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Taymouth Castle Golf Course, Kenmore, Perthshire. (1923 – 2018)

The first club to appear on the Taymouth Castle Hydro Course was the Kenmore Golf Club in 1923.

Taymouth Castle Golf Club appears in 1930. 

The club/course went into abeyance in 2018.

The development of a completely new complex including a golf course began in 2023. There will be nothing remaining of the former course.

Report on the Taymouth Castle Hydro Course in August 1923.

Perthshire Advertiser Saturday 25 August 1923. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

A sweepstake competition was played in October 1923. The winner was Robert Carlin with a sore of 71. The runner-up was his brother, William Carlin with 74.

Report on the first annual meeting of the Kenmore club in April 1924.

Perthshire Advertiser Saturday 5 April 1924. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Postcard showing the Taymouth Castle Hydro.

From the ScotsmanTuesday 11 March 1924 – “Green-keeper for Taymouth Castle Golf Course. Apply stating experience to Secretaries, Taymouth Castle Hydro Hotel Ltd., 7 West George Street, Glagow”.

The Kenmore Golf Club continued to play competitions the course until WW2.

In 1925 an 18-hole course was designed by James Braid and was set in the grounds of Taymouth Castle. The course was laid out in the former deer park of the Taymouth estate within the valley of the River Tay. The course had spectacular views of the surrounding countryside including the peaks of the Lawers range, Loch Tay, and the wooded slopes of the Drummond Hill.

Report on the course from March 1925.

Dundee Courier Friday 20 March 1925. Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

The Ram’s Head Golf Trophy to be played in May 1929.

Dundee Courier Saturday 27 April 1929. Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of the Ram's Head trophy below.

Dundee Courier Monday 6 May 1929. Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Report on the annual meeting of the Taymouth Castle Golf Club in April 1930.

Perthshire Advertiser Wednesday 2 April 1930. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Pictures of Taymouth Castle and golf course 1920/30s.

Entry from the 1933 to 1937 Golfer’s Handbook; Taymouth Golf Club; Membership 106; Hon. secretary, W H Steen; professional and green-keeper, Alex Learmonth; 18-holes; Course records  - Amateur; J Caven, 66; Professional; A Learmonth, 66; Visitors’ fees , 5 shillings a da; Sunday play.

Report on the course from March 1934.

Dundee Evening Telegraph Thursday 22 March 1934. Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of a match played at Killin in June 1937.

Perthshire Advertiser Saturday 19 June 1937. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of a match played at Taymouth Castle in May 1938.

Perthshire Advertiser Wednesday 11 May 1938. Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of a mixed foursome played by the Kenmore Club in August 1939. Winners, Mrs J Menzies and J Douglas; Runners-up, Mrs Moir and A Learmonth; Third equal, Mrs Douglas and W Innes;  Miss R Fraser and  J Anderson.

Entry from the 1947 to 1957 Golfer’s Handbook; Taymouth Golf Club; Membership 100; Hon. secretary, J R Davidson; Professional and green-keeper, A Learmonth; 18-holes, Par 74, SSS 72; Course records – Amateur; W Campbell, 70; Professional; A Learmonth, 63; Visitors’ fees, 3s a day, 12s/6d a week, 30s a month.

Although the course is listed as 18-holes in the Golfer’s Handbook above the course was reduced to nine-holes at the time of WW2 until 1953.

Report on the extension of the course to its pre-war 18-holes in June 1953.

Dundee Courier Saturday 20 June 1953. Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Golfer’s Handbook 1957; Membership 100; Hon. secretary, J R Davidson; Professional and green-keeper, A Learnmonth; 18-holes, Par 74, SSS 72; Courserecords; Amateur – A N Campbell, 70; Professional, A Learnmonth, 63; Visitors, 3s a day, 12s/6d a week, 3s a month; Sunday Play.

Golfer’s Handboook 1961; Membership 90; Hon.secretary, William Finlayson; Professional. A Learnmonth; Course records; Amateur course record – Jack McLean, 66; Professional – P A Learnmonth, 63; 18-holes, Par 74, SSS 70; Visitors, 6s a day; 25s a week, 40s a month, 7s/6d Sunday.

Golfer’s Handbook 1964 – 1972; Membership 90; Hon.secretary, William Finlayson; Professional. A Learnmonth; Course records; Amateur course record – J S Pollock, 63; Professional – P A Learnmonth, 63; 18-holes, Par 73, SSS 70; Visitors, 6s a round, 10s a day; £2 a week, £4 a month, 15s Sunday.

Golfer’s Handbook 1982; Membership 60; Secrtary, S T Finlayson; Professional, A Marshall; 18-holes, 6,087 yards, SSS 69; Amateur course record – J S Pollock, 63; Visitors, £1.75p,( £2 weekend).

Competition in April 1985.

The Scotsman Saturday 20 April 1985. Image © National World Publishing Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

In October 1982 Alex Mitchell, director at Taymouth Castle, holed his nine iron tee shot at the 140 yard fifteenth hole, he was  playing with Tom Hunter, assistant professional at Crieff Golf Club.

Golfer’s Handbook 1988; Membership 200; Professional, A Marshall; 18-holes, 6,066 yards, SSS 69; Amateur course record – M M Niven, 63; Visitors, £8 a round, £12 a day (£10 - £15 weekend); Juniors half price..

Golfer’s Handbook 1991 – 1994; Membership 200; Golf director, M J Mulcahey; Professional, A Marshall; 18-holes, 6,066 yards, SSS 69; Amateur course record – M M Niven, 63; Visitors, 1991; £11 - £17 (£15 - £22); 1994; £14 - £22 (£18).

The fourth hole in June 1995.

The Scotsman Tuesday 27 June 1995. Image © National World Publishing Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

The following report accompanied the above picture; “The fourth at Taymouth Castle – If at first you don’t succeed ... then it can become very trying for the players behind. The fourth at Taymouth Castle is one of those holes that cause horrendous hold-up problems. The reason? Water! The hole is a par 3 – 170 yards for the men, 130 yards for the women – and it is virtually all carry over a pond. To add to the frustration a large tree guards the left-hand side of the green, and three bunkers surround it. There is a chicken’s way out down the right-hand side, but who would take that as a first option? The hole is called Surprise, and the major cause of consternation is the number of balls you can lose in the drink. “Ive seen people try and try to get over without success,” said the gleeful starter in the shop (“just call me Rob”). “It can cause a lot of bother for the players coming behind. So if you do get stuck in try, trry and try again trap, take a tip, and play safe down the right. It will stop you running out of balls and help ease the congerstion behind. But no wonder Rob was smiling – the pond is dredged regularly and provides the club with a lucrative business in pond balls. But while the fourth may be costly to both your card and your pocket, the Taymouth Castle course at Kenmore provides more than ample compensation by way of glorious views. In terms of beauty, it must rate as one of Scotland’s finest. A parkland course situated in a valley and lined by trees, it affords wonderful views across Loch Tay.”

Golfer’s Handbook 1998; Membership 200; Golf director, A A MacTaggart; Professional, A Marshall; 18-holes, 6,0066 yards, SSS 69; Visitors, £16 - £26 (£20 - £36).

Golfer’s Handbook 2002 – 2004; Membership 200; Golf director, A A Mac. Taggart; Professional, G Dott; 18-holes, 6,066 yards, SSS 69; Visitors; 2002, £20 - £30 (£24 - £38); 2004, £22 - £32 (£26 – £40).

In November 2010 the Taymouth Estate was purchased with the intention of developing the Castle into a luxury hotel and also creating leisure and residential properties around the Estate. These plans included extensive remodelling and upgrading work to the golf course which was to commence in February 2011.

Revised course layout in 2011.

The secretary in the Golfer’s Handbook from 2012 – 2014 was W R McGregor.

The Golfer’s Handbook ceased publication in 2015.

The following message appeared on the club website page – “The Secretary is unable to give any information regarding Taymouth Castle Golf Course as the course has been closed for many years.”

Pictures below are of the course prior to closure. 

Thanks to Dr Douglas Lockhart who visited the deserted course on the 28 September 2021 and provided the images below. The golf course was in poor condition, the fairways had been cut but the greens were very untidy and had attracted the attention of rabbits.

In 2023 the area occupied by the former course was being bulldozed to make way for the development of a new hotel and golf resort. Douglas is hoping to visit the site in the spring of 2024 and will update us on the progress made on the new development.

Par three hole.

Close up of a damaged green.

Pictures above of holes near the driveway that linked Kenmore village with the Castle.

Above holes you pass walking from the village.

Around the Castle.

Thanks to Douglas Lockhart who visited the site on 10 April 2024 and provided the pictures below. A miserable dull day with eventual heavy rain. Transition of the course underway.

View of the course from the road between Kenmore and Abefeldy.

Above pictures of a former hole at the western (village) end of the golf course.

Construction compound.