Scotland Golf Courses

Scotland, the birthplace of golf, must be everyone's dream golf holiday destination. Scotland golf courses such as St Andrews, Royal Dornoch, or Prestwick fire the imagination and invigorate the spirit.

Although Scotland is famous for its many championship golf courses, there is an abundance of municipal and other courses available for all to enjoy. Classic links courses are to be found all around the Scottish coast.

Brora Golf Club

The course, presenting all the characteristics of the Scottish seaside links, has bent and gorse, which are often in full bloom for golf week. Juniper and thyme also grow in profusion. With a classic layout, the course has an easy opening hole, a short hole facing each cardinal point of the compass, a hole unreachable in two shots and the last green under the clubhouse window. The greens are renowned for their texture. While pin placements are generous, lovely swingy borrows can be found on virtually every green.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Brora Golf Club: Skibo Castle, Morangie House, Royal Golf Hotel, Newton Hotel, Golf View Hotel.

Course review: Brora Golf Club, from EuropeGolf.com >>

Cruden Bay

Cruden Bay claims a high rank on that elite list of courses belonging to another, more carefree era. The views are consistently spectacular, most notably from the tees at the 9th and 10th holes.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Cruden Bay: Marcliffe at Pitfodels

Golspie

With its majestic scenery and great variety of holes, a visit to this course is a must. The first seven and last seven holes are testing links, while the other four are quite different in character, with heather, trees and loch.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Golspie: Skibo Castle, Morangie House, Royal Golf Hotel, Newton Hotel, Golf View Hotel.

More Golspie Golf Club info, from GolfEurope.com >>

Murcar

Murcar Golf Club was founded in 1909 on the shores of the North Sea, just North of Aberdeen. Thi slinks course has some beautiful views of the sea as the front nine runs close to the shore while the back nine moves back inland. The key to this course is not to stray from the fairway as wayward shots will be punished.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Murcar: Newton Hotel, Golf View Hotel.

Nairn

This traditional seaside course, regularly chosen for national championships, is one of the best in the country. Founded in 1887, James Braid later extended it. Magnificent views of the Moray Firth can be seen along the way.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Nairn: Skibo Castle, Morangie House, Royal Golf Hotel, Newton Hotel, Golf View Hotel.

Course review: Nairn Golf Club: Good Things Come to Those who Wait >>

Royal Aberdeen

Established in 1888, this traditional links sits along a picturesque shoreline with sweeping sand dunes. It contains an excellent balance of long and short par-4 holes, testing par-3 holes, and two tricky par-5 holes, which play differently every day. The steady wind joins each foursome at this true Scottish links.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Royal Aberdeen: Marcliffe at Pitfodels

Royal Dornoch

Regarded by many international players as one of the outstanding links courses in the world, Tom Morris designed this original championship course in 1877.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Royal Dornoch: Skibo Castle, Morangie House, Royal Golf Hotel, Newton Hotel, Golf View Hotel.

Course review: Old Tom Morris course is Links Golf at its Best >>

Skibo Carnegie Links

The course, designed by Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie, offers the golfer a rare opportunity to play a links course which remains firm and fast. It requires a broad repertoire of shots, not simply the modern style of aerial bombardment golf, and demands that any golfer, regardless of standard, is rewarded for thoughtful and skilful play rather than for power.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Skibo Carnegie Links: Skibo Castle, Morangie House, Royal Golf Hotel, Newton Hotel,Golf View Hotel.

More Skibo Carnegie Links info, from ScotlandGolf.com >>

Tain

On the southern shores of the Dornoch Firth, Tom Morris laid this course out in 1890. The river running through the course provides a constant attraction (and hazard) to scratch and handicap golfers.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Tain: Skibo Castle, Morangie House, Royal Golf Hotel, Newton Hotel, Golf View Hotel.

Glasgow Gailes

Established in 1982, Glasgow Gailes is used as a British Open qualifying site. Unlike the usual links layout, this Willie Park, Jr. design returns to the clubhouse after nine holes. Though it is a half-mile from the shore, this course is still bedeviled by the firth winds. Heather lines the fairways, and when it blooms in midsummer, the penalty for a less than accurate shot is all but certain.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Glasgow Gailes: Turnberry Hotel, Highgrove House, Lochgreen House, Marine Hotel, Piersland House Hotel.

Prestwick

The course serves as an interesting historical example of the type of golfing terrain on which the first Open champions had to play. The challenging, long 3rd hole, known as The Cardinal, may be the most famous part of Prestwick.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Prestwick: Turnberry Hotel, Highgrove House, Lochgreen House, Marine Hotel, Troon, Piersland House Hotel.

More Prestwick Golf Club info, from GolfEurope.com >>

Machrihanish Golf Club

The excellent condition of the course, with its huge undulating greens and romantic atmosphere, provides a challenge for both high and low handicapped golfers alike.

Machrie Golf Links

Willie Campbell who believed it was "the best ground for a golf course that I have ever had the pleasure of viewing" originally laid out the course in 1891. Apart from a few changes made in the 1970s, the course remains very much the same as when Willie Campbell first constructed it all those years ago. Thus it is a traditional link course and, when playing, one gets the feeling of going back in time to the days of Harry Vardon and John Taylor.

Royal Troon

This course was the site of the 1989 British Open Championship, when Mark Calcavecchia triumphed over Greg Norman and Wayne Grady in the most exciting finale in years. The forbidding appearance is mellowed by such delights as the 126-yard 8th hole, The Postage Stamp, which is the shortest hole in Open golf

Suggested accommodations while visiting Royal Troon: Turnberry Hotel, Highgrove, House, Lochgreen House, Marine Hotel, Piersland House Hotel.

Turnberry - Ailsa Course

The most recent of the Open venues, it was here in 1977 that the famous Duel in the Sun occurred between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, who was pipped by a single stroke. More recently Greg Norman triumphed in 1986, and in 1994 Nick Price pulled out the victory. This is seaside golf at its best. No one forgets the first time driving off the 9th tee (Bruce's Castle) towards the famous lighthouse.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Turnberry - Ailsa Course: Turnberry House

Turnberry - Kintyre Course

The former Arran course has now been totally redesigned by well known course designer Donald Steel. This excellent new links opened in 2001 to some great reviews and has some tremendous holes that run along the coastline. The famous lighthouse will be your aiming point for your drives on the 9th and 11th. The Kintrye course enhances Turnberry's reputation even further as the finest links golf resort in the world.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Turnberry - Kintyre Course: Turnberry House

Royal Dornoch

Regarded by many international players as one of the outstanding links courses in the world, Tom Morris designed this original championship course in 1877.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Royal Dornoch: Skibo Castle, Morangie House, Royal Golf Hotel, Newton Hotel, Golf View Hotel.

Course review: Old Tom Morris course is Links Golf at its Best >>

Western Gailes

One of the attractions of the course is the fashion in which so many greens are tucked away in little hollows or dells, very much as if the design had been undertaken by nature. Unquestionably one of the finest courses in Scotland.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Western Gailes: Turnberry Hotel, Highgrove House, Lochgreen House, Marine Hotel, Piersland House Hotel.

Carnoustie

Host to the British Open Championship on five occasions since 1931, Carnoustie most recently saw the Open played out here in 1999. For the average golfer, this course offers unlimited opportunities, usually helped by the wind, to find the Barry burn, sand, rough and out of bounds on what Walter Hagen described as the best golf course in Britain

Suggested accommodations while visiting Carnoustie: Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel, Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.

Course review: Carnoustie Championship Course >>

Crail (Balcomie)

This classic links course also claims parkland surroundings. Located at the seventh oldest golf club in the world, the course follows a magnificent coastline and every hole presents views of the sea. The clubhouse stands on a commanding position offering panoramic views of the North Sea.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Crail (Balcomie): Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel, Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.

Course review: Crail Golfing Society from EuropeGolf.com >>

Dunbar

Designed in 1856 by Tom Morris, the course is an "out and out" back links layout, squeezed into a stretch of coastline just wide enough in certain points for two holes. Out of bounds and the beach feature heavily on The Dunbar, which has been the venue for many Scottish amateur and professional events.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Dunbar: Balmoral Hotel, Greywalls Hotel, Bonham Hotel, Channings Hotel, Marine Hotel, N. Berwick.

Gleneagles Kings Course

One of the most beautiful courses in the world, the Kings Course has challenged and tested many of the great golfers as the venue for the Scottish Open.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Gleneagles Kings: Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel, Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.

Gleneagles Queens Course

An excellent test of golf ability coupled with breathtaking views of the Scottish scenery keep The Queens Course in hot demand. It is heavily wooded, with a variety of dogleg holes and the Loch-an-Eerie to negotiate.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Gleneagles Kings, Queen: Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel, Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.

Course review:Gleneagles: Moorland Countryside Blazes Bright For Golf >>

Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the course offers superb views and even better golf. From the back tees, the PGA Centenary Course measures 7,081 yards, the longest inland course in Scotland. However, the tees are graded at each hole in five stages.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course: Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel, Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.

Gullane #1

A regular host to major championships, this course rates alongside Scotland's more famous championship courses. Unusually hilly for an east Scotland links, the top of Gullane Hill flaunts great views of the River Forth, the Bass Rock and, on a clear day, Fife.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Gullane #1: Balmoral Hotel, Greywalls Hotel, Bonham Hotel, Channings Hotel, Marine Hotel, N. Berwick.

Kingsbarns

The Kingsbarns course, a traditional links with golf heritage dating from 1793, highlights dramatic sea views from each hole. Golfers playing this course participate in a challenging links experience. Unfolding over dune ridges and hollows, the course runs through Scottish heather and wispy rough, along 1.5 miles of scenic coastline near St. Andrews.

North Berwick - West Links

One of the finest true links courses in Scotland, North Berwick West sits along the shore of the Firth of Forth with fine views of the Bass Rock and the distant green hills of Fife. The course is most famous for the 15th hole, as well as the bunkers, beach and rough. Sea winds constantly play a factor.

Suggested accommodations while visiting North Berwick - West Links: Balmoral Hotel, Greywalls Hotel, Bonham Hotel, Channings Hotel, Marine Hotel, N. Berwick.

St. Andrews - Old Course

The most famous of golf clubs, St. Andrews proudly carries the title "The Home of Golf". Dating back to the 15th century, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews was formed in 1754. Wide fairways and vast greens, which may seem forgiving but disguise a unique test of golf, characterize the Old Course and have given St. Andrews its formidable reputation.

Suggested accommodations while visiting St. Andrews - Old Course: Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel,
Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.

St. Andrews Golf Courses, from StandrewsGolf.com >>

St. Andrews - New Course

A typical out-and-back seaside links layout with some tacking to and fro, the New Course offers many of the renowned features of the Old course (rolling, undulating fairways, hidden greens, thick gorse and testing winds), yet still presents a different challenge.

Suggested accommodations while visiting St. Andrews - New Course: Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel, Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.

St. Andrews - Jubilee Course

A popular course, the recently upgraded links offer a thorough examination of golfing ability and shot making. Marvelous panoramic scenery enhances Jubilee Course, particularly the fantastic sunset view of the historic town from the 18th tee.

Suggested accommodations while visiting St. Andrews - Jubilee Course: Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel, Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.

Scotscraig

In the county of Fife, Scotscraig is surely one of Scotland's finest hidden gems. Since its establishment in 1817, the long tight fairways and excellent greens have proved a very popular challenge to golfers of all ages. A British Open qualifying venue, this course is a mixture of links and parkland.

Suggested accommodations while visiting Scotscraig: Carnoustie, Gleneagles Hotel, Old Course Hotel, Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews Bay, Dunvegan Hotel, Rufflets Country House, Scores Hotel.