Last week we had 24 hours on Islay for what was a stunning mini break from the mainland of Scotland. Â We were invited out here by the Machrie Hotel & Golf Club. Â Here are a few tid bits from our stay!
6Â hours of sleep I got in this wee hotel â?? the Machrie after staying up late writing stories, playing with photographs on our CMS and posting some blogs.
14  Years that big Ian has been running this joint. And he is some host. The type of guy who has found his calling in life. Iâ??d say he runs a pretty tight ship too.
17 blind shots awaiting us on the Machrie links course. Blind, but generally very fair. If a green was blind, it was flat (or had a bowl to it). And if you took a quick walk up youâ??d see where to go. Similar story with the tee shots â?? blind but fair.
22: the rating of Machrie in the list of top Scottish golf courses according to www.top100golfcourses.co.uk. Good website although some rankings are bizarre (eg Skibo as 60 odd in Scotland?).
1 Â the hole where the first birdie of the day came courtesy of JPâ??s pinpoint second. One of 6 birdies on the day.Â
5 ridiculous putts Iâ??ve missed for eagle during the Scottish leg â?? each would have resulted in a 30 pound donation to The First Tee. Todayâ??s blow out was a 8 footer for eagle on the second. Ali Asher & Gents you know what Iâ??m talking about.  Sorry Pip and co back in NZ! Iâ??ll make up for it in Ireland.  At least the second green was flanked by this calming outlook:
11: The number of bunkers scattered around the course. It was a good feeling seeing four of the blighters on the par three 5th hole and knowing there would only be another 7.  Who needs bunkers though when there is heather, long rough and blind shots everywhere.  The heather is not bad looking stuff either� (bad for the score mind you).
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15 yards to the left of the stake is where you should hit the ball on the blind 7th hole. JP went for the route just to the right of the stake (with a draw of course) only for his ball to bound right off the fairway over the dune into the long stuff. Â
16 paces wide is the 9th fairway was at its widest point. Cracking hole played along the water to a green protected by a stunning dune short right. One of those holes that make you stop in your tracks and say â??blimey thatâ??s a great holeâ??.  The sign of a classy golf course.
0  The marketing budget for the Machrie Golf Course. But none is needed as Iâ??d say 99% of people leave Islay and tell their friends itâ??s worth a visit. I know Jamie and I will be traveling advertisements for the place.  The Cut were onto something as well when they did a feature here during 2009. Â
3 photographs sent to me by Ian after our journey which he has taken recently. Ian is quite the photographer as youâ??ll see below. This place is stunning. Wow.
8Â minutes that we camped out for in the hut before the par three 12th hole waiting for the rain to subside.
423 yards long is the stroke one hole playing uphill and inland towards a firm and fast green surrounded by bunkers. Straightforward and laid out before you but by no means an easy hole.
45 centimetres further I needed to hit my 9 iron on the blind 17th for it to kick down onto the green. What a zany green complex over a huge mound â?? check it out.
70 shots to knock it around this track beating itâ??s par by one for it to become the third golf course defeated during the year. Credit must go to the greens â?? they were sublime.Â
8 distilleries on Islay producing some of the best Single Malt Whiskeys in the world. Peaty stuff mind you. We managed to visit three of them: Ardbeg, Lagavullin and Laphroaig.  I checked out the visitors book at Ardbeg and we were the first visitors from New Zealand since... Jonah Lomu.Â
52.5 the alcohol percentage in the triple distilled Lagavulin single malt that can only be purchased from the distillery and that we tasted during our fleeting visit there. The best tasting experience Iâ??ve ever experienced. Laid back, hospitable, and some fine produce.
863 times we thanked Ian for the magical 24 hours on Islay as he dropped us at Port Ellen. We had enjoyed the ferry trip, our accommodation at The Machrie, being ferried around the Island courtesy of the rickety rackety Machrie van and of course playing on the sensational world class golf course.  This is one place that every whiskey and golf lover must visit.Â
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