Gatehouse of Fleet Golf Club

I have played this course on and off for 20 years and it never fails to delight. Even in the midst of an awful round, of which I have had many, there is always something to take pleasure in from the magnificent views across the Solway Firth, to the variety of wildlife that proliferates to the ever changing quality of the light across the hills that surround the area. The course itself has had several subtle refinements over the time since I first played it and each one has added to the challenge. It is a superb test of golf from the first tee where you need to hit a solid straight shot to reach the green, right through to the ninth where you need to keep your nerve to carry far enough to reach (and hopefully stay on) the large putting surface. There is a greater reward for accuracy, especially approach shots, than for length off the tee, which means that ladies are equally likely to score well (my wife parred the short 5th the fist time she played on a proper course and I needed to sink a tricky 8 footer for a a half!) My favourite hole is the seventh, where the temptation is to try to drive the green, but beware the hidden bunker over the corner and the bushes which guard the left side of the fairway. All in all it is a course which is different each time I visit and I can honestly say that if I had to choose one course to play for the rest of my life it would be Gatehouse, which may have something to do with the local hospitality (the Anwoth Hotel has an astounding array of malt whisky to offer) as well as the unfailing friendliness of the local players.