Trump International Golf Links

A recent trip back home and I was just unable to resist a trip to the most talked about development to hit these shores in years. I don't have anything to add to the whole debate around the owner  and the government etc so here is the course!

What I would say it that they have a genuinely world class site for golf and have pretty awesome facilities. The putting green below is absolutely huge and undulating and could provide interest for many an hour. The practice greens on the other side too are very undulating and provide a challenging short game area.

The new clubhouse had just been finished and does the job.

So the first starts as you mean to go on with what could be my favourite par 5. A good honest hole with a two tiered green to add interest. You can see straight away this is major championship stuff with evil pot bunkering to match the likes of Carnoustie. It was very misty at the start of our round but below is a view from the green highlighting 'the great dunes' and the classic land this course is built upon.

One of the criticisms levelled at the course is the overdoing of many of the greens. The first green I actually enjoyed but they certainly don't have the look of the old school links courses. Many are elevated with ridges to funnel balls off the edge and the internal contours certainly look very much man made at times. But overall they do keep the interest and the challenge going and I don't think it detracts from the experience at all.

The second is all about the drive with a burn cutting across the fairway from around 240 yards that begs the question whether to go for it or not. On this particular day it was well into the wind so driver was just fine. One thing to note is the difficulty and length of the course. From the third from back tees the challenge is more than enough for us. The tips will be an absolute brute and it will be interesting to see how the pros do when the Scottish Open comes along. Especially if the wind and rain comes along.

The third is the first of 4 very good par 3s. From our tees, around 165 to a back pin on a slightly angled green. The location up at the green is fantastic with only the beach and dunes to be seen. Reminiscent of Barnbougle a bit, looking across to Lost Farm. The well placed bunker gathers all the overly cautious approaches. Below, a scene of solitude at the green.

The fourth stokes some more controversy, mainly with the number of bunkers leading up to the green. Thankfully there are none to deal with from the tee with lateral water running up the entire length of the hole. Below, the landing area for the second is peppered with bunkers..  My strategy took me over them but into the greenside bunker on the left. I found it too extreme, impossible to get out of from anywhere but the centre.

Impressive to look at but at least 3 of these could go I reckon. Avoid the left one in the distance at all costs!

The 5th is far more restrained up until the green but an excellent shortish par 4 that asks questions off the tee with a well placed bunker. The green, like many others is elevated and doesn't really permit the running approach, maybe another criticism for a links course.

This pot at driving distance is well placed. The green is another two level affair to be negotiated. This was the first hole that reminded me of the more traditional sort you would find on a classic links. I found the back was slightly more refined compared to the bold and brash front 9 ( except the par 5s). Made me wonder the conversations Hawtree and trump must have had over design and I wonder how much of the course was decided by whom...

The 6th is another great par 3. You know you have to go left, you simply must. Though sometimes easier said than done.

The next is a surprise, a very drivable par 4 of only around 260 yards with a 'Dornoch-max' style elevated green. I somehow managed to run a driver up onto the green that only just stayed on though I think the percentage play to below the green may yield more birdies at less risk of a double. The fairway sits around 8 feet below the green, below.

Looking back down the 7th. Some of the chat surrounding Trump is that the holes run very much in valleys and the fairways are flat. Certainly not here, and overall I found there was ample undulation round the place.

The last two on the front 9 were the toughest in my view. Long par 4s that demand a decent drive. The 8th leads to an enormous but surprisingly flat(ish) green with the 9th, a sweeping par 4 to a well guarded green.

The back 9 begins with a typically wild par 5. A generous landing area leads to a second that should leave most to go for the green in 3 as an enormous dune blocks the view to the green. Below the view from the bunker at driving range. The dunes are certainly impressive though they are matched in size by the like of Barnbougle if not in number. Can't comment on the Irish courses as I haven't had the pleasure.

The next two are some lovely and more restrained par 4s. doglegging gently to the right. The twelfth has a great approach over a gully, below.

13 is super par 3 number 3. Another downhill approach but great fun none the less, and the view of the surrounding dunes and their strange pointy shapes is pretty unique.

Up the hill to the back of the green takes us to the next, which excepting 18 around the corner was the biggest wow moment in terms of the scenery. the hole itself is excellent with an angled fairway providing the challenge. No bunkers to be dealt with off the tee thankfully.

Maybe only the view at Turnberry comes close, this is as they say 'all world'. The 15th is played along the flat and is another very well designed short par 4 with a wicked green if the pin is tucked back left as it was on our day there. 16 is a good although maybe my least favourite par 3 with heavy bunkering along the left side of an angled green.

The penultimate hole is a very good par 4 with bunkers left framing the fairway but acts as a quiet run before the bombastic 18. I'm sure Mr trump had at least a small hand in deciding the set up of this 600 yard monster with a paltry 18 bunkers to navigate... Should make for an interesting finish in the Scottish Open if the big boys have a chance to get there in two.

A typically understated way to finish from trump. At least there was not a waterfall or faux indian burial ground to be seen.

So yes, The greens are a little tricked, there is some over bunkering and its too expensive ( as is almost any other world class course you can play). BUT it is genuinely world class and you are missing something significant in the golfing work if you do not play here. Just don't write cheques you're body can't cash an play from the correct tees.

The National (Moonah)

I think this was my second sampling of Greg Norman/ Bob Harrison design.. and a bit of a different set up to Stonecutters ridge in Sydney ( although the other course is still good value for money).

On this particular day I was up at 5am to get there in plenty of time for my early tee off. I hadn't had that feeling of anticipation for a while. The feeling of excitement and wondering if  the pictures online bear much resemblance to the actual experience of the course. The good thing is that they never really give the correct sense of scale. Anyway the drive in makes you realise that this is perfect golfing country with beautiful rolling hills for miles around that are just begging to transformed.

Above the enticing first tee that looks incredibly narrow but leads to a generous landing zone free form bunkers, on a shortish par 4. As gentle a handshake that seems to be possible from the great white shark, as the rest of the course gets fairly punishing.

The second is the first great hole, a tough and straight drive is required to avoid well positioned fairway bunkers before the hole sweeps around the base of a dune system with bunkers guarding the short right approach.

The 4th may be the best hole on the course. from a tee set high up you look down to a winding fairway and a green that seems miles away, an imperfect drive up the left sided left me with 190 yards to an angulated green with an evil front left bunker.. the result was not good but the hole is an excellent brute..

The bunkers leading to the 4th green below

The 6th is the next world class par 4 with a drive over a hollow to an sweeping fairway that if achieved leads to a lovely approach over another gully to part of a massive double green that is shared with the 14th. The putting surfaces are excellent and I was a big fan of the contouring that provided a lot of interest,

The approach to the 6th green. Fortunately for me the grass at the front is not closely mown, or my weak pitch could have been much more severely punished.

The 7th continues the theme and is a probably my favourite par 5 on the property, sweeping across undulating land and with a great distance chute that is hittable down wind and the 8th ( below) is a mid length par 3 with a huge undulating green protected short right.

The excellent front 9 finishes with a lovely teasing short par 4 that begs for a fade to a small green, only around 250 yards but a nice change to the previous exacting par 4s of the course. My drive finished in that spot, so if played correctly, a very birdieable par 4.. Though on this occasion I somehow failed!

The back 9 starts with another good par 4 with the much pictured steel windmill in the centre of the fairway. It didn't really come into play at all and is an interesting feature though I wasn't overly enamoured by it. I'm sure it must have been on the original land as oppose to being placed there!

The next is perhaps the most photographed hole of the course due to another lovely second shot to an awesome punchbowl green. Again you can actually drive very close to the green but the pitch from the left leaves a completely blind approach. The 11th green from about 100 yards.

A few people say that more could have been done with the Mornington peninsula courses given the world class quality of the land and that they maybe punch below their weight. In this instance the run of holes from the start to 11 is full of great holes with the odd world class one thrown in.. Definitely enough to give the course a top 100 status though I do wonder what the golden age architects would have done with all this land..

The toughest hole on the course at least on my day was 14 which played incredibly long into the wind and leads to that huge double green with the 6th. 200 yards to that green, not a good result...

15 again highlights the natural quality of the land and is a longer par 5 before we come to the normally very difficult ( into the wind) last 3 holes. On this occasion they were downwind and I was able to navigate them without too much hassle, including a seemingly rare birdie on 16 that normally plays as a very tough par 4.

Above the 15th fairway and below, some more great undulations on the 16th. a long enough drive will gather another 40 yards if it clears the hill.. Often easier said than done.

The 17 for me was the only obvious flaw. a tough par 3 that to a front pin at least, requires a soft shot to land well short and even then may not stay on a heavily contoured green. 18 however was an excellent quirky par 4 finisher. A bit unlike all the other par 4s in that there are multiple single trees dotted around the edges of the fairway and a larger central tree that dictates line from the tee when its downwind.

So now I have sampled 3 of the Mornington peninsula courses ( The dunes and St andrews Beach). All very enjoyable to this is a clear winner with the Dunes second and Doak's Course just behind. More to follow on that.

Metropolitan Golf Club

I had played both Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath a few years ago but really prior to much knowledge or interest in golf course design. It was also at a time where the drought was enforcing very tight watering restrictions I think that affected the condition of the courses a little. So basically I ended up underwhelmed with courses that I need to return to now that I am a bit older and wiser.

Anyway, this was my first 'real' visit to the Sandbelt and to a course that I was thoroughly impressed with. Its great driving in to a new course with high expectations, not really knowing what you're going to get as photos etc just don't tell the whole story.

I played as a single, teeing off from the 10th which is a solid of not exceptional hole, though just from the look I knew there was going to be some quality around. It immediately introduced my to near perfect fairways leading to greens that just merge from them seamlessly and the amazing bunkers that cut right up to the green edges. something that I had never seen before. look at that 10th green below.

The Course has many fine holes, some argue the front 9 is vastly superior though I don't think there is too much in it. The 11th I though was a lovely little par 3 at around 140 yards. Again you miss the green and you are very likely to find the sand. As you can see the land is very flat but the design in my view elevates the course to the top level.

below, looking back from behind the 11th green.

My highlight of the back 9 was the par 3 13th. around 135 yards and surrounded by a moat of bunkers that cut directly onto the green. Apparently it is deemed 'too hard' by the members and plans are afoot to alter or maybe even remove it. That would be an absolute travesty as its the best par 3 on the course and the only hole that doesn't allow the running approach to the green.

The excellent par 3 13th below, how can you get rid of that.

another look at the infinity bunkering on 13.. awesome.

14 is a long par 4, with well positioned bunkers off the tee but a second shot that lacks interest whilst 15 is rightly the stroke index 1. a tough long par 4 where a draw is paramount to getting the right position to access the pin that on my day was tucked behind the front right greenside bunker.

16 I felt was a great short par 4. A tight bunker filled dogleg of only 300 yards. I stupidly pulled out driver, overdid it and payed the price. it should be a 6 iron down the middle all day long.

Above, a look from the right bunkers towards the 16th green. A real sucker hole.

The 17th is a bit odd with a bunker down the left favouring the safe play to the right, that you soon find will put you behind a collection of 5 trees that almost completely obscure the view to the green. Some may be critical of the look of them but I thought it was more interesting than anything else.

The 18th was a slight let down, a straight par 4 with not too much interest up until the green but there were plenty of highlights on the opening 9, not least the first which is an excellent shortish par 4 bending slightly to the left with well positioned bunkers. 

No first tee looseners allowed, pictured below from the first fairway around 200 yards from the tee.

Other highlights on the front 9 include another short par 4 at the 3rd though the 5th and 6th represent the best of the course. The 5th is a par 4 with a partially blind tee shot to a beautifully framed green and the 6th is a really great par 5. The Driving area is narrowed by three bunkers on the right and distance limited by a bunker at around 260-270 yards. The second shot requires a thought to play safely short or play the hero shot to a very narrow landing area. somehow I landed the ball on the front edge and carried over the back leaving another hero shot to a back pin over the edge of the bunker.

Below from the fairway bunker on 5. The bunker on the right is around 50 yards short of the green and limits the long hitters.

Right sided bunkers off the tee on 6th

The view to the 6th green surrounded by more fantastic bunkers

The 8th another very nice par 5, doglegging to the right towards a green that is perched up on a bank at the front with a 9th being a tough par 4 the plays for a fade from the tee to avoid the trees on the left.

All in all, Metro is a very fine course. The bunkers and greens are the stars and I would definitely return to sample them again. Its not seen in the top 100 lists of late but I think it only lacks exposure.

The Nairn Golf Club

Sitting in the highlands, only down the road from Castle Stuart and an hour or so from Royal Dornoch is the less renowned but classic links of Nairn. A fine course in its own right with a traditional out and back layout, Nairn has played host to in recent years the Curtis Cup, Walker Cup with messers Casey, Donald and Kuchar and British Amateur.

The course is on relatively flat land for a links but it makes the most of its subtle undulations.

Above the clubhouse and 18th green on a classic Scottish morning.

The fist hole begins with in theory a gentle handshake. A 370 yard hole with replaced bunkers flanking the fairway at driving distance and a similarly guarded but large green with some soft internal contours.

The second is a much more stern test with a dry ditch limiting all but the most pure of ball strikers to a tee shot of around 230 yards before a lengthy approach to another large flat green.

The 2 left sided bunkers have 3 associates on the right of the fairway. the ridge ahead signifies the dry ditch that cuts across the second and 16th holes

The stretch from 3-5 is in my opinion that strongest run of holes on the course. The third is a par 4 again of only around 370 yards that sweeps gently to the left around a large left sided bunker and ends to a green partially hidden behind a mound to the right, receptive to the short approach that funnels a ball to the centre of the green.

The fourth is a classic short par 3. Only requiring a short iron unless played into a stiff breeze ( as is most often the way!) it plays back towards the sea to a long and narrow kidney shaped green protected by 3 bunkers short and a large grass bunker to the right. Anything long and left is in danger of hitting the beach that plays as a lateral water hazard.

The 5th is a world class mid length par 4 that asks you to flirt with the beach off the tee positioned directly behind the 4th green. There is one fairway bunker at around 225 yard and the approach is played to a green on a plateau with a false front and 2 deep bunkers to take anything missed right.

Its ok if you slice your tee shot on the 5th, the tide is out.
Below, the native heather that abounds round the 6th and 7th holes

The 6th is  a testing par 3 of around 165 yards played over around 150 yards of heather to an interesting 2 tiered green surrounded by bunkers, another strong golf hole. The view from behind the 6th green below.

The following stretch should offer a bit of respite after a few challenging holes. The 7th is a par 5 that sweeps along the coast and with a straight drive offers a birdie opportunity. The 8th and 9th are short but challenging par 4s where driver is very rarely the correct club from the tee. The 8th starts with a blind tee shot to an undulating fairway though the main challenge is getting the approach to stay on the donald ross style green with run offs on all sides.

The 9th stretches out to the furthest point on the course and demands a precise tee shot to avoid bunkers right and gorse left. Below the  7th green and 9th green ( with ice house)

The back 9 is seen as the tougher of the two, mainly due to its own amen corner of 12-14 that offer the most challenging stretch.

The 10th is a reachable par 5 that with gorse much of the way down the right and well placed pot bunkers to the left and 11th is another interesting par 3 to a slightly sunken green again surrounded at the front by bunkers.

12 is a longer par 4 that demands a true strike from the tee from the most intimidating tee shot on the course due to gorse that just seem to form a tunnel for the fairway that is actually more generous than first appears. the approach is to a large but raised green with run offs front and back. Once this is negotiated the next hole is rightly stroke index 1.  A controversial hole for some, its a long uphill par 4 that runs away from the sea and has a more parkland feel to it. More often than not, a long approach to the green sat a top a large hill is required. The green itself also has a shallow first tier that can hamper many an approach.

It does however take us to this fine view. 13th green to the left and 14th tee to the right.

The 14th many see as the signature hole is long but downhill par 3 played to the most severely undulating green on the course and another that polarises opinion. starting with a false front about 5-6 feet in height we then reach the plateau where only limited pin placements are possible. The back left half of the green resembling a half-pipe, collecting many balls and making for some interesting putting.

The 15th is welcome relief but is also a fine driveable par 4. Only 260 yards or so it has a greatly undulating fairway to a more subtle 2 level green that can certainly yield many a birdie or better.

looking to the 15th green and beyond to the 16th tee.

16th has no bunkers off the tee but the drive is semi blind from the hill that comes in from the right. the approach is over the dry ditch and 3 bunkers that are actually well short of the green. The next is a very nice manageable par 4 with the deepest bunkers on the course to the right ( though not often in play as a driver is rarely required). The fairway slopes down from right to left so a low shot to the right should carry nicely to a good spot. The approach is over a burn that is again well short of the green but does dissuade the big hitters from pounding a driver down, to a green where everything again slopes from right to left and its a fine site to see the ball traverse closer and closer to a left sided pin.

The course finishes with a straight away but well bunkered par 5 finishing right in front of the clubhouse and wind allowing is certainly another birdie opportunity.

Overall There are very few weak points here, and although the highlights may not be as impressive as Dornoch or Castle Stuart, it has a consistent run of strong links holes that make it a must see if you are in the highlands.

Royal Liverpool

With the upcoming Open championship I thought I would put up my experience of Royal Liverpool, which was a very unfortunate one, with an all day summer downpour being the weather de jour, hence abysmal conditions both for golf and photos.

None the less I headed out a couple of years ago with about about 2 other people over the whole day. My overriding impression was that they did a stellar job with a lot of flat land, but the course as a result of the topography didn't really have the wow factor of other open venues.

The putting green had stood up well for hours but had to give in at stage, 10 mins prior to my tee off. A hardy 2 souls taking a cautious approach on the great par 4 1st, up there with prestwick with its OB all the way around the right side of the hole that doglegs left to right.

For The Open this will be the third hole, lucky for the pros who get a bit of a loosen up before stepping up to this tee. Ultimately it leaves a great risk, reward par 5 to finish but I was a little disappointed that this would not be the opening hole.

A glorious day in mid summer indeed, This picture from the first tee doesn't really give the claustrophobic feel that you get with club in hand.

The second on the course is classic Open golf. Not a particularly long hole at 370 yards but with well placed bunkers at driving length and an interestingly contoured green. None the less I feel this will be a strong birdie chance. The approach to the second green below.

The 3rd is a very nice par 5 angling to the left gently with 3 right sided bunkers and followed by the strong 200 yard par 3 4th.

One hole I remember very well from the last time the open was here is the par 4 6th ( 8th in the open)
lined up against some houses with a blind tee shot over the gorse, it is certainly one of the most intimidating tee shots there in my book, though there is only one fairway bunker on the right to be avoided.

The front 9 then finishes with a very strong par 5th 8th where you miss the green left at your peril and possibly my favourite hole the 9th 'punchbowl'. only 390 from the tips but a very undulating fairway leads to a sunken green shrouded in mounds of thick rough.. Not the most generous punchbowl green I have ever seen but a lovely golf hole.

The back 9 starts with a sweeping par 4 that again has well positioned bunkers to the right for any overly conservative drives before reaching what is possibly the signature hole. The Par 3 'alps' plays 190 yards to an angled green with normally great views of the Dee estuary to the left hand side.

Highlights later in the round would certainly be the par 5s. The 14th is a sort of double dog leg with bunkers in play to the left off the tee and horrendous rough to the right, The fairway tapers later on to a really tight landing zone if you want to hit the green in two.

Below the bunkers at driving length with clubhouse in the distance.. Weather still miserable.

The 16th hole and the 18th for the open is another great par 5 which will undoubtedly offer high drama over the weekend. 560 yards from the back, like much of the course it is all flat but bounded almost entirely down the right with internal OB that simply has to be negotiated if going for the green.

Almost in the league of St Georges "Suez Canal'' though not quite as great in my book. The right hand greenside bunkers are shown below.

The next two will be encountered first by the Pros and are strong par 4s with highly penal rough when I played. I'm note sure how it will be looking in a few weeks but it should provide a stern test for the worlds best.

Of the open courses I have played, I would place Royal liverpool on the lower rankings. Close run with Troon I would say. They have not been blessed with amazing land but have made a very strong course full of memorable holes. and the drainage on that day was amazing!  I will need to return one day when the weather is a tad more forgiving!