A guide to green fee value for money

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129. Strathclyde Park. 21 Mar 22.

A challenging Council “9 holer”

Round £10. Par 71. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 69/124. Value (out of 5) – 4

South Lanarkshire Council state on their website they are “proud to operate six quality golf courses” – and so they should be if Strathclyde Park represents the offering, being one of the two 9 hole golf courses in the package which can all be played by subscribing to their season long Rover deal.

Looking back from the 8th green at Strathclyde Park, towards the Hamilton Racecourse grandstand.

Having been brought up on Caird Park “9 holer”, a Dundee Council course, I was expecting a similar set up from Strathclyde Park. How wrong I was – this is a serious and ‘meaty’ golf course. A little under 6000 equivalent yards (from the Yellow), this is a a big challenge, especially for those taking up the sport.

The nice fairway on show at the 1st, a good starting hole at well over 350 yards, making you realise this is not ‘pitch ‘n putt’, with the natural edge bunkering dominating the approach.

Set in Strathclyde Country Park, adjacent to junction 6 of the M74, with the backdrop of Hamilton racecourse on the finishing holes, I really enjoyed this great value course.

The view from the 4th tee at Strathclyde, the SI 1 hole.

Because there was one winter green still in play and still being on the winter rate (even though I was able to play in shorts on an unseasonably warm March day), I paid only £5.40 for 9 holes. The tees were in poor condition, but the fairways were very good as were the bunkers. The greens are varied in size, shape and contour with many very challenging (I three putted several times).

There is plenty of wildlife on show at Strathclyde, with the adjacent nature reserve. Here, some residents sharing my journey to the 3rd green, a difficult par 3.

I got to thinking, at only £10, for the high season rate for 18 holes, what is the value of a course as the price tends to zero? Or put another way, how do you really offset course quality and value?

Overall, this course is probably 2 out of 5 for ‘quality’ on a national basis, but at such a low price it is 4 for ‘value’, a score I would say provides an upper bound for the quality – even if free, because you still have to spend the time playing! It’s a great debate.

The second par three, the uphill 7th, requiring your 180+ yardage club. Against the backdrop of the housing developed alongside the Racecourse.

The course is well designed with a rounded mix of two par 3s, two par 5s and five par 4s – a classic combination. The fairways were wide, and very firm for the time of year.

I played better than I scored with several three putts in my gross 48.

We were staying in our caravan in Strathclyde Country park, which is a great location to set down to play all the courses on offer from South Lanarkshire Council.

Course Type: Parkland

Par 36 (2 par 5s, 5 par 4s, 2 par 3s)

Distance: 5891 (yellow)

Moly’s Gross score48

Moly lost count of the number of 3 putt greens on this tough 9 hole council course. Played better than 48 suggests.

56. Portobello. 25th Oct 2016.

Easy walking 9 hole public course – but a no rake policy! 

Round £9.30.  Par 32.  Value (out of 5) 1.5

Portobello is a short 9 hole pay-for-play course operated by Edinburgh Leisure, which manages 6 golf courses on behalf of Edinburgh Council; an annual 7-day membership to play all courses costs around only £400 – excellent value.   However, Edinburgh Leisure’s pricing policy, with all courses priced the same on a pay-per-play basis, makes Portobello very poor value compared with the other more substantial courses (e.g. Braid Hills) on offer.  That is a great shame.

1st green at Portobello, with good view of Arthur's seat over this flat course.

1st green at Portobello, with good view of Arthur’s seat over this flat course.

It is a short, open and easy walking course of only 2566 yards, with some excellent views of Arthur’s seat, one of Edinburgh’s signature landmarks.

There is however little variation on this course, with only a couple of playing highlights of note.  The 6th approach shot over a bunker some 40 yards in front of the green provides a distance judgment challenge, with the green being one of the few sloping ones.   The signature hole is the long par 3 9th at nearly 200 yards and requiring a fairway wood for most I suspect.

Approach at the 6th at Portobello

Approach at the 6th at Portobello

The only memory of the club which will endure was the chat I had with the starter attendant, who explained the policy of not leaving rakes in the bunkers, due to the theft risk.  This is a great shame, and I concluded that a better policy might be to at least put the rakes out in the morning and then take them in when the starter box closes.

The signature 9th at Portobello

The signature 9th at Portobello

The greens were in OK condition, but the tees were poor, and of course the bunkers at the mercy of the previous occupant.

Overall, a good course to learn on, or if you’re looking for a quick 9 holes.

Some Facts

Course Type: Parkland

Par 32 (5 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance yards:  2566

Moly’s Gross Score: 44

Moly's Portobello scorecard - 44 (12 over)

Moly’s Portobello scorecard – 44 (12 over)

4. St Michael’s, Leuchars; 17th Dec 2013

Beware the Typhoon

View to Momument adjoining course

View to Monument adjoining course

Even though it was December,  all tees and greens were fully in play, due to the great drainage provided on Gallowhill, which the course sits on.   Although this is on a hill, the course itself is not a difficult walk;  however, it does have some fine views, to the Sidlaws to the North beyond Dundee and South towards St Andrew’s bay overlooking RAF Leuchars, which is only a couple of miles away.

 

Typhoon from the nearby RAF Leuchars

Typhoon from the nearby RAF Leuchars

Indeed, one of the key hazards is the noise of the Typhoon fighter jets as they take off and land at the base.  This course is a real joy for the plane spotter, and there can’t be a much better location to view the annual RAF Leuchars show in September each year.

Wide fairways on most of the par 4s and par 5s, make this a slightly flattering course for the more wayward driver (me!), albeit the par 3s present the sternest test on this course.

In particular, club selection on the downhill 15 is key to avoid going over green onto railway line.

Walk down to the short Par 3, 15th Green

Walk down to the short Par 3, 15th Green

 

 

 

I played the 17th as a long par 3 with the Dundee-Edinburgh train line hugging the left of

17th Hole with the Aberdeen to Edinburgh train

17th Hole with the Aberdeen to Edinburgh train

the fairway, and a real challenge for anyone who draws/hooks the ball.   In other than winter, this hole is a short par 4, and an easier prospect when a mid to long iron would be a sensible tee club choice.  I hit a lucky low running rescue off the tee to about 20 feet, and 2 putted for a par – I’m sure the members would buy that.

 

 

Play the pars 3 to handicap should see you beat your par at this nice little course.

Key Facts

Course Type: Parkland

Green Fees: 

Nov – Mar;  £15 any day

Par 68 (1 par 5, 5 par 4s, 3 par 3s)

Distance5588 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 86.

St Michaels Scorecard

St Michaels Scorecard

 

1. Caird Park 9-Hole; 11th Dec 2013

Where it all started!

Moly at the 1st Tee at Caird Park "9 holer"

Me at the 1st Tee at Caird Park “9 holer”

This was the first course I ever played, so this round was pretty nostalgic; the biggest difference compared with 40 or so years ago when I first started was then I only had a 4 wood, 7 iron and putter – club selection was a lot easier then!

It’s a very basic layout, with trees being the main, and often only, hazard;  other than local kids stealing lost balls – beware, sometimes lost balls may be “found” before they stop rolling!  Although, this practice has stopped now that I have grown up.

Joking aside, this is an ideal course to learn the game, or to practice iron play in particular, as the greens are small and hitting more than 6 in regulation would be an outstanding result.  It has 2 long par 3s (the 2nd and 5th) which are the most difficult holes, with the 9th being a picturesque finishing par 3, over a small valley, back to the small starters hut.

All towns and cities should have a facility like this 9 hole course.  It’s accessible and great fun, and at only. Moly at the 1st Tee at Caird Park “9 holer”

Key Facts

Course Type: Parkland

Green Fee – £6.

Par 29 (2 par 4s, 7 par 3s)

Moly’s Gross score: 40.

Caird Park 9 Hole - Scordcard

Caird Park 9 Hole – Scordcard

131211_caird 9 hole 9th green

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