Best Holes in Scotland

No not the prostitutes guide, buts saw this on the Beeb.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/39700182

I've only played one of them, but I am sure people have views.

TOC 18th?

Super, you're up.

Mac, you'll be next.

I've only played Turnberry (pre recent re-hash) but I'm pretty sure there were quite a few much better holes than TOC's 18th (although I have only seen that on telly).

TOC 18th best finishing hole?? This is the kind of nonsense you get because the Open is there every 5 years. It's probably pretty obvious what my view is going to be about the best finishing hole in Scotland so I won't mention it but other great finishing holes I'd put above TOCs would be Trumps, Dundonald, Castle Stuart, Dornoch, North Berwick, Muirfield, Turnberry, Troon, Leven.

The 18th is probably the worst closing hole on any well known course in Scotland. Widest fairway in the world, no bunkers, no hazards at all. I've birdied it more times than I've parred it, which means it's too easy.

When they do polls like this it's whatever comes to peoples minds, not the quality of the hole. The 18th at Leven is 100x better than TOC 18. Ask any johnny come lately to think of a good closing hole, and most will have no idea about places like Downfield, Ladybank, Archerfield or Lundin, they just think about what is most famous, same as when they poll films, sportspeople, music etc.

I also played Carnoustie on Saturday, that's got a better 18th, as has The Castle as has Kingsbarns. I could probably name 3 dozen better closing 18th's in East Scotland alone.

Laughable that TOC #18 is voted top of anything.

I played this course in Scotland.
http://www.eastrengolfclub.co.uk/

I dont recall much about the course, but I think it was scenic and very good. Probably not famous but well worth it when we visited. Followed it up with Troon, which was not bad.

Bit of a dumb poll, commissioned by Scottish tourist board to appeal to Americans.

18th TOC gets voted best hole, but 17th TOC is voted best par 4. That doesn't make any sense.

Someone has commented the Braids is the best golf course in Scotland, so I guess that would be mac.

Is the 17th at TOC really a good hole? Difficult for sure, a Par-6 for me, but is it a good hole?? I'd say no, but then I've never played it.

Most of you are far more experienced than I (having only played a handful of courses in Scotland), but my favorite hole was #6 at Royal Dornoch. A classic "one-shotter" as they say. The 14th gets a lot of accolades, but I found the green to be goofy for such a long approach.

kwinigolfer wrote:Is the 17th at TOC really a good hole? Difficult for sure, a Par-6 for me, but is it a good hole?? I'd say no, but then I've never played it.

It's a decent hole Kwini, but only because you're going over the hotel. Take the hotel out, and it's just a long par 4.

You can be ridiculously far right and still be safe. A friend of mine nearly took a guy out on a balcony and still only had a short iron into the green. Fun to play, but I wouldn't pay the green fee just to get to that point on the course.

super_realist wrote:
You can be ridiculously far right and still be safe.

Unless kwini is around..

pedro wrote:

super_realist wrote:
You can be ridiculously far right and still be safe.

Unless kwini is around..

Or Mac or Monty

super_realist wrote:

pedro wrote:

super_realist wrote:
You can be ridiculously far right and still be safe.

Unless kwini is around..

Or Mac or Monty

Ironically Monty's golf courses have all the trouble on the left and are safe down the right

The best par 3 is probably the weirdest choice. The postage stamp is a bit of fun and offers something a little different but it is nowhere near the best par 3 in scotland.

Even if we stick to the TOC theme of the piece the 11th is clearly a much richer and deeper par 3.

The 11th is nothing special Mac, in fact it's almost too easy now because they've extended the green to the left giving a much flatter and less dangerous approach and the target area is about 20% bigger. I'll grant there's a big swing on the green, but hitting the target, even into a wind isn't that challenging. I've seen better par 3's at Forfar and Letham Grange for goodness sake.

Neither of TOC's par 3's are especially good in comparison to the wealth of tremendous par 3's available in the country.

The par 3's at North Berwick are all great.

super_realist wrote:The 11th is nothing special Mac, in fact it's almost too easy now because they've extended the green to the left giving a much flatter and less dangerous approach and the target area is about 20% bigger. I'll grant there's a big swing on the green, but hitting the target, even into a wind isn't that challenging. I've seen better par 3's at Forfar and Letham Grange for goodness sake.

Neither of TOC's par 3's are especially good in comparison to the wealth of tremendous par 3's available in the country.

I've got a soft spot for Forfar. It's a fun course to play if a little on the short and easy side. From memory all 4 of the par 3's are decent in different ways. The 15th (par 4 dog-leg right) is the highlight.

I really enjoyed a few holes at Dunbar. Never heard of it till we played it. Beat my mate (scratch!) after rebounding off the massive wall onto the green - on the way out and back in again!

I wonder how many golf balls are sitting on the other side of that wall along Dunbar. Played there a long time ago when I had a bit of a slice... it terrified me