Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Even as I write this blog headline, I also express my appreciation to Links Magazine for publishing a new golf story under this headline:  “New Projects in the Scottish Highlands.”

The author, Martin Dempster, started this way:

“Scotland’s golf-rich north is being energized by exciting new projects and timely additions to time-honored classics, beginning with venerable Royal Dornoch

“It would be silly to suggest that the Highlands — the most northerly region on the Scottish mainland — is a newcomer to golf.  We’re talking about an area deservedly famous for Royal Dornoch, as well as highly regarded courses like Nairn, Brora, Boat of Garten, and Fortrose and Rosemarkie, to name but a few.”

Why do I like the Scottish Highlands?

Well, several reasons:

• First, my wife Nancy’s parents, before they met in the U.S., emigrated from Scotland, so it is a homeland of sorts for me.
• Second, with my wife I have been to Scotland five times and, each time, I played a variety of golf courses, some with famous names like the Old Course and some with less famous ones such as the above-named Boat of Garten, Nairn and Brora.  Fun and great golf every time!
• Third, Links Magazine’s mention of Royal Dornoch, calls to my mind the memory of being there several times, with a chance to play one of the greatest golf courses in the world.

More from the writer, Dempster:

“The Scottish Highlands is proving more popular than ever for visitors to the Home of Golf.  The opening of what was originally called Castle Stuart in 2009 — and its subsequent staging of four editions of the Scottish Open, including network coverage in the U.S. — helped raise the area’s profile, along with Nairn hosting the Walker Cup in 1999 and the Curtis Cup in 2012.

“Castle Stuart is now called Cabot Highlands, having been added to the ever-growing Cabot Collection, and recently debuted a second course, called Old Petty, designed by Tom Doak.”

So, with the new name, Cabot Highlands, I’ll have to update my list of courses where I have had the privilege of playing around the world.  Castle Stuart, a relatively new course, is great and nothing will change with the new name.

On to Dempster’s mention of Royal Dornoch.

“There’s also a lot happening at Royal Dornoch, where the original course provided five-time Open champion Tom Watson with the ‘most fun I’ve ever had on a golf course.’

“A new $18.5 million clubhouse will be fully operational for the start of the 2026 season.  So, too, the new par-three 9th hole on the club’s other course, the Struie:  The 175-yarder is the only hole on either course to face southeast toward the Dornoch Firth and already has been hailed as ‘a real cracker.’

“And it might not stop there.  Having secured 50 acres adjacent to the Struie, the club has appointed King Collins Dormer Golf Course Design to create a master-plan that will further enhance the reputation of the world-famous venue.

“’Usually, the opening of a new clubhouse, which has been mooted for 30 years or more, would mark the end of the journey for any golf club.  But for Royal Dornoch, it is about what the next step is going to be,’ says general manager Neil Hampton.  ‘The investment being made will pave the way for even greater economic and employment benefits for the wider community. ‘

“Golf has long been the key economic driver in this part of the country and additional, high quality, eco-friendly championship courses created by highly regarded designers can only enhance our reputation as a golfing destination and encourage visitors to extend their stay in the Highlands.

“The growing interest in the Highlands is wonderful to see and a great reward for all the work the many volunteers at each of the clubs, and on the Golf Highland board, have put in.  No other area in Scotland offers such a variety of golfing experiences and price points, coupled with amazing scenery and the warmest of welcomes.”

So, in view of this update on Royal Dornoch, don’t be surprised that, even in my advanced age, I  may find myself traveling to the North of Scotland to spy great golf again.