Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club

Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club: Since 1876 golfers have plied their skills on the celebrated golf links of Machrihanish. In 2009 a second reason to make the pilgrimage to this ruggedly beautiful area of coastal sand dunes arrived on the scene. The new and separate development of Machrihanish Dunes heralded much more than just the addition of a fabulous new golf course. With the developer's masterplan came considerable financial investment. The area's accommodation also took a significant turn for the better.

Like its much older sibling to the south, the new "Mach Dunes" is laid out in an area of impressively large and natural sand dunes. David McLay-Kidd's wonderfully rugged layout required very little earthmoving to create the thrills and spills of a memorable seaside links.

As the course unfolds in its very natural habitat, the sea and distant island views (of Islay and Jura) are a joy to behold. With a blind approach shot to play at the par-4 1st hole and a blind drive at the par-4 2nd (and at some subsequent holes) a forecaddie is an essential requirement on your first round. With no buggies allowed on the course, using caddies is also recommended on subsequent rounds.

The newcomer gets even closer to the ocean than the "elder" Machrihanish layout, with a trio of holes running alongside Machrihanish Beach on the significantly undulating front-nine. On the inward nine, back-to-back par-3s at 14 and 15, bring you again to the water's edge. Both these short holes nestle amongst the dunes alongside the ocean.

On this Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), there are significant restrictions on cutting and chemically controlling the vegetation here. This ensures the course effortlessly retains its "golf as it used to be" credentials. It also means the fairways may not be quite as pristine as you'd like, and the rough beyond the first-cut can be seriously punishing for any wayward shots.