SILLOTH, England — Playing golf in the UK and Ireland is always enjoyable. Playing pure links golf ratchets up that enjoyment meter quite a touch. But finding a true hidden gem that happens to sit on prime, untouched links land? Well, that is an unforgettable golfing moment.
In the northwest corner of England, where the Romans famously built Hadrian’s Wall as a defensive fortification for Britannia, sits a course on the rugged shores of the Solway Firth, just south of the resort town of Silloth.
Silloth on Solway Golf Club is a place where Mother Nature clearly decided a golf course should reside, using all her powers to make it both visually spectacular and deeply challenging. But she certainly didn’t make it easy to get to; the layout leaves you with the distinct impression that you have to truly want to experience it.
Off the Beaten Path
The club is located far off the beaten path of the M6 motorway near Carlisle, requiring travelers to meander down side roads hugging the Solway coast. To traverse the 24 miles between modern civilization and Silloth, you will spend about 45 minutes winding down a two-lane road cut through the English countryside — unless, of course, you run into a farm tractor, which stretches the journey even longer.
Once you arrive in Silloth — a resort town since well before the golf club’s inception — you drive past traditional, historic homes before reaching the Silloth Docks. At the docks, you navigate up a small hill and park behind the clubhouse. It is a structure that proudly wears its history, resembling many traditional clubhouses across the UK with its red-brick foundation, white-painted main walls and a classic red roof.
Stepping Back in Time
As you walk around the clubhouse and emerge near the first tee, it feels as though you have been transported back in time. The opening hole does not disappoint, flanked by dense patches of gorse, heather, ferns and local links fauna shaping the fairway.
The view is spectacular. Standing on the first tee while feeling the brisk sea breeze coming off Silloth Bay, a golfer immediately experiences the beauty that will run through your veins over the next 18 holes. Time after time, the layout delivers a massive “wow” factor while providing a tactical challenge that forces you to think over every single shot.
A Masterpiece of Classic Architecture
To provide some historical context, the course was originally laid out in 1892 by David Grant. Over time, legendary architects Willie Park Jr. and Dr. Alister MacKenzie visited the property, leaving their own indelible marks on the terrain.
Though considered architecturally incorrect by rigid modern design standards, dramatic blind shots dot the property, adding to the sheer charm and unpredictability of the layout. Currently ranked 21st among the best golf courses in England, Silloth on Solway maintains its exceptional quality from the first tee to the final green.
The great golf writer Bernard Darwin first visited the links in 1925. Like most who make the pilgrimage, he was instantly awestruck by the raw landscape.
“I never more violently fell in love with a course at first sight,” he wrote.
Over a century later, Darwin’s sentiment still rings entirely true. Silloth on Solway remains a timeless playground that a golfer will fall in love with at first sight.
