Maverston is owned and operated by the ANM Group, a member owned co-operative company with interests in mainly farming related businesses. It seems clear that the business goal of the Maverston estate was to build a golf course attractive enough to enable the sale of the co-located residential housing plots surrounding the course. The main 18 hole course itself opened in 2014, and several “executive” houses are now completed and occupied. I played and blogged about the main 18 hole course in 2016 here.
The 9 hole par 3 course is no more than a basic layout, which was in poor condition, especially the greens, when I played along with Fran. It would be a good course to learn the game on, and given that the club encourages under 16 membership for free with an adult member, I can see the value of the overall set up.
Having said that, as a stand alone course, it is not worth the £10 fee, especially given the increasing number of deals around at much better courses at a similar price. The main course here on the other hand is worth playing.
Maverston 9 hole course, a good course to learn on
On the day, I lost a match play game with Fran winning 4 & 3, after which I parred the next 2 holes (7th and 8th) – isn’t it infuriating when that happens.
Anyone thinking of playing their first round of golf, this would be a good place – otherwise give it a miss.
The oldest golf course in the world. A Must Play 9 holes.
Round £15.30. Par 34. Value (out of 5) – 5
Called either Musselburgh “Links” or Musselburgh “Old”, this course is the only one of the three ‘Musselburgh’ courses actually in Musselburgh, the East Lothian town 5 miles east of Edinburgh. If you are in any way interested in the history of golf, you have to play here because, quite simply, it is the oldest golf course in the world, recognised as such by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Moly and Fran at Musselburgh Links, The oldest golf course in the world.
People mainly associate the origins of the game with St Andrews, but there is a much richer history in Musselburgh Links. The record books for the course talk of Mary, Queen of Scots, King James VI and Oliver Cromwell; albeit if you check their dates of birth they certainly never played a 3 ball.
Move forward a couple of hundred years, the record book speaks of an early Open Championship venue, between 1874 and 1889, won by the likes of Mungo Park, Willie Fernie and Willie Park Jr.
The tough 6th green at Musselburgh Links
The Old Course at Musselburgh also must have another record. It has been the home of more golf clubs and societies than any other course; not any old clubs either and includes The Royal Musselburgh, The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Royal Burgess Golfing Society and the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, all either formed or were based at Musselburgh. Plus a further 60 clubs or societies of note.
The club sits on Common Good land, and the land’s use was extended in 1816 by building a race track around it, which is still in use today.
The long par 3 8th hole at Musselburgh.
Which left me wondering whether a links course could be sited inside a racecourse? The answer is undoubtedly yes – this feels very much a links, with firm turf, deep revetted bunkering, whispy rough and wind! It was actually gusting over 40 mph when I played and unsurprisingly Fran and I were the only players! In the wind, my score of 45 against the par of 34 was about the best I’d played for a while.
The course is basically a clockwise loop of holes, with a out and back layout. It starts with a great par 3, then three par 4s of increasing length with the 4th hole, the stroke index 1, called Mrs Foreman’s, after the name of the pub behind the green. Then you turn for home, with the 8th on the way back being a long par 3, the most noteworthy.
This course is very well maintained and greens, fairways and bunkers being in really good condition.
The wind shows at the 9th at Musselburgh, with the racetrack grandstand in the background
Its also worth noting the world’s first golfing competition for women took place on New Year’s Day in 1811, competed for by the town’s fishwives. I wonder if the date was set by The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers?
At just £15, this is unrivalled value to grab a piece of genuine golfing history.
‘Salin’ feels like an intrinsic part of Scotland where community and golf are as one entity
Round £15. Par 34. Value (out of 5) – 3
Courses like Saline, pronounced ‘Salin’ by the locals, somehow define Scotland, not just Scottish golf.
The Cleish Hills provide the backdrop to the par 3 8th hole.
Saline is a village in Fife, not far from Dunfermline. Its elevation on the western slopes of the Cleish Hills, mean that any visitor will get spectacular views of the Forth Valley estuary and river. However, for the great views, you have to work hard to walk to the top of the course, but it’s well worth it.
The magnificent Forth backdrop from the 6th tee at Saline
The club was founded in 1912, but as the club’s own website admits there is virtually no history documented about the course and club development, which is clearly a shame.
The village on the other hand, with a declining population, now around 1000, down from the almost 2000 in its heyday, has an interesting history as a weaving centre. It still has several listed weavers cottages, as a legacy to its former glory.
The 1st at Saline, which gets the heart pumping from the first minute.
The 9 hole course, was in fair condition when I played, along with my wife Fran. The fairways were lush and wide enough to allow for an errant drive or two, but the greens were a little bumpy, which could have been down to the amount of recent rain.
There were some decent holes as well. The steeply uphill par 4 5th at 368 yards is a really tough 2 shots, where I suspect most will require driver and fairway wood to reach. The par 3 8th is a great short hole, against the backdrop of the Cleish Hills; it required much less club due to the drop and it’s better playing long due to the front bunkers.
The tricky par 3, third hole at Saline, at over 160 yards
The golf club bar, acts as a community hub and social club, and from looking at the notice boards it was clear that the bar is an important part of the community. The welcome was extremely warm from the barman/host, and this alone would “hasten ye back”.
Torphins Golf Club is situated in Royal Deeside, in the village of the same name, 23 miles west of Aberdeen and 7 miles north-west of Banchory. This 9 hole golf course was founded in 1891 and the club established in 1896. I couldn’t find any record of the course designer or the course’s history, which is a real pity, as this really is a “Hidden Gem”, that oft-used but, so often, disappointingly flattering term.
My drive at the 9th at Torphins heading to the left of the fairway (but in play)
Torphins is an undulating parkland course with far reaching views of the countryside and it is worth going out of your way to play. It actually has 10 greens, with the 3rd and 12th holes sharing the same teeing ground and fairway, but the 2 greens are separated by a copse of trees.
The lovely 3rd and 12th fairway from the common teeing ground at Torphins.
It is a great little golf course, with plenty of variation, and some really tricky holes. There are 4 blind tee shots, one being the par 4 6th (SI 1), a tough dog leg left hole, which I should have taken driver from the tee, as the apex to the dog leg is further than in looks as it is quite uphill.
The greens were pretty small but in really excellent condition as were the fairways and tees.
Fran chipping at the short par 3 5th at Torphins. A bit of respite before the challenging 6th hole
Value: whether as a member or as a visitor, Torphins represents incredible golfing value. The 9 hole quoted rate was only £10, but my wife Fran and I payed only £7.50 each through the club website. A Monday to Friday annual membership, allowing 9 holes per day, is only £90, with Junior memberships starting at £20. This is 5 star value golf.
The 2nd, a short par 4, at Torphins – my birdie hole on the day.
An interesting fact – Macbeth was killed on 15 August 1057 only 3 miles from Torpins. “What’s done cannot be undone”, sayeth Macbeth – that’s how I felt on the 7th after my 10, having lost 2 balls! I still shot 17 point for the 9 holes.
Really enjoyable, highly recommended.
Facts:
Course Type:Parkland
Par 32 (white; 5 par 4s, 4 par 3s)
Distance: 2338 yards
Moly’s Gross score: 44
Torphins scorecard – 44 for 17 points (with a 7 and 10!)
