The East Renfrewshire Golf Club, Newton Mearns

The course and its character

Braid's par-70 layout opened for play on 12 May 1923, and the club says only minor changes have been made since. Sweeping, undulating fairways follow the land, natural burns run through the design and the higher holes look across Glasgow to Ben Lomond and the hills of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Golf historian Robert Browning called it 'a lowland Gleneagles' in 1930, and the course hosted an exhibition match that year featuring American Ryder Cup players Horton Smith and Leo Diegel. Former members include 1997 Amateur Champion Craig Watson.

Booking and visitor practicalities

Visitors book through the club's online tee booking, and the club also handles societies, company days and larger groups with packages. A single green fee applies for groups of up to four players, with separate pricing for larger parties. Practice facilities sit beside the first hole: a range, putting green and a practice hole over a burn to a raised green. The professional's shop can be reached on its own line, and the clubhouse serves food and drink with views over the first and eighteenth holes.

Getting there and nearby

The club is on the Ayr Road at Pilmuir, beyond Newton Mearns, roughly 30 minutes' drive south of central Glasgow. Pollok Golf Club and Haggs Castle are on the way back towards the city if you want to add another round.

Highlights

• James Braid design that opened in May 1923
• Moorland course about 500 feet above sea level
• Views across Glasgow to Ben Lomond
• Par 70, with a course record of 63

Good to know

• Book visitor tee times online via the club's booking page
• Group, society and corporate packages are available
• Practice range, putting green and practice hole are next to the first tee
• Moorland exposure means weather can change the course, so check course status

Frequently asked questions