed off from the first hole as the morning rain subsided and we had a delightful afternoon of golf on one of Scotland's magical links courses. After a warm welcome from Dougie Bell, the resident Professional, who gave out some good advice and was kind enough to snap a few photographs, we drove off in a light drizzle that subsided by the time we reached the 2nd tee.
It is not often you get the opportunity to go Out 27 and come home In 23 scoring a 50...then you remember that it is 6 holes Out & 6 holes In, a 2996 yards Par 42. I managed to play to my handicap of 8 thankfully getting my game together after a sticky first 3 holes then golfed properly on this wonderful golf links with good friends enjoying a lot of chuckles.
The boys played out in front and our lovely girls fought their battle with the Shiskine GC directly behind us and it truly felt that we all had the links course to ourselves. A real treat to golf.
The result of our wee Oystercatchers Golf Competition was, as usual, extremely close. We play Stableford (4 points for eagle, 3 points for Birdie, 2 points for Par and 1 point for Bogey) and after two barren years I managed to sneak the Best Gentleman Golfer with 24 points against Matt who also scored 24 but lost on a 'countback' of the Inward 9 holes.
The Best Lady Golfer was Mary with a resounding 23 points that included a couple of Birdies giving her a boost of 4 Stableford points due to receiving a stroke on those holes...Nett Eagle! Mary's nearest challenger was Erica scoring a respectable 16 points.
If you are ever given the chance to golf at the Shiskine GC, take it. This course is a delight for the us, the normal everyday golfer, but will also entice the low handicapper because the quality of golf holes will test them to the limit. Simply marvelous.
If you wish to golf some of our unique and real links golf courses please do not hesitate to contact us here at Caddie Golf Tours. We will be delighted to assist with planning your golf trip to Scotland, the true Home of Golf.
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