Buchanan Castle near Glasgow? Other low profile easy access ideas?

[mike_malone]

 A friend will be going there day one in Scotland. Any comments?

[Niall C]

Mike

Nice parkland course north of Glasgow, in the country. Dates from early 1920's. Can't recall whether its a Braid or a David Adams. I've only played it once and that was in one of those corporate outings where the golf was secondary so hard to recall it with any great clarity but I think its a pleasant enough course, particularly in the summer (probably gets a bit wet outwith May to September). When's you're pal playing it ? Indeed, why Buchanan Castle ? There are several others around Glasgow that I would put ahead of it if he was looking for some recommendations.

Niall

[mike_malone]

 Please recommend some low profile ideas near Glasgow.

[Niall C]

Mike,

With Ayrshire only 45 minutes down the road, not many visitors hang around long enough to sample any of the courses round Glasgow so they are all pretty well low profile but there a quite a few worth playing. Most of them date from before the war, and in a lot of cases thats WW1 not WW2.

My favs would be;

Cawder GC - a James Braid parkland course from 1934 located to the north of Glasgow. Has a second course which is fairly flat and uninteresting in places but the main course is a good fun challenge. 15-20 mins from city centre.

Ranfurly Castle GC - originally a Willie Campbell lay-out (I think) but redesigned a couple of times, lastly by Braid, a good moorland track. Located about 25 mins west of Glasgow city centre.

East Renfrewshire GC - 1920's Braid design, moorland in character. Interesting par 3's. 20 mins from city centre on south side.

Erskine GC - originally a Willie Fernie layout from 1905 (?) but subsequently had partial redesigns from both MacKenzie and Braid. Short and quirky in part with some great views over Firth of Clyde. Located 20 mins west of Glasgow cc.

Killermont (home of Glasgow GC) - not sure if you can get on here as a visitor but worth trying. 1903 layout by Old Tom Morris which has had a few tweaks by Braid but largely still the layout provided by Old Tom. Probably his best preserved layout and also the second last he did. Lots of half par holes including the dog-leg par 3 second hole. 15 mins north of Glasgow cc.

Bonnyton GC - Mike, I have to tell you I haven't played this one yet as it tends to be off the radar even for the locals but the club have recently rediscovered that the course is a Mackenzie layout which appears to have had little by way of any tampering which bodes well. Its a moorland track located 20/25 mins south of Glasgow cc.

Theres also a number of good courses in Lanarkshire (area to east of Glasgow) if you're spending any time in the area so let me know if you need any more info.

Niall

[Jim McCann]

Buchanan Castle is a rather dull track, located 45 minutes from Glasgow city centre:

 http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/productdetails.asp?id=944

I’d agree with Niall that the Cawder (Cawder) course is worth considering, as is Erskine,
Ranfurly Castle and East Renfrewshire - these three are on the other side of the River Clyde.

The latter two are fine moorland layouts.

I haven’t played Killermont but I’m told it’s uninspiring and I have Bonnyton on my hit list to play
this summer as many people have told me it’s a very good layout.

A couple of decent parkland courses I’d also throw into the mix are Cardross and Renfrew.

Cardross is not far from Buchanan Castle, overlooking the Clyde and Renfrew is situated very close
to Glasgow airport. It's often used by the R&A as a regional final qualifying venue for the Open.

[Niall C]

I haven’t played Killermont but I’m told it’s uninspiring and I have Bonnyton on my hit list to play
this summer as many people have told me it’s a very good layout.

Jim

You must have been speaking to a member of Pollok.

Niall

[mike_malone]

 My friend has switched to Ranfurly. Thanks for the advice.

[Jim McCann]

Niall,

I played Pollok six years ago and found it as dull as dishwater.

Haggs Castle is only marginally better in my opinion.

Unfortunately, the Greater Glasgow area is largely bereft of top golfing tracks.

[Niall C]

My friend has switched to Ranfurly. Thanks for the advice.

Mike

You might want to make sure he gets the right one, there are two clubs, Ranfurly Castle and Old Ranfurly and its Ranfurly Castle is the one he wants to go to. I'd be interested to hear his thoughts after playing it.

Jim

Pollok - the big problem with Pollok is the set up. They bought a new machine a few years ago for cutting the rough so that the grass is left standing up allied to the fact that the cut it to a height that covers the ball which means wasted time searching followed by a hack out if you find the ball. I do like the fact that they haven't tried to tree line every fairway.

Haggs Castle - I've only played it a few times but I think you're being harsh. Like a lot of parkland courses you really want to play it during the summer and if you get it then its a very fine course.

Generally though I think you are being overly harsh on what you refer to as the Greater Glasgow courses. They may not be links but there is a lot of really good golf to be played. When you think how Brora gets rave reviews on here for example, you wonder what some of those folks would make of Braids courses in Glasgow, some of which are mentioned above.

Niall

[Jim McCann]

Niall

Sorry, you're right; I am being too harsh.

It's just that in my chart-centric world of Top100 listings, I can only see five from the Glasgow area ranked
within the Scottish Top 100 - Loch Lomond, Carrick, Lanark, East Renfrewshire and Kilmacolm.

There are PLENTY of good member club layouts in the area - and don't forget the new corporate-orientated
Dave Thomas 18-holer near me at Mar Hall in Erskine - so maybe I shouldn't be so dismissive of the courses
in the Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire regions.         
 

[mike_malone]

 Niall,
   
 I'll make sure he gets the right one.

[Niall C]

Jim

Clearly Loch Lomond is an exceptional layout however I'm not sure that I would pick either the Carrick or Mar Hall as being head and shoulders above the other courses, in fact I'm sure I wouldn't. They may stand out as being modern designs against the vast majority which are not but I would play any of the courses I listed above (and quite a few others) before I would play the Carrick. Thats not a knock on the Carrick, I liked the course in the one round I played, but its not better than any of those listed IMHO. Mar Hall, I haven't played but I have seen it and heard comments from those that have which suggest to me its in the same category as the Carrick.

BTW, I note you listed Lanark which is perhaps stretching it a bit for greater Glasgow but if you are including Lanarkshire I would also recommend Hamilton, Strathaven and Wishaw.

Niall