Powfoot

Powfoot Golf Club is one of the southernmost golfing venues in Scotland, located on the banks of the Solway Firth in Dumfries & Galloway.

Originally designed by Sandy Herd after the club was founded in 1903, James Braid then sprinkled his magic on the course in the 1920s.

It plays less than 6,300 yards from the tips, but with the winds coming in off the Firth and the Irish Sea, it plays much more difficult than you might first think.

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The history of Powfoot Golf Club dates back to the early 20th Century, with the club being originally founded in 1903.

Sandy Herd laid out the course, and the great James Braid – five times a winner of the Open Championship – came in to redesign the layout in 1923.

Sitting beside the Solway Firth, the prevailing westerly wind is always a factor at Powfoot Golf Club. Add that to the fact that it is a links course for the majority, barring the final stretch of parkland holes. There is plenty of gorse and whin to get in your eyeline, along with the odd sand trap here and there as well. Off the back tees, Powfoot is not the longest course. It remains shy of 6,300 yards, but the par 71 layout still has its challenges.

It is a gentle opening hole, one of just 350 yards, to get you on your way at Powfoot. Avoid the bunker on the left of the fairway, and the OOB down the right side, and you could start with a birdie. The first of two par 5s comes early on, with an undulating fairway, and OOB down the right once more. At 495 yards, it is reachable in two for some, but three bunkers by the green might put the longer hitters off from having a crack. The 3rd is the Stroke Index 1 at Powfoot. It is a 440-yard par 4 with a split fairway, and again with OOB down the right side. Driving it past the road is useful for the longer hitters, especially if the wind is in your face. For some, this might need three shots.

The 4th is 360 yards, and plays as a slight dog-leg left, away from the out of bounds area down the right side (again!). Find the fairway and it is a good birdie chance, even with three traps guarding the surface. The 5th is drivable at just 270 yards from the tips. Five bunkers and a large mound in the centre of the fairway make it slightly more tricky, but a great birdie chance. Although it is only 350 yards, the 6th is one of the tougher holes on the course. Named ‘Dog-Leg’, the hole moves round to the right, and avoiding the five fairway bunkers is key. There is also plenty of gorse and whins on either side as well.

From one look at the par 3 7th, you can understand why it is named ‘Sand Hole’. It is only 155 yards, but there are eight bunkers protecting the surface, fully surrounding the green. The 8th is a quirky par 4 with mounds on either side of the fairway that will kick your ball down to the short grass, while the green sits among gorse and behind a bunker. At 400 yards, the 9th is a tricky hole to bring the front nine to a close. A large bomb crater sits around 100 yards from the green while the green is an upturned saucer, one of the toughest on the layout. The back nine begins with a long par 4. The 10th is almost 430 yards and requires a long and accurate drive. The green has three bunkers as protection, along with plenty of whins around it as well.

It is only 313 yards, but the 11th is not easy. It is one of the narrowest holes on the property, with gorse and whins lining both sides. The safe play is to lay up to find the short grass, before then knocking a wedge on to the green. 12 is the easiest hole on the course, but an upturned saucer of a green makes it more difficult. It is a 155-yard par 3, with five bunkers around the green. 13 is a relatively short par 4, while the 14th is the last par 5 at Powfoot. Both are scoring chances, despite the latter being the longest hole on the course at 498 yards. It has the largest putting surface on the course, so you could be in three-putt territory.

For the final few holes of your round at Powfoot, you move into a more parkland finish. That begins with the 15th – a 200-yard par 3. It is made slightly easier by the bank on the right knocking balls back down towards the green. The 16th is the signature hole, a 425-yard par 4. Add in that the green slopes off on all sides to make up-and-downs tricky, and you have one of the toughest holes on the course. Six greenside bunkers are the danger on the short par 4 17th. At just 330 yards, it can be an iron and wedge for the longer hitters, but those bunkers make it a testing approach. The closing hole plays slightly uphill off the tee, while the green sits on the other side of the road, and with OOB to the right of it thanks to the clubhouse. A tough finishing stretch, but one where scores can be made.

Where is Powfoot Golf Club located?

Powfoot Golf Club is one of the southernmost golfing venues in Scotland, located in Dumfries & Galloway and on the edge of the Solway Firth. It sits just to the west of the village of Powfoot, while the town of Annan is a couple of miles to the east. Dumfries and Lockerbie are both within 15 miles from Powfoot, with the journey to the border with England being around the same distance. The A75, which runs from Gretna to Stranraer, is close to the club on its north side.

Annan is the home of the nearest train station to Powfoot, with the majority of trains running between Carlisle and Dumfries. There are also services which run through to Glasgow Central as well. Both Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports are around 90 miles to the north, while Newcastle International Airport – south of the border in England – is 75 miles to the east of the venue.

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

Powfoot is one of two courses in the area, with Southerness a 30-mile drive around the River Nith to the west. After that, Lanark is the next closest – some 65 miles up the M74.

What golf facilities does Powfoot Golf Club offer?

Along with the 18-hole layout, Powfoot Golf Club is also home to a full-length driving range, which sits at the north of the property. The venue also has a short game area and putting green for those final touches before you take to the course.

What are the green fees at Powfoot Golf Club?

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