Paul_Stewart
Tour Rookie
And last but not least, the final stop on my 10-round, five-day tour round Scotland, Southerness.
Located 15 miles from Dumfries on the Solway coast, this is a traditional links that has a magnificent reputation despite its out-of-the-way venue. No wild elevation changes, no blind shots, just a tough course that has a SSS 73 to a par of 69.
First the good points - the greens are simply magnificent, by far the best I have ever played in Scotland. They could afford to run them at 10.5 because the gorse protects them a little from the wind unlike the exposed links of St.Andrews and Turnberry where having greens that fast would lead to oscillating balls which is never good for any player
And you need to play a good game to score round here - there are no freebie holes, no par fours under 380 yards and enough deep bunkers to make your long approach game be well tested.
But every hole seems to be the same. Dog-leg left or right, heather and gorse lining the fairways and over 400 yards. It's all the same. Interesting for the first few holes but then it just gets boring.
Perhaps it was because it was early morning and the last round and I was knackered, but Southerness as a course just didn't do it for me. The people were incredibly hospitable and I am glad I have played it, but I was more sick of the site of heather than Paul McCartney by the end of the round.
Thankfully I got it up and down from pretty much everywhere to go round in 75 but it was a slightly disappointing end to an incredible tour of golf, one I seem to think a fair few people are envious of!
SOME PICTURES OF THE COURSE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52763424@N03/4884330695/
Located 15 miles from Dumfries on the Solway coast, this is a traditional links that has a magnificent reputation despite its out-of-the-way venue. No wild elevation changes, no blind shots, just a tough course that has a SSS 73 to a par of 69.
First the good points - the greens are simply magnificent, by far the best I have ever played in Scotland. They could afford to run them at 10.5 because the gorse protects them a little from the wind unlike the exposed links of St.Andrews and Turnberry where having greens that fast would lead to oscillating balls which is never good for any player
And you need to play a good game to score round here - there are no freebie holes, no par fours under 380 yards and enough deep bunkers to make your long approach game be well tested.
But every hole seems to be the same. Dog-leg left or right, heather and gorse lining the fairways and over 400 yards. It's all the same. Interesting for the first few holes but then it just gets boring.
Perhaps it was because it was early morning and the last round and I was knackered, but Southerness as a course just didn't do it for me. The people were incredibly hospitable and I am glad I have played it, but I was more sick of the site of heather than Paul McCartney by the end of the round.
Thankfully I got it up and down from pretty much everywhere to go round in 75 but it was a slightly disappointing end to an incredible tour of golf, one I seem to think a fair few people are envious of!
SOME PICTURES OF THE COURSE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52763424@N03/4884330695/
