I was lucky enough to be invited to play at the Carnegie Club, Skibo Castle last weekend.
It’s a Private members club on the edge of the Dornoch Firth. You would never know there was a golf club there even though its almost right next to the A9.
The course has been shown on the TV before on “shells wonderful world of golf†in the mid 90’s which had Fred Couples Vs Greg Norman playing each other. The course has had a bit of a face lift in recent years with a few of the holes changing and made more links like. They had also taken away the gorse and all but half a dozen trees and the course is now much more open.
When you arrive you are shown to the visitors locker room and your locker, with your name on it no less. The bag tag is fairly hefty too also with your name on.
The Course has 3 sets of tee’s with the blue being 6833 yards, yellow 6207 yards and red 5394 yards.
We were playing on the yellows though which our opponents chose, but I’ve been invited back to play from the back tees next year.
The first a slight dogleg right par 4 off around 400 yards to slightly raised green
2nd again a shortish par 4 of 367 dogleg right that was very similar to the 2nd at Carnoustie but without the long green.
3rd is a 484 yard par five and today was into the wind, so there was not much chance of reaching in two today. The green was set left and the right side protected by a bunker to stop you working the ball in off the right hand side.
4th short par 3 of 147 yards wind off the right well bunkered and quit a few subtle slopes.
5th a 537 yard par 5 that’s very well protected by bunkers and dogleg right, reachable in two today. But beware the large bunker in front of the green that ball fed back into.
6th is a very tricky par 3 only 150 yards but into the wind. The green is situated on the back edge of a large dune and only the top of the flag is visible its also raised by 30 or 40 yards. Its protected by a bunker on the front but short isn’t an option, but then nor is long, or left or right as it has run off areas on all sides. Par is good.
The 7th is a nice risk reward hole at only 311 yards and drivable down wind. The fairway splits into a Y shape and the closer to the greens raised with bunkers middle and left and the right side much lower by 30 or 40 feet. I opted to lay up and wedge on.
8th 333 yard par 4 with the Dornoch firth (water) right and heather and rough on the left. Today it was into the wind so straight is the order of the day here. No bunkers at all on this hole, it doesn’t need them.
The fairway narrows a fair bit in the middle with the water cutting in from the right.
9th par 3 at 178 but on the day into the wind was playing over 200. The greens slopes left to right with a bunker front middle and out of bounds all the way up the right side.
10th 472 yard par 4 into the wind with a blind tee shot over a U shaped bank with heather either side. Played more like a par 5 with the green set left and would need a high draw to get on in regulation today.
You now turn back towards the clubhouse, with the tricky 418 yard par 4 11th.
It’s a dog let right with the river Evlix feeding into a Loch . to carry across the water it was at least 250 yards or play save and hit 200 yards club along the fairway then the same again, keeping in mind there is still water all the way down the right.
The 12th is quit similar to the 11th but less extreme dogleg, but bunkers protecting the safe landing area. A slopping green awaits.
13th a lovely little par 3 at only 145 yards but well bunkered right and almost looks like its sitting on the edge of the Loch. Long and right or just right of the bunkers would be wet.
14th a very nice par 5 at only 500 yards down wind. The fairway is protected by a mound left with 3 bunkers and a mound slightly further right again protected by 2 bunkers . the left side is safest but requires a carry of 220 to carry the bunkers and sets up a 2nd shot to a raised green slightly tucked away right . Protecting the right side are 2 bunkers and a couple off large conifers.
15th 189 yard par 3 elevated 30 feet higher that the tee, but no bunkers. Water all the way down the right to a kidney shaped green.
The 16th is a great 400 yard par 4 uphill with out of bounds all up the left to a raised green protected by a couple of lumps and bumps along with 4 Bunkers.
17th a short risk reward par 4 at only 267 yards, quit similar to the 18th at Goswick, but with a water all down the left and a raised green.
18th a very tricky par 5 at 515 yards but into the wind and dogleg left with water all along the left , you can cut across the marshy area onto the fairway a nice fade would do here or go for the draw and get extra distance, but over cook it and you are in the hazard.
The green juts out into the loch with run off area; all around it and the clubhouse and a couple of large Oak trees protecting the right side.
A superb course which tested all part of your game.
They have recently decided to allow visitors at £1300 for a 4 ball, of which there were a few groups out on the course that day. Its very exclusive club all the members I met were wealthy Americans.
I’m looking forward to going back again next year already.
It’s a Private members club on the edge of the Dornoch Firth. You would never know there was a golf club there even though its almost right next to the A9.
The course has been shown on the TV before on “shells wonderful world of golf†in the mid 90’s which had Fred Couples Vs Greg Norman playing each other. The course has had a bit of a face lift in recent years with a few of the holes changing and made more links like. They had also taken away the gorse and all but half a dozen trees and the course is now much more open.
When you arrive you are shown to the visitors locker room and your locker, with your name on it no less. The bag tag is fairly hefty too also with your name on.
The Course has 3 sets of tee’s with the blue being 6833 yards, yellow 6207 yards and red 5394 yards.
We were playing on the yellows though which our opponents chose, but I’ve been invited back to play from the back tees next year.
The first a slight dogleg right par 4 off around 400 yards to slightly raised green
2nd again a shortish par 4 of 367 dogleg right that was very similar to the 2nd at Carnoustie but without the long green.
3rd is a 484 yard par five and today was into the wind, so there was not much chance of reaching in two today. The green was set left and the right side protected by a bunker to stop you working the ball in off the right hand side.
4th short par 3 of 147 yards wind off the right well bunkered and quit a few subtle slopes.
5th a 537 yard par 5 that’s very well protected by bunkers and dogleg right, reachable in two today. But beware the large bunker in front of the green that ball fed back into.
6th is a very tricky par 3 only 150 yards but into the wind. The green is situated on the back edge of a large dune and only the top of the flag is visible its also raised by 30 or 40 yards. Its protected by a bunker on the front but short isn’t an option, but then nor is long, or left or right as it has run off areas on all sides. Par is good.
The 7th is a nice risk reward hole at only 311 yards and drivable down wind. The fairway splits into a Y shape and the closer to the greens raised with bunkers middle and left and the right side much lower by 30 or 40 feet. I opted to lay up and wedge on.
8th 333 yard par 4 with the Dornoch firth (water) right and heather and rough on the left. Today it was into the wind so straight is the order of the day here. No bunkers at all on this hole, it doesn’t need them.
The fairway narrows a fair bit in the middle with the water cutting in from the right.
9th par 3 at 178 but on the day into the wind was playing over 200. The greens slopes left to right with a bunker front middle and out of bounds all the way up the right side.
10th 472 yard par 4 into the wind with a blind tee shot over a U shaped bank with heather either side. Played more like a par 5 with the green set left and would need a high draw to get on in regulation today.
You now turn back towards the clubhouse, with the tricky 418 yard par 4 11th.
It’s a dog let right with the river Evlix feeding into a Loch . to carry across the water it was at least 250 yards or play save and hit 200 yards club along the fairway then the same again, keeping in mind there is still water all the way down the right.
The 12th is quit similar to the 11th but less extreme dogleg, but bunkers protecting the safe landing area. A slopping green awaits.
13th a lovely little par 3 at only 145 yards but well bunkered right and almost looks like its sitting on the edge of the Loch. Long and right or just right of the bunkers would be wet.
14th a very nice par 5 at only 500 yards down wind. The fairway is protected by a mound left with 3 bunkers and a mound slightly further right again protected by 2 bunkers . the left side is safest but requires a carry of 220 to carry the bunkers and sets up a 2nd shot to a raised green slightly tucked away right . Protecting the right side are 2 bunkers and a couple off large conifers.
15th 189 yard par 3 elevated 30 feet higher that the tee, but no bunkers. Water all the way down the right to a kidney shaped green.
The 16th is a great 400 yard par 4 uphill with out of bounds all up the left to a raised green protected by a couple of lumps and bumps along with 4 Bunkers.
17th a short risk reward par 4 at only 267 yards, quit similar to the 18th at Goswick, but with a water all down the left and a raised green.
18th a very tricky par 5 at 515 yards but into the wind and dogleg left with water all along the left , you can cut across the marshy area onto the fairway a nice fade would do here or go for the draw and get extra distance, but over cook it and you are in the hazard.
The green juts out into the loch with run off area; all around it and the clubhouse and a couple of large Oak trees protecting the right side.
A superb course which tested all part of your game.
They have recently decided to allow visitors at £1300 for a 4 ball, of which there were a few groups out on the course that day. Its very exclusive club all the members I met were wealthy Americans.
I’m looking forward to going back again next year already.
