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|  Man
has lived and no doubt enjoyed Taymouth for thousands
of years. There are stone circles and megaliths
a plenty. And on Loch Tay you will find "crannogs"
or man made islands which were used several thousand
years ago. It is even possible that Pontius Pilate
was born in the area during the Roman occupation.
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|  The
old lady who, fearing she might lose her croft
if he was to build near her, advised the Earl
of Breadalbane to build his "great house",
where he "heard the first mavis (thrush)
in spring", could not have known that she
was making possible in the future "one
of the most beautiful courses in the world".
Breadalbane did build his castle in the sheltered
valley held in the arms of the Tay and when it
was built there were laid out the most exquisite
grounds bounded by the river.
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|  A
deer park was established and many unique breeds
roamed these grounds among them a white stag whose
progeny, some stalkers say, can still be seen
in the deer forests in the hills above.
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|  When
Taymouth was sold in 1921, the purchasers made
the Castle into a hotel and they commissioned
James Braid to create a course for the
recreation of the guests. The great Braid started
with great advantages, for the grounds had been
so carefully kept that the turf was in prime condition.
Over the years changes have been made, certain
holes have been lengthened and the pond at the
fourth has been created, but the course is very
much a Braid course and has been a joy to all
who have been fortunate enough to play over the
lush fairways and small natural greens.
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|  During
the war, and for some years after the western
end of the course was given over to food production
and holes five to ten disappeared under cereal
and root crops. It was a great day in the mid
fifties when the local professional Alex Learmonth,
and a famous player of that era, Hamish Ballingall,
reopened the eighteen holes.
Today the castle, the designed landscape and
the magnificent surrounding scenery make for the
ideal setting in which to pass a splendid day
on one of Scotland's historic golf courses. |
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