Southerness: The Cinderella of Scotland's championship links courses

text size

Life can be unfair, that's a reality most of us eventually come to accept. We learn the best do not always win and excellence often goes unrecognized. The hard fact is that quality isn't necessarily acknowledged by the masses and in the world of Scottish golf; the outstanding links at Southerness Golf Club is no exception.

Southerness is a gem among Scotland?s links courses.

Southerness - the windswept 12th hole.

Ranked among Scotland's top 20, Southerness is a true gem of a links course.

Southerness Clubhouse - comfortable, hospitable and the ideal place to relax with a dram after your round.

BOOK YOUR TRIP

For a other ideas on golf trips to Scotland, Ireland, British Open, Spain & Portugal, click here or call Golf International at 800.328.9898.

Located on the coast of Scotland's southwesterly region of Dumfries & Galloway, this true champion of a links layout sits all but ignored by most visitors, yet a classier, tougher and more pedigreed links would be hard to find. Ranked among the top 20 courses in Scotland and number 83 out of the more than 3,000 18-hole layouts to be found in Britain and Ireland, should be reason enough to make it a trophy hunted down eagerly by every visiting golfer, but nothing could be further from the truth. Despite being acknowledged as one of Scotland's very best, Southerness remains a wallflower, waiting in a corner, to be invited to the dance floor.

Designed by the fabled Mackenzie Ross (of Turnberry fame) in 1947 and considered one of this great talent's most intriguing designs, should be more than enough added temptation to bring visitors flocking in, but not so. Throw in the fact that the 12th hole is considered by many as the finest par-4 in all of Scotland and Southerness should be irresistible to any red-blooded golfer, but even that impressive credential still doesn't bring many visitors. Southerness, for all of its many fine attributes, remains virtually unknown.

For those who seek it out (and the true connoisseurs of the game do) the rewards will be more than plentiful. Southerness is simply a class act - an incomparable, classic links experience, good enough to push the most accomplished player to their limits. For the links traditionalist with an appreciation for the real game of golf as only a links can provide, this is a test to be relished.

At first glance, the course appears to be relatively short, measuring only a little over 6,566 yards with a modest par of 69, but this is one of the toughest layouts in all of Britain and with an Standard Scratch Score (SSS) of 73, you quickly learn that first glances can be deceiving - achieving par here will be a formidable task.

Southerness prides itself on making birdies as rare as hen's teeth. The two par-5's offer the best opportunities, but with seven par-4's in excess of 420 yards and another four only missing that length by a few yards, the driver will be your constant companion. Be warned, these eleven holes are likely to be costly affairs. Even the short holes are long, so forget any Troon-like, postage stamp possibilities -- 200 yards or more is the norm for the five so-called, short holes at Southerness. But lengthy holes are only the beginning of the formidable defense arsenal presented.

Keeping the ball on the fairway is key to any reasonable score. Stray from the prescribed path and you will quickly learn why this course has gained a notorious reputation for its punishing rough where thick growths of heather abound. Juicy sea-grasses thrive in the temperate climate and the accompanying marshland only complicates matters further. Stay out of this jungle of vegetation at all costs.

The wind is expected to be a factor on any seaside course, but here it takes on a greater relevance than normal. The layout is designed in two distinct loops, with every hole shooting off in a different direction. Changes in compass direction means changes in wind direction and at Southerness, the wind gusting in off the Solway Firth can be and usually is nothing short of brutal. The invitingly generous fairways compensate to a degree, but the combined forces of the elements make the task of sticking to them, a constant battle.

There's no question that Southerness presents a very challenging examination, perhaps better avoided by the faint of heart and high handicappers who can quickly become discouraged and frustrated. But for the accomplished connoisseur, it's a rare treat and a solid test of links skills, improvisational abilities, creativity and tenacity.

There isn't a poor hole among the eighteen with one of the most thrilling combinations running along the shoreline starting at the 8th. The culmination of this stretch is the fabled 12th, a 421-yard par-4, left to right dogleg. Fairway bunkers on either side, demand pinpoint accuracy off the tee. Having split the fairway the hole then opens to reveal the green, closely guarded by bunkers to the right, a pond to the left and a large mound protecting the front left entry. The beach sits a brief 10 yards behind with a backdrop of the shimmering Solway Firth. This hole will live in your memory for years to come. Is this the best par-4 in Scotland? There's only one way to find out - play it for yourself and come to your own decision.

Southerness is a special experience, to be sampled by any serious golfer. Don't let any lack of fame or name recognition discourage you; this is one of the few remaining true hidden gems in the British Isles. For a few ideas on how best to include Southerness and other courses of Dumfries and Galloway in your Scottish golf itinerary, click here