Moray Old: Classic Scottish links golf at its best

Oct. 12, 2003 By David Brice Special to GolfWeb

High on the list of things that are automatically associated with Scotland are whisky and golf, two of life's more enjoyable pleasures. Either is good on its own, but combine the two and logic says, you can only have twice the pleasure.

Any visit to the Scottish Highlands presents numerous opportunities to do just that: combine golf on some exceptional links courses with visits to a whisky distillery or two. Failing the visits, you can just take a little off-course time at a friendly pub to sample as many of the more than 100 single malt whiskeys produced in these parts, as you please.

Royal Dornoch and Nairn are certainly going to be on your list of links to play, located in whisky country. But there are others, maybe with names that are not so familiar, that should also be included. Two of the best can be found at Moray Golf Club, located in the seaside town of Lossiemouth, gateway to the famous Speyside region of Scotch whisky fame.

Moray Golf Club is the proud possessor of two excellent links layouts. The original course, Moray Old, dates from 1889 and is a legacy of the 19th Century, master of golf architecture and early British Opens, Old Tom Morris. The second course, Moray New, may only be a 24-year-old youngster, but it started out in life as a nine-holer back in 1906. Today's 18 holes are the design of another British Open champion, Henry Cotton.

It's not uncommon to find a Scottish golf club with two courses; what makes Moray unusual is that the two located here are both top quality and as different, one from the other, as chalk is to cheese. It's one of those situations that call out, demanding you play both courses and make your own judgment.

Moray Old is a simple out and back layout, much the same as The Old Course at St. Andrews, with other similarities to the Grand Old Lady along the way. This is classic golf of the highest order, placing Moray Old among the very best traditional links of Scotland.

The first seven holes of Moray follow the coastline of the Moray Firth. (Provided to Golfweb)

The first seven holes follow the coastline of the Moray Firth to the far reaches of the property, then a few holes play up, down and around the sand dunes before the turn for home, tracking along the shore.

Generous fairways and formidable bunkering are hallmarks of Moray Old, including good old-fashioned, cross-bunkers. The greens are as good as any you will play in Scotland, seemingly quite flat, but with more than a fair share of subtle contours and rolls.

Seldom can it be said a course has no bad holes, but that is the case here. Old Moray is very fair, and what you see is what you get. There are no blind holes, no crafty, half hidden bunkers -- all the trouble is in full view, almost daring you to take it on.

What this course has in common with links the world over is a buffeting wind that can whistle in from the North Sea, changing direction and velocity on a whim, a reminder that nothing about a links course should be too predictable.

One of the great joys among the many offered by Moray Old is the closing hole, some say the best in all Scotland and again, reminiscent of the 18th at St. Andrews Old, just a tad tougher. The green is more elevated and very heavily bunkered, but it's a home hole that will live in your memory for many years to come.

Then it's on to the 19th and one of the most welcoming clubhouses you are likely to find anywhere. Linger here for a while and take in the atmosphere of more than a hundred years of golf. Taste a single malt or two at the bar (the well informed bartender will gladly make recommendations), chat with a few of the local members and take the opportunity to look through the club's extensive collection of golfing memorabilia. It's all quite impressive.

And that may be the most appropriate word to describe Moray Golf Club, because everything about it is just that -- impressive. Above all, The Old Course is one you will really enjoy. Yes it has plenty of challenge, but everything served is offered in good fun. Then it's on to play Moray New and just a short drive away, those famous whisky distilleries just waiting to impress your taste buds.

For suggestions on how to combine some of the finest links courses in the Highlands with a dram or two of Scotland's best single malts, click here.

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