Cathkin Braes - Glasgow - Scotland

I made my first visit in a while to Cathkin Braes last month and came away wondering why it had taken me so long to make a return trip as there’s lots to like about this place. The opening five holes and closing two holes are a notch above the others due to the craggy terrain they’re routed across but nearly all those in between are none too shabby either.

The short par four 2nd is a great hole to arrive at so early in a round, played into a valley then up to a ridge-top green. It’s followed shortly after by a lovely par three at the 5th (the only short hole on the front nine) which plays across Muir Loch to a raised green that’s protected in front by three intimidating bunkers.

Holes 8 and 12 lie in parallel, playing in opposite directions, and they act as (weaker) transition holes for the three-hole triangulation on a slightly separate property at the 9th to 11th, with the last of these holes a wonderful downhill par three playing to an elevated green which is benched into a crag and guarded in front by three menacing bunkers.

The remaining pair of par threes on the card (at 13 and 16) aren’t quite as eye-catching as the two earlier short holes but, in fairness, it’s never an easy task to make an uphill par three hole appealing from the tee so these two examples of such a hole are more functional than fascinating.

The final two holes bring the round to a rousing conclusion, each of them played as 400-yard+ par fours. The 17th fairway slides from left to right along the top of an escarpment that falls off to the right, before the tee shot at the last plunges down to a fairway that narrows considerably as it reaches the home green.

The use of eco bunkering is not to everybody’s taste (some will question whether having plastic embedded in the ground can ever be termed “eco”) but its application in many of the greenside bunkers here looks the part, giving a very crisp definition to the sand hazards.

Currently #2 in the Glasgow listings, Cathkin Braes is one of several courses located just outside the Scottish Top 100 that have to be knocking for recognition on the door of the national rankings.

Jim McCann

Cathkin Braes’ position in the new Glasgow top 10 may have raised a few eyebrows, sitting proudly as it does as the number 2 course in Glasgow area chart. This places it ahead of the likes of more celebrated tracks such as Killermont, which not so long ago was in the Scottish Top 100 and Haggs Castle, which in its heyday has hosted European Tour events. Having played most of the courses in the city Cathkin Braes’ inclusion has come as no surprise to me as I always found it to be a very decent track with terrific par 3’s, testing par 4’s and a really tough finish, the closing 5 holes are all potential card wreckers in their own right. Not content to stand still the club has invested heavily to improve two holes, the par 3 5th and the tough 14th, the former with the installation of an alternative tee box, which I believe, has been built in a similar location to one used in the past, which changes completely how the hole has to be played. The introduction two new bunkers on the 14th also alters the way you approach the hole by converting straightforward 3 shotter to a much tougher par 5. The traps may not be too great aesthetically but they certainly do their job. Other holes of note are the par 3 16th a really stout 205 yard tough cookie with out of bounds running up the right hand side. And the opening hole, no gentle ease into your round here with nerve and a good swing required to find the sanctuary of the opening fairway which lies over an area of scrub land. Other holes of note being 3,4,10,11.17 and the home hole which is a terrific driving hole. So congratulations to Cathkin Braes, a hidden gem now gaining the recognition I feel that it is due. Perhaps now that it is on the golfing radar it will receive more praise and accolades taking it to an even higher level in future Scottish and regional charts? MPPJ