Upcoming Scotland Trip - Caddie Advice

[truexbeliever]

Hi Everyone - 

Have a Scotland trip coming up in May and I’ve been tasked with arranging caddies for the group. Looking for some advice / confirmation of what we are currently thinking. Any of these that you would change in terms of where we are planning to request caddies? Are there any of these that are harder walks / more blind shots where a caddie will be helpful?

 

Thanks!

 

Day 1: Fortrose - No Caddie

Day 2 - AM: Castle Stuart - Caddie

Day 2 - PM: Brora - No Caddie

Day 3: Royal Dornoch - No Caddie

Day 4 - AM: Royal Aberdeen - No Caddie

Day 4 - PM: Cruden Bay - Caddie

Day 5: Trying to get on The Old Course - will take caddies if we are successful

Day 6 - AM: Kingsbarn - Caddie

Day 6 - PM: Elie - No Caddie

[cjblake09]

6 hours ago, truexbeliever said:

Hi Everyone - 

Have a Scotland trip coming up in May and I’ve been tasked with arranging caddies for the group. Looking for some advice / confirmation of what we are currently thinking. Any of these that you would change in terms of where we are planning to request caddies? Are there any of these that are harder walks / more blind shots where a caddie will be helpful?

 

Thanks!

 

Day 1: Fortrose - No Caddie

Day 2 - AM: Castle Stuart - Caddie

Day 2 - PM: Brora - No Caddie

Day 3: Royal Dornoch - No Caddie

Day 4 - AM: Royal Aberdeen - No Caddie

Day 4 - PM: Cruden Bay - Caddie

Day 5: Trying to get on The Old Course - will take caddies if we are successful

Day 6 - AM: Kingsbarn - Caddie

Day 6 - PM: Elie - No Caddie

I played the majority of those courses this past summer.  I am in the camp that you are there to have the best experiacnce possible so get caddies for every round.  Especilaly since you are playing to much it is not worth a bad round b/c you are tied from pushing your bag.  

 

We had great caddies at Dornoch and it just adds to the experiance and RA is one they they helped me out a ton.  Brora was the only course i did not have one on our trip but the course is pretty straight forward.  

 

I will say RA and CB in the same day is going to be a lot of walking and hills.  You better get a good nights sleep.

Edited February 2, 2023 by cjblake09

[scott_Donald]

I am a member at ragc. I think a caddy is very helpful or a member. Here are some examples and I have no idea how you and your friends hit it. 

 

hole 1  - pretty simple, cut off the old left bunker or draw off the right two bunkers, hit it 230 to 270. Anything past the last; bunker is very risky.

 

hole 2 - 590 ish. Depends on the wind but fairly narrows at 290 ish, don’t miss left. Second shot either lay up at 150 or 90 yards, if going to longer layup aim at the last’ fairway bunker in the right. Everything kicks right to left after tee shot choke point. Bouncing it in to the green is a lottery.

 

hole 6 - par 5 at 480, really par 4. Tee shot short of 290, second shot 20 yards short of yardage as all kicks forward. 
 

hole 9 - 460 ish but plays 500 ish. Too hard to describe what to do without wind and seeing for yourself. 
 

hole 10 - blind massive fairway, cut off left bunker, a sign says don’t hit it 250 but the further right you go the shorter you can carry it. 
 

wind is so key, with direction on how it plays, back nine far easier but again depends in the wind.

 

cruden bay is fun because it’s quirky and has so many things you need to learn there, I still can’t get the second shot at 6 right unless I luck out. You need a caddy there, I have played it a lot as friends and dad a member there! You will get to play the new 18th hole.

[cjblake09]

1 hour ago, scott_Donald said:

I am a member at ragc. I think a caddy is very helpful or a member. Here are some examples and I have no idea how you and your friends hit it. 

 

hole 1  - pretty simple, cut off the old left bunker or draw off the right two bunkers, hit it 230 to 270. Anything past the last; bunker is very risky.

 

hole 2 - 590 ish. Depends on the wind but fairly narrows at 290 ish, don’t miss left. Second shot either lay up at 150 or 90 yards, if going to longer layup aim at the last’ fairway bunker in the right. Everything kicks right to left after tee shot choke point. Bouncing it in to the green is a lottery.

 

hole 6 - par 5 at 480, really par 4. Tee shot short of 290, second shot 20 yards short of yardage as all kicks forward. 
 

hole 9 - 460 ish but plays 500 ish. Too hard to describe what to do without wind and seeing for yourself. 
 

hole 10 - blind massive fairway, cut off left bunker, a sign says don’t hit it 250 but the further right you go the shorter you can carry it. 
 

wind is so key, with direction on how it plays, back nine far easier but again depends in the wind.

 

cruden bay is fun because it’s quirky and has so many things you need to learn there, I still can’t get the second shot at 6 right unless I luck out. You need a caddy there, I have played it a lot as friends and dad a member there! You will get to play the new 18th hole.

What did they change on 18?  

 

I am also interetsed to see how the new 8th hole at Dornoch will differ from the old location.

[truexbeliever]

This is great input and I appreciate it! We have 8 guys who are all low to mid-single digit handicaps. Everyone is in their late 30’s / early 40’s, but spend more time sitting at a desk than we’d like to admit. 

 

I’m going to provide the Dornoch and RAGC feedback to the group and you’ve convinced me that I’ll be changing my request to include those two. I’ve heard the same about Brora that it’s straight forward and a relatively easy walk. 

[cjblake09]

3 minutes ago, truexbeliever said:

This is great input and I appreciate it! We have 8 guys who are all low to mid-single digit handicaps. Everyone is in their late 30’s / early 40’s, but spend more time sitting at a desk than we’d like to admit. 

 

I’m going to provide the Dornoch and RAGC feedback to the group and you’ve convinced me that I’ll be changing my request to include those two. I’ve heard the same about Brora that it’s straight forward and a relatively easy walk. 

I know everyone wants to play TOC but we did not have tee times, could not get the ballot, and i did not want to sit outside all night.  We instead walked right up to the starter shack and the new course and got on in 10 minutes and then played the Jubilee course in the afternoon and i could not have been happier with my decision.

[hammergolf]

Cruden Bay itself is a tough walk, but after playing Royal Aberdeen it would be really tough. In addition with the 3 hour drive down from Dornoch. 

Edited February 2, 2023 by hammergolf

[truexbeliever]

6 hours ago, cjblake09 said:

I know everyone wants to play TOC but we did not have tee times, could not get the ballot, and i did not want to sit outside all night.  We instead walked right up to the starter shack and the new course and got on in 10 minutes and then played the Jubilee course in the afternoon and i could not have been happier with my decision.

This is basically our plan. If we don’t get on through the ballot people can either wait in the queue or play the new course and maybe one other. I’ve waited in the queue twice, gotten on both times, and would (will?) do it again in a heart beat. 

[truexbeliever]

4 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Cruden Bay itself is a tough walk, but after playing Royal Aberdeen it would be really tough. In addition with the 3 hour drive down from Dornoch. 

Really good to know about the difficult of the walk for these two in a day. Luckily we will have a driver and I don’t know about everyone else, but I can easily sleep in a car.

[scott_Donald]

9 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Cruden Bay itself is a tough walk, but after playing Royal Aberdeen it would be really tough. In addition with the 3 hour drive down from Dornoch. 

 

Royal Aberdeen is a simple walk, basically flat, in the dunes then on top of the dunes. 

 

Cruden Bay is basically flat, then a wee hill for the 5th tee, then flat until the 8th green then you hit 'thrombosis hill', I think that is what the locals call it. Amazing views at the top and you play a very average hole from there along the field(aim further left than you think) then off the top of the hill on the tenth and its basically flat again.

 

I played Cruden Bay in the morning then Royal Aberdeen in the afternoon last March; I was dead after it as in the morning it was a pleasant 40mph wind and about 50 degrees, in the afternoon it was 50mph and about 50 degrees and rain, we were the only ones playing in the afternoon, was just field hockey. I really disliked my friends from Houston that day until we got to Rustico's in the evening and had a lovely meal!

 

4 hours ago, truexbeliever said:

Really good to know about the difficult of the walk for these two in a day. Luckily we will have a driver and I don’t know about everyone else, but I can easily sleep in a car.

 

As said assuming you are in reasonable shape, the driver will make all the difference and you should be fine, especially if you have caddies!

 

12 hours ago, cjblake09 said:

What did they change on 18?  

 

I am also interetsed to see how the new 8th hole at Dornoch will differ from the old location.

 

I have not seen it in person yet but saw the prep work in October when I last played there. The tee is now not next to the range but rather the other side of the 17th green, think it will almost be a dogleg right to the same green. It was deemed too dangerous with he massive putting and chipping area as players were hooking it left at it. I almost did it in October!

 

Some pics from October at Cruden Bay

 

And Royal Aberdeen last summer, since its a better course!

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by scott_Donald

[Hawkeye77]

Caddies at Royal Dornoch! Ours were great. 

[hammergolf]

I’ve always tried to take a caddy for every round I can in Scotland and Ireland. Sure lines off the tee and into greens help, reading putts help too. But honestly I enjoy talking with them during the round and taking in any interesting points about the course or area. 

[hammergolf]

On 2/1/2023 at 2:06 PM, scott_Donald said:

I am a member at ragc. I think a caddy is very helpful or a member. Here are some examples and I have no idea how you and your friends hit it. 

 

hole 1  - pretty simple, cut off the old left bunker or draw off the right two bunkers, hit it 230 to 270. Anything past the last; bunker is very risky.

 

hole 2 - 590 ish. Depends on the wind but fairly narrows at 290 ish, don’t miss left. Second shot either lay up at 150 or 90 yards, if going to longer layup aim at the last’ fairway bunker in the right. Everything kicks right to left after tee shot choke point. Bouncing it in to the green is a lottery.

 

hole 6 - par 5 at 480, really par 4. Tee shot short of 290, second shot 20 yards short of yardage as all kicks forward. 
 

hole 9 - 460 ish but plays 500 ish. Too hard to describe what to do without wind and seeing for yourself. 
 

hole 10 - blind massive fairway, cut off left bunker, a sign says don’t hit it 250 but the further right you go the shorter you can carry it. 
 

wind is so key, with direction on how it plays, back nine far easier but again depends in the wind.

 

cruden bay is fun because it’s quirky and has so many things you need to learn there, I still can’t get the second shot at 6 right unless I luck out. You need a caddy there, I have played it a lot as friends and dad a member there! You will get to play the new 18th hole.

Thinking about adding a week into my Portugal trip in late September. Looking at doing Aberdeenshire, Moray, and Dornoch. I would arrive on a Saturday morning into Glasgow. Thinking of playing Monifieth or Montrose on my way up to Aberdeen. Does RAGC allow visitor play on weekends? Here’s what I’m thinking itinerary wise:

Sat Montrose or Monifieth

Sun International Scotland or RAGC

Mon Cruden Bay

Tues Nairn

Wed Dornoch

Thurs Dornoch

Friday Spey Valley or Boat of Garten

Sat Fly home 

 

What would be your choice between Spey Valley and Boat of Garten? Or Monifieth and Montrose? I’ve never played either. 

[scott_Donald]

16 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Thinking about adding a week into my Portugal trip in late September. Looking at doing Aberdeenshire, Moray, and Dornoch. I would arrive on a Saturday morning into Glasgow. Thinking of playing Monifieth or Montrose on my way up to Aberdeen. Does RAGC allow visitor play on weekends? Here’s what I’m thinking itinerary wise:

Sat Montrose or Monifieth

Sun International Scotland or RAGC

Mon Cruden Bay

Tues Nairn

Wed Dornoch

Thurs Dornoch

Friday Spey Valley or Boat of Garten

Sat Fly home 

 

What would be your choice between Spey Valley and Boat of Garten? Or Monifieth and Montrose? I’ve never played either. 

 

I have never played spey Valley, it is up for sale though I think I saw the other day!

 

Montrose! hard but classic old links.

 

RAGC has certain times for visitors at weekends. I think it's 1630 on a Saturday. No idea on a Sunday, no guests before 1030, I am guessing it would be 1400 ish. 

[El Gringo]

18 hours ago, scott_Donald said:

 

I have never played spey Valley, it is up for sale though I think I saw the other day!

 

Montrose! hard but classic old links.

 

RAGC has certain times for visitors at weekends. I think it's 1630 on a Saturday. No idea on a Sunday, no guests before 1030, I am guessing it would be 1400 ish. 

I think Spey Bay is for sale. 

 

The Boat is a lovely, but tight course. Quite hilly. Never played Spey Valley. Friends say its good and it looked so in their pix. A bit heathish/moorlandish. 

 

Montrose is a solid links with a handful of wonderful holes. Land continues to erode so get their quick. 2, 3 and 6 are on the front line of the waves. Never played Monifieth. May play its second course this summer as a backup to the TOC ballot. 

[hammergolf]

5 hours ago, El Gringo said:

I think Spey Bay is for sale. 

 

The Boat is a lovely, but tight course. Quite hilly. Never played Spey Valley. Friends say its good and it looked so in their pix. A bit heathish/moorlandish. 

 

Montrose is a solid links with a handful of wonderful holes. Land continues to erode so get their quick. 2, 3 and 6 are on the front line of the waves. Never played Monifieth. May play its second course this summer as a backup to the TOC ballot. 

Thinking about adding a week to my Portugal trip and go to Scotland either the week before or after. Defintely going to play Spey Valley or Boat of Garten, Dornoch, Fraserburgh, Cruden Bay, either RAGC if available or Trump Aberdeen, and walk up for TOC. As usual more courses to play then time. Trying to decide should I play Nairn, Morey, Panmure or The New Course for the last remaining spot. I haven’t played any of those courses so any opinions would be appreciated.

[scott_Donald]

3 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Thinking about adding a week to my Portugal trip and go to Scotland either the week before or after. Defintely going to play Spey Valley or Boat of Garten, Dornoch, Fraserburgh, Cruden Bay, either RAGC if available or Trump Aberdeen, and walk up for TOC. As usual more courses to play then time. Trying to decide should I play Nairn, Morey, Panmure or The New Course for the last remaining spot. I haven’t played any of those courses so any opinions would be appreciated.

Nairn gets my vote.

[sabram]

On 2/2/2023 at 4:37 AM, scott_Donald said:

Cruden Bay is basically flat,

You may be the first person I've heard call Cruden Bay "basically flat".

 

There  are slopes and elevation change on most of the holes

 

Cruden Bay #2

 

 

Cruden Bay #3

 

 

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #5

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #6

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #7

 

 

 

Cruden Bay Tough walk from #8 green to #9 tee

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #10 elevated tee, steep walk down to fairway below

 

 

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #14 plays steeply uphill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cruden Bay Blind approach up over the hill to green at the bottom of a bowl

 

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #14 Downhill to the green

 

 

View from #16 tee which is perched high above the 15th green below

[scott_Donald]

44 minutes ago, sabram said:

You may be the first person I've heard call Cruden Bay "basically flat".

 

There  are slopes and elevation change on most of the holes

 

Cruden Bay #2

 

 

Cruden Bay #3

 

 

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #5

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #6

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #7

 

 

 

Cruden Bay Tough walk from #8 green to #9 tee

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #10 elevated tee, steep walk down to fairway below

 

 

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #14 plays steeply uphill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cruden Bay Blind approach up over the hill to green at the bottom of a bowl

 

 

 

 

Cruden Bay #14 Downhill to the green

 

 

View from #16 tee which is perched high above the 15th green below

 

Those are not big hills, I guess everyone has a different idea of what a tough walk is. for me that's walking up at mountain at 3000m to ski a good line, others its a 20m high hill on a golf course. 

[El Gringo]

4 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Thinking about adding a week to my Portugal trip and go to Scotland either the week before or after. Defintely going to play Spey Valley or Boat of Garten, Dornoch, Fraserburgh, Cruden Bay, either RAGC if available or Trump Aberdeen, and walk up for TOC. As usual more courses to play then time. Trying to decide should I play Nairn, Morey, Panmure or The New Course for the last remaining spot. I haven’t played any of those courses so any opinions would be appreciated.

I am very partial to the New Course. I also have a lot of time for Moray Old, but you need to check fairway conditions. I am told the situation is improving. Its a good course, but Nairn isn't a favourite of mine. Never played Panmure 😢. Planned a game for this summer. 

[sabram]

12 minutes ago, scott_Donald said:

 

Those are not big hills, I guess everyone has a different idea of what a tough walk is. for me that's walking up at mountain at 3000m to ski a good line, others its a 20m high hill on a golf course. 

Then for you every golf course is "basically flat" 

[scott_Donald]

12 minutes ago, sabram said:

Then for you every golf course is "basically flat" 

 

No Stonehaven is on the side of a hill and slopes to the sea and is terrible and not flat. Cruden Bay is basically flat! I certainly try to hit it in the flat bits there!

Edited February 5, 2023 by scott_Donald

[El Gringo]

2 hours ago, scott_Donald said:

 

No Stonehaven is on the side of a hill and slopes to the sea and is terrible and not flat. Cruden Bay is basically flat! I certainly try to hit it in the flat bits there!

TOC is much flatter than Cruden Bay and I wouldn't say TOC is flat. It may have very little total elevation change, but it ain't flat. 

[hammergolf]

3 hours ago, El Gringo said:

I am very partial to the New Course. I also have a lot of time for Moray Old, but you need to check fairway conditions. I am told the situation is improving. Its a good course, but Nairn isn't a favourite of mine. Never played Panmure 😢. Planned a game for this summer. 

New is the only St. Andrews Links course I haven’t played so definitely going to play there. I’m really looking forward to Dornoch, Cruden Bay, and hopefully RAGC. But very excited to play Fraserburgh as well. The tough round to book is going to be the Saturday when I arrive in Glasgow from Lisbon because I don’t arrive until mid morning. I’d like to play Castle Stuart since I really enjoy Gil Hanse designs, but I don’t think I’ll have enough daylight to finish. 

[El Gringo]

5 hours ago, hammergolf said:

New is the only St. Andrews Links course I haven’t played so definitely going to play there. I’m really looking forward to Dornoch, Cruden Bay, and hopefully RAGC. But very excited to play Fraserburgh as well. The tough round to book is going to be the Saturday when I arrive in Glasgow from Lisbon because I don’t arrive until mid morning. I’d like to play Castle Stuart since I really enjoy Gil Hanse designs, but I don’t think I’ll have enough daylight to finish. 

You could try Gleneagles. If you don't mind seriously hilly, Pitlochry is right on the A9. It's a nice town as well if you decide to spend the night. There is also a pretty good putting green in town which may be of interest. Its no Himalayas, but what is? A bit out of the way is Blairgowrie.

 

You will eventually drive right by Covesea. Its a cool 9 holer near Lossiemouth. Get up a bit early if you have to. It only costs a pittance and you will be delayed 1.5 hours, so not a big deal if you don't like it. 

Edited February 6, 2023 by El Gringo

[hammergolf]

13 hours ago, El Gringo said:

You could try Gleneagles. If you don't mind seriously hilly, Pitlochry is right on the A9. It's a nice town as well if you decide to spend the night. There is also a pretty good putting green in town which may be of interest. Its no Himalayas, but what is? A bit out of the way is Blairgowrie.

 

You will eventually drive right by Covesea. Its a cool 9 holer near Lossiemouth. Get up a bit early if you have to. It only costs a pittance and you will be delayed 1.5 hours, so not a big deal if you don't like it. 

Yeah, looked at Gleneagles. I’ve played the Kings and need to get to the Queens at some point and that may be the best option given the time I arrive. Thanks for the other info. 

[jdpilot]

On 2/1/2023 at 11:28 AM, truexbeliever said:

Hi Everyone - 

Have a Scotland trip coming up in May and I’ve been tasked with arranging caddies for the group. Looking for some advice / confirmation of what we are currently thinking. Any of these that you would change in terms of where we are planning to request caddies? Are there any of these that are harder walks / more blind shots where a caddie will be helpful?

 

Thanks!

 

Day 1: Fortrose - No Caddie

Day 2 - AM: Castle Stuart - Caddie

Day 2 - PM: Brora - No Caddie

Day 3: Royal Dornoch - No Caddie

Day 4 - AM: Royal Aberdeen - No Caddie

Day 4 - PM: Cruden Bay - Caddie

Day 5: Trying to get on The Old Course - will take caddies if we are successful

Day 6 - AM: Kingsbarn - Caddie

Day 6 - PM: Elie - No Caddie

All of these courses are fantastic. The best caddies I’ve ever had were at Royal Dornoch - Ali many years ago and then the greenskeeper’s daughter in 2018.