In his book "The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses", Tom Doak writes about the course designed by Charles Hunter in 1876 and later revised by Old Tom Morris: "One of my favorite destinations to get away from it all. Machrihanish has a remoteness and quality that are hard to match." I have nothing to add to this. However, I also agree with him about the quality of the back nine. Compared with the outward holes, they are a bit of a letdown. Do I care about it? No. Would I take the «Long and Winding Road» to Machrihanish to play the course again? Yes.