# Another video review. The Carrick at Loch Lomond this time.



## John_Findlay (Mar 26, 2011)

So, course number 120 (my 95th Scottish course) came and went on Wednesday. 

I had the pleasure of the company of two of my regular playing partners, Scott & Gerry, and the starter paired us up on the 1st tee with a new friend, Brent, who was visiting the resort with his wife. 

Brent was a friendly 5 handicapper from Blairgowrie who had a bit of a 'mare to start with (7 lost balls in the first 6 holes!) but redeemed himself with 21 points on the back 9. This is the sort of thing that I love about the game, meeting complete strangers and having a good chat and a bit of banter with them. You can't beat it. By the 18th you'd have thought we'd all known each other all along. 

Here are my videos of the course. Well worth a look.

Clubhouse and holes 1-9  

Holes 10-18 

So, what are my own views of the course? Well, two very important words sum it up, I think...........

  How much !?!?  

You might want to add a word in between those two, depending on your mood. 

Just to put you in the picture.

Winter Rates, October to March; Â£75.00
Summer Rates, April to September; Â£125.00

Wow! Oof! Luckily we played for free but even with it's top notch, picturesque setting and posh clubhouse and service they can't possibly ask those sort of rates in good faith. They're clearly catering for the wealthy corporate market and playing off the reputation of their better known neighbour who up until recently hosted the Scottish Open. 

Having said that, they are doing a deal at the moment whereby for Â£295 you can get a membership which entitles you to 100 points towards future rounds. It's then 10 points per round at peak times, down to 6 at twilight times. So minimum 10 rounds, maximum 16 for Â£295. That's very good value and apparently 900 new members have taken up that offer already. It applies to all DeVere courses in the UK.

In defence of the course, it is only 4 years old and it has suffered from drainage problems from day one, I believe, hence the need to relay the fairways, as you'll see in the videos. But Castle Stuart is only a year old and it hasn't done too badly, has it?

There are many very pleasant holes though and it's a good test of golf. I managed a measly 20 points off 6, Scott had 25 off 8 and Gerry had a lovely 37 points off 18. I didn't play badly, either. Ouch.



I loved the look of the new bunkers, most of which were GUR sadly. We played from the white tees which made it about 6800 yards. The greens had just recently been dressed so they weren't in good shape. 

Had a grand day out but I wouldn't pay more than Â£55 - Â£60 of my own cash in the summer until they get the condition of the course up to a better standard. There are many better courses out there for that kind of money. My advice? Buy that Â£295 membership and enjoy.

Oh, take a wad of cash for food. Burger & chips Â£15, albeit the best Scott said he'd tasted in a long time. Sausage and mash Â£17. Or take sandwiches.


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## Smiffy (Mar 26, 2011)

Nice quality video again John. That camera you bought is good.

Those greens are crap!


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## quinn (Mar 26, 2011)

good video mate, course reminds me a bit of the twenty ten at celtic manor, like the bit where  your mate said i " i didnt see a splash " then the dissapointment on his face when he's told  "no , it went in "  looked a good day nice camera work


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## stef92 (Mar 26, 2011)

Great Video, shame though about the courseâ€¦!

I have heard extremely varied reviews of The Carrick, but it really didn't look that impressive at all!!

If those fairways patch up by Summer I will eat my metaphorical hat!!

Â£125 in Summerâ€¦ I can think of so many places I would rather play for that! Dornoch, Carnoustie, Woodhall, Hoylake, North Berwick, Royal Aberdeen, Machrihanish, even Gleneagles on 2-4-1!!!!!!


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## John_Findlay (Mar 26, 2011)

like the bit where  your mate said i " i didnt see a splash " then the dissapointment on his face when he's told  "no , it went in "
		
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Cheers. That was me with the disappointed look. I knew I'd just pushed it a couple of yards but was a bit gutted it wasn't lying perfectly in the fairway. My next shot was my only lost ball of the day. Took my drop, hit a 7 iron, it flew green, hit a path, bounced and was never seen again!


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## stevek1969 (Mar 26, 2011)

Burger and Chips Â£15 your having a laugh, Balloch is a 5 minute drive , McDonalds Big Mac ,chips and Coke for under a fiver


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## chris661 (Mar 26, 2011)

Burger and Chips Â£15 your having a laugh, Balloch is a 5 minute drive , McDonalds Big Mac ,chips and Coke for under a fiver
		
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And as many junkies and neds as you can shake a stick at!


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## User20205 (Mar 27, 2011)

Top review again, little bit more interesting than your typical blog !

there looks to be nothing there to justify Â£125, but you can't knock a freebee.


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## TaylormadePhil (Apr 16, 2011)

I feel that the only reason they can put a Â£125 price tag on the course is because of the views of Loch Lomond, which are stunning.. If you were to put the course into a normal area of Britain then the cost could not be any more than Â£50..

The drainage at the course has been a major problem since the first winter, due to the low lying course and the water on the course having no where to drain to.. The current drainage repairs have actually cost the De Vere company nearly 3 times as much as they would have done, if they had done them when the course was first built.

I do not see how the pro shop could look anyone in the face and say its Â£125 for your round sir and then send them out onto those fairways.


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## thecraw (Jul 28, 2011)

Having been at the Carrick again today, I'd like to say that I've changed my mind. I still ain't played it yet however its getting there, slowly but surely. There has been a hell of a lot of work done and as Phil says above, the setting is majestic. Views are superb and the course itself has a few great holes that will test any handicap.

A bit more growth and maturity plus continued investment could see this yet become a Scottish classic.


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