Going for Golf

Mar Hall - The pride of the Clyde

Mar Hall

From Glasgow, journeying first through suburbs, then the inevitable industrial outskirts, this great river suddenly runs through some of the most idyllic, picture-postcard countryside in all of Scotland. Welcome to the Clyde Estuary, a beautiful corner of the country, sadly unfamiliar to many visitors. Those who are familiar with the area come to absorb the natural beauty that abounds. Some come to spend a relaxing evening before departing on a flight back home from Glasgow Airport, 10 minutes away, while others come to take advantage of the small bevy of impressive golf courses in this tiny region.

They may not be Scotland’s most famous layouts, but they offer the opportunity to enjoy good golf and a real Scottish golf experience, all amid spectacular surroundings. The choice between an ordinary airport hotel and an historic, five-star luxury mansion house, complete with superb dining, a full state-of-the-art health spa and its own, genuine, championship golf course, should be a simple enough decision to make.

Just follow the international travel credo that states every holiday should end on the highest possible note. The notes get no higher than those offered by Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort, the Clyde estuary’s shining star of refined elegance, set in a secluded, riverside estate of 240 glorious acres of beautiful Scottish countryside.

Mar Hall was designed in the 19th century and it was the architect’s wish for the building to resemble the manorial, domestic gothic styles seen during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. A quarry on the estate provided the stone while the oak used throughout was specifically imported from Canada. The house fell into disrepair in the 20th century and it was only in 2004, following a £15m restoration, that this magnificent, 53-bedroom property was regained its former glory and metamorphosed into one of Scotland’s premier luxury hotels. The estate and its perfect setting along the south shoreline of the Clyde Estuary, called out for not just a golf course, but a very special layout of true championship standard that would take full advantage of this unique site.

Architect Dave Thomas – a man who has an impressive list of world-class layouts to his credit – was assigned the design project, a task he has performed in brilliant style. Virtually everybody who has had the opportunity to experience the course agrees it is destined to become one of Scotland’s new classic layouts.

Measuring a hair over 6,500 yards from the tips, this is not a fearsome, modern-day monster, but, with a selection of tee positions, a layout that can be tackled by players of all abilities. This is always a dangerous claim for any course to make and seldom is it really true, but the Earl of Mar Course actually delivers on the promise.

Scratch golfers and low handicappers playing from the back tees will be faced with a very serious test of all their golfing skills and this beauty demands a good, all-round game. There are holes where long hitters will have a definite advantage, providing the muscle is accompanied by accuracy, but it’s the strategic, thinking golfer who will have the upper hand – and brains are likely to win over brawn. Those of lesser abilities will be well advised to play from one of the forward tee positions, where they will still be tested – but the reduced length will help bring down the fear factor and lessen the need for the pinpoint accuracy demanded from the back.

The Earl of Mar is packed to the brim with enjoyment and the breathtaking setting comes as a wonderful bonus. Despite its tender age, this is already a mature layout that wends its way through stands of ancient oaks and chestnut trees, made all the more handsome by the backdrop of the mighty River Clyde. The often elevated greens are always jealously guarded by carefully thought-out and sometimes cunning bunkering, a trait for which the designer has earned a formidable reputation. There are more than enough risk/reward holes to challenge the most macho of players to the extreme, but for mere mortals, there is usually an easier and perhaps less embarrassing way to go.

There’s no question that this is a superb addition to Scotland’s golf inventory of courses. The combination of the excellent quality of this course, the wonderfully convenient location and the temptation to experience one of best luxury hotels in the land, is simply too much to resist.

David Brice is president of the US-based golf tour operator Golf International. Established in 1988, Golf International specialises in the design and operation of quality golf trips to Europe and his articles represent trips available to the company’s customers. www.golfinternational.com