Scottish Golf Articles
Golf Breaks in Dumfries & Galloway
FOR THOSE of you who are completely oblivious, Dumfries and Galloway is the area south west of Open Championship venue Turnberry. It is mostly famous for its association with Robert Burns, the much-loved Scottish poet, but it is the region’s golf courses that will really tickle your fancy. This part of Scotland, in fact, encompasses all the trappings associated with an undiscovered gem and, better still, it’s just a short drive over the border.
Inland courses take refuge amid glorious parkland scenery while those courses closer to the sea enjoy views of the Solway Firth, with the Cumbria mountains and the Isle of Man also on show.
The setting is of the highest standard and the courses aren’t too bad, either. Southerness just happens to be one of the most celebrated links in the country and has hosted its fair share of leading amateur events. It is a true eye-opener.
Solway Links is a little further up and also boasts wonderful sea views. It is one of Scotland’s few pay and play links and has recently installed a new version of golf called ‘Golf Cross’. A number of English clubs have Golf Cross but Solway Links remains the only one in the ‘Home of Golf’ with it on-site. The town itself has two courses, Dumfries and Gallo-way and Dumfries and County. The County, as the locals know it, is a beautiful parkland bordered on the north and west by the River Nith, where Burns was rumoured to stroll in search of inspiration.
However, Dumfries and Gallo-way, just ten minutes westwards out of town, is set in rolling countryside and is best described as a wooded parkland with sufficient armoury to test the best. New Galloway, in Kirkcud-brightshire, is certainly one of the highlights of the region. It is a delightful nine-holer that’s surrounded by the Galloway Hills. It was recently judged one of Scotland’s most scenic courses.
Another nine-hole gem is St Medan, a tricky short links set on a promontory just below Monreith Bay, and Wigtown-shire, a links on the shores of the scenic Luce Bay.
Portpatrick is the most westerly course in the region and can be found just a little further on from Stranraer, which also has a course of fine standard.
There are two layouts at Portpatrick, the Dunskey and the Dinvin, with the former an honest links set on the cliffs above the village. This particular course is why Dumfries and Galloway is a much-heralded region for travelling golfers who know their stuff. It boasts views of the Irish coast, the Isle of Man and the Mull if Kintyre. For a truly unforgettable round, head for Gatehouse of Fleet, north of Kirkcudbright. Its ninth hole was listed inside the top 100 most extraordinary golf holes in the UK. To us, at least, that’s worth the green fee alone!
Local golfing trivia
The local tourist board in D&G run three ‘golf trails’
to suit different needs and budgets - Tiger Trial, Challenge Trail and Little Gems Trail. There are 11 nine-hole golf courses in the region, many of which are regarded as some of the finest nine-holers in the ‘Home of Golf’. Stranraer, on the shore of Loch Ryan, was the last golf course to be designed by the legendary golf course architect, James Braid.
Registered Office: PSP House, 50 High Craighall Road