Links golf is always special, but never more so than at Machrihanish

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Links golf is the original form of the game, invented by the Scots over 600 years ago. Unlike golf back home where the courses are often over-designed, too manicured and perhaps bear more resemblance to Astroturf than real grass, true links courses are far different. With no mechanized earth moving equipment to work with these early course designs were merely an adaptation of the original terrain as presented to a course architect, warts and all. It was up to the architect to figure the best way to route the layout around a virgin landscape, providing the required number of holes and tees, or more often, as many as could be accommodated. The only tools available were shovels, wheelbarrows, muscle and sweat. Early golf architects were minimalists out of necessity.

Machrihanish - designed by Mother Nature and Old Tom Morris in 1876

As much credit should be given to Mother Nature for the design of these old links layouts as to any human architect. Yet even today, many of these centenarians remain as masterpieces -- pure works of art that have withstood the tests of time and despite modern day golf clubs and balls, are still more than enough to challenge the world's best players.

For any golfer yet to experience playing a real Scottish links course, one of the game's greatest treats still lies in store. The combination of Mother Nature's often eccentric, sometimes quirky and always unpredictable ways, combine with wind blown, treeless seaside locations, appealing to the thrill-seeker that lies within all of us. But be warned, once links golf has been tasted, the neatly manicured fairways and predictability of your home course will never seem the same. Scottish links golf is an exciting adventure like no other.

Machrihanish - Pure, unadulterated links golf in its truest form

It's not necessarily the most famous links' that provide the best, true links experiences and one name, though it may be vaguely familiar, is far less of a celebrity than many, yet Machrihanish is to my mind, the cream of the crop among Scotland's many glorious links layouts. Even the name has a gutsiness and tough, unrelenting sound of masculinity to it and Machrihanish delivers on the promise with as exhilarating a round of golf as you're ever likely to encounter anywhere. This is classic Scottish links golf at its most magnificent.

The original layout comes from the 19th century master of golf architecture, Old Tom Morris, who upon seeing the site for the first time, declared Machrihanish to be, "Specially designed by the Almighty for playing golf". Although there have been changes made since Old Tom's day, the present course remains one of Scotland's most natural links and one of the toughest. The fairways are a maize of undulations that have been here since the beginnings of time; the greens are some of the most amazingly contoured and throughout, awkward stances and blind shots take on a major role in the test presented.

Machrihanish is fabled for it's first hole and neighboring Springbank Distillery

The opening hole is to say the least an attention grabber and maybe the best opener in the entire country; you'll have a sense of why as you stand on the first tee. With the Atlantic breakers pounding to your left, you are confronted with one of the most intimidating sights in golf -- a 200-yard carry across the waters of Machrihanish Bay...and this is only the beginning! It's a death or glory hole, with few choices to be made.

From here on you try to convince yourself that things can only get easier. No way, this is Machrihanish and like an unbroken horse there is a certain unpredictability about everything that follows. Good approach shots are essential for a successful round and nowhere is this more apparent than on the 2nd, leading to the most exciting succession of holes, scattered among the dunes. It is here amidst massive sand dunes where players begin to take on a heartfelt pleasure in this extraordinary course -- and there are sand dunes aplenty.

Rugged and tumbling, exposed to the wind and weather, you are playing golf in, around, over and through a Saharan landscape of gigantic mountains of sand, the fairways and greens carved from them. And the thought, common to all, this may very well be the truest test of links golf on the planet.

Machrihanish Dunes - a traditional new links layout from David McLay Kidd of Bandon Dunes fame

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It's not until the 17th hole that you emerge from the dunes and onto the relatively flat path, back to the welcoming clubhouse. In many ways these final two holes can be less than inspiring, perhaps even anti-climactic after all that has been experienced before. But this is Machrihanish and surprises are her specialty. With no announcement, the wind will suddenly pick up as you leave the protection of those hills and the wind here is deviously cunning and as erratic as any. The close abruptly changes from a peaceful walk, into a fight to the end. Machrihanish never gives up easily.

Often described as inspirational, a feeling only increased by its seemingly isolated location on the Mull of Kintyre, Machrihanish is far easier to reach than many anticipate. For those who have the time and wish to savor some spectacular scenery, the circuitous drive from Troon will take 3 ½ hours. A somewhat more direct route, taking a couple of car ferry rides, plus some driving, is no less enjoyable, but will only save a half hour each way.

If time is of the essence, flights from Glasgow Airport take a brief 30 minutes and are scheduled to allow time enough for one round of golf, a quick visit to the Springbank Distillery and be back at your Troon hotel in time for dinner. But my advice is to make this an overnight air excursion and play mighty Machrihanish twice, or even three times. When will you have the chance to play one of the worlds most amazing links courses again?

As an added temptation to linger a little longer, there is a new links located immediately next door to Machrihanish and scheduled to open in a few months. Machrihanish Dunes is the handiwork of David McLay Kidd, the native Scotsman responsible for Bandon Dunes and St. Andrews new Castle Course. His credentials are impeccable and Machrihanish Dunes holds every promise of being in the good, old-fashioned style, just the way Old Tom Morris would have done it.

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©2008 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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