Shiskine

Overview: Shiskine is a distinctive coastal course at Blackwaterfoot on the Isle of Arran, set between rugged ground, dunes and views towards the sea. Its compact 12-hole routing is full of character: blind shots, uneven lies, natural hazards and changing angles make the course feel like an exploration of the landscape rather than a conventional championship layout. The scale is modest, but the variety and scenery make every hole memorable.

History: Alexander Boyd is credited with founding the club, which opened in June 1896. Willie Fernie of Troon designed the original nine-hole course. Only two of those original holes remain in their exact form, but the club’s history records how the layout evolved while retaining its natural and slightly eccentric identity. Competitions now use twelve holes, with selected holes replayed when a formal 18-hole result is required.

Did You Know? The course once had a much larger ambition, but the present layout became a 12-hole course as land and farming needs shaped its development. The club’s history also records that the early 9-hole course had a par of 30 in 1897, a glimpse of how much the layout has evolved.