Forfar Golf Club

Forfar Golf Club, set on 80 acres of wooded heathland at Cunninghill in Angus, holds a distinction no other golf course in the world can claim: it was the first golf course designed from inception as an 18-hole layout. When founding member James Brodie invited Old Tom Morris to Forfar in 1871, every course in existence had either been extended to 18 holes after starting as a shorter layout or had its hole count reduced. Forfar changed that permanently. Thirteen of Morris's original greens remain in play today, making the Cunninghill layout one of the most authentically preserved examples of Victorian golf course design on the planet.

Why Play Forfar Golf Club?

Play Forfar to walk a par-69 heathland course where the routing philosophy that now defines golf worldwide was first applied at full scale. The combination of Old Tom Morris's 1871 template and James Braid's 1926 revisions, across terrain ridged by centuries of flax cultivation, produces a layout found nowhere else in Scottish golf.

History of Forfar Golf Club

In 1871, James Brodie persuaded Colonel Dempster of Dunnichen to permit golf over 50 acres of ground to the east of Forfar. Morris, then the foremost course designer in Scotland, laid out 18 holes using the Old Course at St Andrews as his template for what a full round of golf should look like. He was subsequently made an Honorary Member of the club and returned to play the course on multiple occasions.

The club built its first clubhouse in 1889, having previously used a rented room at Lochhead Farm, situated behind what is now the third tee, for post-round refreshment. Ladies were admitted to the club in 1895. By 1920, with membership standing at 541, the club purchased the course outright from the Dempster estate for £700.

James Braid, the five-time Open Champion, was commissioned to make alterations in 1926. His written recommendations, contained in a letter to the club, are displayed in the Cunninghill clubhouse. The course design has remained essentially unchanged since Braid's work was completed, with ten of the thirteen par-fours measuring under 400 yards — a distinctly pre-modern routing that places accuracy and placement above length.

Stuart Wilson, the club's most celebrated product in the modern era, won the Amateur Championship at St Andrews in 2004 and claimed the Silver Medal for the leading amateur at that year's Open Championship at Royal Troon — a feat previously achieved by only five other Scots.

Course Layout & Playing Experience

The Cunninghill course plays to a par of 69 over 6,100 yards from the white tees, with the layout carved through 80 acres of wooded estate. Each fairway runs largely in isolation from the others, flanked by Scots pine, heathland heather, gorse, whin and broom. The routing means the wind arrives from a different angle at almost every hole, despite the course sitting 16km (10 miles) inland from the Angus coast.

The defining surface feature of the fairways, distinct undulating ridges running across the turf, is a legacy of the rig-and-furrow ploughing used to cultivate flax on this ground before golf arrived. These ridges produce unpredictable lies and are most pronounced from the opening hole, where the furrowing pushes shots away from the centre of the fairway regardless of direction.

Hazards throughout the layout are concentrated at the fronts of greens, with the greens themselves sloping back towards the fairway, meaning the preferred approach is to take an extra club and use the rear of the putting surface to arrest the ball.

Notable Architectural Features

The 15th hole, named "Braid's Best," is the course's signature. The 412-yard par-4 doglegs right, with the tee shot requiring a fade to take full advantage of the angle. Three bunkers guard the front of a raised green, and a steep drop to the left makes a pulled approach costly. The hole is one of only a handful on the course to carry the explicit mark of Braid's 1926 intervention in its name.

The 12th, a 444-yard par-4, is the longest two-shot hole on the layout and requires a precise second to a well-protected green. Ten of the thirteen par-fours play under 400 yards, placing the premium on iron accuracy rather than driving distance — an unusual characteristic for a heathland layout of this age that distinguishes Forfar from longer contemporary courses on the Angus coast.

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Travel & Planning

Regional Golf Context

Forfar sits immediately off the A92, the main road connecting Dundee and Aberdeen, placing it within reach of some of the most celebrated golf in Scotland. The course serves naturally as a midpoint or daytrip stop on any extended East Coast golf itinerary.

Within 30km (19 miles): Carnoustie Golf Links is 22km (14 miles) south-east via the A90 and A930, approximately 21 minutes by car — a logical pairing on any Angus trip. Montrose Golf Links lies around 45km (28 miles) north along the coast, roughly 35 minutes by car, offering links golf on the oldest medal course in Scotland. Edzell Golf Club is approximately 30km (19 miles) north, around 25 minutes from Forfar, a well-regarded parkland layout in the Angus glens.

30–60km (19–37 miles): Dundee is 22km (14 miles) to the south, about 20 minutes, providing the widest accommodation and dining options for visitors basing themselves in the region. Arbroath Golf Links, known for its coastal location on the Angus cliffs, lies around 30km (19 miles) to the south-east, approximately 30 minutes by road.

Golf holidays centred on Angus and the east coast of Scotland typically combine Forfar with Carnoustie Golf Links, Montrose Golf Links and Arbroath Golf Links for a representative cross-section of Scottish inland and coastal golf. Basing in Dundee allows easy access to the full corridor.

Practical Planning

Visitor tee times are available seven days a week, with mornings reserved for members. The compact layout completes in approximately three and a half hours, making two rounds in a single day a practical option. Advance booking is recommended, particularly during summer months.

Transport Information ✈️

Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ): 87km (54 miles), approximately 58 minutes driving south via the A90. Major car rental facilities with direct dual-carriageway access throughout.

Dundee Airport (DND): 22km (14 miles), approximately 20 minutes. Limited scheduled services; primarily serves domestic connections.

Edinburgh Airport (EDI): Approximately 100km (62 miles) south, around 80 minutes by car — the primary international gateway for visitors flying into Scotland.

Public Transport: Ember and Stagecoach East Scotland operate regular bus services between Dundee and Forfar, with the journey taking approximately 30–48 minutes depending on service. Forfar has no direct rail connection.

Ground Transport: The A92/A90 dual carriageway provides the primary access route. The course entrance on Arbroath Road (B9128) is signposted from the town centre.

Seasonal Timing

Spring (April–May): Firm, fast conditions as the heathland drains quickly after winter. Booking becomes competitive from late April as visitor numbers build.

Summer (June–August): The longest days and warmest temperatures. Morning tee times book up earliest; afternoon slots often available mid-week.

Autumn (September–October): Heather in colour and Scots pines at their most distinctive. Course conditions typically remain good through October.

Winter (November–March): The course remains open through winter with reduced fees, though temporary greens and trolley restrictions may apply during the wettest periods. Contacting the club before visiting is advised during this period.

Forfar Golf Club: The Verdict

Forfar's primary claim on the attention of travelling golfers is historical rather than spectacle-driven. This is where the modern blueprint for a round of golf — 18 holes, each architecturally distinct from the last — was first applied by a recognised designer working from scratch. The rig-and-furrow fairways, preserved over 150 years of uninterrupted play, add a textural dimension to the heathland experience that no amount of course renovation could replicate. Positioned between Carnoustie Golf Links and the Aberdeen courses on the A92 corridor, Cunninghill rewards a deliberate detour and rarely disappoints those who understand what they are standing on.