Southerness Golf Club, 14th Hole

A new par-5 proposed to replace a flat inland hole with a more engaging and varied three-shotter, using Criffel as a visual focus and creating a stronger transition towards the 15th.

The proposed 14th turns inland towards Criffel, replacing a flatter hole with a more engaging par-5.

Project Type

New hole design

Landscape

Links

Location

Southerness, Scotland

Status

In construction

Services

Strategic Design, Routing

Context

A new par-5 aimed towards Criffel.

Following the proposed new 13th along the Solway Firth, the 14th turns inland and creates a longer, more engaging par-5. The hole is designed to replace a comparatively flat and less memorable part of the routing with a stronger strategic sequence, using existing unused land, the practice ground and a direct view towards Criffel.

The proposal also helps resolve practical issues around the existing practice ground, creating space for a more accessible practice area and a much-needed turf nursery close to the greenkeeping compound. The result is both a stronger golf hole and a more useful long-term arrangement for the club.

The proposed 14th uses Criffel as a long visual backdrop and creates a more purposeful inland turn within the revised sequence.

Analysis

What the new 14th needed to achieve.

The new 14th had to do more than replace an existing hole. It needed to improve variety, strengthen the routing and create a more memorable inland transition after the coastal 13th.

Routing flow

The hole forms the second part of a revised sequence through the 13th to 15th corridor, allowing the routing to move from the edge of the Firth back inland in a more purposeful way.

Strategic placement

As a par-5, the hole is structured around the question of position. The second shot is not simply about advancing the ball, but about finding the correct angle and distance for the final approach.

Landscape backdrop

The new line of play takes direct aim at Criffel, replacing weaker visual backdrops with a much stronger relationship to the wider Southerness landscape.

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Slide left to reveal the reversible routing

Replacing a flat hole with a more strategic par-5.

The new 14th is intended to add scale, variety and placement strategy to the round. Rather than simply extending the course, the proposal creates a hole where the second shot determines the quality of the final approach.

Proposal

Key recommendations.

The 14th is designed to add variety, improve the routing sequence and create a more visually memorable par-5 within the closing third of the round.

Create a true par-5

Introduce a three-shot hole where position and angle shape the final approach.

Aim towards Criffel

Use one of the site’s strongest distant landmarks as a visual anchor for the hole.

Use heather strategically

Allow the existing heather and ground texture to help define the playing strategy and character of the hole.

Improve club infrastructure

Use the rerouting to create a more accessible practice area and space for a turf nursery near the greenkeeping compound.

The new par-5 turns inland towards Criffel, giving this part of the routing a stronger visual focus.

The hole uses existing ground and open land to create a broader, more strategic playing corridor.

A new tee beside the 14th green allows the 15th to be played from a more interesting angle.

Design Approach

Turning inland without losing drama.

The challenge of the proposed 14th was to follow a short, coastal par-4 with a hole of different scale and character. Rather than continuing along the edge of the Firth, the new par-5 turns inland and uses the distant view of Criffel as a powerful visual anchor.

The hole is designed as a true three-shotter, with the principal challenge lying in finding the best position for the final approach. Heather and existing ground texture form an important part of the strategy, creating a hole where placement matters more than simple length.

By replacing a flatter hole with greenkeeping sheds and the caravan park as its backdrop, the new 14th improves the visual composition of this part of the course. It also creates a better transition to the existing 15th, where a new tee can alter the angle of play and open a longer view beyond the green towards Brandy Cove.

On the ground