Perthshire’s Taymouth Castle Golf Course
Taymouth Castle Golf Course in Perthshire Scotland is part of a privately owned estate where visitors can fish, play golf and live in the estate cottages. The Taymouth Estate was sold in 1921 and the castle was converted into a hotel. James Braid was commissioned to create a course for the guests and the result was a magnificent parkland course, surrounded by hills, mountains, rivers and streams.
Braid created a course with lush fairways and small natural greens that had interesting challenges. He took advantage of the gentle slopes, and the prime condition of the turf ensured that Taymouth was one of the best courses in the region. Changes have been made over the years but the course is still very much a Braid course. Some of the holes have been lengthened and a pond has been added at the fourth.
The course today is in mature parkland setting with several water features and well designed bunkers. It is a course that requires some concentration to stay out of the rough. One has to play it straight and not push too hard. The first hole may look straightforward but the hidden burn and solitary pine make it tricky. The second is marked by a deep depression or dunny. The game on the next three holes, third to fifth has the meandering burn, Aldavaloch to deal with, which is not easy.
The 6th has a sloping green and is a difficult par 4. The rest of the holes till the ninth are fairly simple. It requires straight play at the ninth to avoid the trees to the right and left. The inward nine begins with a tough par three followed by a long par four on the eleventh. The next is another long par four with ancient trees as hazardous as bunkers. The following two par threes have bunkers to deal with and the out of bounds down the left.
At the end of play one can relax at the club house alongside the first tee, which is next door to the majestic Taymouth Castle. A patio affords fine views of the golf course and has an excellent practice area for putting.