Western Gailes Historic Research Study

When a course has a design pedigree like Western Gailes, it seems only reasonable to
understand more about what remains of the original layout, what has changed and, if
known, why and when. This allows the Club to look after its heritage and also to use
these findings to underpin any future design decisions. The aerials that have been
sourced also give a fascinating insight into the course before any alterations were made
to the course.
Aerials have been acquired from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s which allow a clear picture
to be painted of the course development since the 1940s. Apart from the 3rd to 5th holes,
the layout has remained largely unchanged in this time, with alterations focussing on
the bunkering and course length. Developments in golf ball and club technology have
forced the Club into changing some aspects of the course, but the framework has
remained the same for some time now.
Western Gailes is a fine example of a golf course that is laid out over the landscape with
the holes having the lightest of touches on the sand dunes on which it sits. There have
unsurprisingly been pressures on the course and, in places, amendments were needed.
The 3rd-5th holes were adjusted for the incursion of Marine Drive and the 10th and 17th
holes needed to be modified due to the wartime tank manoeuvres that took place in the
dunes and on the beach.
For the past decades since that work was done, the layout has remained largely
unchanged. The character to the course has evolved in that time with the dunes
gradually becoming increasingly cloaked with vegetation and bunkers becoming
significantly smaller, with many being split into two or even three when they are being
revetted. This is the reason why the overall bunker count appears steady, when many
bunkers have been filled in over the past 50 years or more.
The Plan From the 1947 Club History