Milestone for Scottish island course

1 September 2010

The fifteen year evolution of the nine hole course on the tiny Scottish island of Eriska will pass another milestone next month.

Architect Howard Swan, who has been visiting the island since 1994, will return to Eriska to finish work on the last three holes of the golf course. 

The island, situated among the lochs of the West Highlands, is home to an successful hotel, spa and leisure club set amid spectacular natural scenery. The nine hole, par-34 golf course lies on the shore of the island overlooking Lismore, Mull and Loch Creran and has taken more than ten years to lay out.

“The design and construction has been minimalistic, with little or no earthworks at all,” said Swan. “Holes have been carved out of the heath bound terrain by mowing out and bringing on the native grassland and, to build greens and tees, peat has been inverted to reveal the stone and sand on which the course is being sustained.”

The final three holes will be completed with bunkering and localised contouring and modelling. Not only natural in its design and development but also in its operation, the course operators are working towards environmental accreditation.