Powfoot

"And the award for the cheapest round of top 100 golf in 2025" goes to... Powfoot.

While "cheap" might deter some, the green fee of £40 to £75 should be a lure. 

For players taking the short drive off the M74, the reward is a fun and challenging round on a course in excellent condition, with great views across the Solway Firth to Silloth.

Surprisingly, despite its proximity to our home course in Silloth, Powfoot's fairways were in better shape than those of its English neighbour, thanks to the early-season rain that kept them lush. 

I found the drives more intimidating than on many other courses on our 2025 Scottish odyssey. 

For instance, the first hole, a short par-four, has out-of-bounds on the right and thick bushes on the left. 

On the second hole, a warning sign on the tee advises golfers to report errant shots into the nearby caravan park to the pro shop.

The fence is tight on the right, but the hole's most memorable feature is the stunning Solway backdrop.

Even at only 6,274 yards from the white tees, Powfoot packs a punch. The rolling fairways are narrow, and the tee complexes are fiendish. 

The par-four fifth seems like a shoo-in at 272 yards, but the prevailing wind can blow the ball toward four nasty pot bunkers on the right. Bushes at the back of the hole also threaten anyone too aggressive.

My driving was unusually wild, but I was lucky enough to find the light rough until the ninth, when I hooked a shot into a bush.

This is one of Powfoot’s quirkiest holes, featuring a grass crater on the right of the fairway and a unique shelf on the green that sends the ball in unexpected directions.

The 11th was my favourite hole. The drive on this short par-four is blind, with bushes flanking an undulating fairway.

A viewing platform is necessary for players to spot each other's landing points and decide whether a reload is needed. The approach is tricky, as the green has a false front and a left-to-right slant.

The 200-yard 15th is the pick of the par-threes. I thought I hit a perfect three-wood, only to watch the ball swallowed by the bunker in front of the green.

The putting surface is fiendish, falling sharply from back to front. Mrs W impressed me by nailing a par here.

In fact, she was on to her best round of the year after making a par on Powfoot's signature hole, the par-four 16th.

This hole is 427 yards long from the white tee, with rough on the left and out-of-bounds on the right.

My drive landed in a dip, leaving a blind, long approach to a perched green protected by a right-side bunker.

The 17th, however, was Mrs W’s undoing when she pulled her drive into one of the thorny bushes on the left.

I had my best hole of the day, weaving between the six greenside bunkers to leave myself a 15-foot birdie putt that I narrowly missed.

We were fortunate to have good weather for our visit, unlike the competitors in the previous year's Girls Championship, who endured strong winds and fierce rain for three days.

Winner Chloe Tarbard had an excellent finish on the 18th, a challenging hole even in the sunshine.

My approach to the green leaked right toward a tree uncomfortably close to the car park.

Fortunately, the ball stayed in bounds by about an inch! I made a mess of the chip but did sink a long putt for bogey and two Stableford points. 

My overall score should have been better, but I hadn’t accounted for the nuances of Powfoot that locals would know.

It is truly a thinking player’s course and offers excellent value. Stay-and-play deals with nearby hotels are also available.