Touring Australia by caravan, playing and sharing views on golf courses (mainly country areas)
Blog 318 – 2025 Eclectic – Back 9
Above: Interactive map showing the UK&I courses played in 2025 Click on the map to discover the 61 courses we played on that trip Note that only 56 clubs appear on the map as we played 2 separate courses at 5 of these clubs
2025 Eclectic
Please see the previous blog for the criteria and the preamble for the 2025 Eclectic. That prior blog contains the front 9 also.
Back 9
Hole
Best/ Most Memorable
Second
Most Fun
10
Saunton East 300m 4
Fraserburgh 330m 4
Boat O Garten 250m 4
11
Hillside 460m 5
Royal St David 130m 3
Tain 350m 4
12
Panmure 360m 4
St Andr’s New 470m 5
Royal Qld 289m 4
13
North Berwick 350m 4
Pennard 190m 3
Glen 130m 3
14
Cruden Bay 390m 4
Royal Dornoch 405 4
Crail (B) 135m 3
15
Carne 310m 4
Saunton West 280m 4
Prestwick StN 260m 4
16
R Portrush 220m 3
Pennard 470m 5
The Addington 470m 5
17
Prestwick 360m 4
R Ashdown F 440m 4
Gairloch 480m 5
18
Carnoustie 430m 4
Royal Dublin 430m 4
Brora 185m 3
Pictures and narrative of each hole from the back nine:
The 300m 10th on Saunton’s East course. The prevailing tail breeze goads you into having a lusty swipe but is getting up close the best way to get your 2nd close? 🏴 Fraserburgh’s narrow 10th green, between dunes at the end of 330m of continuous lumps and bumps 🏴 Speaking of lumps & bumps, Boat of Garten may be on the top of that list, and it’s inland. The short4 10th that sweeps around a drop-off down the left side is so subtle 🏴 Royal Birkdale’s next door neighbour has a back 9 that does not shy away from a comparison with it’s Open rota mate. The par5 11th showcases the characteristics that have given it a few European Tour starts 🏴 130m 11th at Royal St David’s, with the majority of the green tucked in behind covering dunes 🏴 The green at Tain’s iconic 350m 11th. A blind approach over dunes is met with this 🏴 The 360m 12th at Panmure is packed with features and visual distractions. It’s a real ‘plot your route, then ignore the noise, clear your mind, and execute’ kind of hole 🏴Old Tom gave us a wide fairway on the 470m par5 12th at St Andrew’s New. Then he put a fierce pot on either side of a skinny neck 30 yards out & said ‘if you’re good enough’ 🏴 The drivable 12th at Royal Queensland has been a great spot to watch the Australian PGA in recent years. The rewards on offer and the not-so-subtle contours around the green, have resulted in a very wide range of scores being recorded on this hole 🇦🇺 Probably the most eagerly awaited hole on my recent trip, the 13th at North Berwick ‘The Pit’. An absolute joy to play. 12 & 14 are also outstanding holes, but not quite as iconic 🏴The 190m uphill par3 13th at Pennard, culminating in a big punchbowl green to make up for the tough ask off the tee 🏴Despite being half-blind, the short 13th at Glen GC (North Berwick East Links), is as pretty as a picture 🏴 Cruden Bay & Carne tied for the number of times we said the word ‘wow’ as we walked on to tees. The 14th at Cruden is a loud ‘wow’ as you get to your drive and this awaits. The 2D photo doesn’t do the size/ severity of the mounds around the green justice, it’s quality and quirky 🏴 ‘Foxy’, the bunkerless 400m 14th at Royal Dornoch, has these furry mounds down the right side, a double dogleg and a plateau green that sits across the line of play, with steep drop-offs across the front. Very foxy indeed 🏴 No narrative required for the gorgeous 135m drop par3 14th at Crail’s Balcomie Links 🏴 Oh Carne, wow! The 310m 15th does have much more room down the left side than it appears from the tee – it is a little deceiving. What isn’t deceiving is the size of those dunes 🇮🇪 The 280m 15th on Saunton’s West course is a real sleeper. With a reverse camber on the ever-narrowing fairway, it requires precision if you have the big weapon out. Miss the cut stuff at your peril 🏴 The 260m 15th at the underrated Prestwick St Nicholas is another super risk/ reward example. A narrowing target, severe slopes and unforgiving stone wall, await 🏴 Ah Calamity Corner, the 220m par3 16th at Royal Portrush. ItReceived a lot of airplay at the ‘25 Open. It is scary ☘️ Looking back down Calamity Corner. Everybody’s choice for world’s toughest par 3, except for Scottie S 😜 The par5 16th at Pennard displaying why it is known as ‘The links in the sky’ 🏴 The enchanting par5 16th at The Addington has a lot going on: steep downhill off the tee, then turns left over a roller coaster approach to a saddle-shaped, narrow green 🏴 ‘Alps’, the 360m 17th, was the 2nd hole when the inaugural ‘Open Championship’ was played at Prestwick. One of only 2 holes that remain per the original 🏴 The treacherous 440m 17th on Royal Ashdown Forest’s Old Course. Lots of heather to avoid, amidst a tilted fairway and narrow green 🏴 How pretty is the par5 8th/ 17th on the 9-hole course at Gairloch? 🏴I don’t reckon this hole is in Jean Van der Velde’s eclectic 🏴 The essence of the 430m 90 degree (or is it 90 degrees?) dogleg right 18th at Royal Dublin, is difficult to capture from one spot, and impossible to describe. It is unique 🇮🇪 It is fitting that the final photo is of the eccentric/ very difficult 185m 18th at Brora, with false front at the top of a very tall bank. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that you are in full view of those in the clubhouse, and likely a few bovine incumbents 🏴
