Glenbervie - Central Scotland - Scotland

I set out and played the course in the summer of 2020 and found the course in great condition. Definitely one of the best parkland courses I have played in recent years. The fairways and rough were very lush and the greens, although relatively small by modern standards, actually allowed for various pins and provided considerable undulations to challenge. The green fee was very reasonable and although busy the groups got around quickly.

There were a few stand out holes for me, the 4th was a great, short par 3. The 9th was a fearsome par 4 into the wind, with the tee shot having to overcome the hill and land on or near the top. The 13th was a long and challenging par 3 which I liked as well.

Overall the green keeping was spot on, with a very well presented course. The course provided a good challenge, especially through the earlier dog leg holes. The greens were tricky but recent rains had left them very soft, which made them easier to fight against. Although soft, they were still rolling fast.

I didn't get the best of the club as a whole with the COVID restrictions, however, judging by the volume of members and the happy feel, I am sure when open the clubhouse is a great place to enjoy a meal.

While I have played Glenbervie in mid October after some heavy rainfall, the beauty of the course still shone through. A great parkland adventure with a variety of differing holes and challenges. They course is fairly open and not too penal from the tees. However, well placed bunkers and some subtle slopes on the greens make it a good challenge. The 3rd, a short dog leg par 4, and the 12th, another par 4 dogleg to the right this time, were two of my favourites. I look forwards to coming back next summer when the weather might do justice to this lovely course.

I played Glenbervie for the first time and could not believe how beautifully manicured it was, every hole a different challenge, facilities are tremendous, not a bad view on the course, the greens are some of best in Scotland, the membership was out of my price range but I enjoyed so much I saved my money and joined the club so I can play it as often as I like, it has made me a better golfer in doing so, where I struggled at other courses now I feel I can beat my handicap at any course now.

I’d been meaning to play here again for some time now as my last game on this course was all of ten years ago. One of the monthly golf magazines recently included Glenbervie in its Scottish Top 100 listings so that was all the incentive I needed to finally make a return visit.

The par four 1st hole gets the round under way in terrific fashion, where the fairway doglegs left and downhill to the green from a ridge that the clubhouse sits on. It doesn’t take long to appreciate the impressive size and scale of fairways that are set out within a mature parkland property, with single specimen trees and fairway drainage ditches cleverly incorporated into the routing on several of the holes.

The landscape is rolling, featuring agreeable changes in elevation that are never too demanding. Greens are large and reasonably contoured, even with the 2-tiered versions at holes 3, 12, 14 and 18.

On the front nine, I loved the short par four 3rd, doglegging left to the green, and the long par three 7th, which plays to a strong stoke index of 7. The standout holes on the back nine are the two demanding par fours that rise up towards the clubhouse at the 14th and 18th, though the doglegged 12th - artificial fairway pond excepted - is another fine hole on the inward half.

Glenbervie’s a big, solid track that might best be described as a “proper” golf course and I can certainly understand why at least one golf publication has deemed it worthy of a place in its national Top 100 chart.

Jim McCann