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.
Round £25. Par 71. Course/Slope Rating (yellow) 68.9/124. Value (out of 5) – 2.5
Torrance Park golf course started off as an ambitious project. Owned by David Murray, the Scottish businessman and former owner of Glasgow Rangers FC, it was designed by Dave Thomas (The Belfry, Spey Valley) as an impressive PGA style 18 holes course and opened as recently as 2008. It had plans also for a driving range. Sited close to the M8 motorway and adjacent to the town of Holytown, an area with rapid housing development, it was ideally located.
Torrance Park, adjacent to a major power distribution hub, might have the most pylons in Scotland.
However, jump forward 15 years, and the course was rather forlorn when I played, during which I also found out that from 2023, the course was to be 9 holes only. The land to the west of Legbrannock Road, was to be a housing development, leaving 9 holes currently the nearest around the modern clubhouse.
The greens, the 1st shown here, are well designed and well maintained, and the best feature of this otherwise uninspiring course.
When I played I met up with a local member, who was angry that he and many other members had paid their annual membership fees, before shortly thereafter being advised by email of the course reduction plans, but without an option to cancel their membership.
The par four 4th at Torrance Park, worthy of being the stroke index 1. A water feature ready to capture any right handed slice from the tee.
This parkland course feels rather odd. Fairways are wide, with disproportionally huge bunkers – it’s as if an innocuous municipal course had a few bunkers that would be at home in Valderrama! The greens are nonetheless pretty good, but again they feel better than the surrounding landscape and course conditioning.
The par four 17th (likely the new 8th), with views north towards the Campsie Hills.With another pylon to view!
When I played the course was very wet, although the greens had held up well. The new clubhouse had very friendly staff, and the building seems to be used as a ‘local’ for the adjacent housing estate. The food was good.
The par four 18th (which I would think is the 9th now) is a decent finishing hole – stroke index 4, with large front bunker, typical of the design here.I would recommend considering a shot to the front right of the green to leave a straight forward chip.
As for value, I struggle to think more than 2.5/5 is justified, using £25 as the stated amount. It’s convenient to the M8 if you want a quick knock about, but not worth going out of your way for, in my opinion.
Facts (pre 2022):
Course Type:Parkland
Par 71 (3 par 5s, 11 par 4s, 4 par 3s)
Distance (yellow): 5916 yards
Moly’s Gross score: 89
Moly’s Torrance Park scorecard – great finish meant decent score
With top quality greenkeeping this is the best option for mid to high handicap golfers at Carnoustie.
Round £75. Par 68. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 67.7/117. Value (out of 5) – 3.5
Barry Buddon is a 2,300 acre peninsular between Monifieth and Carnoustie. Used as a military training area since 1850, the Scottish comedian, Billy Connelly, wrote his “weekend soldier” song based on his territorial army experiences here.
The second on The Buddon, a well bunkered par 3, with the view over the Championship Course to the right, beyond the white OOB stakes.
‘The Buddon’ is the youngest of the three Carnoustie courses. Designed by prolific golfers turned architects Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas, it was built on land previously used for military training and opened in 1981. The army range, immediately adjacent the course, is still operational, so it’s not uncommon to hear gunshots as you play. Recognising the neighbouring heritage, the holes are named after battles with the stone memorials on each tee well worth reading.
The 5th hole, “Kohima”, a par 4, named after the WW2 battle in India.
I therefore couldn’t help thinking about Billy Connelly as I played The Buddon, especially around holes 11 through 13, those closest to the military range. You might be playing exactly where Connelly lay in his camouflage dreaming up lyrics – it was during those weekend soldiering visits that Billy made his first public appearance in the Stag’s Head pub in Carnoustie in July 1962.
The beautiful bunkering and greens at The Buddon, here seen at the 4th, a mid iron par three.
Holes 2 to 5 run beside the Championship course and you clearly see you’re playing the same turf, the same immaculately contoured bunkers, the same rough – only The Buddon is much shorter. At a quarter of the price though of the main course, but with the same greenkeeping quality, you wonder why people put themselves through the potential torment of the ‘Carnastie’ layout. When I get asked “How difficult is Carnoustie?”, I tell them about a 7 handicap member, who’s never broken 80.
Moly at the 6th, the first of the non-links holes on The Buddon, a tough par 4 of nearly 400 yards.
The Buddon, on the other hand, at under 6,000 yards, offers great variety and the better opportunity to play to your handicap. I scored 86 (33 stableford points) despite winds gusting up to 40 mph. Many of the holes (6 through 16) are routed through trees, and have a distinctive heathland feel. Throw in the views towards the Sidlaws Hills and it could be the highlands. It’s consequently a great venue to discuss what constitutes a “true links”?
Fran plays from the ditch on the par four 12th hole, getting a par. Take a bow Fran.
Without the Barry Burn in play, Alliss and Thomas have made good use of man made ditches to create the same hazardous feel, albeit you can play out of the ditches. The course is generally an “out and back” layout, so the south-westerly prevailing wind is a big challenge, especially on the first 5, where OOB on the right (the boundary with the Championship course) comes into play. This was my own undoing on the third, where I hit the fairway, but on the wrong course!
The 14th, Waterloo, played with the prevailing wind, a good birdie chance, as long as you miss the large fairway bunker.
The course was in excellent condition when Fran and I played along with our host, family member Greg Kemp. The 16th was undergoing a new tee construction, but still in play from a forward mat. The greens are large and were a delight to putt on. On the day, we all played pretty well.
Greg’s power on show, driving at the last on The Buddon, a long par 4.
Of the two ‘secondary’ courses at Carnoustie, there’s little to choose from in determining which I would recommend. The Burnside has more history and is a truer links course, whereas The Buddon has more variety and is better designed. If it’s a windy day, go for The Buddon, because at least the trees give you some respite.
The short 15th hole, again showing the great bunkering on The Buddon.Thankfully its not my ball!
As to value, its a case of 3.5 for me, as the price of £75 is inflated due to its Carnoustie Championship companion. Having said that, if you ‘need’ to play on Carnoustie, this is probably the best option if you’re not single figures.
Facts:
Course Type:Links
Par 68 (2 par 5s, 10 par 4s, 6 par 3s)
Distance (yellow): 5652 yards
Moly’s Gross score: 86
Moly’s Buddon scorecard – a solid 86, especially in very high winds.
Golfing grandeur nestled out of sight – just like Augusta National – with azaleas and other mysteries thrown in.
Round £175. Par 68. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 67.4/113. Value (out of 5) – 2.5
As I played Royal Burgess, close by a busy traffic junction in Edinburgh, I had a nagging thought; this venue has parallels to Bobby Jones’ Augusta National, an oasis of golfing perfection just off a nondescript highway.
The humble Burgess entrance, belying the wonderful parkland beyond, had me musing of Augusta.
This is not a ‘Golf Club’ though, but the more grander ‘Golfing Society’, a term dating back to 1735, some 150 years before the creation of the current golf course at Barnton.
The difficult par 4, fourth hole, one of the best at Royal Burgess.
A ‘Burgess’ is a term used differently in different countries. In Scotland in 1735, the year of the Societies origin making it the oldest golf club in the world, ‘burgesses’ were city freemen with exclusive trading rights and members of trade guilds. In a sense, they were the Scottish Bourgeoisie. The men would also, probably without exception, have been Freemasons, as Scotland was the birthplace of post middle-age freemasonry. There is a very interesting article “How freemasons invented golf” in the www.scottishgolfhistory.org website which also covers how the Burgess Society was involved.
Ian Ponton plays from a typically well manicured bunker, here at the 2nd, a short par 4.
There is also a lovely Burgess history here on the clubs website, and covered in fine detail on the walls of the impressive 1897 “Arts and Crafts” clubhouse, which is well worth visiting when you play.
Moly’s tee shot at the 121 yard par three 8th hole, with a typically aesthetic surround.
The society originally played over 6 holes at Bruntsfield Links near Edinburgh Castle, then at Musselburgh from 1874 along with some rival societies (you may be able to guess them?). The Burgess finally came to its current location in 1895 on land that had been the private course of a wealthy businessman, Robert Clark. It was an ideal location in its day, with the current starters hut, adjacent the first tee, formerly being the ticket office for the Barnton railway station of the Caledonian line.
Bob Tait, demonstrating a full extension through the ball, at the 437 yard par four 6th hole. Royal Burgess is a good course to use in any debate for advocating different stroke indexes for each tee box.
Since 1895, no lesser than Old Tom Morris, Willie Park Jnr (main designer), James Braid and Philip MacKenzie Ross have developed the course – that’s quite an architectural pedigree.
The course sits in a beautifully manicured arboretum with a wide variety of trees and plants, including azaleas and rhododendron. Although not a long course and constrained by the tight parkland surrounding, the ‘yellow’ course feels longer than its 5700 yards, comprising several long par 4s and no yellow par 5s. There are many large and deceptive greens making three putts a constant hazard. An anomaly in yardages means that the 210 yard par three 18th, is stroke index 18, due to the championship tee designating it a par four. I imagine most matchplay games reaching the 18th, strongly favour a lower handicapper.
Jamie Snedon playing from the greenside bunker at the 15th, a tough par four.
The course was in great condition when I played, hosted by the affable Ian Ponton, owner of the Oz Bar in Candlemaker Row in Edinburgh, along with his great friends Bob Tait and Jamie Snedon. Jamie played by far the best golf on a very windy day, but thankfully we hadn’t made a wager as we started off in a bit of Scottish drizzle.
The 10th, a testing dog leg par four and a very characteristic Burgess hole
The wind didn’t hamper our enjoyment and one could really appreciate the course design, where many large fairway and greenside bunkers were of the highest order, with perfect sand. Many bunkers have been added over the years, some recently. The course sets up better for a fader of the ball (such as Jamie), with all bar one (the 14th) of the many dog leg holes being left to right.
The par threes were well bunkered albeit, other than the 18th, they were short to mid length iron shots for most players.
The approach at the 11th, the signature hole at The Burgess
I struggled to a score of 95, which can’t all be attributed to the wind and my recently developed fade was turned into a monstrous slice on several occasions. It’s important to avoid the bunkers to score well at Burgess, something I failed to do.
I can’t imagine anyone not liking Royal Burgess, a place of genuine history in the developing of the game. It’s beautiful condition, makes it a four for value at its current price.
The clubhouse is the backdrop to the 18th, with a plaque commemorating Henry Cotton’s visit to Royal Burgess, where I conveniently located my tee shot!
The “Royal” patronage was bestowed on the club in 1929, due to a friendship between Robert Boothby, a Burgess member, and the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII (he who abdicated). Boothby was knighted the same year the club became Royal Burgess.
Finally, lets return to my Augusta National ‘gut feeling’ comparison. In looking for a comparable Augusta picture to the Royal Burgess entrance photograph, I stumbled upon a quite remarkable thing. Directly opposite the unobtrusive entranceway to The Masters venue, is the headquarters of the Ancient Scottish Rite Freemasonry organisation. Dig only a little deeper and you find that none other than Augusta hero Brother Arnold Palmer was a Grand Great 33 degree Freemason of the Scottish Rite.
Augusta National entrance with inset of the building opposite – the HQ of Scottish Rite Freemasonry
Plenty of mystery and history to ponder in playing this recommended, but overly priced, course.
Facts:
Course Type:Parkland
Par 70 (0 par 5s, 14 par 4s, 4 par 3s)
Distance (yellow): 5704 yards
Moly’s Gross score: 95
Moly’s Royal Burgess scorecard – 95 – dominated by up to 40 mph wind.
