A guide to green fee value for money

Category: 4 star (Page 1 of 20)

175. Strathtay. 30 Nov 2022.

Enchanting Course from a ‘one off’ Architect?

Value 4/5

Strathtay golf course, in Highland Perthshire, is the delightful 1909 creation of “Captain Steuart of Ballechin”. With so many good holes on this well crafted layout, I wondered who “Captain Stueart” was. Surely this had to have been designed by an experienced architect?

The picturesque stone cottages make the first hole feel like a village green. The Victorian village of Strathtay maintained strict planning laws, demanding use of certain stone, and became a beacon of the Affluent in society.

This 9 hole course is short, at under 2000 yards, with 5 par threes and 4 par fours, although the “11th” is played as a par 4 on the “back 9” from a back tee. Being set into the slopes above the Victorian village of Strathtay, the course feels much longer, with plenty of guile.

The 6th, a tough slight dog leg left par 4, making good use of the natural contours of this landscape. The green to the right of the picture is actually the 4th.

The “Captain” turns out to be John Malcolm Stueart, an officer in the Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own). His nearby home, Ballechin House, was an ancestral seat of the Jacobean Steuart’s (‘Steuart’ being the French spelling of ‘Stewart’). John’s great uncle of the same name, Major John Steuart (1806-1876) had become intrigued with Indian religions, and reportedly came back after his death as a reincarnated dog, resulting in Ballechin house being termed “The most haunted Scotland!”.

One starts to admire the architecture on the 196 yard 2nd hole – a very strong par 3, which requires a long drawing ball, or to be played using a par 4 strategy.

The golfing “Captain” was clearly one of those highly sporty people, and regimental chronicles cite his being the best shot in the battalion, being placed first at rowing and leading the regiment’s best team on sports day. There is also mention of his proficiency at Highland dancing!

The tricky par three 7th hole, “Chapel”, another of the well designed holes. Play to the measured yardage, as if looks longer than it is, with a very difficult chip if you go long.

The Rifle Regiment also fought in the Boer War and, whilst it cannot be said with certainty, there is a good chance that Captain Steuart fought at the Battle of Speionkop, which is relevant to the course; the 5th hole is dedicated to the people who died in that battle. The 5th hole is so steep, it is impossible for trolleys and buggies to ascend to the green. It would feel very fitting that the course designer had actually been to the real Spion Kop (see the Craigie Hill blog for the back story).

The 5th hole, justified as a par 4, although only 203 yards, with Moly seen climbing the steep “Spion Kop” slope. Buggies and Trolleys have no access.

The course was in excellent condition when we played, despite the recent very wet weather. The small greens are often set into or alongside trees, with some sharp greenside drop offs, making up for the absence of bunkers.

The steep drop at the par 3 third hole, with the Perthshire Hills in the background.

We paid just £10 and thought this was excellent value, given the condition and general ambiance of the course. There is also a nice little clubhouse which I can imagine is a great place to sit on a warm summers day. Highly recommended.

Round List Price £15. Actual Paid £10 (Winter rate).

Moly’s Score – 39 for 16 points (off 12)

Course/Slope Rating (yellow) nk/nk

Course Type: Heathland

Par 31  (4 par 4s, 5 par 3s)

Distance (yellow): 1745 yards

Moly’s Gross 39 on this delightful golf course.

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

163. Carnwath. 25 Aug 2022.

Set on Gallow Hill, this course has both outstanding and infamous views.

Round £35. Par 70. Course/Slope Rating (blue) 67.7/120. Value (out of 5) – 4.5

Moly’s score – 88

Reaching the sixth tee at Carnwath, I thought about Alexander McGregor’s book “The Law Killers“, the dark history of murder in the area of Dundee where I was brought up. Some of the book’s killers look out upon Carnwath golf course, from neighbouring ‘Carstairs’, the State Mental Hospital. I wondered if any ‘patients’, had been golfers and, if so, whether seeing a course through their barred windows improved or worsened their existence.

The par four 6th tee at Carnwath, with The State Hospital ‘Carstairs’ on the right. Fittingly SI 1.

Carstairs was completed in 1939, more than 30 years after the golf course opened in 1907, designed as a 9 hole layout by Willie Auchterlonie of St Andrews. This South Lanarkshire heathland course is great fun with outstanding views all around. It’s easily accessible being about about 30 miles from both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The tough par 3 uphill opening hole, ‘Roundell’ will need a hybrid or wood for most golfers. The brown coloured ‘Roundell’ can be seen, behind the green, and was a look out point in medieval times

The course, now much changed from the initial layout, became 18 holes in 1963. It was in beautiful condition when I played in fine weather. The tees and fairways were excellent, the bunkers well raked and the greens true and fast, but not too sloping.

The par four 5th hole, “Railway”, the first of a number of strong dog leg holes at Carnwath.

The layout is unusual, with three of its four par 3s, being in the first four holes. With only two par 5s, the course’s variety is added to with dog legs, blind shots and some treacherous and well bunkered plateau greens.

The par four stroke index 3, 8th hole, the approach played steeply uphill, with only the longest hitters reaching in regulation I suspect.

The course sits astride the busy A70, which is quite hazardous to cross over. It is also a tough undulating walk, and plays all of its length, of 5632 yards from the blue (middle) tees, which would normally be coloured yellow.

The quality greens make for an enjoyable visitor experience, here shown at the tricky par four 15th hole. One of many plateau type greens.

At only £35 for a round it represents excellent value. With wide fairways, it’s no surprise this is a popular society venue, especially given the outstanding borders views and abundant wildlife. I found the staff in the shop and bar very welcoming.

Moly at the dog leg right 9th hole, “Winterlaw”, at 359 yards. Sadly, Moly’s sliced shot resulted in his only blob of the day.

Returning to The Law Killers; the stories of the headless human corpse found in my Dad’s allotment on The Dundee Law, or the murder of three women in my street, is not appropriate here. But the irony of the golf course and State Hospital being built on Gallow Hill can’t go unstated, since in bygone days, patients in Carstairs would have looked upon a Gallow of rather different construction.

Carnwath’s 6th green with The State Hospital looking on.

Facts:

Course Type: Heathland

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

Distance (blue): 5632 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 88

Moly’s Carnwath scorecard – 88, a solid round

161. Rowallan Castle. 22 Aug 22.

Great value open parkland course well worth playing – I hope Rowallan Castle’s interesting business plan stands the test of time.

Round £45. Par 72. Course/Slope Rating (yellow) 71.6/129. Value (out of 5) – 4.5

Moly’s score – 91

Insert “parkland” into their claim that Rowallan Castle is “one of Ayrshire’s finest golf courses” and they certainly have a case. This Colin Montgomerie designed course is well worth playing, and a great alternative to the several world class links courses along the nearby Ayrshire coastline.

The well bunkered approach to the 18th at Rowallan Castle, one of five par 5s at this clever layout.

Opened in 2010, this course is clearly set up, from the blue ‘tips’, to cater for professional play. Moreover, the yellow yardage of 6284, which most visitors will use, still presents a meaty challenge, especially as there are some long walks between green to next tee.

The first fairway, a tough par 4 of over 400 yards, adorned by “executive” housing, a key part of the longer vision of owner Niall Campbell.

Rowallan Castle, is 4 miles north of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, and has a history dating back to the 13th century. Now owned by Niall Campbell and his family, the recent history is both colourful and ‘cuts to the quick’ for businessman trying to create up market golf developments in Scotland.

Moly at the short 8th “Old Castle” hole, at 149 yards, the shortest of the five par 3s. Go long.

Initially planned to be a hotel golf resort, its appears that there has been planning challenges over the last 20 years. What you are left with is an interesting mix; one of the two castles is used as a wedding venue, the other as up market holiday lets. A separate restaurant in a new “orangery” style building, adjoining the “turreted” golf pro-shop, serves both the golf club as well as “fine dining” visitors.

The great second hole, deceptive on the eye, with more room on the huge green than it appears. You might need a long two putt for par here.

One of the oddities therefore, is that you don’t really have a golfing clubhouse and bar. Golfers use the small bar of the restaurant. Having been to several golf resorts, I’ve never come across anything like Rowallan Castle – I hope it remains profitable, because the course is a great addition to the Scottish golfing landscape.

The 3rd, “The Crow Flies” a tough par 5 and stroke index 2. Almost 100 yards longer from yellow than red.

The course itself is beautifully laid out around the estate, which sees continuing housing development. The best thing for me about the layout was the hole variety, not least because it has five par threes and five par fives; I can’t recall encountering this balance of holes before. There is never more than two par fours in sequence. The ladies card has a par of 75, with eight par fives in total.

The greenside bunkering at Rowallan Castle is a key feature, here shown at the par 5 9th hole.

The fairways are very open; the greens and their surrounding large and deep bunkers are indeed worthy of national competitions. The course was in very good condition when we played, but let down somewhat by some of the teeing grounds. Several comments I’ve read regularly mention the poor quality drainage, but despite very heavy rain when we played, the course remained fully playable. I suspect drainage improvements have been successful.

“Wee Sneekit”, the par 3 17th hole, aesthetically typical of the “fee” at Rowallan Castle.

The club also has some innovative membership options, including a 9 hole membership, for play on the first 8 holes, plus the 19th, for only £380, against the full membership of £750. Both of these are excellent value. Yes, I did say “19th”, which is a short par three, and I assume added to provide the “9 hole course” option.

“The 19th Hole” is actually a hole at Rowallan Castle, which is very fitting as the place doesn’t really have a golf bar!

As to single green fees, its very competitively priced at £45, with discounts available through golf green fee apps, such as Golfnow. We paid only £25.

The pro shop at Rowallan Castle – you know straight away the ambition of the owners here.

I played pretty well, on a course playing its full length, my 91 needed a few good putts. It’s well worth playing at Rowallan Castle.

Facts:

Course Type: Parkland

Par 71  (5 par 5s, 8 par 4s, 5 par 3s)

Distance (yellow): 6284 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 91

Moly’s Rowallan Castle scorecard – 91, for 31 points.
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