Sharing borders with Glasgow, North Ayrshire and West Dumbartonshire, the Renfrewshire Golf Union provides links for over 10,000 golfers and is affiliated with 22 clubs in the area which stretches from Gourock in the north west and Bonnyton in the south east.
The most popular in the county include the impressive moorland trio of East Renfrewshire, Kilmacolm and Ranfurly Castle.
East Renfrewshire Golf Club, fondly known as ‘East Ren’, was established in 1922 and was designed by the renowned James Braid. The typical Braid traits are still visible on the course today; high tees, rolling fairways and greens set upon plateau. All the holes offer something different, with this course being a fantastic example of moorland golf’s finest.
Similarly labelled the 'finest course in the county', Kilmacolm Golf Club is a ‘miniature Gleneagles’ and a fine example of a moorland course. With only one par 5 on the scorecard, the course measures at only 5,961 yards from the back tees. Indeed, only three of the par four holes play longer than 400 yards so length of tee is not an issue at Kilmacolm.
Renfrewshire’s Ranfurly Castle lies to the western edge of the large village of Bridge of Weir, which prospered in the 18th and 19th centuries due to cotton mills and tanneries. Despite its close proximity to Glasgow, the Ranfurly Castle Golf Club remains relatively undiscovered, except to those in the know.
Golf in Renfrewshire is integral to the region’s history and has been successful in Scottish Area Team Championships. With winners at Cardross in 1982, Machrihanish in 1996, Bathgate in 2005 and Crail in 2009. The area values the importance of developing the young golfer and provides a lot of children with access to special coaching sessions at the Mearns Castle facility.
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