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Dornoch, Inverness-shire
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Par 70 Links Course
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 Despite
its northerly latitude, some 45 miles North of Inverness and nearly
200 miles from Edinburgh, improvements to roads help Royal Dornoch
to continue to be one of the most popular golf courses in Scotland.
So well is it regarded that magazine polls across the world regularly
have it in their top twenty, it is well worth the extra miles it
takes to get there.
Old Tom Morris originally laid the course out in 1891 and John Sutherland
- Dornoch's club secretary from 1882 through to 1935 - made subsequent
changes. After World War II the course was again considerably altered
by George Duncan who designed five new holes: Nos 7 through to 11.
The opening hole at Royal Dornoch, a simple par 4, is no indication
of the joy - and trouble - to come. It is not until golfers walk
over the headlands to the third tee that they get a sense of this
striking golf course. Wondrous swards of fair way and green, with
clusters of players dotting the beach-front, unfold a mile in each
direction. The embankments of the old dunes on the landward side
of the course, from late April until early June, are a carpet of
flaming yellow gorse.
The course is just over 6,500 yards, but this is no reflection on
the degree of difficulty to be found on many holes. It is classic
links with the first 8 holes following the natural slants and humps
of old dune embankments while the rest flank the sandy beaches of
Dornoch Bay. Raised or sloping greens are characteristic as well
as elevated tees so the target is well presented although rarely
easy to reach. Dornoch, perhaps more than most, is a thinking golfers
course where it is not enough to simply keep the ball on the fairway.
A position has to be sought on most holes where the green can be
accessed to your advantage.
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Hole
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1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
Out |
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Yards
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331 |
184 |
414 |
427 |
354 |
163 |
463 |
437 |
529 |
3302 |
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Par
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4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
35 |
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Hole
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10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
Out |
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Yards
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177 |
450 |
557 |
180 |
445 |
358 |
402 |
405 |
456 |
3430 |
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Par
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3 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
35 |
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Total
Yards |
6732
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| Par |
70
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