Newton Stewart Golf Club The Course

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Galloway hills, Newton Stewart offers spectacular scenery to complement this mature 18 hole parkland course.

The course offers all year round golf due to it's proximity to the Solway Firth and the Gulf Stream, giving the local climate a mild temporate feel. The club is renowned for its hospitality and visitors can expect a warm welcome at any time with facilities to cater for singles or groups.

The clubhouse is being upgraded to make your experience even better. Packages can be arranged with the steward or through Creebridge Hotel, Conifers Leisure Park or VisitScotland.

The 1st green is protected by a small hillock with a covering of whin bushes, this can be negotiated by driving the ball up the right side of the generous first fairway. But this means taking on the out of bounds and requires an accurate shot. Playing safely to the left leaves a semi blind second shot to the green. This may seem a tough start, but accurate golf is rewarded.

This hole runs parallel to the first with out of bounds again on the right. Driving from an elevated tee a bunker on the left forces a drive to the centre right of the fairway. The green is protected by two greeside bunkers. Again accuracy is rewarded.

This is the first of the five par threes, playing to a slightly elevated green with a fairly large surface. The green is protected by two mature trees front left and right. If the golfer misses this green, his short game skills will be needed to get a par.

This hole starts from an elevated tee to a fairly straight forward fairway with two bunkers waiting if you stray. The green has no bunkers, but slopes away from the player, making the approach to the green hard to control.

This is the signature hole of the course, a slight dogleg right to left and playing uphill. After a good drive a long shot to the green awaits. The approach is played over a dip in the land and protected by mature trees. A par at this hole is a good score.

This is the second of the par 3's. A fairly straight forward hole played slightly up hill, where a straight shot is rewarded and a decent short game is needed if you miss from the tee.

This hole is bounded on the left by the Galloway Forest. This hole provides the golfer with spectacular views of the local countryside, from Cairnsmore down Wigtown Bay to the Solway Firth and the Isle of Man. The fairway slopes from left to right with the ideal tee shot flying over Dougie's stone. The green is accommodating and cut into the hillside. Miss it at your peril.

Sited next to the pond, the tee points to a fairway that has a slight dogleg right to left, rising to a flat topped ridge protected on the left by trees and on the right by a bunker. The second shot is played to a green well below the level of the fairway which requires some guile to walk away with your par.

This is one of the most challenging holes on the course, the fairway doglegs right to left, with out of bounds on the right and scrub land on the left. A second feature affecting the drive is a burn running diagonally across the fairway. The approach is to an elevated green, where the top of the flagstick is generally all you see. A rewarding par.

The third par 3 presents a short shot into a large green, with whin bushes and out of bounds to the right. A burn protects the green from an underhit shot. This hole can be a psychological challenge to the golfer.

This is the first par 5, playing down hill all the way over an undulating fairway, which divides the 7th and 8th holes. The extreme width encourages the golfer to open his shoulders. Most will lay up, but it can be reached in two, with long straight hitting. A less ambitious plan is to play down to the top of the ridge, which looks down over a gully to the large green.

The 4th par 3 and the most visually challenging of them. The hole is played down hill, semi blind to a broad green protected in front by trees and surrounded by whins. This can be an intimidating tee shot for the gents and can test the ones confidence.

The 2nd Par 5, a slight dogleg left to right needing an accurate tee shot on the left. The golfer is presented with a choice, go for it in two, or lay up. In two,he will be playing to a green protected in front by a hillock, on the right by out of bounds and on the left by bunkers. This hole can be eagled or birdied with high risk and reward. The three shot route allows the golfer a generous lay up area, but the green is still well protected.

This hole is played from an elevated tee to a very tight fairway. A fairway bunker and scrub ground on the left makes accuracy essential. Having reached the fairway the golfer is presented with a difficult approach to the green protected on both sides by bunkers, and behind by a whinny bank.

A straight drive over the hill using the marker post as guide leaves a short shot to a semi-hidden green protected in front by greenside bunkers. If the tee shot is right the hole seems easy, miss the fairway and you can run up a score.

A lovely dogleg hole moving sharply left to right. The tee shot is from an elevated position, with a bunker and trees waiting to catch anyone cutting the corner. Rough, trees and a bunker may catch the safer shot on the left. The second shot is played to an elevated green protected on the right by trees, in front by a bunker and at the rear by the boundary dyke.

The final Par 3 is the shortest and looks the simplest. It is played from an elevated tee to a long narrow green that runs diagonally to the line of approach. The green is protected in front by a bunker, on the left by rough and trees, and a there is a deep depression called the Punch Bowl on the right.

The home hole is played from a slightly elevated tee to a generous fairway, this is protected by bunkers and trees on the left. The right side is guarded for it's full length by the course boundary fence. The green lies between greenside bunkers in front and a high hedge behind.

On completion of play a warm welcome awaits in the clubhouse, where you may enjoy a meal or relax with a drink whilst reflecting on your round.