THE COURSE
Designed by renowned course architect James Braid, our tree-lined, flat parkland course was formed in 1925 on part of the grounds of the Garnkirk Estate. The land was acquired specifically for the creation of a golf course, along with the beautiful 18th century Mansion House. The Mansion House was sold in 1937 and was rebuilt by the new owner from the foundations up, before it was re-acquired in 1955 and converted to our present clubhouse.
The course is relatively flat parkland, which both professionals and amateurs find a very fair test of their ability, particularly on some of the longer Par 4’s. Most holes are tree-lined with oak, birch and pine trees and the Garnkirk Burn winds its way through the middle part of the course, making the 6th and 7th holes testing, depending on which way the wind is blowing. On clear days there are magnificent views of the Campsie Hills, with Ben Lomond in the background.
Practise Facilities
We have two practice putting greens, a large practice area and a recently renovated driving range that houses Toptracer Range technology, which allows the full variety of shots to be practiced and where PGA Club Professional, Ian Graham, provides group and individual coaching sessions.
Hole-by-Hole
Check out this hole-by-hole account of the course by BBC Journalist and Crow Wood member, Gerry Gay.
1st Hole – Sprot
144 yards – Par 3
Have you fired up your iron play and greased your short game on our beautiful new range? If not, prepare for a bogey or worse at this perilous wee opener. Four bunkers short, left, right and long protect the green like eager sentries. Oh, and anything long and left gets wet too. Par means you can spring onto the second with confidence.
2nd Hole – Muirhead
505 yards – Par 5
A birdie chance for longer hitters – but only if they’re wise. Foolhardy play and you’ll need both hands to count your score. The hole doglegs sharply left to right, so keep your drive left of centre, or arrow straight between the trees left and right. Unless you have Dustin’s coil, anything right tempts danger and a lost ball. Your second shot requires sound plotting too, as there’s a lovely/horrible wee burn about 100 yards from the green. Two good shots should leave a short pitch home. On this large, raised, undulating dance-floor, dare take your two putts for granted and you may be staring at three jabs and an ugly six.
3rd Hole – Greenlea
360 yards – Par 4
Downhill drive, uphill approach. The ominous white stakes of out-of-boundsville await anything too far right. The wind is often left-to-right – only too happy to sweep a pathetic fade or slice off the course. But the fairway is plentiful and welcoming. A good drive sets up a short’ish iron into a large green. You won’t be able to see the bottom of the pin, so club up and make sure your approach surmounts the mini-valley at the green’s front. But too long to a back pin, and you’ll need Seve’s touch to get up and down.
4th Hole – Campsie View
341 yards – Par 4
If you start to enjoy the stunning views of the Campsie Hills too much here, then you’re staring at bogey or worse. Good course management on this short par four presents ample chance of birdie. Long hitters may fancy getting close to the green, but anything faded will be gathered by the wind and sent into the trees or neighbourhood gardens. Take a 3 wood or long iron down the left-middle, leaving a wedge into a generous target. Go long with your approach and you’ll be reaching for the Hamlets.
5th Hole – Mackie
193 yards – Par 3
Par here is always a good score. The tee is protected by surrounding forestry, so you won’t feel the wind which is likely to be stiff into your face off the left. Club up – depending on wind strength you will most likely need something long in your hand. Aim for the left of a large green, although coming up short presents a straightforward up and down.
6th Hole – Berryknow
369 yards – Par 4
A good tee shot sets up a decent birdie chance. Aim for the left centre of the fairway to shorten the hole. Bunkers and trees await anything straying too far rightwards, and don’t even think about going hard left. Bunkers also await any errant approach, but the green is large and flat.
7th Hole – Drumsack
415 yards – Par 4
This hole is damn tough. It demands a long, straight drive to bisect the glaring trees on left and right. A burn across the fairway is just desserts for a duffed drive and the wind is often heaving directly into your worried face. Take plenty of club with your uphill approach. Anything beyond the pin leaves a treacherous downhill putt. Four blows at this hole are never shabby.
8th Hole – Auchengeoch
367 yards – Par 4
This is where Crow Wood can look like Sawgrass. A short par four, but the green is a virtual island, protected by a large moat of magnetic water. A large downhill fairway means you can really open the shoulders from the tee. A decent drive leaves a short approach. Right-centre is usually best if you’re in attack mode. The green is large, but the water hazard might leave the mentally weak with sweaty palms. Ignore the water, take dead aim at the pin, and play for birdie!
9th Hole – Peat Hill
325 yards – Par 4
Another short’ish par four to end the outward nine. The fairway is as wide as the Grand Canyon, and you’re encouraged to keep your ball on the right half. But too far right risks heavy rough or OB, and trees will punish snap hooks. Your approach will be uphill and invariably into the wind, so don’t dodge morning porridge. The putting surface is big enough, but anything too long means a difficult up and down.
10th Hole – Rookery
287 yards – Par 4
Another great birdie chance. Keep the tee shot straight or you’ll crash into overhanging branches and end up in hostile jungle territory. If you’ve Rory’s shoulder turn, you can make the green, otherwise, a decent tee shot leaves you with a short second. Keep that approach below the pin as the green slopes towards you. A downhill putt on this green tests the steeliest nerve.
11th Hole – Stey Brae
401 yards – Par 4
The back nine starts to toughen up here. A straightforward drive over the hill, to a wide fairway, but don’t hold back or you’ll have a long uphill second to a small target. You’ll most likely have to wallop your second towards a tiny green gateway, protected on each side with deadly sand traps. Par or better permits a private smirk and a jaunty walk to twelve.
12th Hole – Garnkirk
278 yards – Par 4
A terrific risk/reward hole. From the back tees, and if you have Tiger’s deltoids, go for the green, and an eagle chance. The more conservative golfer can play anything from a wood to a niblick down the hill, leaving a simple pitch to the putting surface. Beware of the burn and two sandy craters awaiting anything short. Go for birdie here. You may need it as you consider thirteen...
13th Hole – Auld Hoose
449 yards – Par 4
Crow Wood’s signature hole. Its majesty can be overlooked though, because one bad turn and things get ugly. Aim between the line of bushes up the left and the large beautiful tree on the right centre of the fairway. Don’t be fooled by this tree’s beauty: smack its limbs and finding the green in regulation becomes fantasy. Anything further right is fine, but makes an already long hole even longer, as it doglegs left. You need to be long from the tee but don’t swing too hard: anything too far left is gone forever, and you’ll be reloading. Take plenty of club with your approach to a raised, generous, green, but don’t pull it or you are risking a voluminous bunker or worse still: OB. Par or better allows a joyous skip to fourteen.
14th Hole – Sclaffers
343 yards – Par 4
Nobody wants to see a promising medal card torn up here, but, just like the 13th, if you pull or hook from the tee, then you are out of luck and out of bounds. Watch for the bunker on the left which will snare any mild draw. But there’s plenty of room up the right, and a reasonable drive will leave a shortish second. When you pitch in, avoid the huge bunker protecting the right and front, and don’t go long or you’re in another jungle. But the green is plenty big.
15th Hole – Gateside
164 yards – Par 3
It looks a small target from the tee, but the green is actually pretty huge. A mid-short iron should be enough — although from the back tees it’s different gravy. Give it plenty welly and keep it straight. A trio of bunkers, in a trio of unhelpful spots, are there to spoil your enjoyment.
17th Hole – Hillside
382 yards – Par 4
This is a very challenging par four – especially so if the wind’s in the mood. There’s no real danger from the tee, unless you sclaff hopelessly into the burn – although some sparse, small trees lie in wait for anything lightly faded. But your approach can be anything from a short iron to a wooden club depending on wind and gym dedication. The green is large but uphill, so take one more than you think, and give it a proper swat. If you err left or right, you’re in the sand. Par is good.
18th Hole – Avenue
517 yards – Par 5
A vintage hole offering the chance of damnation OR redemption. A decent drive anywhere but pulled left sets you up perfectly. A duck hook will end up in the member’s car park, embittering the post-round drink. If you hit it far, you can make the green in two as long as you avoid the gorgeous tree dominating the fairway’s left side. Lesser mortals should get home with two shots and a shortish iron. The green is flat and kind. Whatever you do, don’t go long, or you’ll need Jordan Speith’s short-game to save face. Putt out, hit the clubhouse bar and haste ye back!