History does not tell us how long
the journey was for the preeminent
course builder of his day, but it does
record that he survived the journey
and extended a few basic holes that
were the original creation of Mr.
David Colville and three of his
friends, who assembled on the rugged dunes of Machrihanish after the
snow had melted on the morning of
Monday, March 20, 1876, to open a
course that is now one of the most revered of Scotland’s great links.
I have to confess, however, that my
own soft spot for this enchanting,
historic and still remote corner of
Scotland is not altogether confined to
the lure of this classic piece of golfing
ground, although goodness knows that
is reason enough. It is additionally
influenced by the fact that it lies deep
in the heart of Clan Campbell country,
and comfortably close to Campbell
Clan HQ at the beautiful Inveraray
Castle, seat of the 28th McCailein Mor,
the 35th Chief of Clan Campbell, His
Grace the 13th Duke of Argyll.
For those of you with a fondness for authentic links golf, the tilt of
the kilt, the skirl of the pipes and the
type of Scottish country dancing that
a former golf writing colleague of mine
once, rather intemperately, described
as “jock jumping,” this is a truly magi-
cal place to seek out. But ‘ca’ canny’,
as they say in these parts, it’s still not
the easiest of places on the planet to
access, although the good news is that
the journey down the long and wind-
ing road is becoming just a bit easier.
