Welcome – The Tobermory clubhouse also has an honour system for green fees which is especially welcoming. As it happens, we were greeted by a couple of border collies running around on the 9th (see photo)
Walk – “Tobermory?” More like “Toberlone” of Matterhorn fame. Frankly, the place seems like the most unlikely place for a golf course that some angry, drunken Scotsman must have literally stumbled upon and thought that he would take revenge on the world by creating 18 holes here. And when, he did so, he did it in the most cantankerous ways possible. If there was a natural lie for any extended distance, did put a hole on it? Noooo. Instead, he would put a couple of holes across it. You get a flavour of what is in store on the very first hole where you are climbing not one, but two peaks (covered with deep rough in all sorts of random spots) to get to the green. The payoff is the most expansive views we have seen on a golf course since the Azores (and even there it were mostly a few holes at the summit, while the entire Tobermory course seems perched upon stunning vistas).
Water – No water hazards or streams (you are the top of a hillock from which all water is running away basically), but it is a short 9 holes.
Wildlife – Various seabirds.
Wind Down – We concluded our visit to Tobermory popping down to the harbour which is as quaint as any on the Italian Riviera. We dined a Macgochans whose upstairs deck has a lovely view over the water. We didn’t have any pups with us, but were sat next to a pair of lovely terriers hunkering in the cool shade under the table and waiting hopefully for some scraps.
For a firsthand account from a dog’s perspective on Tobermory, check out Poppy’s post – Poppy goes back to Mull – Poppysocks
