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
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.
Like watching a ‘tribute band’, very enjoyable but at times a bit ‘corny’.
Round £15. Par 32. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 32.1/116. Value (out of 5) – 4
Moly’s Score – 44
‘Playsport’ is a multi-sport commercial site in north East Kilbride, a town of almost 80,000 making it the 6th most populated conurbation in Scotland. ‘Playsport Golf’, the golfing brand of the business, operates a two-tier driving range, a very large golf store and a 9 hole course, called Heritage Links.
The 5th at The Heritage, inspired by the 4th at Royal St George’s with it’s “Himalayas” Bunker on show.Both this hole and the inspiration from Sandwich are similar length.
As the name suggests, Heritage Links is a homage to Open Championship venues, with each hole inspired from a specific hole of the world’s best links courses.
The final hole at The Heritage, homage to Royal Lytham’s short 9th hole, the only hole numbered the same as the doner inspiration for the hole.
East Kilbride lies on a plateau, just south of Glasgow, and the golf course is fully exposed to the elements; on the day I played there were 40 mph winds and some heavy showers. These are ideal conditions to go alongside the course’s design aim of replicating some the challenges faced in The OPEN. In addition, the course has outstanding views.
The 4th, inspired by the 16th at Carnoustie, with the Playsport sports arenas in the background. My par 3 score highlights it plays much shorter than its inspiring hole!
Although this could feel a little ‘corny’, the resulting course is a great test of your game, not least because it’s the bunkering from the host courses that are mainly used to create the inspirational feeling. However, this is not “replica” golf, so take it for what it is and enjoy the layout.
The opening hole at The Heritage, inspired by Turnberry’s 2nd, shows the good ‘links’ quality of the course.
The course opened in 2009, built to high specifications, and has become a popular venue. Despite the inclement weather forecast when I played it was very busy, so ensure to book ahead. With multiple sports on the same site, there are activities for non-golfing partners and kids.
The 6th, based on Muirfield’s 13th, shows the top quality of the bunkers at Playgolf EK.
Although heavily played the course was in very good condition, with greens and bunkers excellent. At £15 for 9 holes, this is very good value.
The 8th hole, showing the “road hole” bunker from St Andrews.
Playing as a singleton, a 4-ball kindly let me tee off first, then watched me rack up a 9 and the par 4 first, playing into the teeth of the wind. I got much better after that, when they weren’t watching. Don’t you sometimes hate getting asked to ‘play through’.
Facts:
Course Type:Parkland/Faux Links?
Par 32 (1 par 5s, 3 par 4s, 5 par 3s)
Distance (yellow): 2307 yards
Moly’s Gross score: 44
Moly’s 44, or 37 net (5 over net), with a 9 and the par 4 first!!
Missed opportunity as the “First and Last” in Scotland.
Round £32. Par 70. Course Rating / Slope Rating (yellow) 68.8/124. Value (out of 5) – 3
Moly’s Score – 98
How many fuel stations or pubs on borders proclaim “First and Last”? Like many people, I suspect, I had no idea exactly where Hirsel Golf Club was. Conversely, ask Scots where Coldstream is and most would know the border town famed for the Coldstream Guards, the regiment formed in 1650 making it the oldest continuous serving unit of the British Army.
The picturesque 10th hole at only 93 yards.
Hirsel Golf club, sits on the Hirsel Estate in Coldstream, the home of the son of the former Prime Minister, Sir Alec Douglas-Home. A 9 hole course was designed and built by members in 1948, after the original course in Coldstream, called Lennel Golf Club, founded 1879, fell into some disrepair, a story covered in the website Forgotten Links.
The interweaving layout is evident, with the first green on show here from the 2nd tee.
Hirsel GC remained a 9 hole course until extended to 18 in 1996. The resulting layout is a rather jumbled affair, with a number of tee/green cross overs, which must make Open events a potentially hazardous affair. There is also a significant range of hole design quality, which comes I suspect from the extension. I find the club’s website banner headline “Arguably one of Scotland’s best kept secrets” true in the sense that it’s “unknown”, but the inference of it being a “Hidden Gem” is not what I found.
The very disappointing bunkers on show, despite the rakes fully in use, here at the difficult 5th hole, a 369 yard par four.
Despite the main Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns being over, I found a course in poor condition, with some bunkers appearing to imitate 19th century photos featuring Old Tom Morris himself. Nevertheless, with perhaps half dozen really good holes, I can see why it is a popular society day out, especially with the substantial club house overlooking the final green.
The tough par three 7th, with “Leet Water” in play for one of the few times.
It does indeed have some tricky holes, notably the tough uphill par 3 third, played with a blind tee shot at well over 200 yards; it will play as a par four for most. The fairways are generous but miss them and card wrecking is the order of the day, as there are OOB on more than half the holes. As a testimony, I amassed 15 over par on only 3 holes, including a 10 on the 363 yard par four 17th.
The stroke index 2, ninth hole, a long par four, the longest hole on the front nine, with both par fives coming after the turn.
Despite several holes being routed around “Leet Water”, a tributary of the Tweed, the river doesn’t come into play much. The best aspect of the course was the variety in hole lengths, the use of dog legs (on 5 holes) and the use of quite small greens often sloping front to back. Collectively the slope rating of 124 felt spot on for me.
The par 5 18th hole, played downhill it gives a good birdie chance to finish.
At only £32 for a round, with discounts on offer though Golfnow (we paid only £22) it’s okay value, but with a bit of work, especially to the bunkers, it would be really worth playing at that price point.
As to the course name, here’s a suggestion. “Coldstream Golf Club – The First and Last in Scotland”. That would remove the secrecy.
Facts:
Course Type:Parkland
Par 70 (2 par 5s, 12 par 4s, 4 par 3s)
Distance (yellow): 5820 yards
Moly’s Gross score: 98
Moly’s 29 points despite his 98 including 15 over collectively on holes 5, 13 and 17. Golf!
