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.
