Stuart Macfarlane: Lanark Golf Club member aims to play every Scottish golf course

Having already played all 522 of Scotland’s mainland courses, golf fan Stuart Macfarlane was on Bute last week making inroads on playing all of this country’s 34 island layouts.
By Craig Goldthorp
Published 3rd Jun 2019, 17:48 BST
Stuart Macfarlane played Rothesay golf course last Wednesday (Submitted pic)Stuart Macfarlane played Rothesay golf course last Wednesday (Submitted pic)
Stuart Macfarlane played Rothesay golf course last Wednesday (Submitted pic)

“Some of my fellow golfers at Lanark and some work colleagues came with me to Rothesay,” 15-handicap Lanark Golf Club member Stuart (72) told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette.

“I managed to play all three courses last Wednesday and Thursday despite the wet weather.

“I had already played 14 of the island courses.

“Recently I played two on Mull and four on Arran.

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“I’ve not set an exact time scale as to when I want to play all the island courses by, as I don’t think that’s feasible.

“There are so many other things to adhere to in life.

“Places like Orkney and Shetland are difficult to get to logistically, but I’ll do my best.

“There are six courses on Orkney and two on Shetland.

“I’ll really need to set aside reasonable time to get there and do what needs to be done.

“I have been doing the easy ones like Arran, Bute and Mull, the ones you can easily get to by ferry.”

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Stuart – who for many years worked as a senior HR manager for British Steel – began playing several different Scottish courses back in the 1960s, when the then Airdrie Golf Club member would play three or four different layouts a year with pals.

The Lanark member said he also wants to do the Inner and Outer Hebrides courses this year, as well as Harris, North Uist and South Uist.

“I’m doing this because I think you always have to be setting yourself targets in life,” he added. “I’m not getting any younger, so it can be tough playing two golf courses a day.

“Lamlash and Whiting Bay golf courses can be like certical golf with the amount of climbing.

“Sometimes I overdo it a bit but the body is holding up.

“I’ve had great support from my wife Anne, who has accompanied me on some of the golfing trips, and my son Iain has an amount of admiration for what I’m doing.”