Southerness Golf Club

Southerness Golf Club lies in the south-west of Scotland, within the region of Dumfries and Galloway. Located fourteen miles from Dumfries, the South of Scotland's largest town, the coastal village of Southerness sits right on the shoreline of the Solway Firth, directly across from the Lake District, and the north-west of England. The links at Southerness is one of Scotland’s finest golf courses and has played host to numerous prestigious events over the years, including both the Scottish Men's and Women's Amateur Championships. Offering a true championship links challenge, in as peaceful and beautiful a location as a golfer could ever hope to find, Southerness Golf Club, on the wonderful Solway Firth, is a must play course. With an open and warm welcome guaranteed to visitors at the clubhouse, and with fantastic practice facilities on offer, Southerness Golf Club is a fabulous venue to play at while enjoying a Scottish Golf Break. Golf Scotland. Golf Southerness. 

 

History: The course at Southerness Golf Club is a mid twentieth century creation. Designed by MacKenzie Ross, who went on to become the first president of the British Association of Golf Course Architects, and built in 1947, it is considered to be his finest solo project. The founder of the course was a man named Major Richard Oswald. At the time he had recently married and lived locally at Drum Farm near loch Kindar (at the foot of Criffel, a large hill near to Southerness). In 1946 Major Oswald decided to create a golf course on the land which he considered suitable due to its sandy base. Southerness Golf Course was then laid out for the amazing sum of just £2,000. Oswald was often to be found on the course alongside his dog, but subsequently spent much of his later years living in London and eventually sold the property and course to Southerness Development Company in 1961.

In the 1960s, when it became apparent that there would be the development of a caravan park to the East of the main road to Southerness, Mr David Keswick, a man of great influence in the area, bought the land to the west of the road, (the golf course), in his wife’s name, to protect it from further development. The club subsequently rented the course in a very amicable arrangement. The golf course has since been left to Mrs Keswick’s grand daughter, Miss Catherine Weatherall (now Mrs Soames) after the original owner died in 1969. Mrs Soames is still the honorary president of the club.

The creation of a clubhouse in the 1970s heralded a new dawn for the club and provided a focal point for the membership to enjoy. However, from this point until the mid 1980s the club's fortunes fluctuated. Then in 1985 the Scottish Amateur Championship was staged at Southerness, the Scottish Ladies subsequently held their Championship at the venue in 1988, and in the same year Southerness was first listed in the top 50 courses in Britain. 

The appointment, in 1990, of a new head green keeper led to a strategy to rejuvenate the course as a natural championship links, improving the quality and condition of the existing MacKenzie Ross layout rather than introducing new features. Due to the continued efforts of the green keeping team, the condition of the bunkers, fairways, greens, tees and density of sward have been considerably improved and are at this point in time of a higher standard than they have ever been. New paths have appeared which have taken feet and trolleys away from playing areas, while ditches, draining and watering have been transformed on the course, ensuring it is in fantastic shape for members and visitors to enjoy.

Southerness Golf Course: A true and challenging test of championship links golf, set on level terrain, alongside the peaceful shores of the Solway Firth, the course at Southerness Golf Club is simultaneously seductive and as tough as they come. Affording magnificent views across to the mountains of the Lake District and even to the Isle of Man on a clear day, and set in a location remote from large centres of population, a course visit provides a sense that you are getting away from it all on the beautiful Solway coast. This feeling is further enhanced by well considered course design which means that players are seldom aware of others on the links. However, the setting and views do not change the fact that the course is considered to be one of the toughest golfing tests in the country, particularly if the wind is up. With eight par 4s stretching over 400 yards, five tough par 3s, two of which are over 200 yards in length, and the coastally exposed nature of the layout, a par round of 69 is very difficult to achieve. A fantastic course in a fabulous location. The championship links at Southerness Golf Club is an eighteen hole, par 69 (men), par 73 (women), track. It has tees ranging from 5,624 to 6,735 yards.

SGB Signature Hole: Number: Hole 12. Measuring 424 yards (M) and 367 yards (W) this wonderful par 4, left-to-right dogleg, is generally regarded as the finest hole on the course. From the tee, an accurate shot is required to avoid or clear the bunkers positioned on the left and right of the fairway. Having found the fairway, the hole opens out to view a green, and a large sandy bay, leading out to the Solway Firth. Don't be seduced by the view though, the second shot requires full concentration as the green is protected by two bunkers on the front right, a pond to the left, a large mound guarding the front left entry, and out of bounds, tight to the rear. Find the green with your second shot, putt out for a par, and then reward yourself with a view of the Solway's shimmering waters. A truly memorable hole. 

Clubhouse & Practice facilities: Visiting golfers will enjoy a warm welcome in the clubhouse at Southerness. It is home to a large bar- lounge, which overlooks the 18th hole and offers amazing views. In addition, there is a comfortable television lounge within, and a light & airy dining room, which serves a high quality of food at reasonable prices. (see food and dining section). The well stocked bar is competitively priced and is a great place to enjoy, before or after a round of golf. The club openly welcome visiting golfers, male and female, to use their spacious locker rooms and shower facilities. Pro Shop: The club shop is well stocked with a wide range of products from major brands, for your day-to-day golfing needs. While it also offers an extensive range of products, such as balls, hats, markers, and clothing from Glenmuir and Sunderland, carrying the Southerness logo. Manual trolleys are available for hire at the club shop. While the club also hire out a small fleet of buggies, for golfers who have recognised medical conditions, which make walking a course difficult or not possible. Practice facilities: Southerness Golf Club have excellent practice facilities for visiting golfers. These include a short game area, two putting greens, and a set of driving nets, all of which are situated next to the clubhouse. In addition, the club offer a full size practice area, with good quality teeing ground laid out at either end. This facility is set around 500 yards from the clubhouse and requires golfers to supply their own balls. 

Food & Dining: A range of delicious catering options are offered within the clubhouse at Southerness Golf Club. Enjoy the breakfast menu, which includes hot filled rolls, full breakfasts and vegetarian breakfast options. While the snack menu offers soups, sandwiches, baguettes and a variety of toasties. Throughout the golf season, the club provide menu 'specials' boards, one containing a number of firm favourites, and the other outlining the chefs’ choice, which varies dependent on the availability of locally sourced produce gathered from across the areas rich countryside and waters. For confirmed food bookings with larger groups, the club can put together a menu for the day of your visit, considering preferences and/or allergies, etc. Scottish Golf Breaks will be delighted to organise this in conjunction with the club on your behalf. The well stocked bar in the clubhouse offers a wide range of beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks, for visitors to enjoy before or after a round on the links.

Accommodation: SGB partner with a number of hotels across Dumfries and Galloway, such as the Cairndale Hotel and Leisure Club, in the town of Dumfries. While we work with many smaller ones situated across the region. In addition, we have partnerships with a number of letting agencies to ensure we provide a fantastic suite of accommodation options across Dumfries and Galloway. Whether you want to stay on a country estate, in a hotel, a luxury lodge, an apartment or a signature villa, Scottish Golf Breaks can arrange it for you.

 

Featured deal: 

 

Typical packages include:

• Accommodation in a hotel, lodge or signature villa
• A round at Southerness Golf Club
• A round at Powfoot Golf Club
• A round at Silloth on Solway Golf Club
• Dinner Reservations
• Full Scottish Breakfast
• Access to changing & locker-rooms, clubhouse and practice facilities 

 

Golf packages in Scotland can be designed to your specification and group size, and can include alternative accommodation, additional courses across Dumfries and Galloway, and or other regions within the country.

 

Additional services:

• Airport or train station transfers (all sizes of groups catered for)
• Executive travel
• Caddie service

More courses in Dumfries and Galloway