The Isle of Arran
Each Summer for the last 20 years, I have travelled with three close friends I have known forever to spend a few days golfing somewhere in the UK, talking a huge amount of nonsense and laughing a great deal. We always try to find somewhere new and different, and this June we headed up to Arran in the Firth of Clyde. A long day’s drive from our homes in the south-east, it proved to be infinitely more than worth the effort to get there.
(Image credit: Rob Smith)
The ferry from Ardrossan or Troon takes about an hour, but this only increases the anticipation as you near this mountainous, picturesque island. We based ourselves on the west coast at the Kinloch Hotel in Blackwaterfoot; smart and comfortable but not at all stuffy, with extremely friendly service, great and varied food, and a swimming pool and snooker room. We all felt that it offered terrific value.
Shiskine
Shiskine in the Spring – but equally beautiful all year
(Image credit: Hamish Bannatyne)
The hotel is just a 2-minute drive from Arran’s brightest star, the exceptional 12-holer at Shiskine Golf Club which very rightly is renowned for its scenic beauty and modest green fee. Here, we enjoyed one of those ridiculous four-seasons-in-two-hours experiences with strong winds and calm, squally rain and bright sunshine, hailstones and dramatic skies.
Looking over the beautifully-sited green on the fourth hole at Shiskine
(Image credit: Rob Smith)
This is a stunningly beautiful course that will play and look different every day, and while there may be only four par 4s and a single par 5, this is irrelevant as it’s packed with charisma, charm and challenge. In the most positive meaning of the phrase, this is the very definition of perfect holiday golf.
Machrie Bay
The opening hole at 9-hole Machrie Bay
(Image credit: Rob Smith)
Just up the coast, Machrie Bay is a very natural 9-holer run by its members that is great fun and was featured in Golf Monthly in the August issue this year in a Spotlight On feature focussing on lovely 9-hole courses. It is run by the members for the love of the game, and all the better for it. Five miles across the firth to the west, Carradale is another fantastic 9-holer on the Kintyre peninsula that is also home to Machrihanish.
Corrie
Chris, Rob and Gordon by the lovely little clubhouse at Corrie… Martin took the photo!
(Image credit: Rob Smith)
Over on the east coast, we absolutely loved the very sporty 9-hole rollercoaster at Corrie where we were treated to…
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