The course has been altered with the 18 hole round being replaced by two loops of nine giving accessible opportunity for shorter golf.
How do you move a clubhouse to the middle of a golf course?
Answer: create two loops of nine holes.
Stonehenge might have been easier to move. Yet that is what Linlithgow Golf Club have done.
Though, in this case, the Mountain has been brought to Mohammed – the clubhouse remains where it is and the golf course has been moved to encompass it.
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The clubhouse is now in the middle of the golf course.
Linlithgow Golf Club has cut the grass of tradition. Out for nine and back for nine, and God Bless the 19th. That’s a fair way on a narrow sandy links course ‘wi’ a hauf-wey-hoose’ for relief and refreshment.
But let’s be honest, in 2026 does everyone want to spend four hours chasing a dimpled wee white ball through the wilderness with a stick?
In the pandemic, golf was the only sport that could manage physical distancing. A great time for golf club popularity and membership soared. In 2026 we have new realities. And shorter golf is one.
Eighteen holes remains the pre-eminent competitive format and is the mainstay at Linlithgow. However, the new World Handicap System enables both 18 and nine hole formats.
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The club has altered one hole to create two loops of nine holes without the need to demolish and rebuild the clubhouse.
From a golfing perspective this has allowed the creation of a new par 5 “dog-leg” from a superb new tee using the contours and natural hazards of the course to better effect.
For the “consumer” the opportunity to stop off for food, refreshment and comfort at the comprehensively appointed clubhouse is a joy. The Clubhouse is a popular place to eat in Linlithgow, whether golfer or passer-by.
The fully stocked bar and restaurant allow time for contemplation in a convivial atmosphere with stunning views toward the Ochils and the Trossachs.
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