Stroll the Gleneagles landscape at 20% of the cost.
Round £50. Par 69. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 65.7/114. Value (out of 5) – 5
Wonderful Perthshire views. Firm heathland turf. Magnificent greens and teeing grounds. It really could be Gleneagles. But whereas playing the PGA Centenary Course will set you back £250, next door Auchterarder will be £50 for a mid week summer round; I paid only £35 for a weekend twilight for a beautiful early evening game, representing incredible value.
Moly tees off at the 10th at Auchterarder, with the Gleneagles PGA course, venue of the 2014 Ryder Cup, in the background.
Having previously been brutally exposed on the Gleneagles Ryder Cup layout, I continually wonder why ordinary golfers like me are willing to pay huge fees for golf courses that just highlight their golfing deficiencies. I can well imagine the humour value for the Auchterarder members, who pay £670 for annual membership, looking across at the well heeled swings next door.
Challenging first hole, ‘Deils Dyke’, at Auchterarder – 360 yards from the yellow tees played into the prevailing wind.
Auchterarder was designed as a 9 hole course by the legendary Ben Sayers in 1913, some 6 years before The Kings Course at Gleneagles was laid out, making Auchterarder the senior member of the local golf courses. The course went through plenty of disruption around WW2, but was subsequently reconstructed and then extended to an 18 hole course in 1979, partly through the demand created by the Gleneagles Hotel establishing its reputation as one of the world’s great golfing resorts.
The brilliant golfing entrepreneur Ben Sayers, the designer of Auchterarder, here depicted in his younger and older self.
The current course is an absolute cracker. Short, at 5357 from the yellow tees most visitors will use, this course gives you a chance to play to your handicap, making it an attractive amateur open venue, especially given its highly rated kitchen.
The 16th, ‘Gulley Brae’, a long and challenging par three, needing driver for most.
Surrounded by hills the course itself is an easy walk, amidst well maintained pines and other trees that frame many holes but don’t overly narrow the generous fairways.
The typically picturesque short par three 8th hole at Auchterarder.
The course is very well maintained and was in immaculate condition, the bunker sand in particular being in perfect order. The greens were firm, but gave good purchase for well struck irons. Beware the rough though, which was very whispy and will wrap the club for most players.
The brilliant green at the par 4 seventh hole, one of Moly’s disasters.
My only misgiving with Auchterarder was that it is set on a fairly small parcel of land, which means there is some ‘criss-crossing’ of holes, with some slightly reverse walks between greens to tees, to facilitate the yardage. A few times I came across ‘lost’ balls in the fairway which could have come from one of two adjacent holes. I can imagine many balls being ‘found’ that were actually ‘in play’ for others. These comments are perhaps a little over critical.
Fran at the short par four 13th, ‘Ochil View’, with the Gleneagles backdrop in the distance.
I played really well for my 83, especially my back nine of 38. My 14 over par, included two triple bogie 7s; one of those was on the very aptly named ‘Dinnae Stray’ seventh hole, where having hit two good shots onto the front of the very large green , I proceeded to take 5 shots to get down and they were not all putts!
Auchterarder is 5 star value golf. Take note of the clever hole names, which are a delight.
Arguably the epi-centric viewpoint of world links golf
Round £195. Par 71. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 70.4/122. Value (out of 5) – 5
In Michael Murphy’s great book, “Golf in The Kingdom”, golf is eulogised in metaphysical or spiritual terms. In starting to write about Gullane, I can’t do better than Murphy’s epigraph, the Scottish golf saying:
“Golf was invented a billion years ago; don’t you remember?”
Oh, to win the lottery and live next to Gullane Number 1’s first tee.
That epigraph made complete sense as I walked onto the 7th tee at Gullane Number 1 for the first time. Set on the small Gullane Hill, it is said on a clear day you can see fourteen counties. What is without debate, I think, is that you have the greatest links land view on earth. Perched there, you are at the mid point of the East Lothian ‘golf coast’ stretching from Dunbar to the east and Musselburgh to the west, with names synonymous with world golf – Dunbar, North Berwick, Archerfield, Renaissance, Muirfield, Luffness, Kilspindie, Craigie Law and Longniddry.
Moly on the epi-centric viewpoint of world golf – the 7th tee at Gullane No 1.
Look north across the Firth of Forth towards the Kingdom of Fife, with Leven, Crail, Elie and St Andrews; see past the Tentsmuir Forrest towards the links of Carnoustie, Montrose, Royal Aberdeen and Cruden Bay. Golf has been played on the East Coast of Scotland for hundreds of years, perhaps indeed ‘billions’. This 7th tee on Gullane Number 1 could be the epi-centric viewpoint of world golf; the Old Course is undoubtedly the “home”, but Gullane’s viewpoint is unparalleled.
The second hole at Gullane No 1, a par four “carved into the Ancient Links”
So much has been written about Gullane, including the crafted explanation of posh ‘Gillin’ versus humble ‘Gullan’ in his book, “Playing Through”, by Curtis Gillespie, that I decided to more or less tell this story mainly through pictures.
Alastair Allanach plays his low top spin drawing drive, which galloped down the “Racecourse” third; a swing honed and bartered over many years of tutelage by a South African pro. The Hill was used in bygone days by racehorses.
Accompanied by Gullane member, Alastair Allanach, a man who has played more golf courses than anyone I know, we had an absolute blast, waxing lyrical about Gullane and its history. Alastair, a great all round sportsman, and now well into his 70s, was keen to get in at least two of the three Gullane courses on the day, as he struggles to “carry my bag for three rounds nowadays!”
Gullane is one of a few nesting grounds where Larks abound, here encountered at the 8th green.
I met Alasdair a few years ago, when I helped a tiny bit in his editing of the golf book, “The Golfing Life of Jock Kirkcaldy“, the alter ego of our mutual great friend Frank Crowe. The book was forwarded by Gary Player, a friend of Alastair’s – of course!
The brilliant bunkering at the par 3, ninth hole. Although not “the turn”, as with constant directional changes on the interweaving course, it’s unlike the many “out and back” links in Scotland.
This Championship course, the first of the three Gullane courses, dates back to 1882, (the others being innovatively named Gullane 2 and Gullane 3) and it was in brilliant condition. It could have immediately held another Scottish Open without any adjustment. The greens had a little more grass than a professional tournament would have, in order to ensure they didn’t become unplayable in the wind. We had a relatively still day on the links – only a 10mph breeze. Whilst Gullane 2 and 3 were both designed by golfing royalty, Willie Park Jr, the designer of Gullane 1 remains a mystery, which seems so apt.
The bunkers at the left of the 12th fairway, a short par 5, but played slightly uphill and into the prevailing wind – a challenge.Moly’s birdie 4, was witnessed by a group of Swedish golfers, among the many international visitors Gullane gets each year.
The bunkering was exceptional. Strategically placed, penal, but not impossible, many of the new US style courses could learn from a Gullane recce. I recently played on the Ryder Cup course at the K Club and found that almost all the bunkers required a shot height and carry I no longer had in my bag. Gullane bunkers give you a chance.
The immaculate bunker at the 14th green – penal but not impossible.
I was very pleased with my 91, despite 3 triple bogies, including at the stroke indexes 1 and 2 holes, the 5th and 10th respectively. I played off the yellow tees at 6162 yards, plenty enough distance for me. I had such a great time playing Gullane. I only hope all of the very fortunate 1200 members feel as blessed as Alastair does, who was a joy to play with on a memorable day for me.
The approach at the long par 5 15th hole.
The course sits on a vast area, so expect to 3 putt some of the monstrous greens. Despite being a busy day with all tee slots taken, I was amazed to only hear one shout of “fore”, a measure of the space here.
Moly has a rare birdie chance at the uphill par 3, 17th.Note the rain in the Firth of Forth, which never arrived on the course.
Now for the assessment of value. Golfing visitor fee inflation has really impacted Scottish golf. In 2018, in my St Andrews Old Course blog, I said anything higher priced than the old course can’t be worth the money. At the time the Old Course was £180 for a high season round, this year it is £270, a compound annual rise of over 10% per year, or more than three times the retail price index over the same period. Put another way, using 2018 as the datum, the Old Course should be £205.
All good things come to an end – here Moly walks towards the 17th green, a deceptive par four, with the town of Gullane awaiting, watched over by Berwick Law.
No matter how much might have wanted to, in the end I couldn’t give this course anything less than 5 out of 5 for value, despite the price tag of £195. It’s a must play links golf course with unbeatable turf, bunkering, green surrounds, sea breeze, wispy rough.
Play, if for nothing else, to stand on the exact epi-centric viewpoint of world links golf. If such a thing could exist.
Fife Golf Trust knocks it out the park with this brilliant value course.
Round £26. Par 72. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 69.9/128. Value (out of 5) – 5
Dunnikier Park golf course, in Kirkcaldy, in the very heart of Fife, is one of 7 courses managed by the Fife Golf Trust which was established in 2011 to take over Fife Council’s directly managed courses; the course is arguably their flagship. The Dunnikier Park Golf Club is private, like many Scottish clubs associated with public courses.
The first, a par 4 of nearly 400 yards, at Dunnikier Park. A brilliant municipal golf course.
The course was established in 1963, build on land given by the Oswald family to the “people of Kirkcaldy” and was the local town council’s very first municipal course. And what a beauty it is. Designed by J E Strutt, It has generous fairways, is well bunkered and with many undulating holes, it is a tough walk at well over 6000 yards. The golf club website also contains a delightful history written to make the 50th anniversary of the course here.
The par five 9th green, with Dunnikier House hotel the former Oswald family residence.
Fife Golf trust offers incredible value golf. A “Fife Rover” season ticket to play all their seven courses is only £347. Many golfers will then choose to join one of the collocated golf clubs, for all the normal club social and competitive benefits, which for Dunnikier Park is only £120 per year.
The greens at Dunnikier are first class, here shown at the greenside of the long par three 3rd hole.
The course is very balanced, with each nine having two par 3s and 5s. A burn runs through the course and comes into play on about half the holes; it is often submerged in under fairway piping, but opened up and cuts into the fairways on each side, often at the typical amateur’s driving length. The best example of this being the par 5 “Lang Whang” 9th hole. It’s worth buying the course planner book, to check this unusual feature out, the book being another measure of the professionalism of Fife Golf Trust.
The 8th, a 350 yard par 4, at Dunnikier Park, typical of the course and showing its undulating nature.
The course was in excellent condition when I played, with bunker conditioning on a par with many of the top courses I’ve played. My only slight criticism is that the greens could have done with being mown – but that does not detract from the green consistency and quality.
The tough uphill par four 17th hole, stroke index 5. Many a match play will be settled here I suspect.
It I ever write a golf book it will be called “Golf, it’s a Fucking Mystery”. My round immediately prior to Dunnikier Park had many disasters and I had started to shank my irons and afterwards threatened to ‘give up golf’. My very next round is then at Dunnikier and my best ever blog game, shooting gross 84, for 40 points, with no blobs and a nice birdie on the par four 4th hole. Like I said, “A mystery”.
Of course, any golfing book I write will not be a game improvement book. Except with one exception perhaps, a story of encouragement. As a member of Monifieth GC for several years I played a number of times with and against “Hutch”; in our Seniors Winter league on the Ashludie course (par 68; SSS of 65), “Hutch” was allocated a handicap of plus 6, as he was after all in his mid 70s. When I mention this golfing handicap to others, a state of their disbelief descends upon me.
How delighted I was, therefore, to read in the history of Dunnikier Park, one of their own great golfers, Davie Gray, who won their club championship a dozen times and about every club open in Fife – an impressive CV. He was asked for the history about the best golfer he ever played with, he said:
“Without equal, Ian Hutcheon of Monifieth, and I’ve also played with, when they were top amateurs, Nick Faldo, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomery, Andrew Oldcorn, Andrew Coltart and Stephen Gallacher”.
So it was at Dunnikier Park, I once more came across the legend of Ian “The Hutch” Hutcheon.
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.
