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Golf is a pastime of the people in the Highlands and in August it reaches a crescendo with open competitions organised in all four of the courses in East Sutherland and the one just across the bridge.
In Fabulous Month of Golf Ahead Robin Wilson of the Northern Times describes the frenzy of competitions at Brora, Golspie, Royal Dornoch and Tain.
Golfers come from all over the world to enjoy a compendium of scratch, handicap and mixed competitions played on some of the most natural golfing land you’ll find anywhere. This is a real celebration of the fun to be had hitting a little white ball, finding it and hitting it again.
And its huge fun, because its a game of the people. There’s no elitism. Money isn’t a factor. The only thing that counts is the game, and how we interact with others all struggling with the same unfairness of links golf at its best.
There’s no more than 30 miles between the five courses, from Brora in the north to Tain in the south. They all border the North Sea. They all have their own unique character and a special welcome for members and visitors alike.
Brora was originally laid out by James Braid and enjoys a legion of fans from all over the world, including past Open Champion Peter Thompson and Ryder Cup star Ronan Rafferty. Under ancient crofters rights animals still graze on the course so there’s no rough. But this course doesn’t need long grass. The layout dictates the lines we need to play and the bogies we’ll make if we miss them.
To the south is Golspie, also laid out by James Braid. With a unique combination of blind links holes by the sea, a charming middle section in the forest and a tough park land type finish, Golspie is as complex as a fine single malt and just as much fun.
Further south is Royal Dornoch, with two courses. The Championship Course combines three dimensional challenges, each multiplied by the vagaries of the weather. The raised greens and hard, running ground make this course harder as the weather improves. Ask the locals who designed Royal Dornoch Championship course and they’ll tell you God did. Men just decided where to put the tees and greens. This is where Donald Ross learned about golf before he became the most revered course architect in history.
Royal Dornoch also offers the Struie course with a totally different set of views, and challenges. And it’s a serene haven compared to its senior sibling. Some of the holes were originally laid out by Old Tom Morris.
Across the bridge, in Ross-shire is Tain. The original layout by Old Tom Morris makes the most of the land beside the Dornoch Firth, with hard running ground, glorious doglegs and a blind hole or two.
At each of the courses visitors receive a quiet welcome and a knowing smile. This isn’t golf the way money men build it. It’s golf designed by people who understood the game is played more in the mind than the mechanics of a swing.
Bring your sense of humour and a touch of humility because when we play golf in East Sutherland we all need both.
That’s why so many come back.
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