12 Royal Dornoch Championship

12 Royal Dornoch Championship

Architect: T Morris Stats: 6,595 yds, par 70, SSS 73 GF: £45-£100 Visitor information: Visitors welcome seven days a week with limited availability on Saturdays W: royaldornoch.com 2008 Ranking: 17 (Up 5) Improvements since 2008 Rankings: Course: None Clubhouse: None  

Those who have made the pilgrimage to Dornoch talk of the course in a mixture of joyful exaltations and hushed tones of reverence. And, until you have played it yourself, it's hard to grasp what these disciples are on about. St Andrews aside, no course in the UK or Ireland casts a spell on the golfer like Royal Dornoch does. The layout is wonderfully natural, shaped to fit the undulating coastal terrain. With sloping fairways, daunting run-offs, swathes of gorse and cavernous bunkers, Dornoch is a unique links course in a mesmerising setting.

Panellists' comments: "Its secret is the perfect balance of charm and challenge"; "Isolation is part of its immense appeal"

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