How this municipal golf course saved itself

The challenges faced by municipal golf courses have been deeply felt in recent years, with several throughout the UK closing and being left in a state of unkempt disrepair. 

Caird Park in Dundee was one such place, shutting down in the spring of 2025, which meant that public golf no longer existed in one of Scotland's largest cities and the closest one to the spiritual home of the game, St Andrews.

However, little over 20 miles down the road from Caird Park, there is an altogether different story unfolding, one of success, recovery and redemption as one of the world's most historic local authority run courses has made a transformative comeback.

The North Inch Golf Course in Perth was facing an uncertain future a decade ago. Participation numbers had declined, it was expensive for the council to maintain at diminishing returns, but things are now remarkably different.

Perth & Kinross Council established a plan to change its fortunes in 2016 and the rewards of that visionary effort, overseen by local professional, Golf Officer Niall McGill, are now fully apparent.

(Image Credit: North Inch Golf Course)

The Courier has reported on the disclosed facts from a recent Elected Member Briefing on 10th October 2025, with the subject of the meeting being the North Inch Golf Course Update.

Following the completion of an initial six-year business plan in 2022, which was hugely successful, a second phase was established through to the end of 2027 that has been engineered to take the facility to another level.

When this journey began, the North Inch was staring at ruin and the trajectory looked to be only going downwards, but that was reversed spectacularly:

North Inch Golf Course Growth Between 2016-2022

• Season ticket income increased from £26,200 to £106,500.
• Daily green fee income increased from £15,900 to £57,800.
• Total income increased from £42,200 to £174,300.
• Number of Season ticket holders increased from 175 to 444.
• Required subsidy reduced from £167,500 to £62,000. 

It's now been three years since the second part of the business plan was introduced and the progress has only continued:

North Inch Golf Course Growth Between 2022-2025

• Season ticket income increased from £106,500 to £120,000.
• Daily green fee income increased from £57,800 to £73,000. 
• Total income increased from £174,000 to £218,000. 
• Number of Season ticket holders increased from 444 to 703.
• Required subsidy reduced from £62,000 to £55,000. 

Simply put, in just nine years, the North Inch has increased its season ticket income by 358% and its green fee revenue by 359%. Combined, its overall income is now 416% greater than what it was a decade ago. That is absolutely staggering.

The number of paying season ticket golfers at the course has risen by 301% and what's even more exciting is the number of younger players who are part of that growth.

In 2022, the North Inch Junior Golf Club was created and there are now 229 junior season ticket holders - which is believed to be the highest of any venue in the county.

Determined to make further improvements while keeping the course both affordable and accessible, the horizon now looks bright and inviting for those who have turned the North Inch around in a fashion that must be viewed as a stunning triumph.

What You Need to Know About North Inch Golf Course

(Image Credit: North Inch Golf Course)

Perth is one of the most historic cities in Scotland and its long-standing connection to the game of golf is underappreciated. As Scottish Golf History reveals, the first recorded purchase of golf equipment was made in 1502 by King James IV from the city that was then commonly referred to as Sanct Johnestoun (Saint John's Town). Football aficionados may be aware that the local professional club St Johnstone FC owes its name to that heritage.

Golf has been played in Perth since those days, throughout the centuries, either on the North Inch or South Inch, the two public parks that sit either side of the city centre, but ultimately it would eventually be the North side of town where the sport retained permanent residence. 

There were six holes on the North Inch by 1803, but these were located on the southern part of the land that is now home to pitches for football, rugby and a cricket field. By the 1860s it became a 12-hole course before Old Tom Morris was tasked with creating an 18-hole layout in the 1890s. Young Tom Morris had made an early tournament outing at the Perth Open in 1864 as a 12-year-old.

Such was the nature of things in those days, given the fluidity of leased land, it was reduced in size again before recovering its full 18-hole status in 1927.

Members of the Royal Perth Golfing Society (which dates back to 1824) and the Perth Artisans still play here, as do Perth Ladies, The Letham Club and the Perth Railway Golf Club.

Elsewhere in Perth, King James VI Golf Club is located on Moncrieffe Island, following its move from the North Inch in 1897 to what is one of the more unique settings for a golf course anywhere in the country. Craigie Hill is the other layout that resides in the city, but its future survival sadly remains in doubt.

The rising star of Murrayshall is just a few miles from the city, while the likes of Gleneagles, Blairgowrie and Pitlochry are all part of the wider region.

Having spent years growing up in Perth, living there well into my 20s, I have played the North Inch on many occasions, but not since its transformative past decade, which is something that I must put right. 

It's a short course of just 5,442 yards from the white tees, but much of that can be attributed to its six par 3s, the majority of which are rather short, including one at 91 yards and another of just 78 yards.

The latter hole, the 16th, sits adajcent to the River Tay that flows through the city, which creates a wonderful setting. That water is a feature alongside much of the back-nine, making this a superb test of golf accompanied by some memorable scenery.

(Image Credit: North Inch Golf Course)

Adult green fees are £28 during weekdays and £32 at weekends, with reductions available for seniors, concessions and juniors. You can learn more and book your tee time today by visiting https://www.northinchgolf.co.uk/.

The recovery and now vibrancy of the North Inch is one of Scotland's truly feel-good golfing stories. 

It shows that municipal golf, when supported, protected and cared for, has so much to offer.