This month we head north to the Scottish Borders and find great courses and a warm welcome
Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa
For those travelling north, Cardrona is well worth a visit. The resort, which features a Dave Thomas-designed parkland and woodland layout, is skirted by the River Tweed and offers stunning views across the dramatic Borders landscape. Designed by former Ryder Cup player Thomas, the 7,010-yard par 72 course has hosted EuroPro and European Challenge Tour events and opened for play in 2001. Bearing all the hallmarks of a Thomas design – large bunkering and huge, subtly contoured greens – Cardrona is a must-play course for those within a couple of hours’ drive.
Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa Cardrona, Peebles, Peebleshire EH45 8NE, tel 0344 879 9024 www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/macdonald-cardrona-hotel-golf-spa/golf
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Woll Golf Course
Set in the Ale Valley at the heart of the New Woll Estate, Woll Golf Course is an essential part of any visit to the Scottish Borders. Measuring just over 6,000 yards from the back tees, the key to good scoring here is patience, with mature trees bordering the fairways and fast, undulating greens sure to test the best players. With the Woll Burn also coming into play on a number of holes, the par of 70 isn’t threatened too often here. The facilities at New Woll Estate include a spacious clubhouse and restaurant with a warm Borders welcome, as well as self-catering accommodation for up to 26 people on-site. Just off the A7, those travelling from Newcastle or Carlisle are just an hour away – well worth the drive!
Woll Golf Course, New Woll Estate Ashkirk, Selkirkshire, TD7 4PE, tel 01750 32711, www.wollgolf.co.uk
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St Boswells Golf Club
The shortest course on our list, what St Boswells lacks in length it makes up for with the view. The 5,274-yard par 68 course sits on the south bank of the River Tweed with its nine holes set among tall trees and sure to test every aspect of your game. A sharp short game will yield birdies here, while wayward tee shots will be punished with hazards including the River Tweed to be avoided. Sharing the setting with anglers and the wildlife, there are few more relaxing places to play golf in the region.
St Boswells Golf Club, Braeheads TD6 0DE, tel 01835 823 527, www.stboswellsgolfclub.co.uk
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Auld Cross Keys Inn, Denholm
A popular spot for golfers travelling north into Scotland, the Auld Cross Keys Country Inn has been at the heart of life in Denholm for more than 200 years with its top restaurant serving local produce, a bar stocked bar with cask ales and malt whiskies, Sky TV and a south facing patio. It is also perfectly positioned for golf in the Scottish Borders with top courses including Minto, Hawick and Jedburgh within five miles.
Auld Cross Keys Inn, Main Street Denholm, Hawick, TD9 8NU, tel 01450 870 305, www.crosskeysdenholm.co.uk
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Duns Golf Club
The golf course at Duns is laid out in mature parkland at the foot of Hardens Hill with spectacular views to the Cheviot Hills across the Tweed Valley. Respected across the region for its superb condition, the 6,298-yard par 71 course is defended by its two-tier greens and a winding burn. Founded in 1894, the club is welcoming and relaxed, perfect for those travelling north to take in the hospitality and stunning landscape.
Duns Golf Club, Hardens Road, Duns, Berwickshire, TD11 3NR, tel 01361 883 599 or 01361 882 194, www.dunsgolfclub.com
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Peebles Golf Club
Regarded as one of the most picturesque courses in Scotland, Peebles sits in the heart of the beautiful Borders countryside. With a modern clubhouse and an enjoyable yet challenging layout remodelled by Harry Colt in 1933-34, the par 70 course measures 6,138 yards and boasts wonderful views of the town and surrounding hills, with a great variety of holes to test everyone from the low-handicapper to beginner.
Peebles Golf Club, Kirkland Street Peebles, EH45 8EU, tel 01721 720 197, www.peeblesgolfclub.com
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Torwoodlee Golf Club
The rolling parkland layout just outside Galashiels in the beautiful Borders countryside at Torwoodlee is set in a valley among mature trees, flanked by the River Gala and divided by the new Borders Railway line. Founded in 1895, the club is steeped in history and the course, 6,021-yard, par 69, offers a great challenge to all levels of golfers. Memorable holes, stunning views and wildlife make this a must play.
Torwoodlee Golf Club, Edinburgh Road, Galashiels, Selkirkshire TD1 2NE, tel 01896 752 260, www.torwoodleegolfclub.co.uk
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The Tontine Hotel
The Tontine Hotel, Peebles is an ideal location for those travelling to the Borders. Specialising in looking after golfing groups large and small, The Tontine Hotel’s dedicated golf planner will take care of all your golfing arrangements. When you return to the hotel, you can relax and unwind in the friendly bar before enjoying a dinner featuring the best local produce.
The Tontine Hotel, High Street Peebles, EH45 8AJ, tel 01721 788 120, www.tontinehotel.com
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West Linton golf club
An outstanding 18-hole moorland course, West Linton boasts wonderful views with the hills of Upper Tweeddale to the south, Mendick Hill to the south-west and the Pentland Hills to the north. Regarded as one of the friendliest golf courses in the Borders, it has one of the best finishes in the area with two long par fours and two long par threes including the last, which measures 230 yards uphill. Not long at 6,161 yards with a par of 69, the views are truly spectacular and the course is a tough test of your game.
West Linton Golf Club, Medwyn Road, West Linton, EH46 7HN, tel 01968 660 970, www.wlgc.co.uk
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Lilliardsedge Golf Course
The nine-hole, 18 tee layout at Lilliardsedge makes excellent use of the natural features and beautiful scenery of the Borders. Reaching 5,229 yards, you’ll find a mix of challenging tee shots and plenty of birdie chances here – should you work out the challenging greens. Part of the Lilliardsedge Holiday Park, home-from-home accommodation sleeping up to eight persons (with or without hot tub) is available for golf breaks. On the course, the third and seventh holes are highlights. The third requires an accurate tee shot to the left of the wetlands to open up the approach to the narrow green. The seventh demands accuracy from the tee as a ditch runs the length of the hole on the left, with bunkers waiting on the right.
Lilliardsedge Golf Club Lilliardsedge, Jedburgh, TD8 6TZ, tel 01835 830 271, www.lilliardsedgepark.co.uk
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Cally Palace Hotel & Golf Course
Slightly north of the Borders, Cally Palace is well worth the extra drive. A stunning parkland course laid out between ancient woods and the rolling Scottish landscape, this 6,062-yard layout is one the finest in Dumfries & Galloway. Water plays a big part in the challenges here with the Cally Lake and a number of burns waiting to catch wayward drives and those trying to overpower the golf course, while large, undulating greens protect the par of 71.
Cally Palace Hotel & Golf Course, Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway, DG7 2DL, tel 01557 814341, www.mcmillanhotels.co.uk
