Southerness - Dumfries & Galloway - Scotland

1st Dumfries & Galloway - Best in Area 45th Scotland Ranking
Southerness Golf Club,
Southerness,
Dumfries,
DG2 8AZ,
Scotland

  • +44 (0) 1387 880677

  • Golf Club Website

  • 15 miles S of Dumfries

  • Contact in advance – handicap certificate required

Championships hosted: Scottish Amateur

Southerness Golf Club is aptly named because it’s the most southerly golf course in Scotland featured on this website. The course is set on the edge of a remote headland on the peaceful Solway coast and is virtually unknown by the golfing masses. The mountains of the Lake District are clearly visible on the opposite side of the Solway Firth and just across the water, about five miles away as the seagull flies, is the other excellent links course at Silloth on Solway.

A lighthouse was built not far from here to guide shipping entering the River Nith and they have used the lighthouse as Southerness Golf Club’s emblem. A panoramic view of Criffel peak (the highest of the local fells) is also on offer from this classic and natural links course, but Southerness is a relative juvenile in the scheme of things. The club was founded in 1947 and the links was laid out by Philip Mackenzie Ross, a former partner of Tom Simpson. Southerness is widely considered to be Ross’s finest 18-hole solo composition. Ross went on to become the first president of the British Association of Golf Course Architects.

On the surface of it, Southerness appears to be relatively short, measuring a little over 6,500 yards, but with a lowly par of 69, it’s one of the toughest golfing tests in the land. The standard scratch score of 73 suggests that par is an ask. On occasions, no doubt, the competition scratch score is even higher. There are two short par fives which offer realistic birdie opportunities, but there are eight par fours measuring over 400 yards and this is where shots will be dropped. The fairways always seem to be generous and inviting, but there’s gorse and heather waiting to catch wayward shots. Let’s be honest – with so many 400-yard plus holes, you can’t afford to leave the driver in the car.

Probably the best holes run along the shore, starting with the 8th, and the line to take is the lighthouse in the distance. The 12th and 13th are particularly strong holes.

Dumfries might not feature as a golfing venue of first choice, but if you include Silloth on Solway and Powfoot alongside the mighty links here at Southerness, you will be hard pressed to find better golfing and you will certainly get outstanding value for money.

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Reviews for Southerness

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Description: Southerness Golf Club is set on the edge of a remote headland on the peaceful Solway coast and is virtually unknown by the golfing masses. Rating: 7.7 out of 10 Reviews: 32
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james sprint
What a magical day at this wonderful golf course. Friendly welcome, good grub and coffee. Neat and tidy course in terrific condition, greens playing really well. Can't wait to re-visit. Played off the whites so the three wood was red hot by the end!
September 04, 2015
8 / 10
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DavidM
Played here on a Monday in late June. Course very busy but the four ball in front got round in good time - 3.5 hours.The setting of this course is as dramatic and beautiful as any I can think of, surrounded by the Galloway hills, the Solway, the Lake District mountains just 10 miles away and, across the sea, the Isle of Man.The course itself is not as linksy in feel as I expected. Not just because of the gorse, heather and willow scrub which threaten a few tee shots, but because there is quite a lot of clover in some of the fairways, and light rough left around some of the greens, which makes the chip and run or putter from off the green a risky shot. I have never hit so many lob wedges from around links greens.The greens themselves were true but very slow when I played, but I'll put that down to its being a Monday. The chipping green was lightning quick.The 12th here with a second shot played into a saddle of dunes hard against the beach is one of the best I've played. Apart from that, I found this a tough, fair and pretty course which is well worth the £50 green fee. A strong four stars from me, but I'd have liked yellow tees that didn't take all the fairway bunkers out of play, and more scope for classic links scrambling.
July 04, 2015
6 / 10
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Bob Blair
July 28, 2015
Fairway bunkers come in and out of play depending entirely on the wind speed and direction and this is really the main defense of the course
David Worley
Southerness is the most southerly of Scottish links courses on the west coast. Situated on the Solway Firth, not far north of Silloth, there are lovely views of both the sea and the nearby Galloway Hills. There are no towering dunes but if you miss the fairway the one common feature is the large expanses of thick heather.

Pretty much all of the holes are of similar terrain so the opening and closing holes are a good cross section of the rest. The holes all run in a variety of directions. As a result, there is never a feeling of sameness and I have no doubt that if Southerness was located closer to the Open courses, it would certainly be used for qualifying rounds.

With five par threes, you might think it is a little on the short side. Surprisingly, it measures 6566 yards, even though the two par fives are just under 500 yards. The length comes from some testing par fours, of which eight of the eleven are over 400 yards.

Southerness is not as tough as nearby Silloth but it is still a very good test that is enjoyable for golfers of all standards. Most of the time, you will feel very much alone on the course in this quiet stretch of countryside. This is a very rare and precious commodity in the world of today so don’t miss out on experiencing Southerness.

This review is an edited extract from Another Journey through the Links, which has been reproduced with David Worley’s kind permission. The author has exclusively rated for us every Scottish course featured in his book. Another Journey through the Links is available for Australian buyers via www.golfbooks.com.au and through Amazon for buyers from other countries.
April 20, 2015
8 / 10
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DAVID LAIRD
I was an overseas member of Southerness for many years (>30) and have never tired of the course. In the last few years the condition has been close to perfection, quite how they manage to keep it so perfect I do not know - both fairways and greens. Southerness is a real test in the wind but rather easy in calm weather from the yellows. Try it of the whites or blue on a wondy day and you will find out if you can play golf. Obviously the 12th is a fabulous hole but try keeping your card together on the 15th, 16th and 17th into the wind. both the 4th and 17th are par 3's into the wind, any spin on the ball and it's gone.Enjoy this course and never underestimate the cunning swales and humps in front of the greens. This is why the 9th is rated the hardest hole on the course and it's downwind mostly.DAVID LAIRD
March 27, 2015
8 / 10
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paul
i think the fact that this is ranked No 28 in Scotland perhaps says more about the fantastic quality of golf north of the border than about any failings at Southerness. This place is well worth going off the beaten track from Dumfies for ! played it in May 12 in blustery conditions, while there aren't necessarily many spectacular holes this is a great test of honest Links golf. great bargain green fee, friendly welcome, and excellent condition of course. its perhaps not quite good enough for 5 or 6 stars, but is a very strong 4 star course and perhaps if it was amongst the course south of Glasgow or around Edinburgh it i'm sure would rank more highly. get yourself there, you won't be disappointed.
June 05, 2013
6 / 10
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Jim McCann

Today was almost five years to the day since I’d last played here and this time, I managed to pick a sunny, almost windless day to enjoy the undoubted charms of Southerness. Fairways were firm and fast – you’d never know we’ve been having heavy rain for months now – and greens were in absolutely top class condition.

It was such an absolute pleasure to play a course as well presented as this at this time of year – and in such benign weather conditions too. Southerness Golf Course - Photo by reviewer

I’d forgotten that many of the fairways dog leg either one way or the other (they must number about half the holes on the card) and that many of the raised greens are fronted by swales which lie behind forward bunker positions – all very cunning and rather devious!

The stretch of four par fours from the 11th to the 14th is nothing short of epic, with the right doglegged 12th one of my favourite holes in all of Scottish golf.

I can imagine this course would bare its teeth in a strong wind as the routing changes direction after every hole but today, we were lucky to find it as tame as a purring pussycat.

Already one of the best value top ranked courses in the country, Southerness can be played for a remarkably modest winter green fee that should have serious golfers asking why it’s not included in their golfing itinerary between November and March every year.

And speaking of asking oneself a question, how on earth did I only give this place a rating of four balls on each of my last two visits?

Jim McCann.

February 18, 2013
7 / 10
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Steve Searle
In a nutshell, what is there not to like about Southerness?The course is tucked away in a remote location south of Dumfries. Getting there down twisty lanes with the scenery opening out in front of you all adds to its charm and raises the level of expectation.The welcome I received in the clubhouse was a warm and friendly one with plenty of advice for me as a first time visitor; all invaluable information which I was to find out later on. I also found all of the members to be exceptionally friendly and only too willing to talk about the club and course. Before I’d hit a ball I felt the members knew they had a course and club to be proud of. The course itself is a real gem. The quality and variety of the holes are excellent and the constant changes in direction mean that you have to really concentrate to ensure your club selection is spot on to score well. Some of the tee shots on some of the par 4’s measuring over 400 yards are tough due to the closeness of the heather or gorse, or both. There are no blind holes which makes it ultimately a very fair test of golf.I particularly liked some of the complexes around the greens. The natural contours of the land had been used exceptionally well. Hit the right shot into the green and you would be rewarded accordingly. Play a stupid or greedy shot and you paid the price by facing a demanding recovery shot. This was links golf at its best.The conditioning of the course, even in November when I had the good fortune to play was very good. The greens ran true and had a good pace to them. This was especially impressive considering the sheer amount of rain that had fallen here over the whole of 2012. Stand out holes for me were the 5th, 9th, 12th, 13th and 16th. None of these include any of the par 3’s which I thought were very good considering they were of various lengths and well protected. This above all else probably proves just how good Southerness is as a test of golf.This really is a tremendous setting with a splendid golf course, accompanied by welcoming staff and members. As I said at the beginning, what is there not to like about Southerness? Steve Searle
November 24, 2012
8 / 10
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Richard McComb
I played Southerness on a beautiful late October evening, only 6 degrees but no wind or rain. The weather all week had been torrential so I expected the worse.I couldent have been more wrong, the fairways were firm and completely dry underfoot. I never had a bad lie all the way round, the greens are in magnificent condition, fast even for this time of year, but very true. and even the highest and hardest of pitches onto the greens didnt leave even a dent on the brilliant greens.It didnt seem particularly long from the yellow tees, but I lost count of the 150+ approach shots to the long par fours. This year I've played The Dukes in St Andrews, Fairmount in St Andrews, and the Kintyre, and Southness without a doubt tops them all. A word about the gorse for anybody outside scotland who doesnt know what is, Its like a cross between a cactus and a barbed wire fence, impenetrable, and it lines just about every hole.Lastly a word about the Starter, extremely friendly and helpful.PLAY THIS COURSE! you might not score that well, but you'll love the experienc
October 27, 2012
8 / 10
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Gary Wilde
A magnificent golf course played in excellent weather conditions yesterday. Southerness is now firmly entrenched amongst my favourite courses. Playing from the white tees, the par threes are brutal and seven of the par fours are over 400 yards. A tough test amongst the abundant heather albeit with generous fairways and there are only two par fives to offer a little respite, one of which is the 18th. The ‘signature’ 12th hole is a dogleg played out to the brink of the Irish Sea and is one of the best holes which I have played. I would happily recommend this course as a ‘must play’ to anyone.
September 02, 2012
8 / 10
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gvvg
southerness has to be the most underrated course in uk, an Ive played my fair few. hole for hole class, a must play.
August 27, 2012
10 / 10
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Hugh
August 29, 2012
Underrated perhaps, but a six ball rating is madness for this course. In my view it's a good course but not a great one. 6 ball reviews should be reserved for the world's best and Southerness doesn't fit into that bracket.