Strathmore (Rannaleroch)

Blairgowrie, Scotland

Rankings

AddressLeroch, Alyth, Blairgowrie PH11 8NZ, UK

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.

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.