Scotland Golf Bible

A guide to green fee value for money

Category: Greater Glasgow & The Clyde Valley (Page 3 of 5)

166. Torrance Park. 14 Oct 22.

March 20, 2023 /

Electrifying, but not in a way you would want.

Moly’s Score – 89

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

165. Lanark. 13 Oct 22.

March 8, 2023 /

Gleneagles – “The Lanark of the North”?

Round £65. Par 70. Course/Slope Rating (yellow) 70.1/124. Value (out of 5) – 5

Moly’s score – 96

In immaculate condition, I still found a rabbit hole at Lanark and one which didn’t afford a free drop. Lanark’s website claimed a brilliant story; “In 1920 the LSM Railway Company decided, only on the casting vote of its chairman, to build its hotel at Gleneagles rather than Lanark.”

The beautifully stunning Lanark golf course evident from the first tee, a 350 yard par four.

Disappointingly, I couldn’t find corroboration for Lanark’s story; for example, the excellent 1951 club’s centenary history makes no mention of the ‘Gleneagles’ decision. Jamie Darling, of Lanark GC, was very helpful in my enquiries, but he too found evidence elusive.

The challenging 4th, here the view from 200 yards, at this 430 yard par four stroke index 1 hole.

The more I researched, the more convinced I am The Gleneagles resort vision existed long before 1920; in fact as early as 1910 by Perthshire born Donald Matheson, the Chief Engineer with Caledonian Railways.    The Kings course opened in 1919, with the final hotel site decided around 1920. Matheson later became the GM of Caledonian Railways, then Dep GM in Scotland for LMS, and seems likely the driving force.

The sixth requires two “Sunday best” shots to get close to the green at this uphill par four.

Lanark, unlike Gleneagles, is one of the UK’s best kept golfing secrets – a quite beautiful moorland course, nestled 600 feet up in the Clyde Valley of South Lanarkshire, only 25 miles from Glasgow’s city centre. The town is an ancient burgh and historically important, evidenced by the golf course being one of the oldest “inland” courses in the world. A full 18 holes was designed by Old Tom Morris in 1897, although some holes are traced back to 1851.

The delightful 125 yard seventh – played downhill to a web of bunkers. The 8th is seen beyond and is the only hole playing the same direction as its predecessor.

This tough course was in majestic condition when I played in good playing conditions yet still struggled to break 100 – I had one of those rounds where you play better than you score. The turf is very firm and certainly played like a links. With beautifully crafted greens and surrounds, I suspect anyone playing to handicap will have made several single putts.

The exquisite condition of the course, seen here at the uphill par three 10th at 147 yards, adorned in Autumn sunshine.

The course is well laid out with constant changes in direction (except the 7th and 8th), so wind is always a strong consideration, especially as the course sits high up in exposed countryside. My only (very slight) criticism is that the approach to the second can be confusing; I hit into the 14th green, to be met by some members telling me “loads of visitors do that!”; later in my round I was advising other visitors the same!

Approach to the 11th, with OOB getting closer at the greenside.

The fairways are pretty generous, but miss these and the rough is at times very brutal. With discounts available through golfnow.com, I paid only £32, which was outstanding value.

I would really love to be able to confirm that Gleneagles is “The Lanark of the North”.  It would be nice if anyone could point me to evidence of the chairman’s decision to validate the club’s great story. For the record, Henry Allan, was Caledonian Railway chairman between 1918-23, are would be the “Chairman” in Lanark’s claim.

It’s worth going out of your way to play Lanark, a wonderful moorland course, arguably one of Scotland’s very best.

Facts:

Course Type: Heathland

Par 70  (1 par 5s, 14 par 4s, 3 par 3s)

Distance (yellow): 6107 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 96

Moly’s Lanark Scorecard – 96

163. Carnwath. 25 Aug 2022.

February 7, 2023 /

Set on Gallow Hill, this course has both outstanding and infamous views.

Round £35. Par 70. Course/Slope Rating (blue) 67.7/120. Value (out of 5) – 4.5

Moly’s score – 88

Reaching the sixth tee at Carnwath, I thought about Alexander McGregor’s book “The Law Killers“, the dark history of murder in the area of Dundee where I was brought up. Some of the book’s killers look out upon Carnwath golf course, from neighbouring ‘Carstairs’, the State Mental Hospital. I wondered if any ‘patients’, had been golfers and, if so, whether seeing a course through their barred windows improved or worsened their existence.

The par four 6th tee at Carnwath, with The State Hospital ‘Carstairs’ on the right. Fittingly SI 1.

Carstairs was completed in 1939, more than 30 years after the golf course opened in 1907, designed as a 9 hole layout by Willie Auchterlonie of St Andrews. This South Lanarkshire heathland course is great fun with outstanding views all around. It’s easily accessible being about about 30 miles from both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The tough par 3 uphill opening hole, ‘Roundell’ will need a hybrid or wood for most golfers. The brown coloured ‘Roundell’ can be seen, behind the green, and was a look out point in medieval times

The course, now much changed from the initial layout, became 18 holes in 1963. It was in beautiful condition when I played in fine weather. The tees and fairways were excellent, the bunkers well raked and the greens true and fast, but not too sloping.

The par four 5th hole, “Railway”, the first of a number of strong dog leg holes at Carnwath.

The layout is unusual, with three of its four par 3s, being in the first four holes. With only two par 5s, the course’s variety is added to with dog legs, blind shots and some treacherous and well bunkered plateau greens.

The par four stroke index 3, 8th hole, the approach played steeply uphill, with only the longest hitters reaching in regulation I suspect.

The course sits astride the busy A70, which is quite hazardous to cross over. It is also a tough undulating walk, and plays all of its length, of 5632 yards from the blue (middle) tees, which would normally be coloured yellow.

The quality greens make for an enjoyable visitor experience, here shown at the tricky par four 15th hole. One of many plateau type greens.

At only £35 for a round it represents excellent value. With wide fairways, it’s no surprise this is a popular society venue, especially given the outstanding borders views and abundant wildlife. I found the staff in the shop and bar very welcoming.

Moly at the dog leg right 9th hole, “Winterlaw”, at 359 yards. Sadly, Moly’s sliced shot resulted in his only blob of the day.

Returning to The Law Killers; the stories of the headless human corpse found in my Dad’s allotment on The Dundee Law, or the murder of three women in my street, is not appropriate here. But the irony of the golf course and State Hospital being built on Gallow Hill can’t go unstated, since in bygone days, patients in Carstairs would have looked upon a Gallow of rather different construction.

Carnwath’s 6th green with The State Hospital looking on.

Facts:

Course Type: Heathland

Par 70  (2 par 5s, 12 par 4s, 4 par 3s)

Distance (blue): 5632 yards

Moly’s Gross score: 88

Moly’s Carnwath scorecard – 88, a solid round

158. The Heritage Links, at Playsport Golf EK (East Kilbride). 19 Aug 22.

January 11, 2023 /

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!!
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