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Hole by hole - the amateur caddie's guide

By DAVID KELSO, who has been pitting his wits against the course for
more than 45 years.

All distances from yellow tees

1: DRUID 127 yds par 3 On the face of it, a nice gentle start - but just wait for the potential stings in the tail! It can seem to be as calm as the Doldrums on the tee, however at the same time the breeze can be swirling around the green. Take a look at the tops of the trees behind the green to see how they are behaving before deciding on your club. Tricky traps to left of green and at the front right. In the height of summer, ALWAYS try to give yourself an uphill putt or you will risk trundling back off the cut surface, even with the most deft of strikes. Degree of difficulty 7 out of 10 Top tip: Err on the side of being tee-side of the pin.
2: PUNCHBOWL 134yds par 3 Named after the Devil's Punchbowl on the mountainside - and the original shape of the green. This used to be a mecca for hole-in-one merchants because so many kind bounces resulted in the ball funnelling towards the cup. It is a different story nowadays with the flat green, which makes it hard to clear the old oak tree and make the ball settle quickly close to the pin. Danger lurks on the left and approach can be awkward from the right. Degree of difficulty 6 Top tip: Aim for the peak of Cir Mhor, the mountain that stands alone in the middle of the glen.
3: ROWAN TREE 219 yds par 4 This might be one of the shortest par fours you have played, but it certainly won't be the easist. Big hitters can go the distance, but for others the initial priority is just to get that ball over the gulley. The green is hugely deceptive - however it is far from being the level table you may imagine. It drops away from right to left, meaning that any approach shot must be directed well above the pin. Many locals favour the trundle shot on to the green as opposed to a lofted pitch (some of them even mean to keep the ball on the deck!). Degree of difficulty 8 Top top: keep left of centre from the tee - then keep right of target on approach.
4: WELL 130 yds par 3 The wind means everything at this attractive downhill hole. More often than not, it blows across the ideal line of flight from right to left. The lie of the land also encourages you to aim right of the green in the hope of the ball being buffeted towards the short grass. Speaking of grass, the "beware of the adders" sign is NOT a spoof. There is no danger, however, as long as you don't try to touch or interfere with any snakes you may spy. Degree of difficulty 5 Top tip: Better to be short of the green rather than in the tangly stuff at the back or to the left (and don't pick up the adders!).
5: MOUNT PLEASANT 97 yds par 3 The teeniest hole on the course - but also the meanest. It can be a lung-buster, heartbreaker and card-breaker rolled into one. Blind tee- shot uphill to the hidden green and you will see why I re-named it Monunt UNpleasant when I was a youngster. It is the type of hole that can offer a birdie two with a solid strike to the top - but it is more likely to throw up a 12 if you can't achieve instant altitude. Degree of difficulty 9 Top tip: It may be 97 yards on the card - when you select your club, think about adding 30 yards to your reckoning. Better to be slightly long than even an inch short of the brow of the hill.
6: SMEARING HOUSE 238 yds par 4 Named after the old stone building straight ahead, where the McKinnon family smeared, dipped clipped and dosed their blackface flock. And unless you are a long hitter, it is a good aiming point. Uphill approach to the postage-stamp green in the corner needs to be pinpoint - and a popular ploy is to use the bank at the rear as a cushion for the ball to trickle back to the heart of the cut surface. Miss the green and your ball can easily bumble back further down the slope than where it began. Degree of difficulty 8 Top tip: Another hole where a low seven or eight iron short approach can often be more potent than a wedge shot.
7: GARDEN 302 yds par 4 Your eyes are wide, you are loosening your shoulders and you are setting yourself to whack the longest drive of your life. That's the feeling I get every time I stand on this tee. I NEVER learn because everything in THIS Garden is not always rosy. It is a hole where brain usually triumphs over brawn. There may be acres of space and it is virtually all downhill, but there is potential peril in every direction. And very often a slightly longer second shot can be a more attractive proposition than one from 50 yards or less. Degree of difficulty 6 Top tip: bigger hitters should aim slightly to the right of the green and hope for a "leg-break" bounce towards the green.
8: ORCHARD 138yds par 3 Looks pretty innocent from the tee, but the bunker on the front fringe of the green makes it very tricky to pick out the ideal landing point. Carry the trap, and you run the risk of the ball rushing through and ending up in the jungle at the back. Degree of difficulty 5 Top tip: This corner of the course is Midge Heaven in the summer months. You have been warned!
9: HOME 225 yds par 4 Like the fifth, this is a hole of extremes. Bash it cleanly off the tee and you could snare an eagle - but send it off line and you can ruin a lovely day! Water water everywhere: small stream runs along two thirds of the way, and the much bigger Sannox Burn lies in wait for any drive that veers even slightly to the right. To the left are the woods. Many golfers treat it as a true par four, but the more ambitious players find it hard not to be tempted to go the whole way. Degree of difficulty 8 Top tip: Keep your tee shot slightly to left of centre - unless you wish to play as a true dog-leg.