Nairn Dunbar

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Nairn Dunbar Golf Club © 2006, Richard & Mary-Alice Jafolla A Worthy Challenger Think Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier . Think Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Think Nairn and Nairn Dunbar. Champions all. But just as Ali and Woods have the more glitter and fame, so does Nairn Golf Club, the seaside links sitting snuggly on the ocean, outshines its neighbor two miles away. Too bad, really, because Nairn Dunbar Golf Club is a superb layout well worth a play. But being in such close proximity to its more famous neighbor, it seems destined to always be an unnoticed stepchild. Nairn Dunbar is really quite a nice golf course with some excellent holes. I've not yet played it but did have a chance to walk around it and talk to some of the members. I was impressed--especially with the outward nine. Holes 4 thru 7 will give any golfer all he or she can handle, with pines, gorse, and broom adding to the miseries of any wayward shot. Even the shorter holes can mean trouble if you are not careful. For example, the 2nd is rated the third easiest but the green is hidden and slopes downward from front to back. Position off the tee is critical. The 5th is the highest rated and with good reason. Not only must you be accurate off the tee funneling your shot onto a narrow fairway, your approach must be to the middle or right side to give you a good look at a devilishly tough green--two-thirds of which sits in a bowl! Then there are the elevated greens on the difficult 6th and 7th to think about. Club choice is critical if you are to par either. The finishing hole is a good one--not too difficult but, as you can see by the photos below, it's easy to make a bogie or worse if your approach is short. An excellent finishing hole. Your second shot must hit on the far left side of the green to take care of the slope, otherwise you'll be pitching up to this highly contoured green. The 18th green from the back with the clubhouse in the background. (Keep in mind that golf clubhouses are always a good option for a meal.) I liked what I saw at Nairn Dunbar. The golf course looks to be challenging, interesting and one that needs lots of imagination to score well. I'm eager to play it. Golf Nook Scotland rating - Not Yet Rated Scorecard: Location -- Lochloy Road, off the A96 at the eastern end of the town of Nairn. Professional: (0)1667 453964 Secretary: (0)1667 452741 www.nairndunbar.com ____________________________________________________________ What To Do All Day If you stay in Dornoch while your travel partner plays one of the two championship courses in Nairn, then you'll want to refer to the Northern Highlands page. But I encourage you to come along to Nairn (about an hour and a 20 minute drive from Dornoch) and spend the time in this pleasent town instead. The colourful town centre of Nairn is a very quick walk from the Nairn Dunbar golf course. Please see the Nairn page for a write-up of the town and the short, easy directions to get there.