Destinations: Scotland

Highlands and the North East

  • Nairn

    Nairn

    Nairn is the equal of any links course in the world. The opening holes track back and forth alongside the shoreline before the layout turns inland through narrow avenues of whin bushes (gorse). The quality of this course is reflected in the fact that it hosted the 1999 Walker Cup. Nairn’s truly remarkable feature is that from every hole you can see the Moray Firth and the golden colouring and changing lights of the Black Isle.

  • Royal Dornoch

    Royal Dornoch

    Currently ranked 18th in the world, Royal Dornoch is a magnificent links course with roots going back 400 years. The most northerly of the Championship courses of the British Isles, Dornoch should not be missed. Here it is not enough to simply keep the ball on the fairway. The greens are generally open in the front, but they are also set on plateaux several feet above the fairway. T he ever present breeze and the subtlety of the design couple to put a premium on accuracy and club selection rather than on sheer brute force. It is no wonder that Tom Watson described a round on Dornoch as "the most fun I ever had playing golf."

  • Brora

    Brora

    Another of the seemingly infinite number of great Scottish links with roots in the 19th century Brora stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best. Located in the Scottish Highlands close to a number of other great courses Brora Golf Club has stood the passing test of time and represents a fair and challenging test of the skills of links golf. Brora Golf Club presents all the attributes of a traditional Highland links course. With a classic out and back layout, the golfer must adapt their game and manufacture the shots that are required as and when the wind speed and direction change. As with most seaside links, there are some very special places throughout the course that appear totally unspoiled by the influence of man. One of the finest holes is the Tarbatness, the 17th, so called because of the lighthouse which gives you the line and with the elevated tee is one of the best driving holes in all of Scotland.

  • Cruden Bay

    Cruden Bay

    Very much a traditional links, offering an abundance of humps, hollows and greens tucked into unimaginable places, golf at Cruden Bay is full of surprises. Befitting the grand old links course that Cruden Bay is, the layout demands its fair share of blind shots and while some modernization has occurred over the years, the links stands largely as a reminder of bygone days. Cruden Bay is a fine example to modern architects of what a course created primarily by nature should look like providing panoramic views of the North Sea from various points on the course. The greens are hidden between large sand dunes, and blind shots are featured prominently on this challenging links. This remarkable course was recently included in Golf magazine's ''100 Greatest Courses in the World''.

  • Royal Aberdeen

    Royal Aberdeen

    Set alongside a picturesque shoreline featuring sweeping sand dunes, Royal Aberdeen is a highly rated traditional links course. Possessing many eye-catching features, most notably the quality of the opening and closing holes, it boasts a balance of long and short par 4's, testing par 3's and tricky par 5's, which due to wind speed and direction, play differently each day. The course runs out and back along the shore, with individual holes switching direction at regular intervals, bringing an element of variety and balance to this fine test of golf. The significant changes in elevation at Royal Aberdeen result in spectacular views of the coast and course over massive dunes and sheltered valleys, through which many holes meander.

  • Castle Stuart

    Castle Stuart

    As Turnberry is to Ayrshire and Gleneagles is to Perthshire, Castle Stuart will be for the Highlands - a beacon reaching out to golfers throughout the world. The centre-piece for this Scottish destination golf resort will be Castle Stuart Golf Links, a championship links course overlooking the Moray Firth and well-known landmarks of Inverness and the Black Isle.

St Andrews and the East

  • Carnoustie

    Carnoustie

    Host to the British Open on seven occasions Carnoustie is considered by many to be the most challenging of all the Open venues. While the links is relatively flat it is exposed to the elements. A combination of length and accuracy are required from the tee and approach shots demand precision to the greens heavily guarded by steep bunkers and burns. Arguably the toughest finishing holes in championship golf, the course gained much praise following a testing but fair set up for the 2007 Open Championship.

  • Crail

    Crail

    Crail Golf Society is the seventh oldest club in the world and is located at the very eastern point in the golfing country of Fife. This pleasant links course has a beautiful setting perched high above the ocean, providing panoramic views of the North Sea. When you walk the splendid Balcomie Links, you are following in the footsteps of a thousand others. As you do so, you will no doubt experience the same enjoyment as they did, for Balcomie is a beautiful course, not too long and full of interest with magnificent views. Several of the fairways wind alongside golden sandy bays and rocky outcrops of the Firth foreshore. They come into play at the 2nd, 4th and Hell's Hole - the 5th, where you must make up your mind whether to carry the beach or take the east way round. You will love the challenge and no doubt take with you everlasting memories.

  • Gleneagles Kings Course

    Gleneagles Kings Course

    Opened in 1919, The Kings Course is a masterpiece of design. The inspiration of James Braid, five time winner of the Open championship, it represents the finest 'classical' golf course design. With the sweeping views from the tees, springy moorland turf underfoot, and the peaks of the Trossachs and Ben Vorlich on the western horizon it is certainly one of the most beautiful and exhilarating places to play golf in the world.

  • Gleneagles Queens Course

    Gleneagles Queens Course

    Another James Braid design the Queens Course threads through high ridges on the north and west sides of the estate, the Queen's offers lovely woodland settings, lochans and ditches as water hazards, as well as many moorland characteristics. The ball sits proudly on springy fairways, inviting the most solid strike. The greens are true and ideal for bold putting.

  • Gleneagles PGA Course

    Gleneagles PGA Course

    The PGA Centenary Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is a modern classic and a fine test of championship golf. The course begins by playing southeast towards the famed glen of the eagles sweeping up the Ochil Hills to the summit of the pass below Ben Shee which joins it to Glendevon. A feature of the PGA Centenary Course is the feast of views of the spectacular countryside in which Gleneagles is set. Putting on the two-tier second green, you are distracted by the lush panorama of the rich Perthshire straths. As you move westwards over the next few holes, the rugged Grampians come into view on the right, then distantly purple ahead, Ben Vorlich and the mountains above the Trossachs. The course is the chosen venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup for its return to Scotland.

  • Kingsbarns Golf Links

    Kingsbarns Golf Links

    Designed by Kyle Phillips the course opened in 2000 to outstanding reviews. The links features spacious rolling fairways, generous greens, and exceptional sea views on every hole against the rugged coastline of the North Sea. A challenging yet enjoyable championship standard traditional Scottish links course. The course has seven holes that play over or alongside the sea and presents a stiff golfing challenge.

  • St Andrews Old Course

    St Andrews Old Course

    The Home of Golf and venue for the Open Championship 26 times, St Andrews is where it all began. Golf was first played here 600 years ago and yet it remains a real test of golf for today's champions. Despite its reputation and status the Old Course has evolved over time and was not designed by any one architect. It is renowned for its physical features - w ide double fairways, seven extensive double greens, and a multitude of intimidating bunkers are just some of the unique features you will encounter The Old Course is a truly remarkable course that remains a true test of championship golf in today’s modern world.

  • St Andrews New Course

    St Andrews New Course

    Laid out by Tom Morris the New Course opened in 1895 and is still considered by many as one of the best courses on the links. This classic links course uses the natural features of the land to create a first class golfing challenge. The course has the traditional out and back layout, with the 18th green just to the right of the first tee. It also has, in the great St Andrews tradition, shared fairways and even a double green at the 3rd and 15th holes. It has frequently been said that if the New Course were not situated next to the Old, then its star quality would have shone more brightly.

  • St Andrews Jubilee Course

    St Andrews Jubilee Course

    Built in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, this is perhaps the most challenging of the St. Andrews courses. The emphasis is on hitting the narrow fairways, and unlike other St. Andrews courses the Jubilee course offers a change in elevation on a number of holes by taking advantage of a few "large" sand dunes.

  • St Andrews Castle Course

    St Andrews Castle Course

    Located two miles from St Andrews on the Fife coastline, the Castle Course is the latest addition to the St Andrews Links Courses. Opening in 2008, the designer, David McLay Kidd, creator of Bandon Dunes, has created a typical Scottish golf experience with wonderful views over the town and the North Sea. It has been designed with tradition very much in mind. Approaches allow play for bump and run as well as pitches and the heavily contoured greens are features of the course.

  • Kittocks Course

    Kittocks Course

    Opened in July 2002, the course has been designed by Gene Sarazen and Bruce Devlin. The course has been constructed in an American style with 2 man made lakes, but the layout honours the tradition of golf at St Andrews with 2 double greens and numerous deep pot bunkers. Ridge holes open up to the panorama of the white water crashing on the rocky shoreline below and over the body of the North Sea to the Grampian mountains which dominate the horizon.

  • Torrance Course

    Torrance Course

    The Torrance Course was designed by the late Gene Sarazen and winning Ryder Cup Captain, Sam Torrance using the principles of links golf with an infusion of new styles. The natural contours of the land and the dramatic coastal setting are combined with a unique blend of Rye grass, innovative green-keeping skills and winning Ryder Cup expertise. Immediately the game begins by testing the golfer with challenging bunkers, undulating fairways and greens, and the occasional meandering stream making precision and club selection paramount. As the course advances it works its way around the imposing structure of the hotel before bursting open to reveal a cross section of the remaining twelve holes down towards the cliff edge and all the while framed by the powerful canvass of the St Andrews skyline.

Glasgow and the South West

  • Machrihanish

    Machrihanish

    Located on the southern tip of the Mull of Kintyre between the Isle of Arran and the Hebrides, this exposed links course is one of the finest "hidden gems" in the British Isles. The course was d esigned by Old Tom Morris who famously described the setting as being "specially designed by The Almighty for playing golf". With some of the world's most naturally undulating fairways and amazingly contoured greens this links would certainly play host to many prestigious events, if not for its relative isolation.

  • Machrihanish Dunes

    Machrihanish Dunes

    Set hard against the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Machrihanish Dunes shares breathtaking views with the adjacent Machrihanish Golf Club links. The site of Machrihanish Dunes links featured 23 "natural holes". Course architect and Scotsman David McLay Kidd, who is internationally acclaimed for his design of Bandon Dunes in Oregon and The Castle Course at St Andrews, chose his 18 favourites to make up the inspired routing for Machrihanish Dunes. Measuring 7,300 yards, Machrihanish Dunes will also feature six greens and five tees at the ocean’s edge.

  • Royal Troon Old Course

    Royal Troon Old Course

    Founded in 1878 Royal Troon is one of the great links courses in Scotland and is a challenging test of golfing ability. Eight time venue of the British Open, the course played host to the 2004 Championship and was praised for its testing but fair set up. A long and demanding links, Troon unusually boasts both the longest and the shortest holes in Open Championship golf, the Postage Stamp 8th at 126 yards, and the 6th at 577 yards, named Turnberry.

  • Old Prestwick

    Old Prestwick

    A stretch of land unequalled anywhere in the world for prime golfing terrain, the first Open Championship was held at Prestwick in 1860. Typical of the original golfing terrain the links can produce some awkward stances on undulating fairways. Prestwick provides a taste of golf as it was played long ago.

  • Turnberry Ailsa Course

    Turnberry Ailsa Course

    The Ailsa Course is regarded by many as the most scenic Open Championship Course. Located beside the Irish Sea with craggy rocks and spectacular views across to the Mull of Kintyre and the Isle of Arran it is an unusual links course as there are no dunes protecting the holes that run alongside the ocean. Essentially an out and back layout the Ailsa Course possibly contains the finest stretch of coastal holes in the British Isles. Long regarded as one of the finest courses in the world, the Ailsa Course came to international prominence with the famous Duel in the Sun between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson during the 1977 Open. Lying on a spectacular curve of rockbound coast in the southern reaches of Ayrshire, the Ailsa Course will host the 2009 British Open.

  • Turnberry Kintyre Course

    Turnberry Kintyre Course

    The Kintyre Course is the perfect compliment and companion to the Ailsa Course at Turnberry. It has been rebuilt twice and commands one of the most spectacular views. The original Arran course was laid in 1909 and was severely damaged during the Second World War. It was rebuilt after the war by Philip Mackenzie and later expanded and remodeled from the Arran course by Donald Steel in 2001. Kintyre pitches and rolls along the amazing Ayrshire coastline and is an exhilarating course to play. Its excellent fairways and undulating greens are perfectly maintained. The uphill addition to the course of Bains Hill has brought in a further challenge and the unforgettable panorama offered during the latter holes can distract even the most dedicated golfer from his game.

  • Western Gailes

    Western Gailes

    Founded in 1897, Western Gailes Golf Club is located on the same famous stretch of coastline as Prestwick, Turnberry and Glasgow Gailes, to name but a few. Recognized domestically as one of the finest and truest links golf courses in Scotland, if it were not for some of its more famous neighbours, Western Gailes would be renowned across the globe as a must play venue. A traditional links layout that plays in a loop the course is positioned between the railway lines and the sea. Its narrow fairways demand accurate tee shots and with so many greens tucked away in little hollows or dells, the course presents an excellent test of skill, patience and concentration.

  • Dundonald Links

    Dundonald Links

    Located on the Ayrshire Coast just north of Troon, the course designed by Kyle Phillips of Kingsbarns fame is a wonderful addition to the classic links courses in Ayrshire. A genuine links course in every sense it has all the features you associate with links golf, a meandering burn, revetted bunkers, gorse and heather, undulating fairways and natural greens.

  • Carrick Course

    Carrick Course

    Designed by acclaimed golf architect, Doug Carrick the Carrick Course follows a traditional Scottish heathland style and, uniquely, straddles both the Lowlands and the Highlands of Scotland. Nine holes stick to classic Scottish Lowland along the banks of Loch Lomond, while the other nine make you climb to tackle Highland heath and tee off on sloping fairways.

Edinburgh and the South East

  • Gullane Number 1

    Gullane Number 1

    Established in 1884 the well maintained greens, links grasses, numerous bunkers and sea breezes make Gullane a unique challenge for any serious golfer. A regular host to major championships and rated alongside Scotland's more famous championship courses Gullane Number 1 is unusually hilly for an east of Scotland links. Once you reach the top of Gullane Hill, you have great views over the River Forth, the Bass Rock, and on a clear day - Fife.

  • North Berwick West Links

    North Berwick West Links

    North Berwick Golf Club is the thirteenth oldest golf club in the world, second only to St Andrews for continuous play over the same course. A true links course laid out on a raised beach, laden with brown sand forming the undulating links land. This course provides even the best golfer with an experience not to be found elsewhere, with blind holes, drives over walls and burns, shots over the bay and deep bunkers. An Open qualifying course, North Berwick's West Links is a true links course with an old-fashioned charm not to be missed.

  • Dunbar East Links

    Dunbar East Links

    The East Links at Dunbar Golf Club is another one of Scotland's lesser-known links gems. Designed in 1856 by Tom Morris, the course is an "out and back" traditional links layout that is squeezed into a narrow stretch of coastline. Situated on a magnificent, narrow stretch of coastal terrain, Dunbar East Links presents a combination of links and inland turf and very much follows the natural contours of the coastline.