Fereneze Golf Club
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Fereneze Golf Club is a golf club in the Glasgow commuter town in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is a hilly in-land heathland course, 5918 yards par 71 off competition tees. It was founded in 1904 and so recently celebrated its centenary.
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[edit] Location
The clubhouse is situated near Barrhead railway station and the course climbs up the Fereneze Hills, part of the chain of hills rising south of Paisley generally regarded as the Gleniffer Braes. It rises from 75 MASL at the clubhouse to 180 MASL at the highest point (10th/13th holes), a climb of around 345 feet. This location provides stunning views of the surrounding area, commanding views over Neilston, Barrhead, Nitshill, Paisley, and the entire western half of the conurbation of Glasgow from the City Centre to Glasgow Airport and the Erskine Bridge. Some of holes are named after the mountains visible on the horizon.
The course loops around Harelaw Reservoir, home of Saint Mirren Fishing Club, providing a scenic backdrop to holes 7-11 and coming into play on the 8th hole. As of 2006, the reservoir was partially drained due to problems with the dam wall.
[edit] In-Land Links Claim
Members describe the course as the closest to links golf an in-land course can get.
The hilly location of the course provides excellent drainage, similar to the sandy soil of a links course. This provides near year-round golf when other courses would move onto winter greens due to heavy (muddy) conditions. Winter greens are generally only employed at Fereneze to protect the main greens in frosty conditions.
Unlike modern courses, little earth-moving equipment was used during construction, as a result the fairways are undulating and follow the topography of the land. This, coupled with the hard, dry conditions, can result in awkward bounces from tee shots. This also allows more frequent use of links-style bump-and-run shots (allowing the ball to run up to the hole) as opposed to parkland style pitch and check shots.
The exposed location on the top of the braes has the result that the predominant south-westerly wind blowing in from the Firth of Clyde is relatively un-checked by land mass or trees (the course has very few.) This means that a small breeze in Barrhead town can be a fairly stiff breeze on the course. This vulnerability to the wind is a major factor in links golf, as are the rapidly changing conditions from sunshine to driving rain.
Narrow fairways, lack of trees and harsh, un-manicured rough also add to the links effect. The result is the course is dependent on its topography and climate for protection, rather than the use of bunkers, water hazards or man-made features. Indeed, there are only 14 bunkers on the course, located on just 7 of the holes.
[edit] Holes/Scorecard
Hole 1 Par 4 276 yards Trees
This hole, short for a par 4, is tree-lined and begins the climb up the hills. Due to it’s uphill nature, the green is safe from all but the biggest hitters.
Hole 2 Par 3 147 yards Braeface
This par 3 is played across a gully. In the summer, shots landing on the front or falling short of the green will spin back down the gully and finish almost 100 yards from the green.
Hole 3 Par 5 514 yards Reservoir
This par 5, the toughest hole on the course, continues the climb up the hill. An old quarry forms part of the out of bounds on the right of the hole. A burn (stream) runs in front of the green.
Hole 4 Par 3 168 yards The Cobbler
This par 3 is generally the first hole exposed to the wind, making club selection difficult.
Hole 5 Par 4 312 yards Prospect
A short par 4, this hole drives across a gully with out of bounds to the right.
Hole 6 Par 5 494 yards Duchielaw
Normally played into the prevailing wind, was extended by 90 yards from a par 4 to feature a blind approach shot with a burn protecting the front of the green.
Hole 7 Par 3 151 yards Gowden Cup
Short par 3 normally playing into the prevailing wind and protected by bunkers.
Hole 8 Par 5 494 yards Harelaw
Named after the reservoir, a big-hitter may go for the green on his second shot, which involves a shot over the out-of-bounds and part of the reservoir.
Hole 9 Par 4 308 yards Beeches
Another short par 4, dog-legs to the left.
Front 9 Par 36 2864 yards
Hole 10 Par 4 376 yards Devils Elbow
As the hole name suggests, the fairway runs at an angle from the tee (although not quite a dog-leg.) A bold tee shot over a gully filled with thick gorse may result in a shortened second shot or a lost ball.
Hole 11 Par 4 326 yards Ben Lomond
A true dog-leg, the tee shot is made from a crows nest high above the fairway, which provides the best views of the surrounding area (but is not quite the highest point on the course.) Depending on wind conditions, the player may have to align his tee shot out-of-bounds towards the reservoir.
Hole 12 Par 4 349 yards Boulders
A straight hole, medium length, the green is protect by a burn running in front.
Hole 13 Par 4 370 yards The Pad
With a blind tee-shot and prevailing wind against makes this a long par 4, sometimes unreachable in 2 by the average club golfer.
Hole 14 Par 3 183 yards Woodneuk
The only hole of the back 9 that is not a par 4, the wind speed and direction can make club selection vary from a 3 iron to a 9 iron on this medium to long par 3.
Hole 15 Par 4 471 yards Forebrae
The longest par 4 on the course (and second most difficult hole) the blind tee-shot is made onto a fairway that slopes from left to right as the descent down the hill begins.
Hole 16 Par 4 295 yards Springs
This short par 4 is the easiest hole on the course, across a burn too a large green, one of the few protected by bunkers.
Hole 17 Par 4 307 yards Tinto
A straight hole, approaches to the green have to cross a gully featuring a burn.
Hole 18 Par 4 377 yards Home
This par 4, all downhill, requires a demanding tee-shot to avoid the burn on the left and the out of bounds wall on the right. The hill allows for tee shots to run close to the green. An urban legend claims that this hole was once in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest hole-in-one, although no evidence to support this claim has materialised.
Back 9 Par 35 3054 yards
Total Par 71 5918 yards
