Poppy has already been mentioned in a couple of course overviews for us, but this is her first post from her first golfing outing. And despite a few learnings from her maiden outing, she was a very good girl…

This was to be Poppy’s introduction to dog golf since she was rehomed on her 1st birthday, in late 2022. Her people, David & Fiona, asked an incoming dog’s golfer for any tips – “take water, there’s none on the course”. So a bottle and bowl went into the bag, and Poppy drank it all on a hot sunny day. Other players were friendly and welcoming to her. It’s a pleasant parkland course, payment of £20 for 9 holes by honesty box. But as the golfers stood at the tee, looking up to the flag (a common Scottish golf course theme is to start uphill if possible), they thought this might be her first and last foray onto the fairways, such was her abject howling from the bench that she was temporarily tied to. However, she’s a wee daftie but not daft, and quickly settled to a routine of sitting or lying quietly in the shade of David’s golf bag while he played his shot.

It was a surprisingly challenging course, with 9 holes draped around and over that steep hill and a variety of terrain. Poppy tugged above her weight, so she was a serious liability for David carrying his bag while also attached to a cocker spaniel who wanted to run. Trouble came at a small woodland where he lost his ball: tied to the bag, Poppy followed him in to look for it, pulling the bag over and dragging most of the clubs out behind her and into the undergrowth. There were few bunkers to keep out of, and no wildlife to see or sniff, but the town made an attractive backdrop for the golfers. All three slept very well in the motorhome that night.

The club has catering and does take-away food, and is active socially. Castle Douglas is known as “the Food Town”, so there are several dozen independent businesses offering locally produced food, drink and speciality confectionary. Threave Gardens are nearby (National Trust for Scotland), and dogs are allowed on a lead – as a gardening school, it’s particularly interesting. You can also see Ospreys, Peregrines, Red Kites and maybe otters at the Threave Castle nature reserve a short drive away, with a boat

Another guest review of the 9 hole Dinvin course at Portpatrick Dunskey Golf Club, Dumfries & Galloway, by Fiona (walking) and David (golfing) with Chloe, on 3 May 2022. Fiona has helped with information on a number of Scottish courses, one of the most dog-friendly golfing areas in the world, so hopefully we will be graced with more reports from up north:

Chloe is a Working Cocker Spaniel, rescued at 4, then a fit age 12. She’s not allowed onto David’s own course (The Irvine Golf Club), so her golf walks are limited to our trips away in the motorhome. The Golf Pro said Chloe was very welcome on the Dinvin course on a lead, confirming the “walkers welcome” sign at the entrance. Players in the car park said a friendly hello to all of us. Chloe didn’t appreciate the cracking views to Ireland over the 18 hole Dunskey course on the way to the 1st tee. She doesn’t walk well on a lead and hates standing still, which isn’t ideal in a canine golfing companion. She found the Dinvin course very boring until a handsome male pheasant came out of the Dunskey estate woodlands that flank the first three holes. That cheered her up! The course was a bit like Chloe – small, quirky, and full of character. It was draped on a hillside looking inland over typical Galloway farmland, with rocky knolls, several steep ups and downs where Chloe almost pulled the walker over, very few bunkers, gorsey rough harbouring good smells for a spaniel, but no water hazards for drinking. Dinvin punched above its weight and was in very good condition: exceptional value at £12. There was no water dish back at the clubhouse, and we didn’t eat there as we’d lunched in the motorhome, but the dining room was busy. There is a good choice of places to eat down at pretty Portpatrick harbour, where there’s a small sandy beach at low tide that’s good for a dog runabout.

[Postscript – Chloe is no longer with us, after collapsing on a walk. New rescue Poppy is as yet untested as a golf companion.]