Cart Path Only! Today is Maintenance Tuesday! The … [Read More...] about Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Course Tour
Hole 1
Hole 1: FÁILTE
Scottish Gaelic for “Welcome.” Play left side of fairway to avoid boundary on the right. The green slopes from right to left.
Hole 2
Hole 2: QUEEN’S VIEW
Queen’s View lies at the heart of Highland Perthshire and is the area’s most popular visitor attraction. Just one look is enough to tell you why. Challenging par 5 from tee – requires significant carry over creek. Three shot hole to reach green – play right side of fairway all the way.
Hole 3
Hole 3: RIVER TWEED
Nod to the famous fast and shallow river in Scotland, and a key hazard on this hole. Par 3 | Yardage: 206. Hole plays slightly longer than yardage indicates. Short is better than long!
Hole 4
Hole 4: GLEN ETIVE
Famous Scottish valley filmed in James Bond “SkyFall” where his house is located; hole situated in valley with a pass to get to green… leading to a “bathroom house” to represent Bond’s house in SkyFall. Par 5 | Yardage: 579. Stay short of creek on left from tree. Play 3 shots to get home!
Hole 5
Hole 5: BALLANTRAE BURN
Translates to Ballantrae Creek, which is very key feature of this short but beautiful hole. Par 3 | Yardage: 144. Missing green left is disaster! Aim for center of green.
Hole 6
Hole 6: ST ABBS HEAD
A nod to one of the more impressive cliffs in Scotland, the striking feature on this hole is the cliff on the side of the green on this hole that is a true danger to right handed slicers.
Hole 7
Hole 7: GREENSIDE DALE
A dale is a Scottish expression for a depression between hills, which is exactly what is the case between the fairway and green on this hole. Par 5 | Yardage: 566. Three shot par 5. Don’t g long on approach shots for trouble awaits there!
Hole 8
Hole 8: ALEXANDER’S CALL
Nod to arguably most famous Scottish born inventor – Alexander Graham Bell – and friendly reminder to call clubhouse for picking up your food at the turn. Par 3 | Yardage: 232. Play for center of green regardless of flag location!
Hole 9
Nod to the “royal mile” in Edinburgh leading to the castle… just as this hole leads to the Ballantrae Clubhouse Castle… from the tips, the distance is approximately 1/4 of a mile in yardage. Par 4 | Yardage: 459. Thick woods on left from tee! Left is better than right on approach.
Hole 9: ROYAL QUARTER MILE
Nod to the “royal mile” in Edinburgh leading to the castle… just as this hole leads to the Ballantrae Clubhouse Castle… from the tips, the distance is approximately 1/4 of a mile in yardage. Par 4 | Yardage: 459. Thick woods on left from tee! Left is better than right on approach.
Greenside bunker is death.
Hole 10
Hole 10: ABBEY CRAIG
Location of William Wallace monument and famous flat north of river where Scots waited to attack English in Battle of Stirling – only escape was a single bridge to Stirling; this hole is flat and overlooks the water and bridge leading to hole #11- the hole plays on the Scottish side of the battle! Par 4 | Yardage: 392. Aim for right center of fairway from tee. Do not go long or right on approach or you may never be heard from again!
Hole 11
Hole 11: TENTSMUIR
Historical nod on this one. Tentsmuir is a famous Scottish beachside pine forest near St. Andrews, but more importantly, it is also the location of the beaches in Scotland where the UK bolstered defenses in WWII to defend against a potential German invasion from Norway, notable feature of this hole is the green has its defenses bolstered by 3 sand bunkers, and now the par being modified down from a par 5 to a par 4, now indeed makes this hole a battle for par. Par 4 | Yardage: 508. Play towards the center of fairway and green. Approach plays much longer than the yardage indicates.
Hole 12
Hole 12: DUNNET HEAD
This is a double nod to Scotland… Dunnet head is the northern most point on Scotland mainland, and this green in Ballantrae is the northern most green. Dunnet head is also a peninsula, and this green cut out from the trees looks like a peninsula from above. Par 4 | Yardage: 405. Play right side of fairway from tee. Approach plays longer than it looks.
Hole 13
Hole 13: HAWKNESS MONSTER
Nod to the longest hole in Scotland as this is the longest hole on Ballantrae, particularly from the tips! Par 5 | Yardage: 620. Toughest par 5! Low drives roll a long way!
Hole 14
Hole 14: OFFERING TO NESSIE
Need we say more! A short play to the front of the green is always a great option on this par 3. Par 3 | Yardage: 232. Hardest hole at Ballantrae! Four is average score. Play short of green from tee to avoid big numbers.
Hole 15
Hole 15: BEALACH
Scottish word for “narrow mountain pass” or wider meaning of “passage”. This hole you have to drive accurately to land in a narrow passage to get a clean shot to the green. Par 4 | Yardage: 447. Easy to drive through dogleg into woods on right. Putts run fast from back towards front of green.
Hole 16
Hole 16: BIDH CURAMACH
Scottish Gaelic for “Be Careful” as not one, but two opportunities for trouble on this seemingly easy hole with a dangerous fairway bunker and narrow green with slopes on one side. Par 4 | Yardage: 375. Avoid bunker from tee. Tricky green. Don’t miss right!
Hole 17
Hole 17: EILEAN DONAN
Famous Scottish castle overlooking lake; #17 has the castle overlooking the Loch of Ballantrae. Par 3 | Yardage: 180. What you see is what you get here.
Hole 18