scotland: Accommodations - Golf - Other Activities Scotland Golf Courses Welcome to Scotland, the land where golf was born in the 16th century and where the game today is played on more than 400 courses. That’s right, more than 400 courses in this compact country whose diverse landscape runs from hauntingly beautiful to starkly enchanting. Golf here is an intricate and pervasive part of the countryside, both urban and rural. Golf is a rich resource that attracts thousands of visitors to Scotland each year. There is a course to suit every taste and budget, from the famous championship courses, with legendary names like St. Andrews Old Course, Carnoustie and Royal Troon, to the international golfing resorts of Gleneagles and Turnberry, to the hidden gems that offer a fantastic golfing experience without crowds. Brora Golf Club Designed by: James Braid Par 69; 6110 yards The Brora Golf Club was established in 1891. Five time British Open champ James Braid redesigned the course in 1923, and though Braid’s most famous work was probably Gleneagles, Brora stands shoulder-to-shoulder with some of Scotland’s best. A classic out-and-back layout, Brora is a sporting test of golf with spectacular panoramas of the sea and dunes. [BACK TO TOP] Carnoustie Golf Club Designed by: Allan Robertson, Old Tom Morris, James Braid Par 72; 7143 yards Often referred to as “ The Beast,” Carnoustie is one of the most challenging courses in the world. Founded in 1842, it is also one of the oldest in the world. Designed by Allan Robertson and extended by Old Tom Morris and revised by James Braid, this links course is windswept and wild. It has hosted seven British Opens, the latest being in 2007. Given its difficulty, it’s a par 75 for scratch amateurs. [BACK TO TOP] Gullane Golf Club - Course 1 Par 71; 6446 yards The spectacular views from the grounds and high standards of maintenance on this course make Gullane 1 remarkable. The deep bunkers and exaggerated bumps deliver a game of challenge. Gullane 1 was established in 1884 and has hosted the amateur British Open Championship. Gullane 2 and 3 provide more great golf. [BACK TO TOP] Kingsbarns Golf Links Designed by: Kyle Phillips and Mark Parsinen Par 72; 7126 yards The Kingsbarns course, six miles from St. Andrews, continues to grow with new challenging holes and contours. With the North Sea always in play, its sounds, smells, and sight are a welcoming attraction for any golfer. The course features dramatic sea views from each hole (1.5 miles of scenic coastline), as well as spacious fairways. [BACK TO TOP] Muirfield Golf Club Designed by: Old Tom Morris Par 70, 6801 Yards Founded in 1891 and designed by Old Tom Morris with improvements by H S Colt and Tom Simpson, Muirfield in consistently rated as one of the top 10 courses in the world. Located near Edinburgh, it has been the site of the British Open 15 times, the last being in 2002. Considered a very fair test of golf with no blind shots or hidden bunkers, the links course layout features two separate loops - the front nine runs clockwise and the back nine in the opposite direction. [BACK TO TOP] Nairn Golf Course Designed by: Archie Simpson, revised by Old Tom Morris and James Braid Par 72; 6712 yards The Nairn Golf Club was founded in 1887. A traditional out-and-back links course set along the shores of Moray Firth, Nairn was the site of the 1999 Walker Cup matches. [BACK TO TOP] North Berwick Golf Club Par 71; 6420 yards North Berwick thirteen oldest in the world and an Open qualifier. At North Berwick you’ll find a perfect blend of tradition, hospitality and challenge. The course is true links, starting in the town center and stretching along the shores of the Firth of Forth. With stunning views over sandy beaches, rocky islands and the hills of Fife, North Berwick is a memorable round of traditional links. [BACK TO TOP] Prestwick Golf Club Designed by: Old Tom Morris Par 72; 6571 yards The deep bunkers and wide dunes on Old Prestwick provide a challenging game. Long and blind shots can be taken to meet diverse holes located on a beautiful stretch of land. In 1860, Old Prestwick held the first British Open and in fact, held the first twelve, with a total of 25 Opens (most recently in 1925). [BACK TO TOP] Royal Aberdeen - Balgownie Links Par 70; 6850 yards Royal Aberdeen Golf Club was founded in 1780, which arguably makes it the sixth oldest golf course in the world. Originally, the club had a seven hole tract east of Aberdeen, but in 1873 the members built a new course on spectacular, rolling dunesland, just two miles north of the city center. The club has two links courses, Balgownie and Silverburgh. The highly-acclaimed Balgownie runs out and back along the North Shore. The front nine, which winds through some wonderful dune formations, is links golf on a heroic scale. Royal Aberdeen’s original site east of town is now an 18-hole municipal course, The Aberdeen King’s Links, which is well worth playing when you’re in the area. [BACK TO TOP] Royal Dornoch Golf Club Designed by: Old Tom Morris Par 70; 6514 yards Always ranked in the world’s top ten, the diverse holes at Dornoch are located along a breath-taking beach front and around lush greenery and bright yellow gorse. Royal Dornoch holds the distinction of being the northern-most world-class golf course on earth (on the 58th parallel, just 6 degrees south of the Arctic Circle). Eighteen-hour days are the norm during the summer months, and the sun sets well after 10 p.m. It’s not unusual to see Dornoch golfers straggling into the clubhouse 11:00 p.m. Golf was played here by monks as early as 1616, which makes Royal Dornoch the third oldest golf course on earth — behind St. Andrews (1400) and Leith (1500). [BACK TO TOP] The Carnegie Links at Skibo Castle Designed by: Donald Steele Par 72; 6671 yards Just four miles down the road from Royal Dornoch is Skibo Castle, which has two courses, including a very highly regarded 18-hole links on the Dornoch Firth. However, play is restricted to guests at the luxurious vacation spa, once the summer home of Andrew Carnegie. England’s master golf course architect, Donald Steel, was commissioned by Skibo’s current owner to redesign a course originally built by Carnegie at the turn-of-the-century. Bounded on three sides by water, the championship links is extraordinarily beautiful, and a demanding test of golf. [BACK TO TOP] Royal Troon Golf Club Designed by: revamped by James Braid Par 71; 7150 yards The western coast of Scotland is home to this classic links course. The bumps and hollows are designed with excellence and have been rated as some of the best in the world, along with its long and short holes. Royal Troon has been the site of the British Open in 1923, 1950, 1962, 1973, 1982,1989 and 2004. [BACK TO TOP] Gleneagles Golf Courses - Kings course Designed by: James Braid Par 70; 6471 yards A masterpiece of design, King’s is a great test of shot-making. One of the most beautiful courses in the world, it has sweeping views from the tees of rock-faced mountains and green hills. [BACK TO TOP] Gleneagles Golf Courses - queens course Designed by: James Braid Par 72; 6551 yards Threading through high ridges, the Queen’s offers lovely woodland settings, lochans and ditches as water hazards. Its natural beauty has inspired many of the world’s most experienced players. [BACK TO TOP] Gleneagles Golf Courses - pga centaury course Designed by: Jack Nicklaus Par 72; 7088 yards A modern classic, the PGA is the longest inland course in Scotland, tees are graded at each hole in five stages and the opening hole begins by playing Southeast towards the famed Glen of Eagles. The entire course features magnificent panoramic views. The 4th Ryder Cup matches, in 2014, will be played here. [BACK TO TOP] St. Andrews Links -The Old Course Designed by: Daw Anderson, Old Tom Morris, Dr. Alister Mackenzie Par 72; 6721 yards The Home of Golf. The oldest course in the world, the Old Course at St. Andrews is one of the seven public courses of St. Andrews Links. It is best known perhaps for its 112 bunkers, and the 17th “Road Hole” – the most famous in the world. It has double greens where the outward and inward holes are cut on the same putting surface, leaving putts of almost 100 yards. [BACK TO TOP] Machrihanish Golf Club Designed by: James Braid Par 70; 6625 yards Machrihanish Golf Club, situated on the Kintyre Peninsula, is a delightful links course which plays differently every day depending on wind and temperature. The outward nine follows hill and hollows among sand dunes. The back nine features two par fives and three tricky par threes. [BACK TO TOP] Turnberry - Ailsa Designed by: Wille Fernie, Restored by Mackenzie Ross Par 70; 6476 yards The Ailsa course at Turnberry, venue for the 2009 British Open, is regarded as one of the finest courses in the world. Ailsa came to international prominence as a result of the famous Nicklaus – Watson “duel in the sun” at the 1977 Open. The ninth is Ailsa’s signature hole – the remote tee is set on a rocky promontory on the sea – your drive crosses the corner of the bay with a view of Bruce Castle. [BACK TO TOP] cruden bay golf course Cruden Bay Golf Course creates unique challenges demanding the skills of power, placement and fine judgement upon the discerning golfer. Set against a backdrop of subtly contoured greens and magnificent panoramic views, a visit to Cruden Bay will be a most memorable one. [BACK TO TOP] dunbar golf course Laid out in 1857 and redesigned by Old Tom Morris around 1894, Dunbar East Links and situated on the estuary of the Firth of Forth is a breathtaking layout of a Championship links It is used as an Open Championship Qualifying Venue when the Open is played at Muirfield and all of the major Scottish Championships have been played here, The Scottish Amateur, Scottish Professional Championships, and Scottish Boys’ Championship.  The British Ladies and the Ladies Home Internationals have also enjoyed Dunbar as a venue. [BACK TO TOP] glasgow gailes This course resides on a marvellous stretch of links land between Troon and Irvine on the Ayrshire coast. This is the seaside course of the Glasgow Golf Club at Killermont and it opened in 1892, making the club unique in that it has two courses 30 miles apart. With its undulating fairways, fine greens and subtle qualities, it is an honest test of golfing skills in true links fashion. [BACK TO TOP] machrie There are many reasons why you have to come and play the Machrie Golf Links, not least to discover why so many golfers find it a bewitching and exalting experience. Laid out in 1891 by pioneering designer Willie Campbell, and respected among golfing cognoscenti, The Machrie is now getting a wider name for itself as one of the world’s top links courses. [BACK TO TOP] machrihanish The course is set in wonderful dunes in the small village of Machrihanish, which is situated on the western side of the remote Kintyre Peninsula; this is where the sky is big, the sunsets are dramatic and the air has been warmed by the Gulf Stream and its relative inaccessibility has saved it from becoming more commercialised. [BACK TO TOP] murcar links Voted as the Golf Tourism Scotland "Course of the Year - 2007"; the Murcar Championship Golf Links has a par of 71 and a standard scratch rating of 73 (USGA rating 72.6 and USGA slope rating 138). Murcar frequently features in the Top 100 courses in the UK, and the Visit Scotland Top 40 Great Scottish Links Collection. During July 2006, Murcar Links hosted the European Challenge Tour's inaugural Scottish Challenge. In July we will host the European Girls Team Championship and in our Centenary Year, the Scottish Amateur Strokeplay Championship. We are also the nearest Championship Links Course (5 miles south) of the proposed Trump International Golf Links Scotland. [BACK TO TOP] golspie golf club Set at the foot of Ben Bhraggie in the Highlands of Scotland, Golspie Golf Club offers one of the finest settings for a round of golf. Founded in 1889 and designed by the legendary James Braid. The course offers a refreshing challenge to all abilities of golfer. Only 15 miles from the famous Royal Dornoch and within a short drive of the other local courses, Golspie offers a unique blend of seaside links, heath and parkland golf. [BACK TO TOP]