‘My favourite round of golf of all time'
I'm at the home of golf, the place where it all began, on the first day of my Marine & Lawn Grand Tour — a customisable experience that allows golfers to combine fine hotels and food with the most iconic courses across Scotland and Northern Ireland. On this there's no need to consider logistics — everything is arranged, from tee times to dinner reservations and transfers to caddies. The only thing I need to worry about is getting the ball around 18 challenging holes of links golf without being distracted by the natural beauty.
The company offers six hotels and resorts to choose from, including Dornoch Station, Marine North Berwick and Slieve Donard. My playing partner and I visit three: Rusacks St Andrews and Marine Troon in Scotland and the newly opened Portrush Adelphi in Northern Ireland, a short stroll away from Royal Portrush Golf Club, the venue for July's Open Championship.
Having never visited the Old Course on which the sport was born more than 600 years ago, St Andrews seemed like the perfect place to start our four-night adventure. Just an hour's drive from Edinburgh airport, the little coastal town is a delightful mix of traditional windswept stone buildings and natural beauty. It's also a temple to golf, with endless parades of golf shops, statues, pubs and plaques commemorating Tom Morris, the godfather of modern golf.
At the heart of the town, a few feet from the final green of the Old Course, is our first stop-off: the outstanding Rusacks. First opened in 1887, the original towering townhouse mansion has been sympathetically extended to create a luxurious yet relaxed country-style boutique hotel. Interiors are rich with wood panelling and bookshelves, framed pictures of golfing adventures, chandeliers, intricate wooden floors and heavy-piled patterned rugs. Our room, at the front of the hotel, has views over the beach on which the opening scenes of Chariots of Fire were filmed, and is a wonderful place to rest and relax after a round of golf, with a big bathtub and walk-in shower.
The staff, who genuinely seem to love the town, the hotel and its history, recommend lunch at One Under Bar, which feels like a cross between a traditional brick-walled pub and smart clubhouse — and serves a delicious Scottish charcuterie board. We're keen to get playing, though, so having picked up our Titleist rental clubs (we wanted to travel light — but you can take your own) and got instructions on where to pick up our caddies, we were off in our hire car.
The Grand Tour organisers have matched our golfing abilities (an 18-20ish handicap) with courses that are both challenging and enjoyable. First stop, Dumbarnie Links, about 20 minutes away — a beautifully designed modern golf course that occupies 375 pretty acres overlooking the Firth of Forth. After a wee dram on the first tee with our caddies, we enjoy a testing but exhilarating 18 holes under the spring sun: a glorious introduction to links golf (please don't ask my score). Then it's time for a delicious seafood dinner at Rusacks, with sunset views over the Old Course.
The next day it's time to play the famous St Andrews links. The New Course, designed by Tom Morris in 1895, is the oldest 'new' course in the world, and runs parallel to the hallowed turf where golf began. With the wind behind me I manage a birdie on the par-five 3rd. I'm Tiger Woods, I think, or Rory McIlroy. Alas no. I finish with 91, but will never forget that birdie.
Things get even better at our next stop, Room 116 at Rusacks, an intimate lounge and bar that celebrates two of Scotland's greatest gifts to the world — golf and whisky. After a tasting experience of the Glendronach Highland Single Malt amid pictures of golfing legends, and seafood and steak at 18 Rooftop Restaurant, set high up above the golf links, we drive two and a half hours to Marine Troon.
The light and airy hotel on the Ayrshire coast, with views over the Isle of Arran, is just feet away from the 18th fairway of the Royal Troon Golf Club, nine-time host of the Open. The building, originally a manor house from 1894, has plenty of period charm, with rich woods and chandeliers, floral wallpapers and deep carpets — and views from every window of the coast and the course.
After a delicious lunch at the Seal Bar (named after the first hole at Troon), it's time to try Dunbonald Links, which has hosted the Scottish Women's Open and the final qualifying for the Open Championship. Here we are kept on our toes by water, cauldron bunkers and some spectacularly undulating greens, then soothed by Marine Troon's comfortable and relaxed restaurant, the Rabbit, where we feast on delicious fresh trout and pork belly. Sadly there's little time to visit the hotel's large pool and spa, because the next morning we have a half-hour flight to take from Glasgow to Belfast and an hour's road trip to the charming seaside town of Portrush.
As we drive past Royal Portrush Golf Course, the stands have already been put up for this summer's Open Championships and the area is buzzing with activity. Our hotel, the Adelphi, converted from a grand townhouse, is a block away from the beach and, like the others, has dark polished woods and leather furniture to sink into and a plethora of golfing and nautical touches to remind you where you are. Although the room is spacious and comfortable, the sunshine and nearby seashore lure us out — as does more golf.
Our final 18 holes are 15 minutes' away, along the coast road, at Portstewart Golf Club, host of the Irish Open and rated one of the top 100 golf courses by Golf Digest. We've been told the views are impressive, but nothing can prepare us for the majesty of the opening nine holes. Framed by the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean, the moody sky, rolling dunes and tricky manicured greens, this is a course that assaults the senses (in a very good way). It is also extremely challenging. Without our incredibly patient caddies, we might still be on the course. But after Guinness on tap at the halfway house, and a back nine offering us a few more chances for par, we make the final hole before dark. Afterwards, on the clubhouse balcony overlooking the beach, we agree: this is our favourite round of golf — not just on the tour, but of all time.
Hosted by the Adelphi's friendly, chatty staff, we celebrate with more excellent seafood (ranging from cured sea bass and crab linguine to risotto di mare) and a cocktail in the bar. I did get around Portstewart in double digits — and that has to be worth celebrating.
As we drive back to Belfast the following morning, I reflect on the lessons I've learnt. I probably need to have some golf lessons in a bunker. Apparently it's not always 25C and sunny on these links courses. But, most of all, the Grand Tour is most worthy of its name.
A four-night golf trip with Marine & Lawn costs from £5,000 per person, including accommodation, golf and transfers (but not flights and food), marineandlawn.com
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The Guardian
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