Cardross

Cardross Golf Club overlooks the River Clyde between Dumbarton and Helensburgh with Port Glasgow and Greenock on the other side of the water. Because of its south facing location, Cardross enjoys an early growing season and is often in tiptop condition at the beginning of the year before other courses in the area.

James Braid modified the course in 1921 and it is recognized as one of the best inland 18-hole layouts in the West of Scotland – proof of which is the fact that it hosted the 1992 Scottish Professional Championship which was won by 1999 Open winner, Paul Lawrie.

Mentioning such a famous Scottish professional brings to mind another favoured son of these parts, club stalwart and Scottish amateur golf legend, the evergreen Charlie Green. This former Walker Cup Captain has won just about every honour available in the amateur game and highlights of his career include collecting the silver medal as leading amateur at the Open in 1962 and winning the Scottish Seniors Open for six out of seven years from 1988.

Although nine of the thirteen par fours on the course are less than 400 yards in length, don’t be fooled into thinking the course plays short, as the holes always play longer than the yardage suggests, as the undulating fairways are always relatively lush.

Two holes worth special mention are “Fernie’s First”, the 398-yard, par four opener which has a pair of cross bunkers called “The Spectacles” sitting across the fairway to catch errant tee shots and the 18th hole, called “Douggie’s Mound”, which is a long, 474-yard par four played downhill to the clubhouse. It’s a great driving hole to end a round of golf.