Boat of Garten or Spey Valley

[Jamie23]

Heading to Inverness in April to play Castle Stuart and was looking to play another round on the route back home

Heard good things about both Boat of Garten and Spey Valley.

Has anyone played both? Would you recommend one over the other?

 

[woofers]

Played both ages and ages ago but the Boat is very scenic, can't remember anything about Spey.

 

[Backache]

I've only played the Boat, very scenic course and enjoyable to play. It eats balls when the fairways are firm if you're wayward.

 

[Parsaregood]

Haven't played either but have stayed in the area, it's worth it just for the scenery

 

[KenL]

Played the Boat a few times, excellent course brimming with character.

 

[big_matt]

Played the Boat a few times, excellent course brimming with character.

Agreed. It's a very enjoyable round. Scenery is great. Have not played spey valley.

 

[Smiffy]

Have played both at a similar time of year. Whilst I accept that the Boat is a more scenic course, the conditions at the time saw me preferring Spey Valley.
A bit leggy though, advise a buggy.

 

[Duckster]

Played both last June, thought Boat was the better track but I really enjoyed both.
Plus if you tee off at BOG before 8.30am it’s a really cheap rate!

 

[patricks148]

I play both a couple of times a year, very different courses IMO, i would say spey Valley is up there with the as one of the best courses Dave Thomas designed, but it is long with some hard holes.

BOG is a great course, much shorter, with only a couple of holes you need a driver and thats off the back tee. i would say more enjoyable maybe.

only problem with that time of year, you may get decent weather ( or snow), but due to where they are grass won't really have started growing then, so will both be a bit scruffy.

BOG for me , though i do like Spey valley

 

[Jacko_G]

Boat for me.

Spey is a great layout with some tremendous holes but I've never played it in great condition. Its always been "ok" at best. Has potential to be brilliant as well.

 

[IanG]

Another vote for the Boat - lovely place to spend the day.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Also playing Castle Stuart in April, on the way home from Dornoch.
If I was playing another round in the area, I’d head for Nairn.

 

[3offTheTee]

BOG for me. Spey Valley whilst long and enjoyable has some incredible distances between holes

 

[patricks148]

BOG for me. Spey Valley whilst long and enjoyable has some incredible distances between holes

only real long ones are 1st to 2nd and 17 to 18, rest not that bad, prob the only course up here i would take a buggy

 

[patricks148]

Also playing Castle Stuart in April, on the way home from Dornoch.
If I was playing another round in the area, I’d head for Nairn.

not sure what state it will be in depending on when in April, just had phase 2 of the changes being done, which should be comp by March but very little recovery growth that time of year

 

[Jacko_G]

over rated

Hopefully the changes will bring it up a notch or two.

 

[Duncysam]

Heading to Inverness in April to play Castle Stuart and was looking to play another round on the route back home
Heard good things about both Boat of Garten and Spey Valley.
Has anyone played both? Would you recommend one over the other?

 

[patricks148]

thats a great point, why did no one else think of that

 

[Yer Maw]

I find both are excellent for different reasons. No driver needed at BoG in fact it can ruin your round if even a little wayward, it approaches are tremendous and well thought out. SV is an excellent longer course with even better views and a real good test of all your game. A couple of long walks between tees but only an issue if your a bit infirm. Both have tremendous holes so if youre looking for a really nice game of golf on a lovely course BoG, or more of a challenge SV but still cracking.

 

[pendodave]

Agreed on Spey valley. There are a couple of longish walks (near the beginning and end iirc), but they're not steep and certainly fine without a buggy if you don't want to take one. Views across to the 'gorm are good if the weather's nice, so if you're not in a rush, what's not to like.