Buchanan Castle Golf Club

Buchanan Castle stands as a ruin on the hill above the 1st tee — roofless, window-empty, visible from most of the back nine. The castle was the seat of the Duke of Montrose until it was requisitioned during the Second World War for use as a military hospital; it was never re-roofed after the war and has been a listed ruin since the 1950s. Rudolf Hess, after parachuting into Scotland in 1941, was briefly held at Buchanan Castle during his initial interrogation. This detail appears in the club's history and is occasionally mentioned by caddies.

James Braid laid out the current course in 1936 on the estate's parkland, replacing an earlier 9-hole layout. The land is flat enough that Braid used the River Endrick — which runs along the southern boundary — and mature timber as the primary course defences rather than changes in elevation. The Endrick comes into play on four holes; the 7th, a short par 4 with the river running alongside the right edge of the fairway, is the one most visitors remember. Par is 70 across 6,000 yards, and the course is genuinely walkable without any steep climbs.

The setting on the edge of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park means Ben Lomond is visible from the higher points of the course, and the wooded estate feels more remote than the 45-minute drive from Glasgow suggests. Buchanan Castle is where Glasgow golfers come when they want something quieter and more pastoral than the city's parkland clubs.

Visitor fees of £55–£75. Weekend visitor access is limited — phone-ahead booking is required. The clubhouse is traditional and welcoming, with food served at lunch. The estate village of Drymen is five minutes away by car and has a couple of good pubs.