Brunston Castle Club History
Our course is in its twenty second year now. Starting from a couple of temporary shacks with us all huddled together, being brought snacks and soups from our then Stewards' Bakery business in the village, through a few dodgy years of survival on the cashflow front, to now when we have a mature course and excellent Clubhouse.
Brunston Castle has hosted Championships for the Ayrshire Men, Scottish Youths, Scottish Juniors, the Scottish Ladies Foursomes, as well as the West Inter-County Jamboree, where the Ayrshire Ladies Team, [including one very young Pamela Feggans] walked off with the Trophy.
The original course has been changed quite a bit to deal with problems of drainage, the rampant growth of the grass and clover making the rough a real hazard. Several lakes have been added, rough and fairways curved and layered, and some tees brought forward for both men and ladies.
While we are lucky with wildlife - swans. ducks, grouse, herons and deer coming to visit our course, the hawks, foxes and weasels have found easy prey especially in frozen winters. In spring the woodpeckers can be heard, usually as we putt! - and there is a kingfisher that rather likes the area around the 16th green. In spring the frog spawn is everywhere and the herons are feasting.
For anyone used to town and city courses, the silence is wonderful, though the lambs like to make themselves heard as they grow up. The occasional train or lorry passes in the distance but otherwise it is the perfect haven from the bustle of life.
European visitors to the Seasons Resort are overwhelmed at the scenery - in winter, spring, summer and autumn. A look around in almost any weather, any season reminds us how lucky we are to play golf in the Dailly Valley. [see pix - and contribute!]
The Clubhouse is far removed from our PortaKabins. Friendly staff, 'dirty bar' and upstairs lounge/dining area with superb views. The perfect pitstop after 9 or 18 holes; a wonderful chocolate cake if you get the right days.
Midsummer's Day: June 2010.
Like all clubs in SW Scotland the membership is small which means everyone has to pull their weight and in return we are able to turn up and play almost whenever we like. There is a full schedule of competitions, stroke- and match-play; there are also 6 Open Competitions and member/guest days as well as, obviously, visiting parties. At the moment, as we are in administration and special arrangements have to be made for matches, Opens and visitors. Maureen or one of the Committee is at the end of the phone and all attempts will be made to accommodate your plans. It might be a long course but both halves of 9 are perfect for a Sunday afternoon or a spring night when the daylight stretches.
As all small clubs do, we try and accommodate everyone, from the early birds, the full time workers and mothers, to the shift workers. It is not always easy! The clubgolfers and full time juniors have done their etiquette homework and are unfailingly polite, but take them on for a match at your peril. They are pretty hot stuff, keen as mustard.
We did have a thriving clubgolf program and with excellent facilities and several Level 1 coaches and others 'in training'. There is a 5 hole Blue course for the wee ones to master, then a 9 hole one. Once they turn their noses up at that as they pass the 'ok' hurdle, it is on to the Yellow Card - or Red for girls. Things are a bit on hold at the moment with the Clubhouse being shut too early for the parents to chill while the young ones play. Hopefully things will be back to normal as soon as possible.
Some clubs are going along the MAD line - [mothers and daughters] - and with our club grants we will hopefully get this going at Brunston.
