Pitlochry

Pitlochry Golf Club is one of the shorter layouts you will find across the NCG Top 100s website, coming in at just 5,700 yards.

Willie Fernie, Open Champion and designer of the Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry, was the man behind the original layout at the club’s current location.

The course might be short, but there are tests and challenges along the way, along with some glorious scenery to enjoy.

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The story of Pitlochry Golf Club begins in the early 20th Century. It began with a 9-hole layout situated on the banks of the River Tummel.

In 1908, the club moved to its current location, and it was Willie Fernie – winner of the 1883 Open Championship – that was the man to design the course.

Major Cecil Hutchison made minor tweaks to the course in the 1920s, but the layout has remained much the same ever since.

Pitlochry is not long, at a shade under 5,700 yards. However, the course’s defence is in its green complexes. Small, fast and sloping, if you’re not having a good day with the putter then you will not be scoring well during a round at Pitlochry. It is a gorgeous tree-lined course, at the southern tip of the Cairngorms National Park. Add in plenty of sand and the occasional water hazard, and you have a great test, despite the distance.

The opening hole is a 385-yard par 4, one that plays uphill, and with a tee shot that has to avoid seven bunkers, a stream and three lots of trees (thanks to a split fairway). It is a cracking opening tee shot. The 2nd is the Stroke Index 2 at Pitlochry, and you can see why. OOB down the right, along with two stretches of water, and if you hit your drive too far left, then you will be blocked out by a building. Your approach is played over a road and between bunkers. OOB is also down the right side of the 3rd, which at just 305 yards, sounds a lot easier than it is in reality. The tee shot has to cross the road once more, but waiting on the other side are six bunkers, four of which guard the green.

The 4th is the first of the par 3s at Pitlochry. It is just shy of 170 yards and the approach is to a green guarded by three bunkers, with trees behind. It is a pretty hole, but don’t let that distract you from the job at hand. The 5th is a tricky hole, despite only being 360 yards in length. The fairway is longer on the right side than the left, but work out how long it is before deciding which club to hit off the tee. The green is on an angle compared to the fairway, and with a rock wall sitting behind the surface. 6 and 7 are both good birdie chances. The former is less than 350 yards and plays downhill. Five greenside bunkers guard the putting surface, but if you can find the fairway off the tee, it should be no more than a short iron for your approach. 7 is only 280 yards, so some might be tempted to go for it. For those who lay up, the fairway is wide, and it will then only be a pitch on to the putting surface.

Although only 330 yards, the 8th is a tricky par 4. The decision has to be made off the tee. Do you lay up short and give yourself a view of the green, or hit your tee shot further and into the hollow, leaving a blind approach? The final hole on the front nine is a tough 90-degree dog-leg left, playing around an OOB area, so cutting the corner is not the play. Aim down the right side of the fairway to give yourself the best view of the green. The back nine at Pitlochry begins with the Stroke Index 1 hole. This 421-yard par 4 is usually played into the prevailing wind, making it feel even longer. There is an undulating fairway, and depending on where your tee shot lands, it might leave you with a blind shot to a green that is below the level of the fairway.

11 is the first par 3 on the back side, 185-yard challenge which sits your tee shot played over six bunkers to a large putting surface. The 12th is a tough par 4, another of more than 400 yards. However, it does play downhill. The approach is played over a burn, and there is a drop off to the right of the green, so the miss is to the left. A burn runs down the left side of the 13th fairway, while the green on this 370-yard par 4 is guarded by five bunkers, three of which sit in front of the surface. The 14th is another driveable opportunity, and a great birdie chance on your run for home. Playing downhill, the drive does not need to carry anywhere near the green, as the downslope will help take your tee shot towards the flat surface.

15 is only 300 yards, but it isn’t that easy. The green slopes severely and it is a flag that you need to get close to, despite the short nature of the approach shot. The 16th is the signature par 3 at Pitlochry. Playing 180 yards from the tips, there is OOB down the right, with trees on the left, and a sextet of bunkers surrounding the green. A pair of short par 4s bring you to the finish. The penultimate hole is only 285 yards, but there is OOB down the right side once more. The green has two clear levels, with the left side being higher than the right. ‘Max’s Leap’ is the closing hole, and at 330 yards, it is one final scoring opportunity. It plays downhill, but again, there is OOB accompanying the right side of this fairway. Water sits in front of the green to provide added danger on the final approach of the round.

Where is Pitlochry Golf Club located?

Pitlochry Golf Club is located in north Perthshire, with the club situated to the northwest of the town of Pitlochry. It borders the Tay Forest Park, with a number of holes on the far end of the course being surrounded by thick trees. The River Tummel runs close by, as does the A9 – the main road from Edinburgh up to the Scottish Highlands. Perth is 25 miles south, while the Scottish capital city is 70 miles away.

The town of Pitlochry is home to the nearest train station, with regular services running between Glasgow Queen Street and Inverness each day. Edinburgh Airport, the biggest and busiest airport north of the border, is the closest major airport to Pitlochry, sitting just shy of 70 miles to the south.

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

Pitlochry Golf Club is one of several venues in Perthshire to claim a spot on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list. Blairgowrie – with its Rosemount and Lansdowne Courses (both on the list) - is the nearest venue to Pitlochry, around 25 miles to the southeast. Auchterarder and Gleneagles – the latter with its King’s, Queen’s and PGA Centenary Courses – are both 40 miles south.

What golf facilities does Pitlochry Golf Club offer?

Along with the 18-hole golf course Pitlochry Golf Club is also home to a Pitch & Putt course, along with a full-length driving range with covered bays. There is also a putting green by the clubhouse for those final touches.

What are the green fees at Pitlochry Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Pitlochry 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 Pitlochry, visit their website here.