About the course
Downfield is a mature parkland course on the north-west side of Dundee, laid out over undulating ground with long stretches of woodland. A distinctive feature is the network of water ditches that cross several fairways, which gives the course a feel quite unlike the links of the nearby Angus coast.
Golf in the area began with a nine-hole course called Baldovan, founded in 1895, whose first clubhouse was an old horse-drawn tramcar. That course was lost to farming during the First World War, and the club was re-formed in 1932 on fields rented from the Camperdown estate, with the layout of that era credited to James Braid. When Dundee expanded in the early 1960s, the council exchanged land for part of the course, and C. K. Cotton reshaped it in 1964, keeping five of the earlier holes. In 1999 Paul Lawrie came through Open Final Qualifying here before going on to win at Carnoustie.
The course is long and asks for solid driving, as the trees punish anything that strays from the fairway. The ditches must be judged carefully from the tee, and changes of level make some approaches longer than they look. The greens are generous in size but bunkered close to the putting surfaces, so a good score depends on accurate iron play.
Why we recommend it
Downfield is the best parkland golf in the Dundee area and a welcome change of pace during a links-heavy trip. Tree-lined fairways and well-defended greens make it a serious, fair test that has hosted the Scottish Open in the past. It is little known outside Scotland, so it often feels quiet. Carnoustie is about a 20-minute drive away, which makes Downfield a natural partner for a few days in Angus.
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| Ranking Scotland | 66 |
| Architect | James Braid |
| Year of foundation | 1932 |
| Par Course | 72 |
| Number of holes | 18 |