• Machrihanish Bay of the Atlantic Ocean comes up to the first tee at Machrihanish Golf Club.

  • The first hole at Machrihanish Golf Club has won international acclaim.

  • Walkers on the beach below the first tee at Machrihanish Golf Club are warned about errant tee shots.

  • Signs at Machrihanish Golf Club, where the third tee is near the 16th green, and is a blind shot.

  • The third hole at Machrihanish Golf Club is one of several with bells, necessitated by blind shots for following golfers.

  • Golfers need to play smartly on the par 4 No. 1 hole at Prestwick, with a wall and railroad tracks right, and rough left.

  • A warning sign at the first fairway at Prestwick.

  • The logo of Prestwick includes old style "featherie" golf balls.

  • A monument to past Open winners at Trump Turnberry

  • Sign at the first hole at Western Gailes

  • There are two courses at Royal Troon, the historic Old Course and the secondary Portland Course.

  • The entry to Royal Troon Golf Club

  • A warning sign on the No. 11 hole called The Railway at Royal Troon.

  • A lot going on at the tee box for the No. 10 hole at Elie Links, a par 4 with a blind uphill tee shot.

  • Golfers must ring the bell to signify that the 10th green is clear at Elie Links.

  • Crail Golfing Society includes two courses.

  • A deck overlooks the No. 18 green at Balcomie Golf Links, Crail.

  • At Balcomie Golf Links, and other courses in Scotland, members of the public often cross the course to the beach.

  • A welcoming sign at North Berwick Golf Club.

  • Sign at the first tee at North Berwick Golf Club, West Links.

  • Sign by the No. 14 tee box at North Berwick, where golfers play to a green near No. 4 green.

Scotland, postscript: Defining signposts

By Ron Bellamy | Golf, Scotland |

In Scotland, courses have unique signs that reflect key aspects of the golf courses.

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  • The No. 4 hole at Emerald Valley, prior to remodeling. The green featured a sharp slope from back to front, and only two-plus pinnable locations because of that slope. Note high back upper right, and sharp drop-off lower right.

  • Scott Larsen made a schematic of No. 4 green to map out the remodeling project.

  • On Oct. 19, the remodeling of No. 4 at Emerald Valley began with stripping sod and moving it to a nearby site to preserve it during the process.

  • On Day 1 of the project, EV superintendent Scott Larsen carries a roll of sod stripped from No. 4 at Emerald Valley.

  • Day 2, work on the lowering the upper portion of No. 4.

  • On Day 4 of the project, Oct. 22, Scott Larsen continues work on the upper portion of No. 4 at Emerald Valley.

  • On Day 4, Oct. 22, EV superintendent Scott Larsen shovels out a trench for drainage.

  • On Day 6, Oct. 24, EV superintendent Scott Larsen works on building up the lower right side of No. 4 at Emerald Valley to provide a potential pin location.

  • On Day 6, Oct. 24, EV superintendent Scott Larsen works on building up the foundation to raise the lower right side of No. 4 green.

  • Progress in a week: At the end of Day 6, Oct. 24, with temporary flag in front, the hole has been lowered at the back, and work on the lower right continues at No. 4 at Emerald Valley.

  • EV superintendent Scott Larsen rakes the upper left portion of No. 4 as the makeover of the green begins its second week on Day 8, Monday, Oct. 26.

  • Superintendent Scott Larsen studies the makeover of the No. 4 green at Emerald Valley Golf & Resort on Day 8 of the project, Monday, Oct. 26.

  • On Day 9, Oct. 27, EV superintendent Scott Larsen works on the right side of the No. 4 green at Emerald Valley.

  • Day 10, Oct. 28, the sand/soil mixture has been spread to the lower left side of No. 4 green at Emerald Valley.

  • View looking back down the fairway from behind the No. 4 green at Emerald Valley on Day 10 of the makeover, Oct. 28.

  • Day 11, Oct. 29; No. 4 makeover shows some buildup of front left corner of green, plus smoothing of front right.

  • A major part of the makeover of No. 4 green has been work on the lower right side, building it up and leveling enough for pin positions there; as of Nov. 1, Day 14 of the project, the collar has been seeded and plugged.

  • On a rainy Sunday, Nov. 1, Day 14 of the makeover of No. 4 green, EV superintendent Scott Larsen smooths a sand-soil mixture (three parts sand to soil) to prepare for sod being replaced the following day.

  • On Monday, Nov. 2, Day 15 of the project, superintendent Scott Larsen trims the border of the sod that has been replaced on No. 4 green at Emerald Valley.

  • On Day 15 of the project, workers restore sod to over half of No. 4 green, from the nearby area where the sod was laid out on tarps. Recent rain made the rolls of sod heavy to handle.

  • As the final rolls of sod are returned to No. 4 green at Emerald Valley, on Day 16 of the project, Nov. 3, the shape of the remodeled green is apparent, showing a green that still has significant slope and is "still No. 4," in the words of supt. Scott Larsen.

  • Rolls of sod, which will be replaced on the No. 4 green at Emerald Valley.

Emerald Valley: A new look for an old nemesis, No. 4 green

By Ron Bellamy | Golf, Oregon |

After much deliberation, an iconic (or notorious) green gets a makeover (but remains quite challenging) CRESWELL — Several years ago, Jesse Castillo was serving as a rules official for a state high school girls golf championship at Emerald Valley Golf & Resort when he was summoned to the fourth green, where he found three distraught […]

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