Dalmahoy Country Club

Marriott’s Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club is home to two highly-regarded 18 hole golf courses. Both courses were designed by the much-acclaimed James Braid, yet they possess individual and contrasting qualities. Either course would make an excellent choice for a stimulating and challenging round, and together they form a convincing argument for making the trip to Dalmahoy.

At 7475 yards, the East Course is the longer of the two and requires a fair bit of stamina and big hitting to shoot below par. It has built up quite a reputation in golfing circles and rightly so, and has received the honour of hosting several prestigious championship events, recognising its position as a top quality course. The upkeep of the East Course fairways and greens is second to none, which should be the incentive required to shoot straight and avoid the deadly pot bunkers. A redevelopment project in 2005 costing £1 million has ensured that the high standards accustomed to this course are kept up.

The West Course may play slightly shorter than its sibling but that by no means indicates that it is any easier. In actual fact, it is widely regarded as the more punishing of the two Dalmahoy courses, with narrow fairways and well-guarded small greens demanding good shot selection and a high level of accuracy. The rough is unforgiving and best avoided if you want to shoot a low score.