Killermont deserves the status of a Scottish Top 100 course, even though it retains an ultra-low profile. Greens were absolutely top notch when we played, the convex putting surface of the 12th particularly catching the eye. There’s only a couple of par fives, one on each nine at the 5th and 15th, and only three of the par four holes measure in excess of 400 yards. The quartet of par threes on the card is very good, varying in length between 142 and 241 yards, and the pick of these is the uphill 4th hole. This venerable Old Tom Morris course exudes class and quality across every inch of its (albeit modest) 6,000-yard length, with subtle changes in elevation adding interest throughout and the excellent greenside mounding and bunker work carried out by Dave Thomas and his son Paul Thomas in recent years adds a significant degree of difficulty to the modern day challenge of the layout. Golfers who think a round at Killermont might be a rather mundane affair, played out over a dull, featureless landscape, are in for a very pleasant surprise when they play here. Either take on the right hand side to give a short approach (but risk being behind a tree) or venture further left and leave a longer approach,Įxcellent experience all round and definitely hope to play again in warmer conditions.
The 18th is a downhill drive with the green hidden to the right behind some trees. In reality the 2nd is a par 4 for most mortals, but making it a par 3 certainly plays with your mind.
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The holes that stick in my mind are the long par 3 2nd, uphill and 200 yards plus and the par 4 18th. There is also a feeling of seclusion with no real impression that you are in the city.Īpart from 1 hole (the 10th) that has a blind approach to the green (unless you are a bigger hitter) everything is out there in front of you and it is all pretty wide open.ĭifficult to get a sense for this in winter, but may not be the toughest course to play - albeit there will be more rough and faster greens during the season. The course flows very well from each green to the next tee. It was cold but the course was in remarkably good shape. Killermont is a hugely playable & enjoyable course. Jimmy Kidd, father of architect David McLay Kidd, was Killermont's Head Greenkeeper in the early part of his career before taking up the post of Director of Golf Courses at On the back nine, the 421-yard 12th is rated the most difficult on the inward half, largely due to a very demanding putting surface that offers no easy pin position on its upturned saucer-shaped green. The 398-yard 3rd is a tough hole to encounter so early in a round, playing uphill across the road that leads to the clubhouse, with a set of intimidating cross bunkers to be negotiated en route to the green. The club originally started off at Glasgow Green in 1787 (Glasgow is the 10th oldest in the world) before moving to Queen’s Park (1870), Alexandra Park (1874) then Blackhill (1895) before finally settling in Killermont at the start of the 20th century. Killermont is actually the fifth site around the city where club members have played their golf down the years. James Braid carried out some modifications to the layout in the mid-1920s whilst the father and son design team of Dave and Paul Thomas has reworked many of the green surrounds in recent years. Old Tom Morris designed the Killermont course at Glasgow Golf Club on the north side of the River Kelvin and the Lord Provost of Glasgow officially opened the undulating parkland layout in 1904.