Kilspindie a wonderful par-69 test
ABERLADY, Scotland – The Kilspindie Golf Club was the perfect way to ease into our 12-day sojourn across Scotland.
Kilspindie is a wonderful par-69 18-holer just west of Gullane, our home base for the first seven days. It’s a mix of short and several man-sized par 4s that were playing into the wind on the back nine. Several holes are adjacent to the North Sea, where a gigantic cargo ship was anchored for the day. It provided a neat backdrop.
Kilspindie is the anti-golf course from what we play on around the Shoals, particularly this year with the excess amount of rain we have had in North Alabama. At Kilspindie, the ball actually runs out through the green and it becomes somewhat of a guessing game as where to land the ball. Drives that normally got 220 or 230 in Alabama, will roll out 20, 30 and even 40 yards. It’s how I almost drove a 285-yard par 4 and another 250-yarder that was into the wind. So much fun to be able to play different types of shots into greens rather than just launching something into the air and watching it stick.
I used every club in my bag. I used a 7-iron for a pitch from about 45 yards and watched it run just past the hole. I also jarred a flop shot from 30 yards that for an eagle 2. Another time I rolled a putt into the cup for a birdie from 35 feet from off the green.
I love the fact that so many holes have benches on the tee box. They came in handy about No. 15 when I was running out of steam. Yeah, it’s been a while since I carried for 18 holes.
It was amazing to see how many people were out enjoying Kilspindie on a fabulous weather day in Scotland. Started out with a pullover and by the fourth hole was sweating, so it came off. Just a little bit of a light breeze. And there were tons of women playing. That’s good for the game.
Several holes stood out at Kilspindie. Holes 2-4 play directly along the beach and North Sea. The fourth hole was the star – a par 4 along the ocean to a green tucked in a corner of the property. The 10th hole is a downhill par 3 that plays 152 yards. Just a gorgeous hole that gives a panoramic view of the property and the distant North Sea. From the tips, Kilspindie is only 5,494 yards, but I could see how it could play tougher if the wind really got howling.
Our scores were pretty good for the first day. Eric Peterson shot 73; I shot 74; and Dan Vukelich and Jerry Felts each shot 83.
We’re ready for Day 2 at Gullane No. 3.
Gregg Dewalt is the editor of Alabama Golf News
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Featured image of the Scottish coast courtesy of CNN.
