Poloc Winter Golf Club - Course No 674

Shortly after I'd published my report on Dumbarnie Links I was contacted by Adam, a Glasgow-based reader who advised me that I'd not played the Poloc Winter Golf Club, which he described as a "forgotten course and the second oldest course in Glasgow."  I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that despite spending years 2-20 of my life living within a few miles of that course, going to school barely a couple of miles away and travelling literally thousands of times past its entrance, I'd never known that such a golf course existed. Internet research confirmed that the Poloc Cricket Club laid out a 6-hole course each year across their cricket pitch so that members could play golf outwith their normal Summer cricket season.  Their cricket ground is located within Pollok Park, a truly remarkable countryside park, yet within a few minutes drive from  Glasgow's city centre

The cricket club was founded in 1878 and is clearly still thriving. I know very little about cricket, having only played it twice at the most basic amateur level in the 1970's.  I somehow got roped into being volunteered to play in a charity match in Gloucestershire by Barry, the best man at my wedding to Polly.  If I recall the match properly, I was last man to bat and never got to face a ball, since the other batsman was bowled before I got the chance.  Other than that, I stood where I was told and tried to field any balls coming my way.  We lost, but the beer was good. Next time round, when I was living in Guildford, Surrey, I reluctantly made up the numbers for a nearby village team in a friendly match in Brixton, South London.  I got to bat this time, or, more accurately, tried not to get clobbered by 3 balls coming my way at an alarming speed.  I dodged the first 2 without actually seeing them coming and somehow connected with the 3rd, after trying to duck out of the way.  From what I later gathered was a top edge, my first and last ever connection with bat and ball somehow evaded the wicket keeper and rolled gently towards the boundary.  I'd scored a 4 and the over was over, if you get my drift.  The other batsman was bowled out during the next and final over and we lost. So, that's all I know about actually playing cricket.  Played twice, not out twice, 4 runs. I'll settle for that. 

The Poloc Winter Golf Club's Facebook page records that "Founded in 1889, Wee Poloc is possibly Glasgow’s 2nd oldest golf course behind Cathkin Braes Golf Club. Wee Poloc started off as a 9 hole course as was the fashion of the day, but the course was unfortunately reduced to 6 holes during the war. As other clubs of the era grew and the game evolved over the years almost all of the other clubs across Scotland expanded creating 18 individual holes. This would have been impossible for Wee Poloc as it was located within Sir John Stirling Maxwell's Pollock Estate. Making us the UK's only Royal & Ancient recognised 6 hole course."

A map and scorecard for the course is set out above, suggesting that the course could be played as 3 loops of 6 holes, to form an 18 hole course of 3225 yards, with a Par 63. It turned out that Adam, my "Dumbarnie" reader, was the greenkeeper and groundsman at the Poloc club.  I'd arranged with him to play the Winter Club course on 28 October 2020, with Douglas, a dear friend who as regular readers may recall is also playing every course in Scotland.  

We'd originally planned to play the full 3 loops to form an 18 hole round, but the weather was pretty poor driving through to Glasgow and as the course was still soaking wet from recent showers, we opted for a single loop of all 6 holes, hoping we'd dodge the worst of the morning rain. This is Douglas on the 1st Green.  If it looks small, you're not wrong!  All of the greens were about 15 feet across, so accuracy with tee and approach shots would clearly be important.  The course is surrounded by large trees so leaves at this time of year were an issue, as can also be guessed from this and the next 2 photos below.

Adam had very kindly set out the flags in advance of our round and, armed with a map of the course, it was easy enough to plot our way around - even though the 6th hole flag was placed on this, the 4th green, adding to the fun of our brief round.  We weren't sure about the lengths of the holes, as listed above.  I'd only taken a half set of clubs, leaving my Driver in the car but I'd expected that my 3 wood would be enough club to reach all of the greens, despite the heavy underfoot conditions.  The photo below is from the 4th tee.  My solidly-hit 3 wood tee shot was still short of the green, but it didn't matter, were just enjoying the novelty of the layout for what it was. 

There are more than enough full length golf courses in Scotland presenting  serious physical and technical challenges but there will always be a place for short courses like Wee Poloc, where a 6-hole round can take well under an hour.  I read somewhere that golf is supposed to be fun (I still try reminding myself of that when ankle deep in wet rough, rain trickling down the back of my neck, searching for that errant drive) and Wee Poloc is a great reminder of that vital aspect of the game. The course is bordered by a riverside path and it was fun to stop and chat to the various walkers we met on our way alongside that path. Too often in these nervous Covid 19 days we offer only a brief nod of acknowledgement to passing strangers, so we both really appreciated that contact.  It's easy to forget how friendly Glasgow can be.

Our scores weren't great but for the record, I went round in 23 shots, with 7 putts on the greens themselves.  Quite rightly, Douglas claimed the only birdie of the day on the 2nd, the 160 Yard Par 3 (even if the hole had been doubled in width overnight after a fox had dug around the hole!) Still, a birdie is a birdie and you can only play the course as it lies, I reminded myself.  Sadly, Douglas's birdie ball was lost among the leaves to the left of the 3rd green, or more likely sailed over the green and sank into the nearby River Cart, so his birdie joy was short-lived.  

We'd really enjoyed our brief visit to Poloc Winter Golf Club and a special thanks must go to Adam, our amiable host and groundsman.  Our green fees will be donated to Cancer Research UK in due course, so thank you for that generous gesture, Adam.  Adam also asked us, on a scale from 1 to 10, just how eccentric we were, as evidenced by our journeys around the country, playing every course we can find.  I suspect I rate a 10, but Douglas has now done 591 courses, so he's definitely heading in that direction. This is me with Adam after our round.  I'd been using my mobile phone camera and somehow switched it to video - and forgotten to clean the lense! 

The Wee Poloc golf course is open to the public and as the signs say, the club as a whole  is inviting inviting new members.  Readers of this blog are also world-wide so if anyone finds themselves with time to explore Glasgow beyond the well trodden paths, a warm welcome awaits here.