Castle Stuart- Opening Day photos

[John_Findlay]

Here I go again ...banging on about this wonderful new course near Inverness.

My pal, Ali, was lucky enough to play there on the opening day this month and has e-mailed me some photos, which frankly make me want to get up there tomorrow.

Ali, not being a forumer, has asked me to post them to show what a glorious course has been created on the shores of the Moray Firth.

Not being one for exaggeration he already rates it waaaayyyy better than Kingsbarns (same designers); better than Nairn (not lightly said from a lifetime member who was twice club champion); and possibly even better than Royal Dornoch (probably his favourite course). Easily top ten in the UK and certainly top 100 in the world he says (not bad from someone who has played probably every course I've played PLUS Augusta, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, you-name-it etc) It's now number 1 on the list for my 110th course played.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves, chaps. £90 for SGU members, which is cheaper than many courses of this calibre.

 

[Imurg]

Well I'm not playing there if I've got to look at legs like those for 4 hours!!
Do they have a licence for them?

Course looks nice though I bet its bleak on a cold February morning with horizontal rain..

 

[USER1999]

I guess Freddielong won't be playing there then.

 

[birdieman]

I like the current trend for bunkers 'au naturel' on seaside courses, looks less manufactured - good example on pic 10.

Looks a 'cracking track' as the posh Edinburgh folks would say though I have to say the clubhouse looks plain awful. Looks like an air traffic control tower. Nice views from inside no doubt but in the Scottish Highlands something more traditional looking please.

 

[John_Findlay]

I think they were going for the 1930's styley thing, Stu. I like the 3 floors to make the most of the scenery. Too many clubhouses are set into the land nowadays. Certainly unique.

Apparently the locker rooms are on the 1st floor. Quite unusual, too. Great views of the course when you're getting your shoes on though.

 

[Dodger]

Art deco clubhouse looks funny!
Mind you the track is one I seriously would like to play!

 

[StuartD]

Seen some pics of the clubhouse on the web and must admit i don't like it. Based on Birkdale too much for me which i am not a fan off either tbh.

Have you looked out that utility bill yet John?

 

[stevek1969]

Amazing looking course John , as Stuart said any chance of arranging for some utility bills to be dished out
I suppose if you have a stand out course you need a stand out club house and it certainly is that ,a bit strange and bright it just looks out of place for my liking.
Really fancy the drive to play it tho.

 

[backwoodsman]

and possibly even better than Royal Dornoch (probably his favourite course).

At £150 a pop (if you're not SGU) it would have to be a lot, lot better than Dornoch - which you can play at just over half the price. Can anything be twice as good as Dornoch?

And directly under the flight path out of Inverness airport to boot

 

[madandra]

I think those legs should be illegal. You just know by looking at blue limbs it is a Scotsman.

 

[John_Findlay]

And directly under the flight path out of Inverness airport to boot

Hardly an issue with the wind-up rubber band planes you get going into Inverness every 2nd week. Nothing like playing at Lossie with the tornadoes taking off every 2 mins and knocking your hat off with their wheels during the week.

Yeah, £150 is too much for most courses in my mind. But the yanks will pay it on their way to Nairn and Dornoch. Bit unfair the English have to as well though!

I like the look of the clubhouse the more I see it. Does no-one else think it's meant to look like a (stumpy) light-house?

 

[USER1999]

I was wondering why the English get stiffed as well. Do we charge the Scots more on English courses? No. And I bet if we did we wouldn't get away with it for long before ending up in court for discrimination.

 

[Dodger]

It's just a way of us trying to get you back for all the oil cash you rake in off us...

 

[Atticus_Finch]

I was wondering why the English get stiffed as well. Do we charge the Scots more on English courses? No. And I bet if we did we wouldn't get away with it for long before ending up in court for discrimination.

They don't charge you more Murph, they just charge us less.

 

[backwoodsman]

Hardly an issue with the wind-up rubber band planes you get going into Inverness every 2nd week. Nothing like playing at Lossie with the tornadoes taking off every 2 mins and knocking your hat off with their wheels during the week.

Fair point really. The odd plane or so out out Inverness ain't that bad really. But at Lossie I agree. You sort of get used to them but every now & then one comes from nowhere and gives you heart-seizure.

Anyone down south who wants to experience the same, can do so if they play Park Wood during the Biggin Hill Air Show