The Machrie

The Machrie is one of the older venues you will find on the NCG Top 100s: Great Britain & Ireland list, with the original layout of the golf course dating back to 1891.

 

The venue is one of the most westernmost in the entire country, situated on the Isle of Islay, off the coast of Scotland. It is also the only venue on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list to call the Isle of Islay home.

Willie Campbell was the man to design the original layout, with DJ Russell coming in during the 2010s to redesign the 18-hole championship course into what we see today.

 

Read our full piece on The Machrie Resort here.
Visit The Machrie’s website here.  

Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage. 

 

The Machrie's history dates back to 1891. Willie Campbell - an eight-time top-ten finisher at the Open Championship during his playing career - was the man to lay out the original course on the southwest coast of the Isle of Islay.

A decade on, the triumvirate of James Braid, JH Taylor and Harry Vardon played a challenge match at The Machrie. The prize, £100, was the richest prize in golf at that time in 1901.

Changes have been made over the last century, but the major redesign came over a five year period in the 2010s. Former DP World Tour winner DJ Russell was brought in to make changes, and in the end, he redesigned the course to make it into the 18-hole layout it is today. It opened in 2018, with fewer blind shots and more expansive views of the sea along the front nine. 

 

Measuring more than 7,000 yards from the Championship Black tees, the Par 72 layout at The Machrie is long, especially if the sea breeze is in your face. However, with four teeing options to choose from, fun can be had for players of all levels and abilities. The redesign from Russell features contoured greens, run-offs and swales, revetted bunkers and much more to make The Machrie a true links test. 

 

It begins with a tricky, medium-length par 4 that moves from left to right. A trio of bunkers sit on the inside corner of the dog-leg, which forces you to aim further to the left. However, in doing so, it means your approach to the green will be much longer. A burn comes into play down the left of the 2nd, the first par 5 on the card. Three bunkers on the outside of this dog-leg left are the aiming point off the tee, with a 275-yard reach to the first one. No sand by the green might make you think it is easier, but the run-offs, especially towards the burn on the left, are severe.

 

The 3rd is the first short hole at The Machrie, and at 175 yards, it all depends on the wind direction... Two bunkers guard the front portion of the green, so make sure you take enough club to carry them. The fairway on the 4th is one of the wiest on the property, but the two bunkers in the very centre of it can cause problems. The green is 46 yards deep, so make sure you know where the flag is, or you might be left with a tricky two-putt. 5 is a tough par 4, with a split fairway. From the Blues, you have 260 yards to the end of the first section, which does only leave you with 120 yards in, so driver might not be necessary for some...

 

Five of the 18 holes play with the North Atlantic Ocean at their side, with the 6th and 7th tees basically being situated on the beach. A bunker in the middle of 6 is the ideal line, providing you don't hit it straight into it, and at 360 yards, it is one of the easier 4s on the course. They get shorter, though, with the 7th being just 305 yards in length. Working out the right place to leave yourself is the key, especially with a severely undulating putting surface. The fairway runs out on the 8th around the 260-yard mark, just like the 5th. On 8, though, if you are not down the right side of the short grass, then you will have a blind approach to a long and thin green. 

 

The 9th and 14th holes – both par 3s, are two of the signature holes on the layout. The former is the shortest hole on the course at just 140 yards and plays out towards the sea. Six greenside bunkers lie in wait for any errant shot. 14 features no bunkers, but that does not mean it is an easy hole. It is only 150 yards to the centre, but the green is 40 yards in length, and very much two-tiered.

After facing the sea on the 9th, you turn away from the coastline and play inwards to start the back nine. 10 is a lengthy par 4, while the 11th could be seen as drivable. The former requires a drive of 210 yards to clear the water issues on the left side of the fairway, and even from there, you still have close to 200 left in. 11 is only 280 yards from the tips but it is narrow, playing through a valley of heather. Off the Blues, the 12th is a 495-yard par 5, and with a solid drive, reachable in two for longer hitters. 13 is the Stroke Index 1, a 450-yard par 4 that moves slightly from right to left after the tee shot. A 250-yard drive will clear you of the mounds on either side, and give you the best view of the putting surface.

 

The closing stretch begins at 15 with another split fairway on a par 4. At 350 yards, you have two options - hit an iron to stay on the first bit of fairway and leave yourself a longer approach, or go for it with driver and take on the 240-yard carry to the second section of fairway. At 445 yards, the 16th is one of the longest par 4s on the layout, and also one of the toughest. Pretty much wherever your tee shot ends up, you will have a blind or semi-blind approach to the green, so work out your line and commit to your shot!

 

The penultimate hole is only 315 yards from the Blues, and the longest hitters might fancy their chances. The hole features another split fairway, a recurring theme at The Machrie, with a 190-yard carry required to find the second section, which is wider than the first - so it's worth going for... The closing hole at The Machrie offers one final scoring chance as it winds its way back to the clubhouse. It is a tricky par 5 with a total of five bunkers. However, with a solid drive, this could be reachable in two and offer up an eagle opportunity at the last... 
 

Where is The Machrie located?
The Machrie is the westernmost Scottish venue on the NCG Top 100: GB&I Golf Courses list. It is not on the mainland of the country, instead situated on the Isle of Islay. The Machrie sits just south of Glenmachrie, while Port Ellen - one of the biggest towns on the island and one of the best ways to get across to mainland Scotland - is five miles southeast of the venue.

 

There is no train service on the Isle of Islay, but Islay Airport lies just a couple of miles north of The Machrie. Loganair runs daily flights to Glasgow Airport, from where visitors can transfer on to flights to a much wider range of destinations. There are also ferry terminals on both ends of the island, for those driving to The Machrie. 

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?
The Machrie is the only venue on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list that cales the Isle of Islay home. Ardfin is the closest venue to The Machrie, across the water on the Isle of Jura. After that, it would require a ferry to the mainland to get to the trio of Machrihanish, Machrihanish Dunes and Dunaverty on the Kintyre Peninsula.

What golf facilities does The Machrie offer?  
The Machrie is also home to the Wee Course, a fine six-hole stretch which sits between 17 and 18 of the championship layout. The six greens are in a small complex, with six teeing options, providing the opportunity to play 36 different holes ranging from 210 yards to just short pitches and chips. 

 

The Machrie also has the Hebrides Putting Green, which was inspired by the Himalayas at St Andrews. The putting green is more than 4,500 square metres and has a range of contours and slopes to make putting a challenge but also enjoyable. 

There is also a short game area for players to work on their chipping and bunker play before taking to the golf course. The Machrie also has a covered driving range to allow golfers to practice in all conditions. The range has several target greens as well, ranging from 50 to 270 yards.
  

What are the green fees at The Machrie?
The price of a green fee at The Machrie changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. 

 

For more information on current green fees at The Machrie, visit their website here. 

Read our full piece on The Machrie Resort here.
Visit The Machrie’s website here.

Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.