We play the nine-hole course beside the River Tweed at St Boswells Golf Club
Golf has been played at St Boswells – on the south bank of the River Tweed in the stunning landscape of the Scottish Borders – since 1899.
The only interruption in the club’s history took place in 1948, when the Tweed rose 17ft, causing a great deal of damage and forcing the club to close. Ten years later it was reformed on a temporary lease and the course was redesigned by John Shade. In 1979 it was purchased out right, and a new clubhouse was built in 1985.
Celebrating its 125th year in 2024, the club and its course continue to delight and test players who travel from near and far. The nine-hole layout – which measures just 2,761 yards from the back (blue) tees with a par of 34 – starts above the river before descending dramatically at the par three second hole. From here, you head out and back on the flat just yards from the river, concluding the loop among the trees before climbing the hill back to the clubhouse.
The round begins with a pair of par threes. The first, played on the flat in the shadow of the clubhouse, measures 150 yards from the back tee and features a small, round green with out of bounds on the left and a slope to the right which will funnel balls away from the flag. The plateau of the putting surface has no bunkers and welcomes well-struck iron shots.
Played steeply downhill, the 165-yard second hole requires the same or even less club than the first. The view from the tee box is spectacular and you get a great look at your surroundings as well as the green, which is framed by trees. The generous putting surface is guarded by bunkers well short and on the right side as well as a short, steep ridge and rough on the left.
Teeing off beside the Tweed, the 340-yard third hole asks players to be brave and find the fairway rather than bailing out to the right. Those who do so are rewarded with an unobstructed route to the green, which has trees close by and a front right bunker to make approach shots from the right side difficult.
One of the toughest shots of the round follows at the 205-yard par three fourth hole. A long green is designed to welcome well-struck shots, particularly in its front section, while a bunker on the right side will gather balls played cautiously away from the river and trees on the left of the green.
The longest hole on the course, the fifth can play as long as 460 yards and continues along the route of the river. The fairway is generous, and players must find it to have a good look at the green with their second shot. Ringed by trees, approaching this small putting surface, particularly from further back or any kind of angle, can be very tough. The green is close to the river and while there are no bunkers, the trees and fast-flowing water will test every player’s nerve.
Playing into the furthest reaches of the course, the 320-yard sixth hole can yield birdies when played correctly. A big fairway invites long tee shots and players should be aiming to get a good look at the daunting green complex. With the river on the left, a bunker right guarding two thirds of the 32-yard-long green, and a pond just a little further down the slope on the right – a lot can go wrong at this seemingly simple short par four.
Just 450 yards from the back tee, the seventh – the first of the trio of holes leading back to the clubhouse – is a hole to make birdie on. A pond can catch players out on the left side, as can the boundary fence, though there is plenty of fairway to aim at. Taking aim at the green with your second shot is risky, though the natural bowl it sits in will help those just slightly offline. The long, narrow putting surface is divided by a short, steep slope in its back quarter and welcomes approaches up its length. Those coming in from wide angles should play cautiously.
The 376-yard eighth hole can be a little tricky, particularly off the tee with the boundary on the left again. If you avoid the difficult shot from the tee and bail out to the right, you’ll face a tough approach around the trees which shield the route from this side. A heavily contoured green features two bunkers on its right side.
The round comes to a close with a sub-300-yard par four and another chance to hit your approach close. The fairway is split by a ridge and the key here is to be in a good position below the green to leave a simple pitch or wedge shot to a small target which sits above you. A tall tree and two bunkers on the front right corner of the green must be avoided at all costs.
OUR VERDICT
Sharing this stunning setting with anglers and wildlife on the River Tweed, there are few more tranquil places to enjoy the game of golf.
