In the top picture is Brora Golf Club, a James Braid classic, in the Scottish Highlands about 60 miles north of Inverness. This particular hole, #17, is regarded as one of the finest par 4's in all of Scotland. It's a beautiful hole with a bygone era touch. Those are sheep out there in the picture. Just like the Ole Tom Morris days. Whilst I took this picture, there were sheep in front of me, behind me and both sides of me munching away. It is Brora's singular organic way of greenskeeping. No fairway mowers or fertilizers needed here when you have herd of sheep wandering around your links unencumbered, forever hungry and endlessly pooping. And what about the greens? Glad you asked. See the bottom picture.
The greens are surrounded by an electrical shock wire that keeps the sheep away. On top of that, is a dummy menacing owl motif for extra protection. Once I was on the greens, carefully, the surfaces were the finest I played on in Scotland. If your ball happens to rest against the fence or the owl, local rule states, "immovable obstruction and relief granted under rule 24-2." If your ball happens to come to rest atop of a pile sheep dung (which is abundant), local rule states, "animal droppings through the green may be treated as casual water."
As famed golf writer Bernard Darwin stated years ago, playing golf in Scotland is full of "pleasurable excitement." Brora is just another testament to Darwin's message.
You gotta love Scotland!
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