When I started the ‘Favourite Courses’ series a few years ago I was keen that it should reflect all kinds of voices in golf, from top players to architects, but especially those with a true passion for playing the game. Few have more passion than Jim Hartsell.

Jim is a native and lifelong resident of Alabama who has played more golf in Scotland than the vast majority of Scots. He loves Scottish Golf, and golf writing and he has made many trips to Scotland to study the lesser-known courses. He is the author of the acclaimed ‘The Secret Home of Golf: The Authorised History of Kings Collins Golf and The Creation of Sweetens Cove’.

His latest book ‘When Revelation Comes’ has been recently published to much acclaim. It’s the deeply personal story of the loss of his son and how Jim made a trip to Scotland in a search for meaning.

Jim’s writing is beautiful and his love of people, golf and Scotland shines through. I’m delighted to be able to share his ten favourite course.

Over to Jim!

ASKERNISH
A trip to the remote Outer Hebridean Isle of South Uist to play Askernish is a pilgrimage that every golfer should make. It can be a challenge to get there, but if you ever make it, you are rewarded with the most natural links in golf. It is stunning linksland - with a collection of wildly natural greens to rival any other course. The turf of the machair is firm and resilient. The ball sits up just begging to be hit. The 11th hole, Barra Sight, is a 197-yard par 3 by the wild Atlantic that must be experienced to be believed. The course was originally laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1891. Its rediscovery has been well documented. Visitors are welcomed warmly and treated like family.

BRORA
James Braid, the great Scottish champion and brilliant golf course designer laid out Brora (as it exists today) in 1924. The course sits elegantly in the flowing, natural linksland - which is shares with highland cattle and sheep due to ancient crofting rights. The animals only add to the fun of Brora, which is a course I would be happy to play every day. Brora is pure fun. That is the highest compliment I can give. The short 108 yard 13th, called Snake, is an exquisite Highland jewel.

DUNAVERTY
Southend is a small village near the Mull of Kintyre. It has the wonderful Muneroy Licensed Tea Room, but also the links of Dunaverty Golf Club – laid out in 1889 by the original members. The greens on holes 1-4 and 17-18 are enclosed by electric wire fences to ward off the (usually) friendly cows. Holes 3 through 11 are among the most visually stunning in golf. There are blind shots and small rectangular greens located in hidden dells. The ball rolls forever on the undulating seaside turf. From the heights of Mt Zion and the adjacent 11th tee, the world of Dunaverty is laid out before you in all it’s green, brown, blue, and yellow glory. It all amounts to the most fun you can have while playing golf. When my time comes, take my ashes to Dunaverty Beach.

ELIE (THE GOLF HOUSE CLUB)
There is something special about Elie that is hard to quantify. It is where the great James Braid learned to play the game. The elegant, serene and flowing nature of the links was clearly a major influence on Braid’s later design career. There are glorious blind shots – most notably at the 1st, 7th, 10th and 15th. Almost every shot you are presented with will bring a smile to your face. The 19th Hole Pub, hard by the 4th tee, is my favorite mid-round detour.

GOLSPIE
Located between Royal Dornoch and Bora, Golspie has long been overshadowed by its more famous neighbors. This should not be the case. It is a stunning mixture of holes – from linksland to heathland to parkland and back to linksland. It also benefits from the assured hand of the great James Braid. I would be hard pressed to name a group of holes that I enjoy more than the 4th through 7th at Golspie. Brilliant yellow gorse or violently purple heather (depending on the time of year) beautifully frame the heathland holes, which almost feel like Walton Heath or Gleneagles. The 175-yard 16th is one of the best short holes in Scotland and this is one of the friendliest clubs in golf.

MACHRIHANISH
In Michael Bamberger’s seminal 1993 book To The Linksland, he writes, “Where do I begin to try to explain the joys of Machrihanish?” I could do it, but it would require at least 70,000 words. I have played this mythical course many times over the last 30 years, but I still get an excited feeling of nervous anticipation every time I step on the famous first tee - located hard by the Atlantic and Machrihanish Beach. In my opinion, the stretch of holes 3-8 is the greatest six hole run of pure links golf in existence.

PRESTWICK
For me, Prestwick is the most historic of all clubs. It is a living and thriving museum of golf. Every shot presents a unique challenge. The par 4 17th, The Alps, is the oldest remaining original hole in major championship golf. Is there anything more fun than the sense of anticipation while climbing The Alps after a well struck approach? The welcome afforded to visitors at this historic Open venue is second to none. It is also one of the last bastions of true Scottish caddies.

ROYAL COUNTY DOWN
The Open Championship should be held at this brilliant Newcastle course. There are plenty of blind shots, yes, but that only adds to the enjoyment. A visually stunning, challenging, fun and strategic links. It is hard not to be distracted by the views, which are unmatched. One of the great courses of the world.

SHISKINE
12 ethereal holes on the Isle of Arran overlooking Kilbrannan Sound. There is a front six and a back six - and that is all that is needed. The Shore Hole, the 274-yard par 4 6th, is one of my favourite holes in golf. It plays between the beach on the right and gorse covered dunes on the left to one of the greatest natural green sites in the world. A round at Shiskine has a strangely restorative power.

SWEETENS COVE
In 2011, King Collins Golf, a startup design firm in Chattanooga, Tennessee was given the commission to build a new golf course on the site of the old Sequatchie Valley Golf and Country Club – located in a dead flat flood plain of the nearby Tennessee River. Rob Collins took the design principles of Alister MacKenzie, the music of Pavement, the writing of Cormac McCarthy and the artwork of Salvador Dali to create a wild and fun 9 hole tribute to Scottish golf. Located in a stunning valley of the Appalachian Mountains, it is meant to play firm and fast – and when it does, there is no place more fun to be. Sweetens Cove restored my faith in American golf.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Scotland
Panmure, Cruden Bay, Cullen, Corrie, Anstruther, Carradale, The Old Course, Muirfield, North Berwick, Reay, Durness, Isle of Harris

Ireland
Ballyliffin, Carne, Connemara, Ballybunion, Lahinch

USA
Landmand

Many thanks to Jim for sharing his favourite courses. Both ‘When Revelation Comes’ and ‘The Secret Home of Golf’ are available from Back 9 Press. You can see other courses in the Favourite Courses series here.