This is a very poor 9 Hole parkland pitch and putt course on the main road between Lossiemouth and Hopeman on the Moray Coast, attached to a driving range, with a café operating on site as a separate business. The green fee is £3 for adults payable in an Honesty Box inside this rather unglamorous hut. Why it needs 2 doors escapes me, as there's only one space within, but I'm afraid that that's probably the most interesting aspect of this rather dismal place (apart from why it still exists). There are no scorecards and hole distances are shown on only 7 of the hole markers. Accordingly, I'm guessing that the course measures 675 Yards, Par 27.
Unsurprisingly, the course was deserted when I played it on 19 June 2013 after my round at the excellent Covesea Links Course almost next door. The fairways were just weed strewn paths between worn out tees and coarsely cut slow and very bumpy greens, barely 15 feet across. If I managed to find a green off the tee (4 out of 9 attempts), single putting was almost impossible. It was actually easier to score pars by just missing the greens and chipping close and hoping to single putt from a couple of feet. I went round in 29 strokes with 13 putts in little over half an hour.
I'll definitely not bother to play here again. Once was enough. Serious golfers trying to play every course in Scotland would need to pay a visit but I suspect that few locals would waste their time (and £3) when there are so many really excellent courses nearby. Maybe this place serves a casual tourist market, attracted by the excellent café on site, but I'm not sure a round over here would attract many to the sport we all know and love. Certainly a contender for a worst course list if I ever wanted to depress myself.
Here are a couple of on-course photos. First, the 103 Yard 3rd Hole, with the large military air base in the background. Second, the last hole, a 93 yarder, complete with abnormal ground conditions i.e. molehills.
It seems that you are rather missing the point of this course. It is not a serious golf course, just as a crazy golf course should not be reviewed next to 'PGA standard course' neither should this. It should also be mentioned that the within the hut where you pay £3 into the honesty box there are also a selection of clubs and balls for you to use ensuring that this experience is truly available to all without the intimidation many that are new to the sport may feel at a 'proper' course. I would assume this course is not set up for profit but rather to make the opportunity to play golf available to all which makes this review all the more disheartening.
ReplyDeleteFor the more serious golfer the site does have a driving range and pro shop, however the pitch and putt course is surly aimed more to those who may never of played before or would like to introduce their young children to the game.
In the absence of a universally agreed definition of a "golf course" we're trying to play every facility that has fixed tees and greens, intended for the playing of golf. Accordingly, we end up playing pitch and putt courses and in so doing, we've come across holes that are far longer and more difficult than those on what might be classed as "proper" courses. I'm all for encouraging greater participation in the sport, but it's still sad to see facilities that don't really do that. When I played this particular course, I found that any shot played even remotely off-line could be lost and I don't find anything satisfying or enjoyable in trying to putt on greens that are cut too long and are so bumpy that a predictable roll is impossible. I really do wonder whether anyone new to the game, of whatever age, would be hugely inspired to take up the sport after playing here. If you've played here, did you really enjoy yourself? How many balls did you lose? The course needs far better maintenance, wider fairways and greens that do justice to the objects of the game.
DeletePlayed here today but unfortunately didnt read the reviews first. Worst i have i played by a mile. Played with my girlfriend and her first game of golf bar crazy golf and she complained about the greens and ended up chipping from them. If making a facility to get kids and non golfers into the sport this is almost the exact opposite of what you need. Should be open, playable and most importantly enjoyable. This is none which is a shame
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