Members living away from Dornoch have not been able to see the new 8th hole taking shape. Work started at a furious pace as soon as the season ended, beginning with the removal of the whins and trees to the right of the existing fairway. This opened up the panoramic sea views which will give the new hole the "wow" factor.
The pace of work has kept up, helped by the unseasonably mild weather. This has allowed those of us lucky enough to play the shortened winter course see the changes as they take shape.
The work has meant that we currently have to play the 8th as a par 3 from the left side of the fairway at the top of the hill. I guess this will be a shot that many of us will get used to. The new yellow tee will make the hole 34 yards longer, taking it up to 423 yards. The blue tee will be at 487 yards. I used to think of the 8th as one of easier par 4s. I suspect these days are gone.
The drone photo below is taken from above the new yellow tee and shows the extent of the fairway that the green staff will turf before the hole re-opens in April 2023. It also shows the outline of the new green tee.
The gully formed by the burn which runs under the 9th fairway has also been opened up (see below). It shouldn't be much of a problem, though a strong north wind might bring it into play for shorter hitters off the yellow, white and blue tees. The second shot will be harder for all but the longest hitters, with most players using a long iron or fairway wood from the top of the hill.
The new hole has taken shape very quickly, thanks to the efforts of the green staff and the excellent contractors from Tain who operate the heavy machinery. Looks on course for the April opening.
The reshaping of the 8th is the last of the changes planned for the Championship Course. With its completion I am looking forward to a new set of challenges and will be in touch with fellow members about some of these before Christmas.
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