A guide to green fee value for money

Category: Price (Page 2 of 44)

The is the list price range for a midweek adult round in peak season

171. Pitlochry. 27 Nov 22.

Very good, but a world best?

Value for Money (out of 5) – 4.5

The club website reports “The best course in the world ….under 6000 yards”.

The uphill opening hole at Pitlochry – a par 4 of nearly 400 yards and stroke index 3 it was the site of an old distillery, so not all golf clubs improve the environment!

Pitlochry is unquestionably a good course, laid out in 1908 by a great designer, Willie Fernie (Turnberry Ailsa). But a “best in the world?”. Has anyone ever played more than 10% of the world’s 40,000 courses or listed them by yardage?

Magnificent views surround Pitlochry, the Tummel Valley seen here at the 9th, a downhill dog leg left par 4.

The website statement is marketing hyperbole of course but, in a way, is fitting as this “Gateway to the Highlands” course has always been a commercial venture since a development consortium built the course above the town. Having laid the new golf course, the original 9 hole Pitlochry course was later flooded in creating Faskally Reservoir for a major hydro eclectic plant. I doubt any visitors to Pitlochry’s dam to watch salmon leaping, through the man made fish ladder, know they are standing above a golf course.

The 11th, one of three strong par 3s at Pitlochry, arguably the highlight of the design. Here looking back towards the elevated tee.

So how good is the course? Setting aside the hubris from the website, it’s a really good one. It is fairly short, but the undulations and the many plateaued greens make it feel longer. Despite, arguably, a lack of variation (there are 15 par 4s and 3 par 3s) the regular changes in hole elevation is the real challenge, especially for a visiting golfer. Weaving it’s way around relevant sites of Pictish Forts, and with stories of visits by Robert The Bruce and Queen Ann, there is plenty of history here as well, all described on the excellent course guide on the club website here. The greens are beautifully constructed and difficult to read.

The deceptive 15th, a short par 4, where a good drive might leave a good birdie chance, as long as you judge uphill approach distance. But note the stroke index 5 rating!

The course was in excellent all round condition when we played, despite recent heavy rain. We played off a shortened winter layout, and paid only £21.99 via golfnow.com. This is incredible value and as a business there are often deals to be had here.

Although several changes have been made to the course over the years, the signature mid iron 16th, clearly didn’t need improving.

Being only 25 miles north of Perth on the A9, Pitlochry became a key holiday destination in late Victorian times and still remains a desirable holiday venue. The Golf Club’s opens competitions are very popular, not least because of the great clubhouse hospitality and food.

The 18th green, a downhill par 4 and a good birdie opportunity, with the “New England” feel clubhouse, which houses a good restaurant.

Back to the hyperbolic claims. Of the courses I’ve played, Pitlochry isn’t even the best Willie Fernie designed course under 6000 yards – that’s Shiskine for me. I also think Boat of Garton, Kilspindie and Carnoustie Burnside (where Hogan qualified for the 1953 Open) are all better courses and under 6000 yards from their longest tees.

Pitlochry’s course guide also states the short par 15th hole is “probably the most difficult par four in the world”! Whilst it’s likely ‘tongue in cheek’, I did take 7!

Facts:

Round List Price £65. Actual Paid £21.99 through Golfnow.

Course/Slope Rating (yellow) 67/116.

Course Type: Heathland

Par 69  (15 par 4s, 3 par 3s)

Distance (blue): 5517 yards

Moly’s Pitlochry Scorecard – 86

170. Tulliallan. 25 Nov 22.

Where exactly is Kincardine Golf Club?

Value for Money (out of 5) – 3.5

I love marketing using “it does exactly what it says on the tin“.

Most Scots know where the Kincardine Bridge is, but few know where Tulliallan is. Tulliallan Golf Club is less than a mile north of the Kincardine Bridge which crosses the Firth of Forth about 20 miles west of Edinburgh, at a cross roads of several Scottish Counties, including Stirlingshire, Fife and Perthshire.

The tough par four uphill 3rd hole, at well over 400 yards, rightly the stroke index 1.

‘Tulliallan’, meaning ‘beautiful knoll’ in Gaelic, was the name of an estate owned by the Lairds of Blackadder, which is unusual given the Blackadder Clan (now defunct) were from Berwickshire. The original 9 hole golf course was founded in 1902 with 5 holes occupying the ground of Blackadder Castle (sometimes called the Old Tulliallan Castle). For the record the New Tulliallan Castle, built in the 19th Century, is home of the Scottish Police College. The golf clubhouse bisects the two castles which are only a mile apart.

The short par four 262 yard 11th, a potential card wrecker or equally a birdie chance.

As with many courses of the age it was fairly quickly extended 18 although I couldn’t find out the architect, which is a shame as it’s a decent layout. The course makes good use of the gently sloping lands and excellent use of the burns. With some blind shots and sparse, but effective, bunkering, it’s slope rating of 122 means its a decent test.

The approach towards the par four 8th, at 389 yards, with water determining strategy from the tee.

The course was wet when we played, but other than some casual water on the first and last it had withstood the heavy rain well. To prevent mud paths, the club had introduced a clever winter routing altering the order of holes 7 through 13. The tee signs had been clearly marked, highlighting good course management.

The greens (here the long par three 4th) were in good condition, despite the heavy rain.

The highlight is the careful ordering of the holes, ensuring each presents a different challenge from the last. There was really good stoke indexing as well, other than the last, which I think should not be SI 18.

The course’s fairly wide fairways, good greens and very nice cafe/restaurant, as well as its decent pricing means its a good choice for a society outing, especially with its central location.

The 15th is the last of the four par 3s, a strong point of this well designed course.

Finally to ‘marketing’. One wonders how many more visitors this course would get annually it it was called “Kincardine Golf Club”? I actually searched and did find a Kincardine Golf Club – one of the oldest in Canada, founded in 1906, only 4 years after Tulliallan was founded.

Facts:

Round List Price £35. Actual Paid £17 through Golfnow.

Course/Slope Rating (white) 69/122.

Course Type: Parkland

Par 69  (1 par 5s, 13 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance (yellow): 5678 yards

Moly’s Tulliallan Scorecard – 82

169. East Renfrewshire (‘Ren’). 18 Oct 22.

Arboretum type vision creates framing ‘For the Ages’

Value for Money (out of 5) – 5

It takes vision to plant an arboretum as its creator is dead by the time planting has matured, something both sad and somewhat magical. This was how I felt playing one of James Braid’s canvasses – East ‘Ren’.

The beautifully framed par four 2nd hole at East Ren from its elevated tee.

In 1922 when Braid designed this moorland layout there were almost no trees and this is a great example how courses evolve over the years.

The original open heathland vista of East Ren, a picture courtesy of the golf club. The clubhouse is still in use.

Looking at the original open heathland layout of the course in 1922, one wonders whether Braid imagined what the course would become? If he did, he really was visionary, because the course is now a beautiful mix of holes and incredibly framed by fir trees. I could have published pictures of every hole.

The great conditioning of East Ren shown here at the 4th green, the 135 yard par three, which also demonstrates the large bunkering on many holes.

This very bonny golf course was in great condition when we played, despite the recent wet weather. It fully justifies its high placing in lists of Scotland’s finest courses.

The downhill dog leg left 331 yard par four 6th hole.

With constantly changing directions and a great use of the sloping braes, Braid’s course is one that you’ll want to come back to again and again. It’s a tough walk in places, no more so than the severe uphill par three 11th, “Brae Shouther”, at over 200 yards.

Moly at the difficult 200 yard par three 7th hole.

There are also many slight dog leg holes, and the odd blind shot thrown in for good measure. The bunkering is strong, yet the fairways are overall pretty generous. The greens subtle, but not overly sloping.

The approach at the par five 14th hole, with the burn challenging the longer hitters, attempting to go for the green in two.

The use of craftily routed burns, feeding the adjacent reservoir, means strategy off the tee is a consideration. Overall, it’s an architectural gem, clearly benefitting from Braid’s growing experience by the early 1920s.

The beautiful 17th at East Ren, yet another hole with excellent framing.

Almost every hole is materially different from its predecessor, many with outstanding view of the Renfrewshire countryside. This is a ‘must play’ course and in the top handful of Scottish moorland courses.

The excellent short 13th hole, at only 120 yards the shortest hole.

Go out of your way to play East ‘Ren’, which has shot towards the top of courses I would like to play regularly.

Facts:

Round List Price £75. Actual Paid £30 through Golfnow.

Course/Slope Rating (yellow) 68.8/119.

Course Type: Heathland

Par 70  (2 par 5s, 12 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance (yellow): 5845 yards

Moly’s ‘East Ren’ Scorecard – 85

168. Rouken Glen. 16 Oct 22.

David Lloyd course fails to meet top council standards.

Value for Money (out of 5) – 2.5

Rouken Glen golf course, originally called Deaconsbank after the neighborhood it sits in, is close to junction 3 of the M77 between the Shawlands and Newton Mearns areas of South-West Greater Glasgow. The course was founded in 1923 by the Greater Glasgow corporation and its management was transferred to the David Lloyd sports club in 1999 at which time the Rouken Glen name was adopted. It is still leased from the council.

The short par three 8th green at Rouken Glen, which was in poor condition when we played.

The course is managed by the sports club as one of many activities on offer, and when you play it’s clear that golf is not the priority of this predominantly tennis club. Although specific golf annual membership is on offer for around £400, I suspect many members pay for golf as part of the wider sports club membership. I was previously a family member of the David Lloyd (now Nuffield Health) in Milgavie, which owned Dougalston Golf Club, for which golf as part of the whole family package represented good value.

The first at Rouken Glen, a decent uphill par 4 of 322 yards, is one of the better holes.

When investigating a golf club one doesn’t know, price is the best measure. At typically £15 for a pay and play summer round using Rouken Glen’s variable pricing (I paid £12), the price is well set for what’s on offer.

Nice views north towards Glasgow and the Campsie Hills from Rouken Glen’s downhill par 4 12th, a hole probably drivable in the faster running Summer months

The course actually felt pretty ‘beat up’ on this “end of season” October day, with unkempt greens, bunkers and tees. The course showed a sever lack of green keeping investment. A few greens had actually been “lost”. Overall, the condition was worse than the average council run courses in Scotland, in my experience.

Moly driving at the 9th hole, a dog leg left at 351 yards.

However, at only 4742 yards from the white tees, this par 65 generally open parkland course gives the mid teen handicap golfer the chance of “breaking 80”, that seemingly mythical number. On the day I shot 81, a score made worse by my triple bogie 7 at the downhill short par four 12th, the stoke index 18 hole – two balls were needed.

Fran trying to find a decent place to tee off at the par three 16th at Rouken Glen.

Although a short course, with several bland holes, it is a pretty tough walk and there are a few challenging holes – most notably the uphill par three 5th hole, where driver will be required for all bar the really long hitters. With such a congested golf course area, with several courses nearby, I rather think that without the Sports Club backing, Rouken Glen, would really struggle.

The open aspect of Rouken Glen shown here at the short par three 14th

This is no more than a 2 star quality course, but its cheap pricing means that an overall 2.5 for value is reasonable.

Facts:

Round List Price £15. Actual Paid £12.

Course/Slope Rating (yellow) 62.6/109.

Course Type: Parkland

Par 65  (11 par 4s, 7 par 3s)

Distance (white): 4742 yards

Moly’s Scorecard at Rouken Glen – 81
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