… memories are made of this.
The joy comes from the company, the startling landscape and the occasionally well struck golf ball. The grief comes from the sliced drive into a rising westerly, the ball never to be seen again. Sconser and Traigh are the distilled essence of Golf in the Wild – when the going gets tough, the tough don’t get going, they stand and stare.
It has become an annual ritual – drive part way into Scotland on Thursday night; head for Skye on Friday morning and meet up with David C of ScottishGolfbyTrain; play Sconser on Friday afternoon; catch the Ferry to Mallaig from Armadale on Friday evening; play in the Traigh Open on Saturday. People might question the sanity of driving such distances (760 miles) for golf but that’s life, some will get it, some won’t. It’s like riding a motorcycle at high speed or throwing an Elise into a long sweeping corner – until you have done it, there is no understanding.
I cannot get enough of Traigh so when the golf is done, I head for the ridge across the top of the course to watch the setting sun – there is nowhere else that provides such a magnificent panorama of the long day closing:
… Skye Golf Club, Sconser – more #GolfintheWild http://www.golfinthewild.co.uk
… the most spectacular places to play golf on the planet. The 2017 Traigh Open – more #GolfintheWild http://www.golfinthewild.co.uk
… below the golf course at Traigh.
… the clubhouse from the beach at Traigh
… the third green at Traigh.
… the view from the second tee at Traigh.
… below the golf course at Traigh.
… the ninth green at Traigh
On an entirely different topic, music has become a too cheap commodity. As a full subscriber to Amazon Music, I have access to a vast library way beyond my teenage imaginings. New releases are immediately available, listened to and then largely forgotten as I move on to grab the next handful of free sweets. I have lost touch with the cherished LP, the carefully considered purchase and the endless plays until every track was imprinted. I mention this because I hooked up my phone to the hire car’s sound system to find that only three albums were accessible, all by The Boxer Rebellion. After twelve hours behind the wheel, all the tracks are now reassuringly familiar:
northumbrian : light 
Looks like a great trip. I liked your comment “It’s like riding a motorcycle at high speed or throwing an Elise into a long sweeping corner – until you have done it, there is no understanding.” I have done neither of those, but can say the same about some adrenaline-filled activities with cars and abandoned places!
Hi Sue – we sing from the same hymn sheet 🙂 Apologies for the lack of activity on WordPress – it has been a busy time and I have not looked at anyone’s blog for ages so it is not just you I have been ignoring. Trust all is well and all the best, Robin
Fret not, I wasn’t thinking you were ignoring me, Robin!
Oh I’m liking the sound of The Boxer Rebellion. Ideal driving music – at first hearing, reminds me a bit of Canadian The Tragically Hip whom we listened to all over South Ontario. And I do ‘get’ why you go to farflung Scottish golf courses. The only golf I ever played was in Aberdeenshire, near Ellon, on a course beside the Ythan Estuary – eider ducks galore and the smell of gorse flowers. Was rubbish at golf, but still hanker to go back to the place. Miss striding out on the fairway…
I had never heard of them but I do get the connection with The Tragically Hip – one of the advantages of Amazon Music is that you can access everything immediately. Now listening to Day for Night. Thanks for the tip, Tish, one thing leads to another.
Hope all is well, as I said to Sue I have been absent from WordPress for some time, just too much else going on in the summer months. All the best, Robin (PS sounds like you should be swinging clubs in wild places again – I can recommend a wild golf tour guide 😀 )
Am almost tempted by offer of wild golf tour guide 🙂
If you ever are, in a moment of weakness, let me know and I will send post free (rather than let Amazon have the dosh 🙂 )
I don’t play golf (yet) but I think golfing at this club wouldn’t be that succesful anyway, for I probalby was staring at the wonderous skies more then ever hitting a ball 🙂
It’s also a useful excuse for those, like me, who supposedly can play 😉
That is pretty spectacular, Robin. The attraction is not lost on me. 🙂 🙂
You are a very discerning lady, Jo 🙂 Apologies once again for my lack of attention to the WordPress Reader of late – a busy time of year. Hope all is well with you and yours, all the best, Robin.
Not a problem, Robin. 🙂 There’s much more to life than a blog.
It’s good that you have a passion that compels you to drive so far. Such passion is as rare as vinyl these days. Magnificent photos, as always.
Thanks Julie, there is a thin red line between passion and madness 😉 Still reading Blue and thoroughly enjoying the writing and the authentic voice. I would be quicker but you are competing for time with https://johnmcguinness.co.uk/ 😉
Good to hear that you’re enjoying it. I’m up against tough competition.
Great to read about your commitment to playing at Traigh. I’ve only played it once despite living on skye for 20 years. Have you ever played in the Skye Open? It’s a pity that they couldn’t be organised over the same weekend as it would make a great double header.
Hi Thomas – I haven’t but a double-header sounds a great idea – I always enjoy playing Sconser. It will appear in the sequel to Golf in the Wild when I finally stop ‘researching’ and start writing again 🙂