SCOTTISH GOLF
We love golf. And more than that, we love Scottish golf. Scotland is, after all, the homeland of the game. More than compensating for Scotland’s unpredictable weather, the quality and variety of the Scottish golf courses is unsurpassed.
For Peter Johnston, the pursuit of the perfect course is a mission. As he notches up his weekend scorecards, he shares with you here his personal favourites.
Archerfield Links, East Lothian, Scotland
Archerfield Links is a private members' golf club an hour's drive from Edinburgh. It is based around the splendid country retreat of Archerfield House, a magnificent estate situated between Gullane and North Berwick in picturesque East Lothian, on which golf has been played for centuries.
Meandering along the edges of the Firth of Forth at the point at which it widens into the sea, Archerfield offers not one, but two superb David J. Russell designed links courses — Fidra and Dirleton, each 7,000 yards in length. Lying between between Muirfield and North Berwick, two great and famous courses, it shares the same coastline, the same views and the same terrain. Bounded by pinewoods and sand dunes, with fast-running links and opening out onto spectacular views of the Forth Estuary and the Bass Rock, this is a truly beautiful setting.
Peter says, “Archerfield is a precious jewel of a golf club that I delight in having had the privilege to play. It has a unique appeal for me. There’s a relaxed feeling of belonging, being part of something different and special: it greets you like an old friend anxious to share your enjoyment of the great game; it offers perfect harmony between golf’s great traditions and a modern mind-set. First class.
Of the two courses, my personal favourite is Fidra – it’s a challenge and a real thinker’s course. The contrast between the pine tree lined front nine with the more open back nine makes for a varied game and scenery – two rounds from one course, with each turn offering a fresh start. Stand out holes for me on the front nine are the long par 5 2nd with its great dog-leg and the difficult par 3 4th for the challenging club selection to hit the green surrounded by trees through which you can just glimpse Fidra rock. On the back nine, the 11th is a tricky par 5: I need 100% concentration and a handful of luck to negotiate the well-positioned bunkers in order to hit that velvety smooth green.
All in all, this is 7,000 yards of golfing magic and one of my top rated golfing experiences in Scotland.”