A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer
Stirlingshire
Alloa, Clackmannanshire
Plate II — Parkland course — tree-lined fairways, year-round play
Schawpark course designed by James Braid. Mature parkland in the Ochil foothills.
From the Notebook
Alloa Golf Club plays on the Schawpark estate course in the Ochil foothills above Alloa — parkland laid out originally in the early 1900s and redesigned by James Braid in 1926, when Braid was at the height of his course-design career across central Scotland. Par 69, 5,756 yards. The Ochil Hills rise steeply to the north; the course uses the valley ground below them, with the escarpment as a visual backdrop to most of the round.
The Braid redesign gave the course its current character: narrow fairways through mature beech and oak, approach shots to well-bunkered greens that require accuracy rather than length. The 11th and 12th, playing along a wooded burn, are the most technically demanding holes. Conditioning is consistently good — the Schawpark estate soil drains well after rain.
Green fee £25–40. Alloa is the best-known of the Clackmannanshire courses and the natural centrepiece of any circuit through the Ochils. It pairs well with Tillicoultry — though that club closed in 2009 — and with the surviving courses at Dollar and Muckhart nearby. The town of Alloa is an unpretentious base for a day of Stirlingshire golf.
The Full Scorecard
Plan This Round
Where to Stay
Hotels, lodges and self-catering near the first tee. Map-style search via Stay22 covering Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and Vrbo.
How to Get There
Edinburgh (EDI) is 75 minutes away by car. Train + onward taxi works for the carless visitor.
Insure Your Round
Most home contents policies don't cover golf clubs in transit. The picker matches you to the right kind of cover in two minutes.
Played here? Consider
Course-tuned recommendations, not generic gear lists.
Outerwear
The mid-weight option for parkland — fully waterproof but lighter than the wind-spec links jackets. Packs into a back-pocket pouch when the sun comes out.
Layer
Scotland's premium sportswear name. Cut for a swing rather than a jog; the moisture-wicking suits warmer parkland rounds where the wind isn't doing the work.
Tech
Tree-lined parkland holes are exactly the situation where a rangefinder pays for itself. The V6's slope mode is allowed in any non-tournament round.
★ The Sunday Post ★
One short Scottish-golf email every Sunday. No sales pitch.
The Sunday Post
One email, most Sundays. No sales pitch.
Stays Nearby
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of Alloa. Tap any property to check rates.
Rates and availability via Stay22. We may earn a small commission if you book — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work.
Frequently Asked
Nearby courses
Read more about Stirlingshire
Spotted a wrong fee, a closed course, or a typo on this page?
Email us a correction →