PANMURE GOLF CLUB – A MUST ON YOUR NEXT GOLF TRIP TO SCOTLAND

Follow in the footsteps of the legendary Ben Hogan, who prepared for his Open victory there in 1953.

For American golfers, Scotland is naturally one of the most popular destinations. The home of golf offers such legendary golfing experiences as the Old Course at St. Andrews, Royal Dornoch, Muirfield, Prestwick, North Berek, Carnoustie Golf Links and this week’s Open Championship venue, Troon, to name a few.

While these historic courses are at the top of every golfer’s bucket list, Scotland is also home to hundreds of other wonderful, lesser-known golf courses with a rich history that offer an authentic Scottish golf experience. One of these must-visit courses is Panmure Golf Club, just 1.5 miles from Carnoustie and a 45-minute drive from St Andrews.

We are celebrating our 125th^th Anniversary (1899) in 2024 at its current location in Barry, Panmure is the world’s 21st^st oldest golf club. The original layout was designed by Old Tom Morris and built by R. Duff of Edinburgh, who also built the New Course at St. Andrews and Muirfield.

Many of the original holes still remain. In the 1920s, five-time Open champion James Braid proposed changes that became some of the most significant innovations at Panmure in the last century. As a result, some of its most charming features include holes designed by these greats: Braids Par-3, 180 yards 9^th Hole with its undulating green protected by large bunkers and dunes, and Old Toms Par-4, 396 yards 12^th Hole that requires a precise approach shot to overcome the Buddon Burn that guards the front of the green.

Today, Panmure is a timeless experience with its authentic golf course and clubhouse. The par 70 course is 6,551 yards long and combines the best elements of links and moorland with tight fairways, challenging carries and undulating greens. True to links golf, the holes mostly play firm and fast, while the undulating fairways meander through dunes and pines to greens protected by genuine Scottish bunkers.

Panmure has hosted many prestigious championships, from national amateur tournaments to the final qualifier for the Open Championship. It is also the qualifier for the 2024 Seniors Open at Carnoustie. It was also recently nominated as the best green fee course between £100 and £250 at the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards and is ranked 34th in Golf World’s top 100 golf courses in Scotland. Golf Digest ranks it 32nd in Scotland on its list of the best golf courses in any country.

Panmure’s iconic clubhouse is also one of the finest old golf buildings in Scotland. It was modelled on the Royal Calcutta Golf Club – both architecturally and spiritually – and offers three uniquely charming lounges, perfect for a post-round drink.

Golfers can explore the fairways of Ben Hogan on foot

Ben Hogan only played in one Open Championship, but he left an indelible mark on the east coast of Scotland with the way he won the sport’s oldest major and the way he prepared for it.

The Hawk won the 1953 Open at Carnoustie Golf Links by shooting a final-round 68 while battling flu, beating four men by four strokes on his only trip to Scotland, which came four years after a car crash that nearly cost him his life.

However, that journey began two weeks earlier, when Hogan, accompanied only by his caddie Cecil Timms, arrived at Panmure to acclimate himself to the terrain of links golf and to familiarise himself with the smaller 1.62-inch ball then in use in Britain.

Hogan was the only Open competitor who had the privilege of playing at Panmure, a very private club at the time, and was able to practice away from the prying eyes of the public and the press.

He never played in the Open again, but his legacy at Panmure remains. The 6th hole, a 414-yard par 4, stroke index 1, was Hogan’s favourite hole on the course and is now named after him. He suggested the club build a strategically placed pot bunker to the front right of the green. It was, and still is, known as Hogan’s Bunker.

The other legendary story from Hogan’s Panmure experience occurred on the 401-yard par-4 17th hole.^th. Hogan liked the green and spent a lot of time putting, but he wanted it to be faster, so he asked head greenkeeper William Falconer if the mower could cut the green a little tighter. Falconer said it was possible, but pointed to the mower and mentioned that Hogan was welcome to do it himself. He did, and it is said that he later returned the mower to Falconer in pristine condition after insisting on cleaning it first.

Hogan never returned to Scotland and the victory at Carnoustie was his last major win. The Scots still call him ‘Wee Ice Mon’ because of his steely demeanor, determination and ability to perform under pressure. The Open victory and his presence at Panmure in the preceding weeks were enough to make Hogan a legend in the region forever.

Panmure remains a private club but welcomes visitors who want to experience the authentic, classic links. Are you ready to take on the Hogan challenge?

Visit https://www.panmuregolfclub.co.uk