Southerness, Kirkbean,
nr Dumfries, Dumfrieshire DG2 8AZ
Office
+44 (0)1387 880 677Pro shop
+44 (0)1387 880 677Fax
+44 (0)1387 880 644Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
NoneThe Course:
18 holes. Seaside links. Relatively flat terrain - easy to walk.
Surroundings:
Seaside and rural countryside.
Designer:
Scottish course architect Philip Mackenzie Ross (known as Mackenzie Ross).
54.878654
-3.608724
16 miles S of Dumfries
From Dumfries follow the A710 south, direction Solway Coast. After 13.2 mls turn left direction Southerness. After 1.9 mls golfclub is on your right.
Southerness
Southerness Golf Club: Scotland is home to an enviable treasure chest of seaside golf links. Southerness may not be among the best known, but it's a course that keeps good company with its high-ranking peers. Set beneath the soft Galloway hills on a beautiful stretch of the Solway Firth, a trip to this "off the beaten track" course will not disappoint.
The terrain here is not excessively undulating, which makes for a relatively easy-walking round. Beyond the generally good-width fairways, most of the holes are defined by an abundance of gorse and heather. Swathes of bright yellow (gorse) and vivid pinks and purples (heather) adorn the course at different times between May and October.
That said, Southerness has its fair share of gently rolling fairways, often flanked by neatly trimmed revetted sand traps. Around the excellent greens, these ball-swallowing pot bunkers also feature strongly. You'll need to negotiate six of them to land safely on the putting surface at the short par-4 8th. At the par-3 10th no less than seven traps lie in wait, in marked contrast to the bunkerless par-3 17th.
The front-nine of this excellently maintained layout takes you on an expansive journey around cattle grazing meadows, all the while the course retaining the look and feel of a classic golf links. On the back-nine the par-4 12th and 13th holes take you onto a small promontory and directly alongside the Solway Firth's rocky foreshore and sandy beaches.
With its easy-going natural charms and many and varied golf challenges, only the vagaries of the weather are likely to dent your enjoyment of this wonderfully scenic and peaceful golf haven.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance. Handicap required.
Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2023].
Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire on medical grounds or for golfers with limited mobility.
Limited
From the 1980s Southerness has hosted an increasingly impressive array of tournaments, not least the Scottish Amateur championships in 1985 and 1995. In 1990 Sweden's Matthias Gronberg shot a course record 65 on his way to becoming the British Youths' champion.
Just 9 miles across the Solway Firth, in the English county of Cumbria, you may just be able to see another gem, the seaside links course of Silloth-on-Solway.
Scotland's 32nd best course (Golf World, 2024).
Britain & Ireland's 99th best course (Golf World, 2025).
Kirkbean, Dumfries & Galloway DG2 8AA
+44 (0)1387 880 234
Visit websitePreviously a private family manor house, Cavens is a lovely home-from-home hotel, set in six acres of peaceful, landscaped private gardens, near Dumfries in Scotland. It is a small 4-star country house hotel of character and charm.
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Southerness
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Rockcliffe, Colvend Coast, Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway DG5 4QF
+44 (0)1556 630 225
Visit websiteOverlooking Rockcliffe Bay and the Solway Firth, the Baron's Craig Hotel is blessed with a dramatic coastal location. A great place to enjoy a relaxing time by simply soaking up the atmosphere.
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Southerness
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Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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