# Glasgow Gailes



## Liverbirdie (Jun 17, 2013)

Glasgow gailes

What's that saying don't start a round with a birdie, especially if a duffed 80 yarder is your approach, I say. Before that, we'd had one of the warmest welcomes from the pro, and what I can only presume was a greeter. Good start, GGGC.


The weather was quite benign so there was no excuse for not playing well, sadly I didn't. 20 odd degrees, not much wind, but it still affects your shots, so be careful when it's more than 15 MPH. The bushes were yellowing, so more intimidating than normal standing on some of the tees, and the rough and heather could still be tough at times. Played off the yellers, BTW. All yardages are from memory, so take 30 off!


Course/personal highlights:-


2nd - Standing one the tee, it was a sliver of a fairway, and even though I found the middle, the result was a bunker 60 yards short. still found the green for a par. Not much error allowed on this hole.


3rd - SI 1, A long par 4 with the fairway set at an angle, ideally to suit a fader (but not a slicer), but still requiring two good hits. Beware the dreaded straight drive also!


5th - A  530 yard par 5, with a bit of space on the drive, but narrows nearer to the green, as I found out by losing two in the bushes. It was a shame that I picked up, as the last approaching 50 yards to the green is a great view with all sorts of mounds and hollows to negotiate.


6th - Tough little par 3, with more green to play with than you can see off the tee, cue a one foot in/one kneeling down sand save to 8 inches to tap in for par.  


9th - A shortish par 4 at 304, but a bugger of an approach, if the pin is cut on the front. It is a raised green, with run offs to all sides, and bunkers that gather. Only about 2 out of 8 of us scored on this, with mine the only par.


10th SI 2 - The wind was blowing across this hold so making a decision of how much to play into the wind or not, most got it wrong to find the heather, except Valentino. Another one were it takes a well placed drive, as well as a good long iron or hybrid to gain a par.


14th - A good long pretty straight par 5, with heather and bunkers coming into play in all the right places. Another one with a cracking approach shot through some hillocks, which frame the green for a lovely hole. A happy par, despite finding the fairway bunker.


15th - Hit the green, make par, move on. I didn't, 3 putted and made 5.


17th - Is that ridge reachable? If you can it will feed the drive down towards the hole. I didn't, but the mate in the following group did. Nice hole and a good drive, gets a good reward.


Overall, I really liked it but didn't love it. If it had a few more elevation changes it would be up there. It does have raised tees, but if the fairways were also, it would be a cracker. The hardest holes can be the shorter , seemingly benign holes. Sometimes you need to have a links course bearing it's teeth, to appreciate it fully, and as the wind was only 8-10 mph, we didn't see it's molars. Still it was a tough ask, with only 1 of our 8 playing to handicap, I lagged behind with 30 points.

Some crap pictures, for ya, for those of a nervous disposition, beware seeing Scouser's overswing:-

No.1 SI no.1 - lots of heather in flower.

No.2 The sixth, par 3, the kneeling in the bunker one.

No.3 Some jakey we let play with us, cheeky sod took the nearest the pin, I felt so sorry for him in them trousers, I've now adopted him.

No.4 The view back down the 18th hole.

I told you they were crap.


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## Val (Jun 17, 2013)

Fair assessment mate I suppose other than the fact I loved it, right up my street this course and one I will definately look at playing again.


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## CMAC (Jun 18, 2013)

I've played in many many times, bounce games and comps, I've always enjoyed the links turf, challenging greens to catch and firm fast greens to boot.
I also don't love it as there are some quite bland holes as well, but I still enjoy playing it as I love links golf.

P.S pics look pretty good:thup:


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## Val (Jun 18, 2013)

DarthVega said:



			I've played in many many times, bounce games and comps, I've always enjoyed the links turf, challenging greens to catch and firm fast greens to boot.
I also don't love it as there are some quite bland holes as well, but I still enjoy playing it as I love links golf.

P.S pics look pretty good:thup:
		
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I thought it only had one really weak hole, the 8th up into the corner but understand why some may view some other holes bland where its flat and you can see everything in front of you.


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## Mono (Jun 18, 2013)

Played Glasgow Gailes many times myself due to  good friend being a member, it remains a open qualifier when the open returns to Troon, however IMHO Irvine golf club a few miles down the road is a far superior track, however the R and A removed this from the rota due to its apparent lack of length (6600)....... imo Merion proved length isn't the be all, furthermore the last time the open was at Troon Irvine had the highest grossing score between all neighbouring tracks! Next time you lads visit play it, you'll not be disappointed.


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## Val (Jun 18, 2013)

Mono said:



			Played Glasgow Gailes many times myself due to  good friend being a member, it remains a open qualifier when the open returns to Troon, however IMHO Irvine golf club a few miles down the road is a far superior track, however the R and A removed this from the rota due to its apparent lack of length (6600)....... imo Merion proved length isn't the be all, furthermore the last time the open was at Troon Irvine had the highest grossing score between all neighbouring tracks! Next time you lads visit play it, you'll not be disappointed.
		
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Ive played Bogside a few times now and have always enjoyed it despite it being a pretty tough course off the tee. Unsure if i'd agree it's better than GG though, both very different courses IMO.


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## bigslice (Jun 18, 2013)

Valentino said:



			Ive played Bogside a few times now and have always enjoyed it despite it being a pretty tough course off the tee. Unsure if i'd agree it's better than GG though, both very different courses IMO.
		
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ive only played GG twice well before I joined bogside. I really enjoyed it and I was on my shortlist of clubs to join. having joined bogside I will be very biased and say bogside for me is more enjoyable.


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## Liverbirdie (Jun 18, 2013)

bigslice said:



			ive only played GG twice well before I joined bogside. I really enjoyed it and I was on my shortlist of clubs to join. having joined bogside I will be very biased and say bogside for me is more enjoyable.
		
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I think there are too many straight holes overall to make GG top drawer. It was very enjoyable though. Bogside's par 4's (all 16 of them) do mix everything up a bit more, elevation changes, doglegs etc. Dundonald was probably more "fun" overall on the course, shame about the clubhouse though. 

Western and Prestwick to follow in the next few days.


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## bigslice (Jun 18, 2013)

Liverbirdie said:



			I think there are too many straight holes overall to make GG top drawer. It was very enjoyable though. Bogside's par 4's (all 16 of them) do mix everything up a bit more, elevation changes, doglegs etc. Dundonald was probably more "fun" overall on the course, shame about the clubhouse though. 

Western and Prestwick to follow in the next few days.
		
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looking forward to the western for two reasons (I will say what they are when its reviewd)


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## Liverbirdie (Jun 18, 2013)

bigslice said:



			looking forward to the western for two reasons (I will say what they are when its reviewd)
		
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Have you had a roll in the sand, with a local lady?

Her kneeprints still were'nt raked.The're there for good.:thup:


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## patricks148 (Jun 18, 2013)

Western Gails is still my Fav course, looking forward to your review.


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## Val (Jun 18, 2013)

Liverbirdie said:



			I think there are too many straight holes overall to make GG top drawer. It was very enjoyable though. Bogside's par 4's (all 16 of them) do mix everything up a bit more, elevation changes, doglegs etc. *Dundonald was probably more "fun" overall on the course*, shame about the clubhouse though. 

Western and Prestwick to follow in the next few days.
		
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Can't say I would disagree.


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## bigslice (Jun 18, 2013)

Liverbirdie said:



			Have you had a roll in the sand, with a local lady?

Her kneeprints still were'nt raked.The're there for good.:thup:
		
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do you think GG deserves to be number 45 in the golf world Scottish 100? while bogside is 48? to be honest all this top 100 malarkey is nonsense, it should be top 50:whoo:


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## Liverbirdie (Jun 18, 2013)

bigslice said:



			do you think GG deserves to be number 45 in the golf world Scottish 100? while bogside is 48? to be honest all this top 100 malarkey is nonsense, it should be top 50:whoo:
		
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I think they are close, overall bogside had more "interesting" holes. As I'm sure it has been said a thousand times, the downside is the lack of par 5's on bogside, which probably marks it down. They are close overall, Irvine may shade it just due to the memorable holes. I can still recall a good 14 of them, even from last year. Dundonald tops them both.

Off the top of my head, I reckon I've played about 20-odd Scottish courses, so I'm no expert on a top 50. Lundin links was one that I felt disappointed despite it's lofty position. Carnoustie, Prestwick, Western, Royal Aberdeen and Turnberry are my top five. St. Andrews behind them, as a course, but up there as an "experience".


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## bigslice (Jun 20, 2013)

Mono said:



			Played Glasgow Gailes many times myself due to  good friend being a member, it remains a open qualifier when the open returns to Troon, however IMHO Irvine golf club a few miles down the road is a far superior track, however the R and A removed this from the rota due to its apparent lack of length (6600)....... imo Merion proved length isn't the be all, furthermore the last time the open was at Troon Irvine had the highest grossing score between all neighbouring tracks! Next time you lads visit play it, you'll not be disappointed.
		
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liverbirdie has played bogside, ask him if he won?ne:


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## Liverbirdie (Jun 20, 2013)

bigslice said:



			liverbirdie has played bogside, ask him if he won?ne:
		
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Competition-wise - no, you and colin beat me and (well just me, John came in on no holes).

I had the best individual score on the day (didn't I)?


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## bigslice (Jun 20, 2013)

Liverbirdie said:



			Competition-wise - no, you and colin beat me and (well just me, John came in on no holes).

I had the best individual score on the day (didn't I)?

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lol 

I liked ure review of GG and agree with it. and also the describing bogside as interesting. every hole has something different


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