In a region of exceptional natural beauty, but not thought of as being one of Scotland's best golfing destinations, there's plenty of excellent golf available in this region of south west of Scotland. There are several dozen golf courses that are spread in the area between Portpatrick to the west, as well as Powfoot within the eastern region. Many of them are old-fashioned 9-hole course that has been in existence for quite a long period of. On the other side of the scale for golf the links at Southerness is a significant gem in the Scottish golfing crown, and it regularly appears on the national Top 50 ranking lists. The South of Scotland Golfers' Association is the governing body of about two dozen golf clubs in the area. The association was celebrating its centennial in 2005. The Dumfries & Galloway Best in Region rankings were last updated in November of 2019.
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
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.
Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Powfoot Golf Club was founded in 1903 and the majority of the layout weaves its way beside the Solway Firth and across undulating links land with the last four holes taking on a more park-like appearance.
Although the ground is rolling moorland and seaside heathland in nature, the Dunskey course at Portpatrick Dunskey Golf Club also has a very links-like feel to it.
Situated on an escarpment beside Loch Ryan, Stranraer Golf Club is laid out on former farmland with many stands of mature trees.
Opened in 1994, the golf course at Cally Palace Hotel extends to 6,062 yards from the back tees, playing to a par of 71, with tree-lined fairways draped across a gently undulating landscape.
Located on the shores of Luce Bay, the links layout at Wigtownshire County Golf Club started out as a 9-holer back in 1894 and it took the best part of a century before an 18-hole course was finally brought into play in 1987.
Willie Fernie cleverly planned the Dumfries & County Golf Club layout in two loops of nine with the 9th and 18th holes finishing at the clubhouse.
The golf club at Kirkcudbright celebrated its centenary in 1993 so golfers in this part of Dumfries & Galloway have been enjoying the royal and ancient game here for well over a century.
Golfers beware - adhere to the Dumfries & Galloway Golf Club motto of “straight and true” because the standard scratch score at this testing parkland course is one over the par of 70 for 18 holes.
Formed in 1926, Lochmaben Golf Club enlisted James Braid to lay out the original 9-hole course which was expanded to an 18-hole layout in 1995. Thankfully, only two of Braid’s holes were lost during this extension.
Thornhill is the golf club where professional Andrew Coltart honed his golf game in his formative years and the course is a delightful mix of heathland and parkland holes.
