Gullane No. 3 features strong set of par 3s
GULLANE, Scotland – Our second round of our trip to Scotland came at Gullane No. 3, a fun, par-67 course that features six par 3s and one par 5. Like Kilspindie, Gullane No. 3 has a nice mix of short par 4s and a couple of difficult ones. It seems like the longest par 4s were always into the breeze of the North Sea.
Gullane No. 3 doesn’t play alongside the water, but it offers up some spectacular views of both the North Sea and the surrounding countryside. To get to those views, though, you have to climb up a very steep hill between the third green and the fourth tee.
And once you get to the fourth tee, you face a 250-yard uphill par 4 into the breeze. The views open up once you crest the hill to the fourth green, and it’s hard to figure out whether you are breathing heavily because of the hike up the incline or because of the views. Probably a little of both, to be honest.
Once you get past the fourth hole, the next 11 holes are played through a valley. Eventually the course routes you back to the top of the hill – Gullane No. 3 is listed at 5,134 yards – but it is a tougher walk than the slightly lengthier Kilspindie that we played Monday.
The 15th hole is a scorecard-listed 176-yard par 3 that plays straight downhill and down wind. The front of the green is open and it lends itself playing a shot that hits short and runs onto the surface of a punchbowl type of green
Before our round, the Gullane starter told me that he recently hit a putter on that green from the tee. After I clipped my punch 8-iron onto the back of the green, I dropped another ball and took out my L.A.B. putter. Factoring the slope, it was a 142-yard shot and I rolled my “putt” to within 15 feet of the hole. Such a crazy, fun shot to try with nothing on the line.
The strongest part of Gullane No. 3 is its six par 3s that range from 135 yards to 186 yards. The wind factor today was about 1-club or 1.5 clubs as it never really died down on another gorgeous day. I hit 3-hybrid into two of the longer holes, 8-iron into a couple of others and mid-irons into the other.
Something else that stands out so far on this Scottish golf trip is the bunkering. Neither Kilspindie and Gullane No. 3 are over bunkered, but the ones that are there are well-placed, waiting to gobble up any errant tee or approach shots. The sand is much heavier than what we are used to, and it’s no lie when they say it’s about a half-stroke penalty if you get in one.
Our scores today were similar to Monday’s – I shot 74, Eric Peterson shot 78 and the other two were in the low-to-mid 80s.
North Berwick is next – with caddies, no less. It’s the one so-called “top-tier” course we have lined up.
Gregg Dewalt is the editor of Alabama Golf News
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Featured image of the Scottish coast courtesy of CNN.
