Top 100 Golf Courses in Scotland
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TOp <strong>100</strong> ScOTLANd 2015<br />
FANTASY GOLF<br />
My perfect day<br />
By Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray.<br />
My perfect day <strong>in</strong> the<br />
beautiful land situated<br />
just north of Hadrian’s<br />
Wall would beg<strong>in</strong> by<br />
open<strong>in</strong>g the curta<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> a<br />
bedroom at Skibo Castle<br />
<strong>in</strong> Sutherland-shire.<br />
After a breakfast that only Skibo<br />
serves, my partners for the last three<br />
holes of this majestic course would be<br />
the club professional David Thomson,<br />
Sandy Lyle and the club’s tournament<br />
pro Paul Lawrie.<br />
The view from the clubhouse up<br />
through the pass is unrivalled.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g a morn<strong>in</strong>g cofee with<br />
them, I would make the three-mile<br />
journey to Royal Dornoch, where nearly<br />
40 years ago I won my first professional<br />
event, The Northern Open. The prize<br />
was £1,000. I thought I’d won the<br />
lottery! I would play and walk some<br />
holes with my beloved Labrador, Annie.<br />
On a clear day, Dornoch is idyllic.<br />
The helicopter would then fly south<br />
east to Edzell. This is a fabulous course<br />
below the Grampians and I’d have a few<br />
holes with Alistair Webster, who took<br />
over as pro from his father Jim. As an<br />
<strong>in</strong>land course, Edzell has few equals.<br />
A short trip then to Royal Montrose,<br />
one of <strong>Scotland</strong>’s most underrated l<strong>in</strong>ks<br />
courses. Up the 1st and down the last.<br />
Annie would enjoy the fresh sea air.<br />
Montrose is a must for seaside lovers.<br />
Sixteen miles to the south lies<br />
Arbroath. It was here <strong>in</strong> 1962, I had my<br />
first lesson from the club’s professional<br />
Jack Stewart. My father was born here<br />
and my uncle was the capta<strong>in</strong>. In his<br />
memory, a bridge was built over a burn<br />
at the 4th hole. I would want to play<br />
that one with my wife, Nicky.<br />
Back <strong>in</strong> the air, this time land<strong>in</strong>g at<br />
Crail. A few holes at Balcomie before<br />
tak<strong>in</strong>g the short journey to Elie, where<br />
I played as a 10-year-old. Designed by<br />
James Braid, this is one of <strong>Scotland</strong>’s<br />
most polished gems.<br />
I’d play 10 and 11 which are by the<br />
shore, then head to Anstruther, home<br />
of <strong>Scotland</strong>’s f<strong>in</strong>est restaurant, ‘The<br />
Anstruther fish bar’. I’d be jo<strong>in</strong>ed by lifelong<br />
friend, Howard Clark.<br />
Many times we have enjoyed;<br />
breaded Halibut as a starter, followed<br />
by haddock and chips and a cup of tea.<br />
Perhaps not Haute Cuis<strong>in</strong>e, but I<br />
promise you, it’s the holy grail of fish<br />
suppers.<br />
With it be<strong>in</strong>g light until late <strong>in</strong> the<br />
summer, I would cross the Firth of Forth<br />
and pay a visit to my first club,<br />
Baberton, five miles west of Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh.<br />
My father was professional there for<br />
over three decades and it’s where I<br />
spent my formative years. I would play<br />
<strong>in</strong>to the darkness before head<strong>in</strong>g back<br />
to Skibo. On arrival there, a large<br />
Lagavul<strong>in</strong>........and if the Spa is still<br />
open......a bloody good massage!<br />
n Ewen Murray won the World Boys title<br />
and played on the European Tour before<br />
jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Sky Sports. He is regarded as the<br />
modern voice of golf.<br />
The l<strong>in</strong>ks of Skibo<br />
Castle at the<br />
Carnegie Club.<br />
38 <strong>Golf</strong> World TOP <strong>100</strong> SCOTLAND 2015