Golspie Golf course moves into Scotland’s top 100
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The list of the "Top 100 courses in Scotland" has just been released and, for the first time, Golspie Golf Course features in the rankings in a very healthy 69th place.
In August, 2011, Jim McCann visited Golspie in his role as a course reviewer and he gave staff some very encouraging, verbal feedback on the warmth of his welcome, the quality of the catering and bar facilities and also added that he had loved the course.
The following extracts from his written review clearly shows this:
"The opening six holes are a links delight with the rumpled fairways of the 3rd to 5th hugging the coastline. The course then turns inland to the raised ground around Ferry Wood where the excellent 9th (Paradise) is well worth its stroke index 1 rating."
He goes on to say "The par 3 tenth (Lochy) with its water feature is just wonderful and it’s this stretch of holes that really set Golspie apart from most typical Scottish Links courses."
Mr McCann noted the tough finish at Golspie and described the 16th and 17th holes as "the old fashioned golfing quirk – back to back par 3s."
He made special mention of the 16th (Cairngorms) which he described as "an excellent hole with its wonderful two-tiered green and magnificent views across the Firth and Tarbat Ness."
He concludes his review by saying: "If visiting this area, make time for a round at Golspie – it’s a cracking course that fully deserves its new found status as one of the best in the country."
John Davies, Golspie Golf Club Captain, told the NT: "I am delighted for everyone concerned – in particular our excellent team of greenkeepers who work tirelessly throughout the year to provide us with a quality course.
"The 2011 season was our best ever in terms of visitor numbers – this latest accolade gives us the perfect motivation to go out and set new standards in 2012."
Writes our golfing correspondent Robin Wilson:
Over many years, a plethora of golf publications and panels of judges have been scrutinising golf courses throughout the United Kingdom drawing up their recommendation of courses to play and visit based on quality, best value, and course design.
To appear in such a list can enhance the profile of a club and considerably boost its visitor green fee income.
Golf World’s Top 100 Golf Courses of Great Britain and Ireland has in my mind been the definitive list that clubs should strive to be included in, since they published their first rankings in 1982.
So with the next Golf World biennial review due out towards the end of this year just recently my attention was drawn to a website reviewing the top 10 golf courses in Scotland.
Along with Royal Dornoch, which has appeared every year since 1982, in Golf World’s rankings my own home club, Brora, made it into the exclusive 100 in 2006 but unfortunately did not retain its position in the subsequent ratings of 2008 and 2010.
Royal Dornoch still ranks in Golf World’s list for the UK and Ireland at number 11 and also features prominently in many world lists.
But in the latest rankings confined to Scottish courses, all four of Sutherland’s 18 hole links courses are featured. Royal Dornoch has gone from fifth to third position as amongst Scotland’s best. Only Muirfield and St. Andrews lie ahead of it .
Brora has been awarded an improved ranking of five places, up to number 30, but the real new star is Golspie Golf Club with a new entry into the top 100 at number 69.
The Donald Steel Skibo Links at the Carnegie Clubs improved its previous position by 19 places, up to 34th.
