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As originally laid out, the first tee was the present 14th. At 400 yards this was 18 yards short of the present yellow tee but what is now a normally dry hollow short left of the green was a large water hazard. The second (15th) is little changed although generally played from the present white medal tee. The third (16th) was a little longer than now at 450 yards and declared a par 5. The fourth (17th) was played from the present yellow marker but had a deep bunker to the left of the green. The fifth (18th) was measured at 485 yards but a longer carry from the tee was required, particularly down the right hand side where the heather encroached further into the present fair-way. The sixth (Ist) had a wide cross bunker on the right of the first fairway which is now a grassy hollow. The seventh (2nd) was 410 yards, marginally longer than from the present yellow tee. The fairway was bunkered to the right as well as the present left side bunker. This was a par 5 on the card. The eighth (3rd) was also a par 5 and at 420 yards was 12 yards longer than the white medal tee of today.
The ninth (4th) was 175 yards, again some 6 yards longer than from our present white medal tee. The tenth (5th) at 485 yards was something between yellow and white tees but a large cross bunker 50 yards short of the green made it even more difficult to get home in two. The eleventh (6th) was shorter at 350 yards but an early description mentions a long carry to the fairway. The deep depression on the right of the green was originally a massive bunker. The twelfth (7th) was also slightly shorter at 200 yards but there was no fairway, all carry from tee to green.
The thirteenth (8th) is little changed from the original which was played from the present white medal tee. The fourteenth (9th) was played from our present yellow tee but the carry to the fairway then was 170 yards. There was a short scrub at the left entrance to the green and a second shot with a slight draw was required. The fifteenth (10th) was played from the white medal tee with the first two bunkers to the front right of the green joined up in one with a long snaky shape. The sixteenth (11th) at 360 yards was somewhat shorter than now but there was a wide cross bunker to contend with. The seventeenth (12th) is little changed from the original although this was 12 yards shorter than from our present yellow tee. The eighteenth (13th) was a par 5 of 450 yards. From old photographs it appears that the heather on the left has grown considerably in the intervening years. Overall there is much more fairway now particularly in the extension of fairways towards tees. Bunkers were originally of irregular shapes often with heather surmounting the tops as well as tufted grass.
The problem of sea erosion, particularly near our present twelfth green, was a very serious one. At one time it was feared that the whole green would slip into the sea. A great deal of effort was put into shoring up the banks with sleepers and a retaining wall, much of this by voluntary labour.
From a hopeful and enthusiastic beginning the management of the Club became increasingly difficult and the Membership remained at an unsatisfactory level. The Course was very little used and was being maintained at a financial loss. At this time there was a green staff of five.
To stimulate interest an exhibition match was played in October 1952 in which the Ryder Cup player John Panton and Dr. W. R. Thomson of Dalbeattie (Club Champion) defeated Jack McLean (former Scottish Amateur Champion and at the time professional at Gleneagles) and Mr. Sam Hastings, Kirkcudbright. Mr. R. G. J. Kirk, Captain of the Club, refereed the match. It was a very wild day with showers and a strong west wind. Panton was the only player to hole-out the Course and returned a 78. McLean in his concluding remarks thought the Course was magnificent "but too long". After a few years the Clubhouse ceased to be available to golfers and became accommodation for the Paul Jones Hotel staff. Golfers were given the use of 2 rooms at the north end of the hotel. Then the hotel closed, the original Clubhouse was sold and became the new Paul Jones Hotel. With a membership of 122 and no money to speak of this was the situation from which the new Club commenced activities.