July 2018 -

Golf in the Scottish Borders (4/4)

By Tom Kelly - TheHomeofGolf | July 23, 2018

Golf in the Scottish Borders – (Part 4 of 4)

This is the fourth and final blog on ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’ and I am featuring Peebles Golf Club and also highlighting three other courses in the region – West Linton GC, MacDonald Cardrona GC, near Peebles & Torwoodlee GC just outside Galashiels.

The Home of Golf - Peebles Golf - www.thehomeofgolf.co.uk Scottish Borders — Peebles Golf Club – Scottish Borders

There is a huge amount to do in the Scottish Borders apart from golf and I’ll touch upon some of the other activities and places of interest in the area, at the end of the blog.

Today’s Featured Course

Peebles Golf Club
www.peeblesgolfclub.com

the Home of golf - Scottish Borders

Accommodation

I found myself staying at the Tontine Hotel on the High Street in Peebles, the night before visiting Peebles Golf Club.

There were a number of visiting golfers staying in the hotel that night and we discussed where everyone was playing the next day – MacDonald Cardrona, West Linton and Peebles were all on the agenda the following day.

It was interesting to hear that these groups were regular visitors to the Borders. They keep coming back, they said, because of the quality of the golf courses, reasonable green fees and good accommodation in the area.

My hotel certainly fell into the ‘good accommodation’ category and I have no hesitation recommending it for your next golfing trip to the area – www.tontinehotel.com.

The course

On arrival at Peebles Golf Club, I had a warm welcome from the Head Professional, Steve Johnston, who is well known for his articles in ‘Bunkered’ Magazine.

The club was founded in 1892 but moved to its current location in 1908. It would be another 25 years before Harry Colt redesigned the course in 1933.

The course is a hillside, parkland course with great views over the town of Peebles, which sits in the Tweed Valley, surrounded by rolling Borders hills.

The hillside landscape ensures great views but also means you won’t have too many flat lies. This isn’t a course where you can ease your way into the round, as it’s a fairly tough start.

The first is a 196 yard par 3, followed by the stoke index 1, 440 yard, par 4 second hole. You gradually make your way up hill, before your first real birdie opportunity presents itself at the 4th hole.

There are a great variety of holes here, with opportunities for birdies at the 4^th, 7^th & 9^thon the front nine. On the 9th hole, you’ll have great views over Peebles from the tee.

The course will tempt you to go for shots throughout the round, where it’s all about risk and reward. No more so than at the par 4, 13^th which, at 319 yards, maybe in range for the big hitters. However, you’ll have to hit it down the left if you want to go for it but, needless to say, this is where all the trouble is.

The 14^th leads you back up hill again before a gentle descent over the closing holes. The par 5, 18^th is the longest hole on the course at 541 yards and a fitting end to this scenic course.

The views don’t end there, as the clubhouse has its own views from both inside and outside seating areas.

The club is totally geared up for visiting golfers and you may want to consider the following opens that they have coming up. Check full details on their website – www.peeblesgolfclub.com

Gents Senior Open – 2 Aug 2018
Junior Open – 12 Aug 2018
Ladies Senior Open Pairs – 13 Sept 2018

You can also check out Peebles Golf Club’s head pro Steve Johnston’s Bunkered Magazine articles here.

West Linton Golf Club
www.wlgc.co.uk

The Home of Golf - West Linton Golf Club www.thehomeofgolf.co.uk — West Linton Golf Course

Location

West Linton golf club is located 20 minutes drive south, from the outskirts of Edinburgh. The course lies just off the main A702 road, south of the Pentland Hills, on the Slipperfield Moor.

This moorland course sits above the conservation village of West Linton and has great views to the Pentlands, Mendick Hill and the surrounding area.

The clubhouse looks over the course, which works its way around a heather and bracken clad terrain.

As you look over the course, from the clubhouse, the impression you get is that it’s been there for years. In fact the club was formed in 1890 and 36 years later in 1926, James Braid advised on improvements that were made to the course the following year. However, it wasn’t until 1972 that the course was extended to the full 18 holes.

The Course

The course measures 6161 from the back tees but has a par of 69. Whilst on paper the course may look short, you have to take into account that there is little shelter from the prevailing westerly winds. Additionally, the well protected greens are not particularly large.

Whilst you may have a gentle start to your round on the first and second holes, the finishing three holes are, in contrast, anything but a gentle finish. The par 4 16^th measures 444 yards and the 17^th and 18^th, both tough par 3s, measure 196 yards and 230 yards respectively. I can only imagine the drama that these two finishing par 3s provide in match play events!

There are opportunities for birdies out there though, if you can avoid the penal rough and keep the ball on the fairways on the shorter par 4s.

Offers & Opens

West Linton Golf Club does offer special rates on Mondays and Thursdays for £20 per round per person (groups of 6) as well as excellent deals on twilight rounds over the next week or so.

You maybe want to take advantage of the above offers, before playing in one of their opens, coming up in the next few weeks. Check full details on their website – www.wlgc.co.uk

Junior Open – 3 Aug 2018
Gents Open – 5 Aug 2018
Ladies Greensome – 12 Aug 2018
Gents Senior Open (Texas Scramble) – 23 Aug 2018
Senior Open (Mixed Greensome) – 6 Sept 2018

The MacDonald Cardrona Hotel Golf Course
MacDonald Cardrona Golf Course website

The Home of Golf - Macdonald Cardrona Golf Scottish Borders - www.thehomeofgolf.co.uk — MacDonald Cardrona Hotel & putting green

The Hotel

The MacDonald Cardrona Hotel Championship course is only 8-10 minutes drive from Peebles. The hotel and golf course sit in a magnificent setting, surrounded by the Borders hills, with the River Tweed running along side part of the course.

The hotel is currently offering one night accommodation, full Scottish breakfast, plus two rounds of golf for a total of £59 per person, based on two people sharing a room. Seems like a good deal to me, if you can book the dates you want.

The hotel has 99 rooms, a swimming pool & spa, two bars and a restaurant and with the town of Peebles nearby, you will find plenty to do, when you’re off the course.

The course

MacDonald Cardrona golf course opened its doors in 2001 and is a newcomer to Scottish Borders golf. However, the championship course has hosted events for both the EuroPro tour and the Challenge Tour in its short history.

The length of the course can vary between 6,300 yards to around 7,000 yards, depending on what tees you play from. On a number of holes there is quite a bit of walking from green to next tee – so you may want to consider taking a buggy.

This is a Dave Thomas designed course where you will see generous fairways, with plenty of sizeable, contoured bunkers, accompanied by large greens. It has a feel of both a moorland course and parkland course.

The course is relatively flat, as part of it runs along side the River Tweed. There are four par 3s, four par 5s and of the remaining ten par 4s, six of them are over 400 yards – so this is a testing, lengthy track. Three consecutive holes stand out for me and they are the par 3 5th, the par 5 6th & the par 4 7th which all play on the other side of the River Tweed from the rest of the course.

The resort is offering some tee times this week starting at £17.50 per person for a four ball, which is great value for this course – prices rise to £50 per person in August.

Torwoodlee Golf Club
www.torwoodleegolfclub.co.uk

The Home of Golf - Torwoodlee Golf Scottish Borders - www.thehomeofgolf.co.uk — Torwoodlee Golf Club – Scottish Borders

Torwoodlee Golf Club is a parkland course that sits just outside Galashiels. A long driveway, off the A7, leads you down to the course where the main features are the trees and the sloping landscape. Additional features include the River Gala which runs along the final hole and the new Borders Railway which splits the course.

The first 3 holes are on the clubhouse side of the course before crossing the new Borders Railway line to the 4^th hole. You will play on this side of the railway track until 13th before crossing back to play the 14^th hole.

The course has a lot of variety and many sloping lies will test your skills on a lot of holes. There are five par 3s, two par 5s and five of the remaining eleven par 4s are over 400 yards.

This is a scenic course, in a tranquil setting, which was in great condition when I visited last month. They offer 2 for 1 voucher deals, as well as excellent twilight rates, which you can check on their website www.torwoodleegolfclub.co.uk.

There are several opportunities to play the course over the coming weeks, at one of their open events.

Junior Open – 29 Jul 2018
Gents Open – 4 Aug 2018
Ladies Greensome – 11 Aug 2018
Gents 4 Ball Better Ball – 8 Sep 2018

My Conclusion on ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’

As I look back at my trip in the Scottish Borders, I think back to the discussion I had on my last night in Peebles with a group of golfers. They stated that they keep coming back to the region because of the quality of the golf courses, reasonable green fees and good accommodation in the area.

I can confirm that during my four days in the Scottish Borders, the accommodation has been great and, from the first course at Eyemouth, to the final course at West Linton, I have come across many quality golf courses, all offering excellent value for the visiting golfer.

I would just like to finally thank all the golf pros and club secretaries in the Scottish Borders who have been so courteous to me and generous with their time.

Other non-golfing activities in the Scottish Borders

There is so much to do for both golfers and non-golfers in the Scottish Borders, plenty places to stay and many places to eat and drink in all the main towns.

Fishing on the River Tweed and the River Teviot.
Mountain biking at Glentress
Plenty Hill walking, canoeing/kayaking & cycling to name a few.

Places to Visit (click the links for websites details):

Castles:

Abbeys:

Museums:

Hawick Museum & Scott Art Gallery
Eyemouth Museum
Jim Clark Room (currently closed until Spring 2019)
Coldstream Museum
Museum at Gungreen House
The John Buchan Story

Exhibitions/Visitor Centres/Gardens:

Historic Buildings:

Previous three blogs on Golf in the Scottish Borders:

– Golf in the Scottish Borders Part 1
– Golf in the Scottish Borders Part 2
– Golf in the Scottish Borders Part 3

NEXT BLOG will be out in August and focusing on Edinburgh & the Lothians
– why not follow me on Instagram, Twitter &/or Facebook to keep up to date.

Golf in the Scottish Borders (3/4)

By Tom Kelly - TheHomeofGolf | July 16, 2018

Golf in the Scottish Borders – (Part 3 of 4)

The Scottish Borders is a region in Scotland full of castles, abbeys, stately homes, museums and historic buildings, some still standing and some in ruins. Additionally, the area is famed for its scenery, fishing, rugby & textiles – so where does golf fit in, in the Scottish Borders?

Well I decided to head south to re-aquaint myself with Scottish Borders Golf and find out for myself. The result is a series of four blogs on ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’ – this is part three of four, with links to the previous blogs here – part 1 & part 2.

the home of golf - The Woll Golf Course - www.thehomeofgolf.com — The Woll Golf Course, Scottish Borders

Today I am featuring The Woll Golf Course, situated between Hawick & Selkirk, where you can get free golf – keep reading to find out how! I’ll also be highlighting 3 other courses in the Scottish Borders that are worth a visit.

There is a huge amount to do in the Scottish Borders apart from golf, so I’ll touch upon some of the other activities and places of interest in the area, at the end of the blog.

Today’s Featured Course

The Woll Golf Course

www.wollgolf.co.uk

The golf club sits within the New Woll Estate, which is run by the Brown family. Interestingly, there are six ‘4 star’ self-catering properties overlooking the course and if you stay in one of them, you get free golf – yes, free golf!

Whilst the properties are self-catering, the club has a restaurant and bar open throughout the day/evening in case you are not minded to cook for yourself.

The Course

The accommodation package seems like a great deal but what is the course like?

Well, in a nutshell, I like the course a lot. It is a parkland course with a burn, water features, traditional stone built walls, a bit of elevation and a good variety of holes.

First six holes – relatively flat

The first four holes work their way westward, across and along the side of the Woll Burn, which is eventually separated from the course by a stone built wall.

You reach the furthest point west at the 5^th hole, which is a lovely par 3, with a water feature and a couple of bunkers that should not trouble you, if you choose the right club.

The 6^th hole is lined by the perimeter wall which runs down the left hand side and there is a water feature just short right of the elevated green. You’ll want to keep your ball left of the flag on the approach to this green because if you miss the green right, everything runs down to the water feature.

Middle six holes – undulately

Holes 7, 9 & 10 work their way back and forth over undulating terrain. The two par 3s at 8 & 11 are similar in length at 170 yards but the 8^th plays flat along a tree-lined fairway and the 11^th is straight downhill with ‘out of bounds’ looming closely down the left.

Two back-to-back par 5s greet you at the 12^th & 13^th, bringing you down to a flatter part of the course. At 573 yards, the 12^th is a tough hole but the 510 yards 13^th will offer birdie opportunities.

Final six holes – relatively flat (Exc. 16th)

For a birdie opportunity at the 310-yard par 4 14th, you will have to avoid the out of bounds down the right. If you keep your ball to the left of the fairway and avoid being blocked out by a large tree short right of the green, you’re in with a chance!

Two strong par 3s remain at the 15^th & 17^th with a great par 4 16^th wedged in between.

The 16^th tee is the highest point on the course and gives you a great view down to the fairway and the green beyond.

The 17^th is a very testing par 3. You will have to cross the water twice and have enough elevation on your shot to stop the ball on the green! Anything stopping on the bank, short of the green, is likely to roll back and get wet. Easier said than done!

The course has five par 3s, all under 172 yards in length, it has three par 5s and of the remaining ten par 4s, only two are over 400 yards! This is definitely a course you can score on but it will depend on how you deal with the middle six holes and three of the final four holes at 15^th through to the 17^th.

The Woll Golf Course is a lovely course and absolutely ideal for an enjoyable break in the Scottish Borders. Needless to say, their free golf offer is popular so ‘book early to avoid disappontment’ as they say! I’m definitely up for booking a few nights here – might even manage 36 holes a day!

Hawick Golf Club

www.hawickgolfclub.com

Located on Vertish Hill on the outskirts of Hawick, the course is a tricky hillside test for golfers of all abilities. The tight opening holes along the road, lead on to holes that climb and wind their way up the hill.

The highest point on the course is the 15^th tee where you will be rewarded with breath taking views over Hawick and the surrounding countryside.

There are no par 5s on the course and three of the four par 3s are around the 200-yard mark. Four of the par 4s are over 400 yards and when combined with elevation changes, slopes, gorse and trees, you know you’re in for a challenge on this course.

Founded in 1877, Hawick Golf Club is the oldest club in the Scottish Borders. Over the years, Nick Faldo set the course record at 64 and Tony Jacklin and Colin Montgomery became honorary members. Bill McLaren, BBC commentator and the voice of Scottish Rugby, was made a lifetime member. The club named the 16^th hole ‘McLaren’s Miracle’ after he had a hole in one at this downhill par 4!

The club have a Senior Open 15 August (£12) and a Gents Open on 18 August (£15)

Melrose Golf Club

www.melrosegolfcourse.co.uk

The town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders is the birthplace of Rugby Sevens – their own annual tournament, the Melrose 7s, dates back to 1883. Three years earlier, in 1880, Melrose Golf Club was founded.

The 9 hole course sits at the foot of the Eildon Hills and is a very picturesque, parkland layout. There are eight par 4s and one par 3 on this gently sloping track.

A quick glance at the scorecard, suggests that the course is short, with only one par 4 over 400 yards. This maybe the case but, only by going out onto the course, do you realise that it has plenty of defense in all sorts of other ways.

The first four holes take you straight out to the furthest point on the course. On reaching the 4^th green/5^th tee you have great views down the course and out onto the Eildon Hills.

The 8^th hole is without doubt the toughest on the course – apart from being the longest hole, you will also have a blind tee shot to a downhill fairway that also slopes off to the right.

The 9^th hole shows off most of Melrose Golf Club’s defenses – it’s tree-lined, has out of bounds down the right, a burn runs down the hole and across the front of the green to a water feature short left and finally a 4-5 foot drop off at the back of the green ensures you focus on your final approach shot.

Melrose is a delightful 9 hole course and has plenty variety on each hole – your game will be tested here, so it’s well worth a visit.

St Boswells Golf Club

www.stboswellsgolfclub.co.uk

St Boswells Golf Club is another scenic 9 hole course based in the Scottish Borders. It’s a short, tree-lined course that runs along the River Tweed.

the home of golf - St.Boswells Golf Club - www.thehomeofgolf.com — St Boswells GC

There are three par 3s on the course and they all come within the first four holes. One par 5 and five par 4s make up the rest.

Once the 2^nd hole leads you down to the lower part of the course, level with the Tweed, its an easy walking course from there on.

The club has a Gents Open on 18 August (£10), a Senior Open Greensome on 22 August (£12/couple) and a Texas Scramble on 9 September (£40/team of 4).

Other non-golfing activities in the Scottish Borders

There is so much to do for both golfers and non-golfers in the Scottish Borders, plenty places to stay and many places to eat and drink in all the main towns.

Fishing on the River Tweed and the River Teviot.
Mountain biking at Glentress
Plenty Hill walking, canoeing/kayaking & cycling to name a few.

Places to Visit (click the links for websites details):

Castles:

Abbeys:

Museums:

Hawick Museum & Scott Art Gallery
Eyemouth Museum
Jim Clark Room (currently closed until Spring 2019)
Coldstream Museum
Museum at Gungreen House
The John Buchan Story

Exhibitions/Visitor Centres/Gardens:

Historic Buildings:

Part 1 of ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’ can be read here – Golf in the Scottish Borders Part 1
Part 2 of ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’ can be read here – Golf in the Scottish Borders Part 2

NEXT BLOG will be out in a few days – why not follow me on Instagram, Twitter &/or Facebook to keep up to date.

Golf in the Scottish Borders (2/4)

By Tom Kelly - TheHomeofGolf | July 9, 2018

Golf in the Scottish Borders – (Part 2 of 4)

Welcome back to part 2 of ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’ blog. Having not played golf in the region for a while, I decided a couple of weeks ago to head down and re-aquaint myself with Scottish Borders Golf. I couldn’t get around them all but I managed to fit in as many courses as I could in a 3-4 day trip.

the home of golf - thehomeofgolf.com - the Roxburghe

Today I am featuring The Roxburghe Championship Course near Kelso and I’ll also be highlighting 3 other courses that I visited. I’ve still got 2 more similar blogs on ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’ which will be coming out over the next week or so, featuring different courses. You can follow me on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook to keep up to date.

There is a huge amount to do in the Scottish Borders apart from golf and I’ll touch upon some of the other activities and places of interest in the area, at the end of the blog.

Today’s Featured Course

The Roxburghe Championship Golf Course

the home of golf - thehomeofgolf.com - the Roxburghe — Roxburghe – 14th hole ‘Viaduct’

www.roxburghe-golf.com

The Roxburghe is certainly one of my favourite courses in the Scottish Borders – possibly because of its generous fairways. It’s an undulating parkland course, designed by golf architect, Dave Thomas and runs down to and along the River Teviot.

There is a lot happening at The Roxburghe at the moment. The Duke of Roxburghe has recently sold the hotel and golf course to a German Investment Management company 12.18.

Whilst the golf course remains open, the new buyers hope to reopen the hotel in 2019, following a £30 million refurbishment program. They plan to rebrand and operate as SCHLOSS Roxburghe.

Despite the upheaval and sale of the main hotel, the golf course remains intact and was in great condition when I visited last week. As I understand, the new owners, 12.18., have no plans to alter the course in any way which I was glad to hear!

Despite being in the Scottish Borders, this course always gives me a feeling of both the Kings Course and the PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles, together with a smattering of Rosemount at Blairgowrie. Probably something to do with the scenic countryside, fir trees and the tranquility.

THE COURSE

There is no doubt that the fairways are wide here but the rough is penal, so it’s essential to keep it on the short stuff. The rolling fairways and elevation changes mean that you will rarely have a flat lie, so be sure to take this into account when choosing your next club.

There are many well placed, deep bunkers on most holes, which will influence your tee short and also your approach shots to the greens. For what it’s worth, all the green side bunkers are generally at front of the greens with the exception of the Par 4 17^th and the three Par 3s at the 4^th, 8^th & 13^th – don’t be short, as they say!

The greens are large and undulating and if you miss a green the chances are that your ball will be down a slope, with a tricky shot back up.

STAND OUT HOLE

The stand out hole and the most photographed on the course is the par 5 14^th ‘Viaduct’ – from the elevated tee you have views of this hole running along the banks of the River Teviot to a green that has the Roxburghe Viaduct as a back drop! This is such a great visual hole.

The Roxburghe is beautifully maintained, has great views and is without doubt one of the top courses in the Scottish Borders. I would get along there sooner rather than later, as the new owners will be increasing the hotel rooms from 22 to 57 and will also be adding 60 lodges to the grounds. That simply means the course will get busier and prices will probably start to increase.

Minto Golf Club

www.mintogolf.co.uk

Minto Golf Club is located between Hawick and Jedburgh. It is a lovely parkland course on the lower slopes of Minto Hill.

The driveway to the clubhouse splits the first 10 holes from the last 8 and whilst the last 8 holes may look a bit more open at first, there are plenty trees out there.

the home of golf - Minot Golf Club - thehomeofgolf.com — Minto Golf Club

The course is not long but don’t be fooled by its length because your game will be fully tested.

As the course is on a gentle slope, you’re unlikely to get too many flat lies here, so understanding what your ball will do when struck on a down-slope, up-slope or side-slope is key to hitting the greens. The greens are of reasonable size and I was surprised that there were not too many bunkers around them.

The sloping fairways are the main thing that you have to plan for when playing Minto golf course, particularly when they are dry and running fast, as they are at the moment. Your ball will easily run away from your intended target and there are plenty of trees to block out your next shot.

All the holes have well thought out names – they even have their own ‘Road Hole’. The twelfth hole has a steep incline up to the green, so no prizes for guessing why it’s called ‘Everest’!

Minto Golf Club is very much worth a visit for both the golf and the scenery.

Having had a chat with Minto Golf Club’s captain, Gary McDonagh, it was clear that he was understandably proud and enthusiastic about the course.

He said the club was very flexible and accommodating to visitors. They operate various packages depending on when you want to play and how many of you are playing – special offers on Thursdays. Further details on their website above.

They have a Ladies Senior Open on 18 July (£8), Gents Senior Open on 7 Aug (£12) and a Gents Open on 22 Sept (£12). All great value.

Minto Golf Club - 8th green

Kelso Golf Club

www.kelsogolfclub.co.uk

Kelso Golf Course shares the course with Kelso Race Course. However, there is no horse racing during the prime golfing season, from around the end of May to mid-September.

Sharing the land with a racecourse means that the course is relatively flat. On flat parkland courses you would normally expect to see a lot of well established tall trees but, not so at Kelso Golf Club. The reason for this is that trees can’t be grown too high because the horse racing stewards need to monitor races without visual obstructions!

The grass on the racetrack is the length of the rough and obviously cuts across a number of holes. This just adds another dimension to the course – no bump and run shots to the 18^th green, as the racetrack runs right across the fairway 40 yards short of the green!

Ben Sayers laid out the original 9 holes and James Braid redesigned it in 1930. The course was further extended in 1980 to the current 18 holes. It measure just over 6000 yards from the white tees and has a par of 71.

It will definitely suit those of you who prefer easy walking courses…..without too many tall trees!

Kelso Golf Club has a Gents Open on 14^th July (£10) and a Mixed Foursomes on 12^th Aug (£12 per couple).

Jedburgh Golf Club

www.jedburghgolfclub.co.uk

The course at Jedburgh opened in 1893 with the clubhouse being built a year later. The course stayed the same for over 100 years until the original 9 holes were extended to an 18 holes layout in 2006.

This is a picturesque course particularly when the gorse is in full bloom. The original clubhouse still stands from 1894 albeit with one or two extensions understandably.

I walked part of the course and whilst undulating, it appeared flatter than I first thought it was going to be. There were some tight looking holes and the gorse will cost you dearly if you are over zealous.

I had left it too late in the day to play the course but I will return to play it next time, without a doubt.

Other non-golfing activities in the Scottish Borders

There is so much to do for both golfers and non-golfers in the Scottish Borders, plenty places to stay and many places to eat and drink in all the main towns.

Fishing on the River Tweed and the River Teviot.
Mountain biking at Glentress
Plenty Hill walking, canoeing/kayaking & cycling to name a few.

Places to Visit (click the links for websites details):

Castles:

Abbeys:

Museums:

Hawick Museum & Scott Art Gallery
Eyemouth Museum
Jim Clark Room (currently closed until Spring 2019)
Coldstream Museum
Museum at Gungreen House
The John Buchan Story

Exhibitions/Visitor Centres/Gardens:

Historic Buildings:

Part 1 of ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’ can be read here – Golf in the Scottish Borders Part 1

NEXT BLOG will be out in a few days – why not follow me on Instagram, Twitter &/or Facebook to keep up to date.

Golf in the Scottish Borders (1/4)

By Tom Kelly - TheHomeofGolf | July 4, 2018

Golf in the Scottish Borders – (Part 1 of 4)

The Scottish Borders region is possibly better known for its fishing and rugby than for its golf courses. There are over 20 courses in the region, most of which are parkland layouts and all with their own challenges. It’s an area I have visited a lot for rugby but less frequently for golf. So I decided to head south, re-aquaint myself with Golf in the Scottish Borders and find out what I’d been missing out on!

the home of golf - thehomeofgolf.com - Duns Golf Club — Duns Golf Club – 1st green

Today I am featuring Eyemouth Golf Club and also highlighting 3 other courses in the Scottish Borders. I’ll be doing 3 more similar short blogs on ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’ over the next few days, featuring different courses.

There is a huge amount to do in the Scottish Borders apart from golf and I’ll touch upon some of the other activities and places of interest in the area, at the end of the blog.

Today’s Featured Course

Eyemouth Golf Club

the home of golf - thehomeofgolf.com - Eyemouth — Eyemouth Golf Club – 7th hole overlooking the North Sea

www.eyemouthgolfclub.co.uk

Eyemouth Golf Course sits on a cliff top on the east coast of Scotland just a few miles from the border with England. It has fabulous sea views from most holes and is the only coastal golf course in the Scottish Borders.

Most courses traditionally have one signature hole but Eyemouth has two holes that get a fair amount of attention!

Firstly, the 6th Hole (A Still No Ken) was voted ‘Britain’s No 1 Most Extraordinary Golf Hole’ and was included in the Top 18 Holes in Scottish Golf 2015.

Secondly, Eyemouth’s 13^th hole (Hawkness) is Scotland’s longest hole at 656 yards when played from the tiger tee.

For the first four holes, you work your way around the clubhouse before crossing the road to the cliff top section of the course. The next six holes are fairly flat and allow you to take in the views. A climb up the 11^th hole is where you’ll want to have a camera handy!

The 13^th hole as mentioned before is the longest par 5 in Scotland and thankfully it’s downhill! However, you’ll want to conserve some energy for another climb at the 15th before working your way back round to the clubhouse.

Eyemouth is a treat to play and despite being on a cliff top, there is a definite links course feel to many of the holes. You’ll come across water hazards and water features, old stone built walls and bridges, wild flowers and some of the best views out onto the North Sea. This is the only option for coastal golf in the Scottish Borders, as the rest of the courses are all parkland layouts.

Eyemouth is a popular course, so make sure you book well in advance.

Other highlighted courses for golf in the Scottish Borders

The Hirsel

www.hirselgc.co.uk

This is a course that is tucked away in the Scottish Borders with the ‘hidden gem’ tag attached to it. In Scottish golfing terms it’s a relative new comer, having been founded 70 years ago in 1948.

The course sits in the grounds of the former home of Sir Alec Douglas-Home, prime minister of United Kingdom in 1963-64.

It’s a well established, tree lined course where ‘short and straight’ is the best strategy on most of the longer holes. The huge trees define many of the holes at The Hirsel and it’s a ‘chip out’ if you go anywhere near them and their sprawling branches. Out of bounds also comes into play, as does the River Leet on several holes.

The signature hole (10^th) is possibly the shortest par 3 you’ll play at 93-98 yards. However, it’s not as simple from the tee as you may think! Looking down to the 10th green, you are aware, not only of a 40 foot drop in elevation but also the five bunkers and the River Leet surrounding it.

The Hirsel has a Gents Open on 28th July (£15) and a Ladies Tex Mex Open the following day on 29th July (£10). It’s well worth a visit, particularly if you’re in the Berwick/Coldstream/Kelso area.

Duns Golf Course

www.dunsgolfclub.com

Duns GC is a lovely parkland course situated to the west of Duns at the foot of Hardens Hill – it’s a relatively easy walking course with gentle slopes and one or two short, steep climbs.

The fairways are reasonably generous, however, there is a burn that you should be aware of on several holes. This is one of those courses that you know you’ll be round in 3 hours – and maybe tempted for another 18 after lunch!

They have a Senior Gents Open on 26^th July (£10), Gents Open on 18^th Aug (£15) & a Ladies Pairs Open on 2^nd Sep (£15/pair)

Lauder Golf Course

http://laudergolf.com

The 9 hole course at Lauder maybe your first stop for golf in the Scottish Borders as you head south from Edinburgh. It’s a gentle sloping parkland course that dates back to 1896. The initial layout was by Willie Park Jnr, British Open Champion in 1887 & 1889.

They have a Gents Open on 29^th July (£12) & a Ladies Open Greensome on 11^th Aug (£15/pair)

Other non-golfing activities in the Scottish Borders

There is so much to do for both golfers and non-golfers in the Scottish Borders, plenty places to stay and many places to eat and drink in all the main towns.

Fishing on the River Tweed and the River Teviot.
Mountain biking at Glentress
Plenty Hill walking, canoeing/kayaking & cycling to name a few.

Places to Visit (click the links for websites details):

Castles:

Abbeys:

Museums:

Hawick Museum & Scott Art Gallery
Eyemouth Museum
Jim Clark Room (currently closed until Spring 2019)
Coldstream Museum
Museum at Gungreen House
The John Buchan Story

Golf in the Scottish Borders – (Part 4 of 4)

Today’s Featured Course

Peebles Golf Club www.peeblesgolfclub.com

Accommodation

The course

West Linton Golf Club www.wlgc.co.uk

Location

The Course

Offers & Opens

The MacDonald Cardrona Hotel Golf Course MacDonald Cardrona Golf Course website

The Hotel

The course

Torwoodlee Golf Club www.torwoodleegolfclub.co.uk

My Conclusion on ‘Golf in the Scottish Borders’

Other non-golfing activities in the Scottish Borders

Places to Visit (click the links for websites details):

Castles:

Abbeys:

Museums:

Exhibitions/Visitor Centres/Gardens:

Historic Buildings:

Golf in the Scottish Borders – (Part 3 of 4)

Today’s Featured Course

The Woll Golf Course

The Course

First six holes – relatively flat

Middle six holes – undulately

Final six holes – relatively flat (Exc. 16th)

Hawick Golf Club

Melrose Golf Club

St Boswells Golf Club

Other non-golfing activities in the Scottish Borders

Places to Visit (click the links for websites details):

Castles:

Abbeys:

Museums:

Exhibitions/Visitor Centres/Gardens:

Historic Buildings:

Golf in the Scottish Borders – (Part 2 of 4)

Today’s Featured Course

The Roxburghe Championship Golf Course

THE COURSE

STAND OUT HOLE

Minto Golf Club

Kelso Golf Club

Jedburgh Golf Club

Other non-golfing activities in the Scottish Borders

Places to Visit (click the links for websites details):

Castles:

Abbeys:

Museums:

Exhibitions/Visitor Centres/Gardens:

Historic Buildings:

Golf in the Scottish Borders – (Part 1 of 4)

Today’s Featured Course

Other highlighted courses for golf in the Scottish Borders

Other non-golfing activities in the Scottish Borders

Places to Visit (click the links for websites details):

Castles:

Abbeys:

Museums:

Exhibitions/Visitor Centres/Gardens:

Historic Buildings:

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Peebles Golf Club
www.peeblesgolfclub.com

West Linton Golf Club
www.wlgc.co.uk

The MacDonald Cardrona Hotel Golf Course
MacDonald Cardrona Golf Course website

Torwoodlee Golf Club
www.torwoodleegolfclub.co.uk