NEWTON STEWART GOLF COURSE (WALK ON)

 

NEWTON STEWART GOLF CLUB	https://www.newtonstewartgolfclub.co.uk/
Type of course	Parkland	18 holes	Par 69
Course distance	White 5806 yds	Yellow 5546 yds	Red 5040 yds
Holes	5 x Par 3	11 x Par 4	2 x Par 5
Played	19/06/21
Claim to Fame: The Gateway to the Galloway Hills

 

After a 7-day, 87 mile cross country walk from Wallsend to Bowness on Solway, perhaps it was a little foolhardy to immediately undertake another 5 miles, as I visited Newton Stewart Golf Course in the Scottish region of Dumfries and Galloway. Recuperating at a friend’s house after the gruelling walk raising £1300 for the Alzheimer’s Society, didn’t mean I had to play golf however with the half set tucked in the boot of the car it was rude not to.

Unlike English Golf Courses those in Scotland had remained open throughout the pandemic. One of the few things the Scots consider ‘Wee Nicola’ the first minister got right

A quick phone call to the club revealed plenty of availability and no need to follow any form of dress code. On enquiring if a collared shirt was necessary, the response from the gentleman on the other end of the phone was more than anything one of surprise, as I was told “dinnae bother”.

As I intended to book for 3.30 pm I was also informed if I waited till gone 4 pm I would get 18 holes for the price of £15 rather than the usual fee of £25. Although not having any Scottish blood in me I could see the benefits of waiting another 30 minutes to take up the offer.

Situated on the outskirts of the village of Newton Stewart, travel to the course takes you through the small council estate of Minigaff and reveals a pebble dashed single storey building which partly hides the flat holes of 1, 2 and 18.  Be aware however this is the last flat you will see as the course has many hilly climbs between green and tee.

Sadly, in places the greens are far from good, bobbly, rutted and very dry to the point of giving the feel of a links course rather than parkland. Some are satisfactory but that is the best I can say and can only put this down to the climate. The fairways fair better but the tee boxes are of a similar standard. Walking the course you get a feel that it is more public than private and that it is yearning for greater care and attention than it currently receives. Many of the small greens are protected at the rear by thick bracken or dry-stone walls, if you hit through the former ensure you will never find your ball again, the latter sees your ball fire off in an unexpected direction.

Initially, signposting for the newcomer appears to be of a good standard as large red signs point you in the right direction, however on walking up the hill in the direction of the third tee you are immediately unsure as to whether you turn left or right. A quick look at the miniature map on the back of the scorecard helps and comes into its own the further you go. I would therefore advise for future visitors it is replaced with a larger map, or signage is significantly improved.

Finding the entrance to the club house was difficult as the doors facing the car park appeared to be locked and as I followed an elderly  lady round the corner she entered through a door clearly marked ‘no entry’ firmly closing it behind her and giving no clue as to where to go next.

After a 360^o circumnavigation of the club house I found a side door ajar that led passed the kitchen and into a large room with bar but decked out like a café. Several elderly ladies sat around a hardwood table deep in conversation and intermittently supping their hot drinks. No club shop was visible and a brief conversation with the lady behind the bar/counter saw me hand over £15, collect a scorecard and be directed to the first tee.

The 1^st a par 4 at 332 yards SI 11, has a gentle rise to the green and a bogey was the order of the day.

The 2^nd almost returns you from whence you came and then you are off into the Galloway hills for a long hike only interrupted by the swing of the club.

The 3^rd a par 3 at 131 yards SI 7, will cause you difficulty if you go left, as deep grass, ferns and gorse all await the wayward ball. The green also stands on a small plateau. Parred and happy I moved on.

Travelling down the 4^th I noted two players ahead who took their tee shots off the 5^th and then duly waited until I reached them, politely offering me the opportunity to go through. It was nice to see that a single player like myself was being given priority, unlike in England, where they appear to have no standing at all

The 5^th SI 1 at 416 yards doesn’t at first sight seem to be worthy of the SI however on taking your second to the green if you come up short you disappear into the bottom of a deep hollow and it requires a good chip up onto the postage stamp green.

As with many courses I visit, each hole has a name and Newton Stewart is no different. The 10^th par 3 SI 14 at 147 yards, is called ‘Gushet’ and that is what you have to do to ensure the ball gets over the horrendous drop into a ditch, which nobody in their right mind would venture into. To the left of the green an embankment gives the appearance of a large grass pile accidently left in the wrong place by the green keeper however on closer inspection it’s a particularly hard hill of fading grass and difficult to get out of.

The 8th and 11^th tees stand close to each other and if you are not careful it is easy to enter the wrong box. With fairways running into one, it is also vital that you not only study the card but that you also view how the tee markers are set up, in order to give you the correct direction in which to fire off.

The 11^th SI 8 at 507 yards, is the only par 5 from the yellow tees and although not too difficult the fairway slopes from right to left, so every shot needs to skirt the right hand side of the fairway as on landing the ball will run to the left every time. 50 yards short of the green lies a nasty piece of rough in which it is impossible to find your ball in the 3 minute time allocation and it can therefore prove an expensive hole, as I found out!

Arriving at the 12^th tee, SI 12, at a distance of 185 yards, the green drops 70 yards below. To the left of the tee, a park bench is situated enabling evening walkers to sit and take in the southern views as an elderly gentleman appeared to be doing so. On hearing my approach, he turned and asked if I would like him to move, to which I declined, he then offered me a ball. Having lost a number of balls on the way round I was more than happy to receive the gift. Drove off the tee and immediately lost said ball in the bracken at the back of the green.  I just hope he hadn’t seen which ball I had used.

By the time I had reached this hole I was a spent force, the wall walk, followed immediately by a hilly game, had taken its toll but like an old fool I carried on regardless.

The course is only 5546 yards long but the design for a newcomer causes the distance walked to be considerably increased. The reason being many a second shot is taken over a blind brow and there is a need to climb the rise get a bearing before returning to your ball.

Coming in at 8 over on the front nine I should have probably stopped as my sore sore feet and  sweaty body saw a significant drop in stamina and I finished miserably but at least I had another course under my belt.

In summary then this course appears more municipal than private, it is relaxed in its dress code and therefore gives anybody who wishes to do so, the perfect opportunity to develop their skills.

 Pity there aren’t many more like this in England!!!