A day out at Drumoig Golf Club shows why golf still matters to Dundee

On the driving range!

There is something special about heading across the Tay on a bright, mild day with a plan in mind. For me and my brother, that plan was simple - spend the day at Drumoig Golf Club and finally give golf another proper go.

Although Drumoig sits over in Fife, it feels surprisingly close to Dundee. In many ways, that is part of the appeal. It is far enough away to feel like a proper day out, but near enough that you can get there with ease. We hopped on the bus from the Seagate, crossed the Tay Bridge with the sun shining across the river, and before long we had arrived literally outside the entrance to Drumoig Golf Club itself.

Straight away, the surroundings set the tone for the day. Drumoig has that peaceful atmosphere that instantly makes you slow down a bit. The traffic noise disappears, the open landscape takes over, and there is a calmness to the place that feels refreshing. On a warm spring or summer day, it is exactly the sort of setting that reminds you how lucky we are to have places like this right on Dundee’s doorstep.

Our visit focused on the driving range, where we met Stuart Syme, a PGA professional who guided us through the basics and showed us the ropes. For anyone who has never tried golf before, or perhaps not picked up a club in years, having somebody experienced there to help makes a massive difference. Stuart immediately made the experience feel relaxed and welcoming rather than intimidating.

That is one of the misconceptions people often have about golf. From the outside, it can sometimes seem exclusive or difficult to break into. In reality, experiences like this show the complete opposite. The session felt approachable, enjoyable, and genuinely fun from the very start.

The driving range set-up itself is fantastic. Spacious, modern, and surrounded by greenery, it creates the perfect environment to practise in peace. What stood out most was just how quiet and relaxing it all felt. Aside from the sound of golf balls being struck and clubs swinging through the air, there was barely any noise at all. It was almost therapeutic at times.

One of the most impressive parts of the experience was getting to use TrackMan technology throughout the driving range session. The high-tech system uses monitors positioned around the range to track every shot in real time, showing exactly how far the golf balls travelled alongside detailed statistics about each swing.

Watching the data appear instantly after every shot added a completely different dimension to the experience and made it feel incredibly modern and interactive. It was especially satisfying seeing the distances improve with practice as Stuart guided us through the basics.

For beginners, it is a brilliant way to learn because you can physically see your progress shot by shot, while more experienced golfers can analyse every detail of their technique. It is easy to see why technology like TrackMan has become such a huge part of modern golf training at every level of the game.

For me personally, the experience carried even more significance. Being paralysed on the left-hand side, I was given a right-handed golf club to use, which immediately made the activity far more comfortable and accessible. It was a reminder that golf is actually an incredibly adaptable sport. There are ways to tailor the experience to different people and different physical needs, which is something that deserves to be highlighted more often.

Sport can sometimes feel inaccessible depending on circumstance, but golf has a flexibility to it that allows people to approach it in their own way and at their own pace. There is no pressure to rush. You gradually build confidence with every swing, every adjustment, and every bit of advice.

Of course, there were some hilariously bad shots mixed in with the decent ones. Balls flying off in directions they definitely were not supposed to go became part of the entertainment. But that is what makes a day like this memorable. You do not need to be brilliant at golf to enjoy it. Half the fun comes from learning, improving, and having a laugh along the way.

The visit also reminded me why golf has always been such an important part of Dundee’s identity and wider reputation. Across the world, golf and this part of Scotland are closely linked. People travel thousands of miles to experience courses, driving ranges, and golfing culture around the Tay region. It is woven into the area’s tourism, history, and economy.

That is why it still feels disappointing that Dundee lost major golfing facilities over recent years. The last time I personally did anything golf-related before this was at Camperdown Park several years ago, and it is a shame that opportunities within the city itself became more limited. Dundee still has respected courses such as Downfield and Ballumbie, but losing two of the city’s biggest municipal golfing sites never quite felt like the right move.

Encouragingly, there may finally be some momentum returning. Recent proposals from Glasgow-based charity Mountain Park to bring golf back to Caird Park are an exciting development that could help reconnect more people in Dundee with the sport again. If plans move forward, it is hoped the course could reopen as early as next year.

Projects like that matter because golf is not only about the sport itself. It is about accessibility, community, tourism, wellbeing, and giving people spaces to spend quality time outdoors. Experiences like our day at Drumoig show exactly why these facilities still have value.

What also became clear during our visit is that you do not need to commit to becoming a full-time golfer to enjoy places like this. A driving range session can simply be a fun activity for friends, families, couples, or even solo visitors looking to try something different. It sits somewhere between sport, leisure, and relaxation.

For Dundonians looking for an easy and surprisingly affordable day out close to home, Drumoig is well worth considering. The bus links make it accessible, the scenery is beautiful, and the atmosphere feels welcoming whether you are experienced or completely new to golf.

By the end of the session, standing there overlooking the range with the afternoon sun beginning to settle lower in the sky, it was hard not to feel appreciative of the experience. Sometimes the best days out are not the loudest or busiest ones. Sometimes they are simply about trying something new, getting outdoors, and enjoying good company in a great setting.

And for us, that is exactly what Drumoig Golf Club delivered.