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The island of Islay is a unique experience in many ways as is the Machrie Hotel and Golf Course near Port Ellon. The hotel is a bastion of the good things in life, of evenings by the open fire in the bar sampling some after-dinner Islay malts and chatting with other guests about the days outings.

As a golf course, The Machrie is a wonderful example of a traditional Scottish links although, some would say, like no other. It is an exuberant piece of golf course architecture designed mainly by the Almighty with some almighty holes to be encountered. Its position overlooking Machrie Bay is superlative. The greens are often placed in hollows and dells or on top of sand hills, very often out of sight of the tees or the fairways.

Probably the 9th is the most scenic but the entire course boasts this accolade. This one takes you down to the front and plays parallel with the beach, in fact all you can see is the Atlantic on one side and the high dunes on the other. It is therefore quite a secluded spot and quite peaceful. This is a good Par 4th, dead straight but the prevailing west wind inevitably cuts across the fairway.

The 14th is SI 1. A Par 4 it’s a moderately long hole of 423 yards doglegging left. Off raised tees with mounds on either side, the typical west wind can have a dramatic effect. The dogleg is roughly 230 yards off the tee. You can reach the green in two but it is a difficult green to hold, slightly raised and calling for a very accurate approach preferably with backspin. If it skates through it’s off and into the heather – the hole is in fact called ‘The Heather’.

One of the most impressive holes is the ‘Scots Maiden’ with a large dune immediately in front of the tee. Scenic views are all along the shoreline at the 2nd, 7th, 8th and 9th overlooking the seven-mile stretch of beach known as the Strand.

The 17th will catch you out! It’s called ‘Ilfrinn’ which means ‘Hell Hole’. The green is totally blind as are many holes on this course – both for your first and sometimes second shot. It presents quite a long drive then climbs up over a high hill to the green hidden forty yards other side. This sits in a cauldron. You either get it right or totally wrong here and the wind effects this hole just as much as all the others.

Judging by the guest book, more Americans and Japanese know about The Machrie on Islay than us Scots. The legendary course is one of Scotland’s true gems and yet few of us cross the water to discover it. This has to change. If you haven’t played The Machrie, you haven’t completed your golf education. What better way of spending a weekend or mid-week break than to jump on the ferry at Oban or catch the short flight from Glasgow Airport and enjoy a couple of days golf on one of Scotland’s most distinctive links.

Championship links course opened in 1891 and the hotel is renowned for pleasant nights in with a bottle or two of the local malts.


Photographs & text © David J Whyte 2009

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