This 12 hole course next to Edinburgh airport feels like what you would build if you could afford your own golf course
Round £17.50. Par 70. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 64.4/111. Value (out of 5) – 5
Gogarburn golf course is located very close to both Edinburgh airport and the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). RBS was around the year 2000 the “largest bank in the world”, but infamously came tumbling down as part of the 2008 Global Banking Crisis, triggered by the ‘unknown’ amount of sub-prime mortgages held on its books. Iain Martin’s excellent book “Making it Happen: Fred Goodwin, RBS and the Men Who Blew Up the British Economy” exposes the excesses of bankers which contributed to the crisis.
I mention this, because when I played Gogarburn, a quite delightful 12 hole course, it felt like it would be the sort of ‘spending excess’ that Fred Goodwin, the RBS CEO, would have built in his back garden. I was a bit disappointed to find it had never been owned by RBS, but I still strongly suspect that Fred must have tried to buy it at some point, as he was a great lover of golf and used the banks money to sponsor his golfing hero, Jack Nicklaus.
The stunning second hole at Gogarburn, a delightful par 4. Short, at 273 yards, but full of danger.
The golf course sits on the former 18th century Hanley Estate grounds, which had been in use as a hospital since 1948, and was actually created by some local hospital workers for their own leisure in 1977 with 9 holes, then extended in 1983 to the current 12 hole layout. So it wasn’t only bankers that overstepped their work boundaries!
The par four 5th hole at Gogarburn, another hole where an iron or hybrid off the tee makes sense.
The course is laid out in very mature and varied parkland, and has a clever layout, whereby 18 holes are played in competitions by using holes 6 through 8 once, and all the others twice. It would make for a lovely and easy walk for non playing partners.
Its not long, as the slope index would suggest, but it has some narrow channels to drive through, so don’t be fooled otherwise you’ll really rack up some big scores. Take hybrid or irons off the tee, or drive straight.
The pretty green at Gogarburn’s 11th, a good par three of 166 yards
Some of the short par 4s are technically drivable, but are cleverly protected by very narrow green entrances between bunkers. For example, the 259 yard, par four 3rd hole, has only nine yards between the greenside bunkers – although the ‘easiest’ hole, you need to take care. The greenside bunkering, with excellent sand, is one of the good features of this course.
The finishing hole at Gogarburn, the longest hole at 379 yards, and stroke index 1.
My round of 50, 7 over par, was made up of 5 pars and 7 bogies. I played very well and really enjoyed playing this course; not because of my score, but because of the all round condition and layout.
It’s brilliant value, especially at the discounted rate I paid of only £13 using the ClubV1 booking system; it’s still 5 star value at the £17.50 rack rate. A good place to practice your wedge game, but don’t get complacent. Overseas visitors might try and use it to overcome jet lag!
Course Type:Parkland
Par 43 (7 par 4s, 5 par 3s)
Distance: 3031 (yellow)
Moly’s Gross score: 50
Gogarburn card. Played well for 50, just 7 over gross.
Forget the industrial surround to experience Scottish golfing value at its best
Round £15. Par 70. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 69/121. Value (out of 5) – 5
As long as courses like Grangemouth remain open and accessible, Scotland will easily retain its lead in providing the best value golf worldwide. At only £10 for a ‘winter round’ or £15 for summer, this is as good value golf as you can get.
You quickly realise the quality on offer at Grangemouth, with the approach at the first hole.
But Grangemouth Golf Club and it’s courses, have not always had a guaranteed existence and the Scottish golfing community can’t take venues like Grangemouth for granted – its history is worth dwelling on.
The current parkland municipal course, opened in 1974 by the local council, is just outside the village of Polmont and close to junction 4 of the M9 motorway. However, the first Grangemouth golf course can be traced back to the mid 1890s, and its growth and decline are charted on the excellent web site “Forgotten Greens of Scotland”. After a few false starts, a 9 hole course opened in 1908 at Abottsgrange, including greens created through “beating, rolling, sanding, cutting”. A “small shelter was built to protect against the ‘Sudden Blast'”. Initially there were 113 men and 67 lady members, highlighting the non sexist nature of golf in Scotland. A clubhouse was soon built but burned down in 1924, with the most informative comment being the sad loss of 200 sets of clubs, “only those few who took clubs away at the weekend were saved”.
The original Grangemouth members. We should never take the longevity of courses for granted.
By the early 1950s the course, now with 18 holes, became a victim of a mix of expanding urban growth, the building of a new Scottish Central airfield and political wrangling within Stirling County and the local Town councils. This led to the closure of that course in 1954, now the sight of a school and housing estate, with the political promise of a new replacement course on Polmonthill. It was finally established 30 years later! Politics.
The long par four 8th, “Gambler’s Gap” (you can see it), the most difficult hole.
Arguably, the current course was worth the wait. At well over 6000 yards, this undulating layout, bordering Polmont Woods, is very challenging. When I played, on a fine March day, along with my old friend Frank Crowe and two of his friends, Colin Campbell (a local member) and Ian Ponton, it was in remarkable condition. It beggared belief that it is maintained by only two greenkeepers; the greens were first class.
My playing partners in action. Top – Ian Ponton at the 2nd; Bottom left Colin at the 15th; Frank at the 18th.
The course has won a “Scottish Municipal Course of the Year” award in the past, and you could see why. The bunkers, where admittedly more rakes were needed, and tees, could have been a bit sprucer; but this was golf costing about the same as two pints of beer, with high summer rates still being well short of £20. If any international tourists wanted to see what is on offer elsewhere in Scotland, other than the heady courses in nearby Fife or East Lothian costing over 10 times the green fee, this would be a great course to play.
There are some memorable holes, not least the brilliantly framed par fours first and fourth holes, both played uphill into well bunkered greens. The signature hole, “Reflections”, the par three seventh at 178 yards, played over a resevoir, left me ‘reflecting’ how I racked up a 7, including my first ball finding the water.
The par three 7th. Is there a finer visual par three on any other UK municipal course?
The greens were very tricky, as my seven 3 putts attest; this was due to the large and sloping nature of them, not the surfaces which were true. My gross 90, therefore, indicting my otherwise decent ball striking.
The overall layout has a nice variety of dog leg holes, blind shots, and some easier respite holes to catch the odd birdie or par. The four par 3s, collectively, are the course highlight for me.
The great framing on the par four 4th hole. A tough challenge to reach the green in two here.
It is worth getting ready for the industrial views of the refinery, which only comes into view on a few holes, most notably at the 11th and 12th. Also nearby is one of the largest land fill sites in Scotland, but local member Colin commented that there was never any impact from smells. I would not let the local industrial surround put you off playing Grangemouth, it’s actually a reason to go.
The very difficult long par four 11th (a par five from the white tees), with the inset showing the view at the tee of Colin, Ian and Frank (L to R)with the Grangemouth refinery in the background
The course, laid out as 4 loops of holes, makes it easy to just play a few holes, or cut out some of the track. As I was leaving, I saw a local member, taking advantage by jumping onto the back nine. He was a old guy, in jeans and t-shirt, whose clubs looked like they could have survived the 1924 fire. “Could be the Algarve” I said, commenting on the unseasonal weather. “Aye, yer right, ma five pals have gone tae Turkey and its pissing down and four o’ them have caught that ‘covee’, ****ing brilliant eh!”
Frank and I, played Colin and Ian, in a tightly contested four ball game that went to the last. Well played everyone, a memorable day’s golf on one of the finest municipal courses in the world. Now that is “****ing brilliant”.
Play Grangemouth. Its currently going through a change from municipal to private management, so you never know how long it might be there.
Course Type:Parkland
Par 70 (2 par 5s, 12 par 4s, 4 par 3s)
Distance: 6077 (yellow)
Moly’s Gross score: 90
Moly’s 90 scorecard at Grangemouth, for 31 stableford points, on this brilliant value golf course.
Round £10. Par 71. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 69/124. Value (out of 5) – 4
South Lanarkshire Council state on their website they are “proud to operate six quality golf courses” – and so they should be if Strathclyde Park represents the offering, being one of the two 9 hole golf courses in the package which can all be played by subscribing to their season long Rover deal.
Looking back from the 8th green at Strathclyde Park, towards the Hamilton Racecourse grandstand.
Having been brought up on Caird Park “9 holer”, a Dundee Council course, I was expecting a similar set up from Strathclyde Park. How wrong I was – this is a serious and ‘meaty’ golf course. A little under 6000 equivalent yards (from the Yellow), this is a a big challenge, especially for those taking up the sport.
The nice fairway on show at the 1st, a good starting hole at well over 350 yards, making you realise this is not ‘pitch ‘n putt’, with the natural edge bunkering dominating the approach.
Set in Strathclyde Country Park, adjacent to junction 6 of the M74, with the backdrop of Hamilton racecourse on the finishing holes, I really enjoyed this great value course.
The view from the 4th tee at Strathclyde, the SI 1 hole.
Because there was one winter green still in play and still being on the winter rate (even though I was able to play in shorts on an unseasonably warm March day), I paid only £5.40 for 9 holes. The tees were in poor condition, but the fairways were very good as were the bunkers. The greens are varied in size, shape and contour with many very challenging (I three putted several times).
There is plenty of wildlife on show at Strathclyde, with the adjacent nature reserve. Here, some residents sharing my journey to the 3rd green, a difficult par 3.
I got to thinking, at only £10, for the high season rate for 18 holes, what is the value of a course as the price tends to zero? Or put another way, how do you really offset course quality and value?
Overall, this course is probably 2 out of 5 for ‘quality’ on a national basis, but at such a low price it is 4 for ‘value’, a score I would say provides an upper bound for the quality – even if free, because you still have to spend the time playing! It’s a great debate.
The second par three, the uphill 7th, requiring your 180+ yardage club.Against the backdrop of the housing developed alongside the Racecourse.
The course is well designed with a rounded mix of two par 3s, two par 5s and five par 4s – a classic combination. The fairways were wide, and very firm for the time of year.
I played better than I scored with several three putts in my gross 48.
We were staying in our caravan in Strathclyde Country park, which is a great location to set down to play all the courses on offer from South Lanarkshire Council.
Course Type:Parkland
Par 36 (2 par 5s, 5 par 4s, 2 par 3s)
Distance: 5891 (yellow)
Moly’s Gross score: 48
Moly lost count of the number of 3 putt greens on this tough 9 hole council course. Played better than 48 suggests.
High architectural pedigree at this well rated, but over priced, course that is a tale of two very different surrounds. Is this a camel I wonder?
Round £75. Par 68. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 69.8/119. Value (out of 5) – 3
Sometimes expectation can get the better of you. I’d read that Longniddry, one of the courses along the so called “golf coast” of East Lothian, had been designed through its evolution by no less than four of the worlds best course architects.
Gordon at the first. Lucky to miss the bunker off the tee, he sadly played his second into trouble to the left (see the bushes!). Always a great start:(
Harry Colt laid out the initial design in 1921, with subsequent adjustments by James Braid, Philip Mackenzie Ross and, finally, Donald Steele. That’s quite a pedigree.
Sir Alec Issigonis, designer of the original Mini motorcar, said, “a camel is a horse designed by committee.” The meaning was intended to convey how groups can be an ineffective method of development. Alternatively, “Too many cooks..” could also be used, in the same context.
Brian, again displaying his well coached follow through, here at the par three 6th hole, surrounded by greenside bunkers. I think all 4 of us might have been bunkered here – teamwork:).
These comments came to the fore of my mind when playing Longniddry, along with three good friends with whom I had worked with at Apex Scotland, a not for profit organisation dedicated to supporting people with convictions find work and improve their lives.
The plateaued 5th green, with bunkering awaiting the misjudged approach shots.
Set in the affluent village of Longniddry, only 20 minutes by commuter train to Edinburgh, the course occupies a relatively contained acreage, and has many £1m++ houses adorning several fairways. It is a heavenly place to reside for golfers. But the impression is that Longniddry is not a stuffy place, and one of the few “Golf Coast” upper rated courses that allow booking and discounts through the Golfnow app. That is to be applauded, but it can backfire a little; after booking a round at £75 a head with the clubhouse, I found out about a week before that tee times very close to ours were available at only£50 – on phoning up to challenge our fees, it must be said the club responded well. I do recognise the difficulty for clubs, especially when third party marketing app tee time pricing is sometimes controlled by the club, sometimes by the app marketers direct.
Frank putts out on the 173 yard uphill par three 13th, with backdrop of the Firth of Forth.
The course is very interesting. It has wide fairways, making for a relatively straight forward game off the tees, especially as the fairway bunkering is not as penal as some of its Lothian neighbours. The green surrounds are at times a real challenge, especially at the four par threes, where I lost count of the number of greenside bunkers. Unfortunately, the bunkers were still suffering (sic) from the Pandemic, like much of the population. If you plan to play Longniddry, spend a bit of time practicing your bunker play.
The par four 11th hole at Longniddry the start of the more ‘links’ feeling holes.
The fairways were fairly decent when we played on a lovely late September day. But the teeing grounds needed a little more care. The greens were good and clearly well watered.
The layout is a tale of two quite different environs. The course was created largely by carving out an area from the Boghill Wood, and holes 5 through 10, in particular feel like a woodland course. From 11 onwards the course opens out into a much more traditional links land layout with most holes with gorse in play.
The tough par four 7th hole at Longniddry, in the tree lined section of the course – stroke index 1.
The course is quite long at over 6000 yards from the yellow tees, given that it is a par 68. The real question I have, architecturally, is why none of the renowned architects after Colt said, “what about extending a couple of longer par 4s to make par 5s”, getting the par to (say) 70. Without this, you are left with 14 par 4s, with precious few birdie opportunities for the higher handicappers. The 17th/18th, both challenging par 4s of well over 400 yards, could relatively easily be altered, as could the long par four 3rd at 450 yards. I’m certain it must have been a debate down the years.
The short 16th hole with some of the residences of the well heeled in the background – I suspect that’s envy on my part?
The stoke indices also seemed to not reflect the difficulty. For example, the well bunkered par 3s, being labeled as the 4 easiest holes (not so, surely!), and the last, a long par 4 at 420 yards (yellow) being only stroke index 12? It would be intriguing to get the membership views on this.
There were two stand out holes for me:
> The 5th, a dog leg left par four of only 320 yards, with the approach played to a green on a plateau fronted by two mass grave like bunkers. Stay well right with the drive, and commit to at least one extra club on the approach. Its the most un ‘links’ like hole.
The cleverly designed par four 14th hole, where the burn comes into play for all but the longest off the tee. Good green complex.
> The 14th, a difficult par four, where only the long hitters can confidently drive over a ditch at around 200 yards, but the downhill fairway means that even a hybrid might run into the ditch. Then the approach is uphill to a carefully set green with difficult slopes.
The nice clubhouse awaits at the 18th – a demanding finish, more difficult than the SI of 12, in my opinion.
I played pretty well. After a 10 at the ninth, having been in trouble on both sides of the fairway, I came back in 41 (7 over), to actually win our small stableford competition. The winner was meant to get their meal paid for after by the other 3, but a number of my colleagues had to rush off, quashing my opportunity to milk any praise. But I’ve not forgotten!
Finally, going back to the camel proverb. A camel is actually a highly efficient design for its environment, in which horses would soon die. You can make your own mind up about the course being a camel or not.
Finally, finally. It is reported that Mary Queen of Scots played in the area of Longniddry. But how so, I say, when the location of the course was previously the Boghill Wood?
Course Type:Parkland/Links
Par 68 (0 par 5s, 14 par 4s, 4 par 3s)
Distance: 6052 (yellow)
Moly’s Gross score: 90
Moly’s Longniddry scorecard – a 90 with an excellent 41 on the back 9; but, a 10 on the 9th!.
