Glenbervie

Glenbervie Golf Club is one of several James Braid layouts on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list, and it is a cracking inland course.

There are view of the Ochil Hills to tempt you in, all while sitting no more than 35 miles from either Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport!

The club has been around since 1932, and it is a proper parkland layout, with tree-lined fairway, plenty of bunkers, and the odd grass ditch to navigate your way around.

Visit Glenbervie’s website here. 

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Compared to some of the venues on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list, Glenbervie Golf Club is relatively young.

The club was founded in 1932, and the great James Braid – five-time winner of the Open Championship – was the man behind the design of the course. 

The course has remained relatively unchanged from Braid’s original design, and the club has played host to Final Qualifying for the Senior Open Championship among many other events.

Considering how close it is to both Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports, it might be hard to believe that Glenbervie Golf Club is placed where it is. The course has incredible views of the Ochil Hills, with plenty of elevation changes throughout its parkland design. At more than 6,400 yards, Braid’s design gets even tough when the wind picks up, which makes it a difficult place to put a card together.

It is a generous start at Glenbervie. The 360-yard par 4 opening holes has a wide fairway, so you can free your arms somewhat with your first swing in anger of the day. Find the short grass, and the green is inviting, even with a bunker on either side of it. The 2nd is the first of three par 5s on the course, and the longest hole on the property at more than 530 yards. It has a split fairway, but that won’t trouble you off the tee. Firing your ball left and being blocked out by the thick trees – that's the issue here! Play it as three shots and it is another good chance. The 3rd is a short par 4 of only 325 yards, playing as a dog-leg left around a run of bunkers. The green is among the trees to add to the difficulty, but with the right game, it is possible to be 3-under through three at Glenbervie.

The first of the short holes comes at 4. Again, trees surround the putting surface, including one large tree which is around 50 yards in front of the green. Three bunkers add to the protection on this 150-yard par 3. The 5th is a dog-leg right par 4, but again, there is a wide fairway to find. Aim down the left side to avoid the trouble, even if it does give you a slightly longer shot into the green. The surface is large and circular, with trees on either side once more. One of two long par 4s on the front side, the 6th is more than 400 yards. Another dog-leg right, and anything to the right of this fairway is in deep trouble due to the thick cluster of trees. The sand on the left side is the bail out. Again, sand and trees are by the green, making par here a good score!

The 7th is the longest of the par 3s at more than 210 yards. The green looks small from that distance, especially with the three bunkers protecting it. 8 has a narrow fairway, making it more difficult than its yardage might suggest. Two fairway bunkers on either side pinch the short grass in even further. Avoid those, and you can knock it close with your second. The Stroke Index 1 at Glenbervie comes at the end of the front nine. It is the longest of the par 4s on the course at 435 yards, and plays as a dog-leg right. It also has an uphill drive to make it feel even longer. OOB down the right thanks to the thick trees, and with well-protected green that sits below the level of the fairway, club selection is vital on the approach.

The two par 3s on the back nine come early, at 10 and 13. The former is the shorter of the two at 165 yards, but there are four bunkers guarding the putting surface. The 13th is 195 yards from the tips, and played to a green that has a bunker on either side of it. Par both these short holes and you’ll make shots up on your group and the field. In between those sit two very different par 4s. The 11th is the easiest hole on the property. It is 335 yards, arrow straight and with barely any trouble to speak on. Meanwhile, the 12th is the hardest hole on the closing nine, and more than 420 yards. Another dog-leg right, the aiming point is down the left side of the fairway to give yourself the best view of the green.

One of the signature holes at Glenbervie is the 14th. It is carded at 410 yards, but this par 4 plays slightly uphill and usually into the prevailing wind, so it can feel like 450, if not more! The two-tiered green makes it even trickier, as finding the right section is vital if you don’t want to run the risk of three-putting. 15 is the first of two par 5s in the final four holes. Like the 2nd, it has a split fairway, but again it should not come into play for the majority of amateur players. The bunker on the left of the fairway is more the danger off the tee. Five more traps sit down by the green, but there is space to lay up short of those for the three-shotters.

Seven more traps come into play on the 16th. Three of those are in play off the tee, with the other four by the green. Any approach running long will see you reaching into your bag for a second ball... The last of the par 5s comes on the penultimate hole, and again, there’s a split fairway! Stay short of it with your drive and then make the decision whether to take on the green with your second, considering this hole is only 500 yards. OOB runs down the right side, so the miss is left throughout. The same can be said of the last, as OOB continues down the right side on the way home. Two bunkers by the green are the other issue on the 18th, but if you can avoid all that, then there is one last scoring chance up for grabs!

Where is Glenbervie Golf Club located?

Glenbervie Golf Club is located in the Forth Valley of Scotland. It sits just to the northwest of the town of Stenhousemuir, while Falkirk is only a few miles away. The Scottish capital city of Edinburgh is only 30 miles to the east of Glenbervie, along the M9. The club sits just off the junction between the M876 and the A9, putting it in a great spot for visitors coming by car.

Thanks to its proximity to the city, Glenbervie is also within 25 miles of Edinburgh Airport, the biggest and busiest airport north of the border. Glasgow Airport is also within 35 miles of the golf club. Larbert is the nearest train station to Glenbervie, just a mile and a half from the entrance to the golf club. Trains run via Larbert towards Glasgow Queen Street, Edinburgh, Alloa and Dunblane among other destinations.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?

Glenbervie is somewhat on its own when it comes to other venues on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list. You have to drive at least 25 miles to find the nearest, which is Bruntsfield Links – located to the west of Edinburgh. Travel north, and you will find Auchterarder and Gleneagles – with its King’s Course, Queen’s Course and PGA Centenary Course – also around the same distance from Glenbervie.

What golf facilities does Glenbervie Golf Club offer?

Along with the championship layout, Glenbervie Golf Club also has some great practice facilities to offer both its members and guests. There is a 300-yard driving range with both matted and grass tees, along with a great short game area. The club also has its own four-hole Academy Par 3 Course, the perfect spot for beginners to learn about the nuances of the game.

What are the green fees at Glenbervie Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Glenbervie Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Glenbervie, visit their website here.