Askernish---South Uist, Scotland
I was interested in Askernish for quite some time and was “turned on” by it due to its story and history. In a
nutshell, it was on Old Tom Morris design that was lost over time and multiple World Wars and recently
“discovered” and re-built. But in the building, not much was done to alter the golf course. Greens were re-
discovered and staked out, fairways were mown, a green or two was softened, but in essence you were seeing a
“for real” 1800’s golf course as it was back-in-the-day. Being a fond Hickory Golfer, this appealed to me and I
wanted to check it out.
But as time passed and my trip got closer, I thought I would be doing a dis-service to the course and to the golfers
of the world if I only played it with hickories. I mean if people are going to make the effort to get to Askernish and
have fun, the course needs to hold its own versus modern equipment and not just be a hickory course. So, I took
my modern clubs and played hickory on my second go round.
Askernish’s routing is really the highlight. It starts you out inland on farmland and eases you into the round. The
first hole is a wide open far 5 where you can get loose and smack the ball.
The magic begins to peak through on hole #4 a moderately long par 4 with a rumpled fairway and a plateau green.
The routing finally gets you out to the seaside dunes on hole 7 and the intensity of the course sky-rockets. 7 is, in
fact, a world class golf hole that more than holds its own versus modern equipment. And with hickories you might
want to move up to the ladies tee to have a shot to reach the green of this uphill par 4 in 3!!
While you are in the dunes, you will be treat to 4 world class golf holes and 1 All-World Approach shot. And when I
say World Class and All-World, I don’t say it lightly. I mean these holes are in the discussion for the very best holes
in the entire world.
I’ve already talked about 7, the approach to 9 is utterly fantastic and mind blowing. The green is blind/semi-blind
off the tee and if you get in position off the tee, you will see the green. It is, essentially, and island green but rather
than being surrounded by water it is surrounded by steep dunes walls and the green is shallow. Stick your shot
tight and crisp or face of very steep uphill chip/pitch. But it is do-able, I stuck a 6 iron and a mashie on that green
and was left makeable putts.
11 is very high up in the discussion in terms of best par 3’s in the world. 214 yards over a MASSIVE valley onto a
seaside infinity green. Add some wind off the ocean and you better grab your driver and smashed that ball or you
will have an epic pitch out of a valley that is at least 50 feet deep.
12 just might be the best par 5 I’ve ever played. It has two fairways that both have completely different risk/reward
characteristics. The right fairway is visible off the tee and easy to hit, but once you hit that shot your approach is
blind to the green and goes up and over a ridge. The left fairway is blind from the tee, but your approach plays
right along the floor of the valley and you can see the green. However, the green is elevated and slopes away
from the fairway. Good luck on that one!!
And then 16…my oh my oh my…I love 16!! The tee shot is kind of like 4 in that the fairway is rumpled and
undulating. But unlike 4, it plays down into a massively wide valley floor.
However, the kicker is that the green is nestled in a hollow and to get to that hollow you must go up and over Old
Tom’s Pulpit (an outcropping of rock that completely hides the green). This is one of the best green sites I’ve ever
seen.
17 and 18 take you back out of the dunes and return you to the farm land portion of the course.
The bottom line is that the course is very good and is fun with hickory clubs but certainly a massive challenge with
modern equipment. Askernish is very challenging and adventurous golf.
I was interested in Askernish for quite some time and was “turned on” by it due to its story and history. In a
nutshell, it was on Old Tom Morris design that was lost over time and multiple World Wars and recently
“discovered” and re-built. But in the building, not much was done to alter the golf course. Greens were re-
discovered and staked out, fairways were mown, a green or two was softened, but in essence you were seeing a
“for real” 1800’s golf course as it was back-in-the-day. Being a fond Hickory Golfer, this appealed to me and I
wanted to check it out.
But as time passed and my trip got closer, I thought I would be doing a dis-service to the course and to the golfers
of the world if I only played it with hickories. I mean if people are going to make the effort to get to Askernish and
have fun, the course needs to hold its own versus modern equipment and not just be a hickory course. So, I took
my modern clubs and played hickory on my second go round.
Askernish’s routing is really the highlight. It starts you out inland on farmland and eases you into the round. The
first hole is a wide open far 5 where you can get loose and smack the ball.
The magic begins to peak through on hole #4 a moderately long par 4 with a rumpled fairway and a plateau green.
The routing finally gets you out to the seaside dunes on hole 7 and the intensity of the course sky-rockets. 7 is, in
fact, a world class golf hole that more than holds its own versus modern equipment. And with hickories you might
want to move up to the ladies tee to have a shot to reach the green of this uphill par 4 in 3!!
While you are in the dunes, you will be treat to 4 world class golf holes and 1 All-World Approach shot. And when I
say World Class and All-World, I don’t say it lightly. I mean these holes are in the discussion for the very best holes
in the entire world.
I’ve already talked about 7, the approach to 9 is utterly fantastic and mind blowing. The green is blind/semi-blind
off the tee and if you get in position off the tee, you will see the green. It is, essentially, and island green but rather
than being surrounded by water it is surrounded by steep dunes walls and the green is shallow. Stick your shot
tight and crisp or face of very steep uphill chip/pitch. But it is do-able, I stuck a 6 iron and a mashie on that green
and was left makeable putts.
11 is very high up in the discussion in terms of best par 3’s in the world. 214 yards over a MASSIVE valley onto a
seaside infinity green. Add some wind off the ocean and you better grab your driver and smashed that ball or you
will have an epic pitch out of a valley that is at least 50 feet deep.
12 just might be the best par 5 I’ve ever played. It has two fairways that both have completely different risk/reward
characteristics. The right fairway is visible off the tee and easy to hit, but once you hit that shot your approach is
blind to the green and goes up and over a ridge. The left fairway is blind from the tee, but your approach plays
right along the floor of the valley and you can see the green. However, the green is elevated and slopes away
from the fairway. Good luck on that one!!
And then 16…my oh my oh my…I love 16!! The tee shot is kind of like 4 in that the fairway is rumpled and
undulating. But unlike 4, it plays down into a massively wide valley floor.
However, the kicker is that the green is nestled in a hollow and to get to that hollow you must go up and over Old
Tom’s Pulpit (an outcropping of rock that completely hides the green). This is one of the best green sites I’ve ever
seen.
17 and 18 take you back out of the dunes and return you to the farm land portion of the course.
The bottom line is that the course is very good and is fun with hickory clubs but certainly a massive challenge with
modern equipment. Askernish is very challenging and adventurous golf.
