Ralston at Ralston Golf Club

Ralston Golf Club sits in Paisley, Renfrewshire, in Scotland's central lowlands west of Glasgow. The course was designed by Willie Fernie and later revised by James Braid, two prominent figures in early Scottish golf course architecture. Fernie, a four-time Open Championship runner-up and professional at Troon, laid out courses throughout Scotland in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Braid, a five-time Open champion and prolific designer, modified numerous Scottish courses during his long career, bringing strategic refinement to existing layouts.

The course occupies parkland terrain typical of the region, with mature trees framing fairways and modest elevation changes that add variety to the routing. The land provides natural movement without severe slopes, allowing for a walking-friendly round that emphasizes positioning and accuracy over length. Braid's influence likely appears in the bunkering schemes and green complexes, where strategic options reward thoughtful play.

Ralston serves as a members' club with roots in the local golfing community of Renfrewshire, an area with deep connections to the game's development in Scotland. The club offers a traditional Scottish golf experience in a parkland setting, distinct from the links courses along the nearby Ayrshire coast but sharing the architectural principles of the era in which it was shaped. The course reflects the practical design sensibilities of its architects, providing varied holes that test different aspects of the game without relying on artificial difficulty.