The Rannaleroch course at Strathmore Golf Centre is the main attraction at an ambitious 27-hole complex that first opened its doors to golfers in the late 1990s.
Laid out by John Salvesen, a former R&A Captain who also designed courses at Charleton and Elmwood in Fife, the course was built in a minimalistic style, with little earth moved during construction on what was formerly a rolling farmland property.
The course begins and ends with challenging par fives: “Tullyfergus,” the 515-yard opening hole, doglegs left to a plateau green and “Balhary,” the 525-yard closing hole plays uphill to a testing two-tiered home green.
The other par five on the front nine, “Lochans,” is considered the signature hole on the scorecard. Rated stroke index 1, it calls for a tee shot across a pond to a fairway that doglegs right around trees to the green.
Other holes of note include back-to-back short par fours at the start of the inward half. “Kirkview,” the 286-yard 10th, features out of bounds on both sides of the fairway and “Powderswells,” the 313-yard 11th, doglegs sharply right to a green that’s protected on the left by sand and water.
“Dunsinane,” the 122-yard 6th hole is the shortest of the four par threes. It may lack length but it’s a tough hole to par because there’s water to contend with to the left of the green and out of bounds to the right.
