Don’t get confused by historic rhetoric – you play the course, not the ‘club’.
Round £16. Par 33. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 31.9/114. Value (out of 5) – 3.5
Cupar is a quaint 9 hole course in the town of the same name, only 10 miles to the west of St Andrews.
The web site and a sign at the first hole declare you’re playing at “the oldest 9 hole golf club in the world”. Dig just a little under the surface and you realise this is just a trifle disingenuous.
The delightful and fun sign on near the first at Cupar.
Firstly, you play on a golf course, not on a golf club. So whilst Cupar Golf Club was founded in 1855, it was at a 6 hole course (note not 9) some distance from the current location, which is in the Hilltarvit area of Cupar.
The green at the short 6th, which plays much longer that the yardage, perhaps 3 clubs longer. Try and look closely you’ll note the greens could have been better.
After an interesting first 40 years of existence, during which the Cupar Golf Club located and played at Ladybank golf course, this current 9 hole layout which plays across the slope of Tarvit Hill was laid out in 1896, after a few years of a more “up and down” layout.
Moly at the 255 yard par 4 third hole from the well prepared teeing ground
Do some research and you uncover there are a number of 9 hole courses still in play from the early 1890s, with nearby Anstruther (click for my blog), being a good example.
Set aside the longevity, and you do have a delightful little fun course to play, along with its nice wooden clubhouse.
The tricky surrounds of the green at the 7th, a par 4 of 344 yards.
The course was in pretty good condition, although the greens were soft in places and many pitch marks had not been repaired, which was a shame.
Fran at the 8th, with long reaching views and showing the sloping fairways that await you at Cupar.
Although set on a hill, with great views over the town and surrounding countryside, many of the holes played across the slopes so it was a much easier walk that we had envisioned.
The last hole!
I played very well, in blustery conditions, for a 41, 7 over, which was about to handicap for the 9 holes. I drove to 4 feet at the last (see photo above) but missed my birdie putt.
It’s well worth playing Cupar, but don’t buy any of the “oldest” stuff, is my steer. But don’t take my word for it – check out the nice history overview on the web site here and make your own mind up.
Cupar GC allow bookings direct on their BRS system, where I got a decent discount and paid only £13 for 9 holes. Good value.
Lastly, don’t put Hill of Tarvit into your sat nav, as you’ll end up a few miles south at Kingarrock Hickory golf course, another place well worth a visit.
Course Type:Parkland
Par 33 (0 par 5s, 6 par 4s, 3 par 3s)
Distance: 2376 (white)
Moly’s Gross score: 41
Moly’s Cupar 9 hole scorecard – 41, net 34, 1 over par. A good day in blustery conditions.
I wonder how many visitors drive to Killermont to uncover this true links test?
Round £110. Par 71. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 71.5/130. Value (out of 5) – 3
I probably know more than most about Scotland’s golf courses, plus I also lived in Glasgow; one of my son’s attended school in Killermont. Despite this, I find a geography lesson is needed for ‘Glasgow’ Gailes as I almost ended up back in Glasgow to play at the Gailes Links. That would have been a big mistake!
The bunkers at the first hole, a par four of 341 yards, serves notice of what lies ahead at Gailes Links.
Glasgow Golf Club was established in 1787 by the wealthy men of Glasgow making it the first club in the West of Scotland, and the ‘9th oldest club in the world’. It retains an exclusive air and its main headquarter club, based in Killermont in Glasgow, is not open for visitors, other than as a members’ guest. In 1892, the club built the Gailes Links course, initially designed by Willie Fernie, just south of the town of Irvine on the North Ayrshire coast. It is the most northerly of the great set of Ayrshire links courses, starting from Turnberry about 30 miles south. Since its inauguration the Gailes Links has been called ‘Glasgow’ Gailes, in part to distinguish itself from Western Gailes which it adjoins. Hence the confusion about its location. The Glasgow Golf Club might hold the record for the biggest distance between two club courses.
The ‘gorsy’ remains, where trees used to be, on full display at the 3rd, the challenging par 4, stroke index 1 hole, at Gailes Links.
The layout as it exists today, required a redesign by Willie Park Junior in 1912. Furthermore, and controversially, the course has undergone a complete transformation in the last few years, having uprooted tens of thousands of trees. I got mixed feedback from some members about the ‘carnage’ of the trees, which I understand is the reason that the Gailes Links course has been removed from the Open Qualifying rota.
The delightful fifth green complex at Gailes Links, with the social housing of Irvine in the background. A beautiful contrast.
One of the members said the resulting treeless course is much easier, as it has become a wide open links course. On at least two occasions I played from where trees would have been, likely saving me 4 shots. The courses main defense is now through clever and some severe bunkering – other than the westerly prevailing wind of course! This bunkering became sharply evident to me when, after a sound opening 5 holes, being called through by a 4 ball grouping, who then witnessed my 6, including 4 bunker shots, at a short par 3!
The 6th, the first of only three par 3 holes at ‘Glasgow’ Gailes.
My six at the 6th, provides a lesson how to score well at Gailes. Study the course guide and stay away from the bunkers, some of which are out of sight. I actually played well for my gross 88, albeit the course was playing short due to the very dry March weather. Along with no wind and sunny weather it felt more like the Algarve for the time of year.
The only blind tee shot at Gailes Links is at the 7th (bottom right of the collage). There is much more space right of the ‘eye’ line, especially with the large scale tree removal.
The course is long at over 6300 yards from the yellow tees, and comprises a zig-zagged ‘north/south out and back’ layout, with about 4 transverse holes. The resulting layout provides a great many subtle changes of direction, which must be very challenging when the wind gets up.
The 9th is the shortest par 4 at Gailes Links, at 304 yards, but well bunkered at a typical driving length for most players, who might be best to play a longish iron off the tee, to avoid the sand.
Without the trees, being wayward off the tees is not penalised, especially as there is only one ‘blind’ tee shot (par four 7th), and only one ‘blind’ approach, at the 14th, one of only two par 5s on the course. Along with only three par 3s, this makes the main challenge to score well, being your long iron/hybrid game being up to the challenge of the several par 4s over 400 yards. The resulting par is 71, although the yellow course rating is 71.5, with white being one more.
The approach at the 14th, a short but good par 5, where the long hitters will be tempted to reach the green in two, but will require to avoid a narrow bunker filled gap (above) about 100 yards short of the putting surface.
On the day I played, several of the bunkers were GUR, although not the ones I found at the 6th (my only bunkers of the day). I felt the winter rate I paid of £60 a little steep, with a few winter tees still in play, and despite the dry weather there was surprising indications of muddy locations – I wondered if that was a legacy of the tree removal, and impact on the drainage?
The local pro “Arthur” was really friendly and very welcoming, and therefore worth a mention.
If you get lucky with a winter rate in dry conditions, its fairish value, but the main fee of £110 for a mid week summer round, is not great value and getting out of range of affordability for most.
Course Type:Links
Par 72 (2 par 5s, 13 par 4s, 3 par 3s)
Distance: 6322 (yellow)
Moly’s Gross score: 88
Moly’s Gailes Links scorecard – 88, best round in a while.
A course to play to help appreciate “Golf; from a new angle”
Round £95. Par 72. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 71.9/125. Value (out of 5) – 3.5
The Ayrshire coast is home to some of the finest golf Scotland has to offer. Barrassie used to be a village in its own right, but is now considered part of the town of Troon. Ironically, it was the ‘long’ distance from Troon golf course, that caused the locals of Barrassie to establish a course in 1894, designed by the Prestwick professional, John Allan.
It was in the early 1930s that a new 18 holes course was designed by Matthew M Monie, who was an author who wrote under the pseudonym ‘Theodore Moone’. As for the course in play today, it comprises nine holes from Moone’s 1930s design and nine new holes built in 1997. Nine of Moone’s original holes are retained as a 9 hole course called ‘Hillhouse’.
The scientist, golfer and author, Theodore Moone, proved that golf course architecture was also one of his numerous talents, with Barrassie being one of only a few courses he designed.I suspect we all recognise the subject of the book’s cover!
Search for Moone on the internet and you will be presented with opportunities to buy his book, “Golf from a New Angle”, based around fictional letters about the fundamentals of golf. Look a little deeper and his scientific approach to golf, may have been way ahead of his time – I suspect Bryson DeChambeau may be a fan.
The brilliantly designed approach at the par four 3rd, the stroke index 3 hole. Note the obscured view to the left hand side of the green and the sharp left to right slope towards the front right bunker; coupled with the burn 40 yards short of the green, this is a great hole, typifying Barrassie’s architectural guile.It is stroke index 1 on the Ladies card.
Although no sea is in sight, this is unquestionably a classic links course of a high standard. Playing at almost 6500 yards from the yellow tees, and with several dog leg holes and semi-blind approaches, this is also a course with plenty of guile. It was handy that I played in a group that included a long term member, who was on hand to offer advice when needed.
The aesthetic, or terrifying, view of the par three 4th hole, at 150 yards. Here, old pals, from left to right, Brian, Douglas (our host) and Stephen, look happy – before teeing off!I think this might be one of the most obvious “lateral hazards” in Scotland?
Nevertheless, I suspect you need to play Barrassie a great many times to appreciate which sides of the greens to play into, as there are often ‘hidden’ gullies and slopes which make getting up and down impossible for all, but the most gifted players, if you are “short sided”. The club has a delightful video on it’s website here – once viewed, it is clear why Barrassie has hosted many top amateur competitions and is also an Open Final Qualifying venue.
The majestic framing around the newly re-built par four 13th hole.
The course was in magnificent condition for a mid March day, with the fairways and greens playing as if it were already June. The bunker conditioning was the only thing I would criticise, but even that was likely down to the legacy of the pandemic which was just easing off.
Barrassie member Douglas driving at the 401 yard par four 17th hole.
We all played about the same with respect to our handicaps and my partner, Brian, and I, halved a closely fought 4BBB game against Douglas and Stephen, having come back from 3 down (well played Brian!). It is always nice for a ‘friendly matchplay’ (although an oxymoron for some) to be in the balance until the very last putt is holed.
Stephen eyeing another fine drive down the middle – almost right through the eye of a needle.
One thing about Barrassie worth mentioning; the winter golf rate of £45 is brilliant value, especially when compared with the £95 summer fee, an amount reflecting the significant recent price growth I’ve witnessed across Scotland. I think this has been driven by both the increased demand for golf due to the pandemic and also the ongoing tussle between clubs’ loyalty to their membership versus serving the needs of the peripatetic golfer, for whom membership is not desired. The latter conflict is a matter of fierce debate within the Scottish Golf Union organisation.
The 17th green, showing the great conditioning of the course in mid March, and the little gully left being a treacherous ‘leave’, for two of us.
I once heard the great football manager Bill Shankly describing a Stallworth player as “honest” meaning they always gave their all and could be completely relied upon. That’s how I felt when playing Barrassie – it is an “honest” links golf course, if such a thing is possible.
Course Type:Links
Par 72 (3 par 5s, 12 par 4s, 3 par 3s)
Distance: 6460 (yellow)
Moly’s Gross score: 96
Up and down round of golf. Gross 96, but still 29 stableford points.
You’ll need your best putting game on the excellent greens
Round £55. Par 71. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 69.3/124. Value (out of 5) – 3
The town of Haddington, lies just off the A1, about 17 miles east of Edinburgh, and is very easily accessed. At the heart of East Lothian, Haddington is likely to be a popular venue to stay if on a golfing holiday to play the many world class golf courses on the self proclaimed “Golf Coast”, home to Muirfield and Gullane to name but two.
Moly playing the challenging par three 16th hole – take 2 more clubs than the distance, to get up the hill, plus there is little danger over the back of the green.
So if you’re planning to visit the area, should Haddington be on the play list?
First thing to say is that for a course, or rather club, founded in 1865 and claiming to be the “19th oldest course in the world”, no mention of the course architect can be found.
We found the greens very slick at Haddington, here the large green at the par three 10th.
The course is set in the nice mature parkland of Amisfield Park, much of it still walled, with some spectacular trees; it is a place with a wide and rich history, ranging from a Medieval Cistercian nunnery, through to playing a part in the Jacobean rebellion, the Napoleonic war and both world wars. The former grand Amisfield House is long gone, but its sandstone was, interestingly, used to build Longniddry Golf Course clubhouse. The park’s boundary to the north is the River Tyne, but the river doesn’t play a part on the course.
The short par three 4th, showing the mature parkland setting of Haddington.
The town of Haddington is relatively small with a population of 10,000, but in the “high middle ages” (AD 1000 – 1250) it was the fourth most significant Scottish city. So its glory days are long gone – that seems fitting in that the golf course is also a minor player in the Lothians. It’s Okay, but priced too high in my opinion.
Fran tees off at the 6th at Haddington – a par 4 of 375 yards (yellow)
The condition of the course was very mixed. The greens and fairways were very good, but the tees were terrible, other than the red ladies tees. The greens were also very large, and coupled with the fast speed, led for a real challenge to avoid 3 putting. The fairways, were wide and forgiving, but there are some excellently placed fairway bunkers, that need to be navigated.
The nice fairways at Haddington, here shown at the 9th, a par four of 329 yards (yellow)
In extremely high winds, I struggled to a gross 107, for 21 stableford points (from a playing HCP of 16). This included a birdie 3 at the long par four second hole, measuring 421 yards from the yellow – the wind was strongly behind of course! In total I lost 5 balls, never nice!
The approach to the par four 15th at Haddington, again showing the mature setting.
Haddington, is in summary over-priced in my opinion, and not worth prioritising in a Lothian golfing trip. The clubhouse building is also rather run down.
Course Type:Parkland
Par 72 (2 par 5s, 13 par 4s, 3 par 3s)
Distance: 6038
Moly’s Gross score: 107
Wind played havoc with Moly’s game, finishing with a 107, including a 10 at the last.
