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I reckon this much under-rated course has some of the best Par 4’s in Scotland. It really is a surprise (or at least it was to me) how good this course is, one of the unsung heroes of Highland golf. From the start you are stretched! There are eight Par 4’s over 400 yards starting with the 1st and 2nd. You get a bit of a breather on the 3rd but its shape doesn’t make it an easy green to hit and hold. And so it goes! Long irons tend to get more of an airing here. There’s a tremendous balance to the round though and that’s what makes it special. You are tested for two or three holes then given a break. Then comes another stretch, hitting you hard before it throws you some slack again. I’m not an angler but it put me in mind of wrestling with a salmon on the Spey; only this time you’re on the hook!

The wonder of it is there is no ‘big-name’ course designer like James Braid or Tom Morris associated with Elgin’s conception. As far as records tell, a local doctor did most of the inaugural groundwork coupled with a greenkeeper that maintained and modified the grounds during his 38-year tenure. I reckon this course has been created from local labour and love. You might be hankering to take on Scotland’s wind-tossed links but a round here at Elgin will create a new interest and healthy respect for heathland golf.

David J Whyte
Golf Travel Writer & Photographer

ELGIN GOLF CLUB VIDEO