Machrihanish Dunes

Machrihanish Dunes sits within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (monitored by Scottish Natural Heritage) and because of constraints imposed to protect selected wetland areas and dune formations, the routing avoids a number of excluded zones on the property leading, as a consequence, to some lengthy walks along grass paths between holes.

Fairways are mown but they're far from manicured because the use of fertilizers and installation of drainage or irrigation is forbidden. In fact, the playing corridors remain virtually untouched here so expect very few even lies on any of the holes as the heaving landform rises and falls dramatically between tee and green – this is basic, no frills golf in as natural a setting as you could imagine.

The rough remains uncut (there are flocks of roaming sheep to keep the grass down) and bunkers – some are absolutely enormous – are located in all sorts of unlikely places, having originally been formed by burrowing animals over the years. Greens are described in the course yardage guide as "audacious" but they reflect, rather than complement, the testing topography of the site.

The club, after listening to golfers who complained about excessive blindness, long walks between holes, length of the rough and severity of the greens, decided in 2011 to carry out some remedial work to address these problems. Tees were re-positioned, new paths created and a program of rough management was undertaken. A number of bunkers were reshaped, and the large, hidden bunker on the par five 8th was removed. More importantly, six greens were modified and the putting surface at the 17th hole re-positioned forty yards closer to the fairway.