Located
approximately seven miles from Edinburgh, near Edinburgh
Airport lies The Marriott Dalmahoy Golf and Country Club.
Laid by James Braid and currently celebrating its seventy-fifth
anniversary the East Course at Dalmahoy has gained an enviable
reputation as a top class course hosting various professional
events, including the Scottish Professional Championships
and the Solheim Cup.
The East Course is a challenging but fair test of golf.
Set within mature parkland the course presentation is excellent.
Lush manicured fairways wind from tee to green. Large undulating
greens provide excellent putting surfaces. Bunkers are usually
deep and beautifully crafted out of natural terrain, providing
excellent protection to the large greens and lush fairways.
The
first six or seven holes give a false sense of security.
As you walk from the seventh tee prepare for battle, it's
one great hole after another. The par five 9th is a beauty.
A downhill dogleg from left to right leading to a magnificent
view of the Hotel. The four hundred and fifty seven yard
par four 14th is a beast. Long and narrow with a stream
before a well-protected green.
The short fifteenth is appropriately named “wee wrecker”.
Guarded by five large, sprawling bunkers that happily gather
any stray balls, the green is a difficult place to find.
The sixteenth demands a long accurate drive down a tight
tree lined fairway laying up short of two bunkers guarding
a huge crevasse and water hazard. The next shot is over
the crevasse to the green, which is guarded by two deep
bunkers and natural mounds. A par is well deserved.
