Cawder Golf Club
James Braid laid out Cawder in the 1930s on the wooded parkland north of Glasgow, where the club fields two contrasting courses. The longer Cawder plays to a par 70 of about 6,279 yards, while the gentler Keir is a par 68, a smart and good value Braid double on the city's doorstep.
Photo: kevin carr via Google.
The verdict
Cawder Golf Club was founded in 1933 and opened the Cawder course, its championship eighteen, in 1934 to a routing by five time Open champion James Braid. A second course, the Keir, fills out a fine parkland property at Bishopbriggs, just north of Glasgow and inside easy reach of the city, the airport and the road north.
This is not a marquee links, and that is the point. Cawder is a well kept, strategically bunkered Braid parkland that rewards position over power, with mature trees and greens that ask for a deft touch. For a visiting golfer it is an easy, good value round to slot in around Glasgow, a useful warm up before the famous links of Ayrshire and the Highlands.
Cawder Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1934
- Designer
- James Braid
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- About 6,279 yds
- Green fee
- Visitors welcome
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Cawder Golf Club and leading course databases. The Cawder course was laid out by James Braid and opened in 1934, a par 70 of about 6,279 yards, with the par 68 Keir course alongside. Cawder welcomes visitors and societies at published rates; figures move with the season, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Cawder is classic James Braid parkland, the championship course winding through mature trees on rolling ground where position off the tee matters far more than raw length. Braid set his bunkers to pinch the ideal line, so the player who thinks around the course is rewarded over the one who simply lets it fly.
The greens are the heart of the test, firm and subtly sloped, asking for controlled approaches and a sure touch on the lag putts. With the shorter Keir course alongside, the club offers two distinct rounds, the Cawder the sterner of the pair.
The closing holes turn for home through the timber, the bunkering tightening the driving lines and the greens demanding precise pace. It is honest, enjoyable golf that gives its best to the patient ball striker, an ideal companion round on a wider Scottish trip.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members club that welcomes visitors and societies on both the Cawder and Keir courses, subject to availability |
| Green fee | Visitor and society green fees apply and vary by day and season; current rates are published by the club (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Book a tee time through the golf shop or the club website; weekday play is the easiest to secure |
| On the day | Walking parkland with carts available; the Braid bunkering rewards position, so plot your way around |
| Getting there | Bishopbriggs, just north of Glasgow, about 20 minutes from the city center and close to the M80 |
| Best months | May to September for the longest, driest days, with spring and early autumn offering quieter tee sheets |
Access and fee details verified June 2026; rates and visitor policy change, so always confirm directly with the golf shop before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Glasgow makes the natural base for a round at Cawder, a lively city of hotels, restaurants and culture barely twenty minutes from the first tee, and an ideal hub for golf that fans out across the west of Scotland. Bishopbriggs and the northern suburbs offer quieter, convenient lodging on the doorstep.
For a golf focused trip, a Glasgow base pairs Cawder with the Ayrshire coast and the road to the Highlands. It is a practical region to build a wider Scottish tour around, combining accessible parkland with the championship links a short drive away.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Cawder Golf Club.
Build a Glasgow golf trip
We secure tee times at Cawder, pair them with the best of west Scotland and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Cawder Golf Club questions
Who designed Cawder Golf Club and when did it open?
The Cawder course was designed by five time Open champion James Braid and opened in 1934, the year after the club was founded in 1933. The club's second course, the Keir, sits on the same Bishopbriggs property.
What is the par and length of Cawder?
The championship Cawder course is a par 70 of about 6,279 yards, while the shorter Keir course plays to a par 68 of about 5,871 yards.
Can visitors play Cawder Golf Club?
Yes. Cawder welcomes visitors and societies on both courses subject to availability, with green fees that vary by day and season. Book through the golf shop and confirm current rates before travelling.
Where is Cawder Golf Club?
Cawder is at Bishopbriggs, just north of Glasgow in East Dunbartonshire, about 20 minutes from the city center and close to the M80.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.