Join us for a round at one of the north’s greatest courses at SIlloth on Solway Golf Club
The east and west coasts of England are home to incredible ground for golf – and in the region covered by Northern Golfer, no site is higher ranked than the links of Silloth on Solway Golf Club.
Set among the dunes where the land comes into contact with the Irish Sea, golf has been played here since 1892, when the Great British Railway Company founded the club on the edge of the seaside town with its busy port.
While the original layout was created by Davy Grant, the club sought the expert advice of players and architects in its formative years, including Willie Park Jr and Dr Alister MacKenzie.
The landscape and natural terrain present much of the challenge here – the flora and fauna of the dunes yielding unpredictable lies at best and lost balls at worst. With such tremendous ground for links golf, little was done in the early development of the course which would be standard practice today, and blind shots and sunken greens are sure to test even the most skilled player’s nerve. Add in the wind off the Solway and it’s no surprise Silloth’s members include some of this country’s greatest champions.
The opening par four measures 378 yards from the back (blue) tees and features the first of the sunken greens. Vast swathes of tall grass and heather border the fairway and these can intimidate those not accustomed to such an expansive, challenging view. However, the fairway is generous and there are no bunkers to contend with from the tee. Take note of the pin position marked each day on the map on the side of the bin as you walk off the tee, and play confidently over the hill into a bowl-shaped green site with a short-iron or wedge to avoid a firm bounce on the steep downslope.
The second fairway bares right as it heads towards the green and can be tricky to find, particularly if you are overly aggressive from the tee at this short par four. A long green, split by a V-shaped ridge, sits at the foot of a dune beyond two cavernous bunkers.
Turning to the left this time, a long tee shot into the lower part of the fairway at the 371-yard third will leave a tricky uphill approach to a green perched at the top of a particularly steep, and fast-running, slope. A single bunker on the right side must be avoided as the green falls away towards the slope from here.
A blind tee shot at the 372-yard fourth requires a confident strike, though you can use less than driver from the elevated tee. As we were warned in the pro shop, always favour the right side of the marker post, never the left, whenever you see one. The bunkerless fairway kinks left then right as you head towards a narrow green that slopes away from you. Missing left will leave a steeply uphill pitch.
Having enjoyed the spectacular view of the Solway and Galloway hills, players are invited to hit driver into a generous fairway at the 559-yard par five fifth hole. Choose your line carefully here as the fairway is angled to the left and you can run out of room if you are too cautious with your tee shot. Two bunkers guard the approach to a brilliant green site – where the incredibly contoured plateau of the putting surface sits above tightly mown turf and two formidable bunkers at the front left corner. Never aim at left flags here.
A long par three which can be stretched to 199 yards, the sixth requires a great shot from the elevated tee to hold a heavily contoured, circular green which slopes from back to front. Two bunkers well short of the green lie in wait to catch mishit shots.
The first par four measuring more than 400 yards, the seventh features a fairway that rises into the distance. Make a note of the pin position on the map by the tee box as the sunken green is long, narrow and set well below the fairway.
A narrower landing area awaits players at the 371-yard eighth hole – though the slope on the right side can funnel the ball back into the short grass. There is also room beyond the bunker on the left for the longer hitters – though the penalty for finding the trap is high. A short approach must be well controlled to a green which is ringed by bunkers in its front half.
Played from an elevated tee with more incredible views of the Solway, the short par three ninth hole measures anything from 110-140 yards. This is Silloth’s version of Royal Troon’s postage stamp and the green is designed to accept a well-struck short-iron and repel anything which flirts with its edges. Steep slopes leading down toward seven formidable bunkers – or a tight lie and uphill chip – await those who fail to find the putting surface.
Playing to the furthest point from the clubhouse, the 316-yard 10th requires accuracy rather than length. While in range for some, going for the green is madness as the ball disappears from view heading towards thick rough on both sides. Instead, play into the widest part of the fairway, short of the bunkers on the inside corner of the dogleg left, and leave a short approach to a small green with two bunkers on its left side and a third trap out to the right.
Turning back towards the clubhouse and town, the 409-yard par four 11th requires an accurate tee shot, particularly from those who drive it beyond the dogleg in the fairway. A thin green awaits a long second shot, which is made more difficult by flanking bunkers which narrow the path to the flag.
A par three which can be stretched to more than 200 yards follows. Well proportioned for the length of the hole, the green sits above the tee box and is framed by gorse. The green falls away at the front edge and a particularly deep bunker on the front right corner waits to catch any balls which fail to make the carry.
The short yet difficult par five 13th, Silloth’s signature hole, follows.
A short par five by modern standards at just 509 yards from the back tees, the 13th has brought many players to their knees. Staying straight with each shot is the key here, with a view straight up the elevated green – which is superbly defended by steep banks on its left and right sides – essential to hold the putting surface. Those who miss to either side may require several attempts before holding this wicked green. Make five if you can, then run to the 14th tee.
The considerably easier par five 14th is next. Played back towards the clubhouse, the fairway is straight with no bunkers and a long drive opens up the opportunity to go for the green in two. A leap of faith is required from those playing the course for the first time as the shot over the brow of the hill is played blind – but the green site is vast. Two bunkers – one on the left of the green and one on the front right corner – are the only defences here, other than the doubt that creeps into your mind as you take aim at a point miles in the distance.
The most demanding stretch of the course, the four holes which make up the finish, begins with the 426-yard 15th. The fairway begins to narrow around 150 yards from the green and shrinks further as it heads towards a single, small bunker on the right side some 80 yards out. The view of the green is partially obscured by the contours and players should steer well clear of the bunker on the front left corner, instead favouring the slopes on the right to find the centre of the green here.
A daunting long-iron shot follows at the near-200-yard par three 16th. Playing uphill to a plateau green, players must carry the ball up the slope. Anything short will run away from the flag, while shots which are slightly left or right will find one of four bunkers cut into the steep slope at the front of this tiny green.
The wide fairway at the par five 17th invites a big drive, though steer clear of the boundary on the right. The longest players can take aim at the green in two. The slightly sunken green lies beyond a devilish bunker cut well back from the front left corner of a putting surface which is surrounded by trouble.
While out of bounds looms to the right side, the landing area at the 438-yard 18th is generous. A long second shot must slither past two approach bunkers. Two more traps surrounded by tight turf on the flanks of the putting surface wait to scupper a player’s dreams of a good finish.
OUR VERDICT
A layout with tremendous challenges and bags of character, Silloth is the sort of course we love to play over and over again. It will frustrate and delight players in equal measure on every visit, and we couldn’t ask for anything more from a golf course.
