Stranraer

Stranraer Golf Club, now in its second iteration, sits atop the banks of Loch Ryan in southwestern Scotland, providing a picture-perfect backdrop.

The club, now in its second form having originally disbanded during World War I, also has the moniker of being the last ever design of the great James Braid before his death.

It is a great parkland course, with the added extra of those views over Loch Ryan. There are scoring chances, and it all comes down to a very tricky finish. 

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Stranraer Golf Club has had two iterations, with the first being founded in 1905. The original club was around four miles to the southeast of its current location, but still on the banks of Loch Ryan.

That version of the club closed in 1940, following the start of World War II. Ten years later, Stranraer Golf Club opened up once more at its current location.

The layout that is used today was designed by five-time Open Champion James Braid, and it has the moniker of being the last golf course he designed before his death.

Stranraer is a parkland course, but the trees tend to frame, rather than intimately hug, the layout. It is set high on the escarpment above the western side of Loch Ryan, with the added bonus of sea views from the majority of holes. This is manicured, parkland golf at its most attractive. Not that it lacks challenge; the short rough on each side of the fairways is properly short enough to ensure that you can find your ball without difficulty, but heavy enough to make shot-making difficult and make you wish that you had stuck to the fairway. The bunkers are well placed and protect small, true greens which demand accurate approach shots. Off the Whites, Stranraer only pushes back to 6,300 yards, so it isn’t the longest course in the world, and thanks to Braid’s vision, hitting good shots into the right areas will be rewarded.

A relatively gentle par 4 opener only lulls you into a false sense of security, as the going starts to get tougher pretty soon. A 320-yard dog-leg right, the ideal drive is down the left side to give you a good view of the green. Although only 20 yards longer, the 2nd is not too easy. With OOB down the right thanks to the car park, and a burn running diagonally across the fairway, working out the right distance to hit your tee shot is the key to scoring well on 2.

There are four long par 4s, between 420 and 470 yards, which demand length as well as accuracy. The first of these is the 3rd, a truly outstanding hole. Unsurprisingly named “the Burn”, after the hazard which runs its full length, it is a hole which demands a drive of supreme accuracy and of at least 240 yards in length to clear the first hazard. Even from there, the water still comes into play down the right side at the green. A par is a great score. The 4th provides some temporary respite as a 325-yard par 4. It does play uphill, but if you can avoid the fairway bunker on the right side, this is a good scoring chance.

The 5th hole at Stranraer is an obvious choice for the best hole on the course, looking down from an elevated tee with the glorious Loch in full view. Corunna, as it is named, is a spectacular hole and you do wonder if it is possible to hit the fairway, thanks to the trees hugging the left and the drop off to Loch Ryan on the right side. The hole winds round the water to the right, so the left side is the perfect line off the tee. The short par 3 that follows, The Wig, is a classic Braid short hole and just a sheer delight to play. It may be only 160 yards off the whites but finding the small green, which slopes sharply off both sides, is by no means a cinch. There are six deep sculpted bunkers guarding the front and right-hand side of the green.

A trio of very different par 4s take you to the halfway point of your round at Stranraer. 7 is a straightaway, uphill hole of 380 yards. You play to a marker post off the tee, and it is a hole that is the better for knowing... 8 is also uphill, but much shorter and plays as a dog-leg right. Again, the tee shot is played towards a marker post, but beware of the fairway bunker that is to the right of that post. The last hole on the front nine is one of the longest par 4s on the course. The 9th is 458 yards from the Whites, and again, plays uphill to make it feel even longer. Trees line both side of this dog-leg left, one which some will have to play as a three-shotter.

The 10th is a lovely valley hole, surrounded by woodland, and distinguished by a challenging dogleg created by a stand of Scots pine. The tee shot must be played to the left of those if they cannot be carried. While the green is raised above the level of the fairway with a false front, and a drop off on its right side. OOB down the left, and a fairway that cambers from right to left towards the danger – that's what the 11th has to offer off the tee. There is also OOB at the back and right of the green, so accuracy is required throughout this 375-yard par 4. The 12th is a cracking short hole, one of 185 yards, with OOB down both sides. A burn runs in front of the green, with bunkers on either side of the surface. Avoid all that, and you’ll find the green in regulation!

13 is a good birdie chance at just 335 yards. It is slightly uphill off the tee, but the green is inviting, especially with only a short iron or wedge in hand. The 14th is the only par 5 on the course and it’s one of the centrepieces of a really strong back 9. You can run out of room from the tee on the sharp dogleg, and you can also be distracted by the glorious views of the loch on your left, but the approach to a small green quickly grabs your attention. The 15th is the hardest of the par 3s at Stranraer, with a deep bunker and a sharp bank meaning getting close to the putting surface is paramount.

That’s the start of a difficult run in with 16 and 17 both lengthy par 4s of more than 450 yards and usually playing into the prevailing wind. At 470, the 16th is the longest par 4 at Stranraer, and with trees and OOB running down the left side, the miss is out to the right off the tee as there is space. However, that will leave you with a more difficult approach, one that might well be more than 220 yards. The penultimate hole is arrow straight, but plays uphill, making it feel even longer than its carded 462 yards. Two bunkers sitting some 30 yards short of the green need to be carried with the approach shot. The closing hole is one final scoring opportunity, but only if you can place your tee shot in the right spot on what is a tricky little dog-leg left. A total of seven bunkers line the hole, with five of those protecting the green – one that has a run off at the back towards the opening tee box. It doesn’t matter what you have done before, your score is only really determined in the last hour of play.

Where is Stranraer Golf Club located?

Stranraer Golf Club is one of the westernmost golfing venues on the Scottish mainland. The course sits on the shoreline of Loch Ryan, and is just a few miles north of the town of Stranraer. Both the A72 and A75 run to Stranraer, from the north and south respectively. Glasgow is just shy of 90 miles to the north, while the English border is 100 miles away to the southeast of the golf club.

Glasgow is also the home the nearest major international airport. Prestwick Airport is 60 miles away, while Glasgow International is 90 miles to the north. Stranraer is the closest train station to the golf club, with trains running up the western coastline of Scotland to Ayr – however, only on an irregular basis.

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

Stranraer is the only venue on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list to sit in the very southwestern corner of the country. Trump Turnberry, with the Ailsa Course and the King Robert the Bruce Course, is the closest place to also have a spot on the list, but that is 40 miles away up the coast.

What golf facilities does Stranraer Golf Club offer?

Due to the lack of space on the property, Stranraer does not have its own driving range. There is a small practice area in the centre of the course, between the 3rd, 11th and 12th holes. There is also a putting green by the clubhouse.

What are the green fees at Stranraer Golf Club?

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