Moray Golf Club

Teetering on the edge of time and town the vulnerable clubhouse commands a view down the length of the two courses bound by the sea on your right and the edge of town and the Lossiemouth airbase towards the further reaches.

If the Russians come, they may beat our defences, possibly by cyber attack, but they would do brilliantly to overwhelm the golf course and those stubborn enough to play here. This is the land of brutal power fours, seven or eight of which are over 400 yards. Two fives and three par three make up the card.

The holes along the coast catch the eye but the other holes are so well crafted as to ensure that you cannot lower your guard. It is as relentless a course as I have played. Golfing indigestion perhaps. We cross the road to play the short 6th when lightning appeared from an un-assuming blue sky and freezing rain followed. Should we return to the clubhouse?  We ploughed on thinking that the stanchions, radar and other large metal objects in the Lossiemouth airbase might attract the forks before settling on us.

As ever hail followed sunshine on the next hole and we dodged the full gamut of seasons before returning to the shoreline. Three, five and nine stood out on the front nine holes.

At 15, the last of the par threes, you finally turn for home but the battle is far from won as the stroke index on 16 is a misleading 16! And the par 5, 17th  is stroke index 5 for a reason and the 18th requires mental fortitude as well as physical strength to out wit. Only the valiant will overcome here.

Discounted green fees allowed me to make a donation to Alzheimer’s Society for which many thanks