Royal Dornoch Golf Club in Scotland has opened a new par-3 hole in its Struie Course.
Golf course architect and club member Tom Mackenzie, a founding director of design firm Mackenzie & Ebert, joined captain Gary Bethune and course manager Eoin Riddell for a close look at the 175-yard hole which has emerged from linksland by the Dornoch Firth.
Riddell and the greenkeeping team were entrusted with the task of turning Ebert’s vision into reality, overcoming challenging weather and terrain during the construction process.
“It is the only hole on either of the courses that faces in the south-east direction towards the Dornoch Firth,” explained Eoin. “It is a stunning addition to the Struie Course, a real cracker.
“Building this hole has been our biggest challenge as a greenkeeping team, including Tom’s brief for realigning the 7th and 8th holes on the Championship Course. The weather didn’t exactly play ball during the construction phase, with JCBs getting bogged down at some points.
“We had to think on our feet but that has made the end result even more rewarding for the greenkeeping team.”
General manager Neil Hampton, who mapped out the background to the project, said: “We are delighted with Tom’s addition to the Struie. It has been met with a very positive reception from members and guests. We knew that the first hole would be impacted when work got under way on the new clubhouse, which is now nearing completion.
“There was an element of future-proofing when the project was approved at the 2023 annual general meeting. With that in mind, Tom identified a piece of land looking over the Firth towards the lighthouse at Portmahomack.
“This is a scenic hole running at a different angle to any of the others at Royal Dornoch and players must factor in any crosswinds from the tee. It’s a wonderful addition, with an infinity green guarded by a couple of bunkers at the front. It has been maturing remarkably quickly. The green surface is excellent, and it will be in even better condition next season.
“This addition has also allowed for new tees to be created for the 10th hole, which now runs along the coastline. There was some anxiety among members about how those changes would impact a hole which is among their favourites. We retained the two landmark trees, and I’m delighted to say that the feedback has been excellent. It is definitely an improvement.”
A new £1.5 million irrigation system has helped the new hole bed-in and in years to come it will be integral to the club’s ambitious plans to develop the Struie Course and create an additional course on 50 acres of land acquired last year.