In today’s article, I am going to cover the top Scottish golf courses.
Scotland is the historic home of the sport of golf and has been played on its land since the 15th century. In fact, golf was first invented in a small region beside Edinburgh on the eastern coast of Scotland!
In the 15th century, the players used to hit a leather ball or a pebble over small sandhills. They used a bent club or stick in order to hit the object.
According to the world’s 100 greatest golf courses list, some of the best golf courses on the planet are found in Scotland, including the ‘home of golf’ itself. A large number of them are on the Open Championship Course and it’s no secret why.
With numerous great golf courses in Scotland, it isn’t exactly an easy task to compile only a small list. But after hours of research, we’ve finally made a comprehensive guide of the best golf courses in Scotland. But first, let’s answer some of these questions:
What Is the Name of the Famous Golf Course in Scotland?
The most famous golf course on the planet and by far the most iconic is the old course at St Andrews. It’s an absolute must-play for each golf player.
Known as the “Home of Golf,” the game has been played over the St. Andrews links since the 15th century. The town’s well-known Old Course has been in action since 1457 when the game was restricted in Scotland by King James II.
There are two par-5’s, two short holes, and seven double-greens. It additionally has one nine-hole course and six 18-hole courses all open to the public. The seventh hole features a shell bunker and is one of the Old Course’s signature holes.
What Is the Best Month to Play Golf in Scotland?
May to early June is considered to be the best and most ideal time to visit Scotland for golf. The hotels and courses aren’t too busy, you’ll experience the days are long, and the courses are in fantastic shape.
You’ll typically experience the months from May to September the warmest temperatures. If you want to take advantage of shoulder season rates, we highly recommend April and October.
The days can be a bit chilly since it’s just coming out of winter, but you can experience a fun and tremendous trip at a massive discount.
All in all, the best months to play golf in Scotland are from April to October.
Where Is Scotland’s Most Famous Golf Course Found?
The St Andrews Scottish golf course location is in West Sands Road, St Andrews KY16 9XL of the United Kingdom. The Road Hole and the Swilcan Bridge is also one of the trademarks of this course that’s highly recognized across the globe.
St Andrews’s green fees are available to the public. Prices range anywhere between only £10 to a massive £200.
How Many 18 Hole Golf Courses Are There in Scotland St Andrews?
There are six 18 hole golf courses in St Andrews of Scotland: the Old Course, New Course, Jubilee Course, Strathtyrum Course, Eden, and the Castle Course.
The 6 Top Scottish Golf Courses
Now that we’ve answered the questions above, here are some of the biggest and most popular golf courses in Scotland along with their green fees!
1. Golf Courses in Scotland St Andrews
There are seven public golf courses in St Andrews today: the Jubilee Course, the Balgove Course, the Strathtyrum Course, the Eden Course, the Castle Course, and the famous New and Old Course. The green fees for the seven golf courses all depend on the year’s season, the user’s age, and the subscription duration.
Let’s take a closer look at the breakdown of the Scottish golf courses in St Andrews.
Jubilee Course
The Jubilee course is perhaps the most underrated of all St Andrews golf courses. It’s the third oldest course at St Andrews. John Angus, Jubilee’s owner, intended to create the course to be designed suitable for beginners. But in 1988, it was converted to a championship layout.
The name Jubilee originated from the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria on the 22nd of June 1897.
According to Jubilee Course, the green fees range from £22 to £90.
Balgove Course
The Balgove Course is the only nine-hole course at the Home of Golf and caters to children, families, and beginners. It comes with a double green and bunkers which is perfect for practising well-known golf techniques.
This golf course opened in February 1972 and features double greens and a few bunkers, stretching to 2,085 yards.
Balgove Course’s green fees range from £3 to £15, making it one of the most budget-friendly links in Scotland.
Strathtyrum Course
The Strathtyrum Course was the first golf course built in St Andrews. It was built in 1993 and was designed by Donald Steel. The course has tougher championship layouts and it requires an exceptional level of skill to play successfully.
The green fees range from £8 to £35. Strathtyrum Course accepts reservations, so you might want to contact them before visiting the location.
Eden Course
The Eden Golf Course was designed by Harry Colt in 1914. There are many tricky par 4’s that require accuracy rather than the distance from the tee. The par 3’s of this golf course is considered among the best in St Andrews.
Eden Course’s green fees range anywhere between £14 to £55, depending on the package chosen.
Castle Course
The castle course is located one mile away to the east of St Andrews. This golf course was opened in June 2008 and designed by architect David McLay Kidd. The Castle Course offers views to die for, excellent services, and fantastic course layouts.
Castle Course’s green fees range from £30 to £125.
New Course
The new course is hardly new, its name is derived from the distinguished similarity of the “Öld” course. This golf course was built by the keeper of the green, Tom Morries in 1895.
New Course’s green fees range from £23 to £90. They also offer great packages that allow you to reserve the course for several days without paying anything extra.
Old Course
The Old Course is the most common and oldest golf course in the world. In fact, it’s dubbed as ‘The Home of Golf’. As it’s a public course set over common land, the Parliament trusted the St Andrews Links Trust under its act.
Due to its history and popularity, the Open Championship Course has been held at this location 29 times.
Old Course’s green fees range from £98 to £195. While costly, visiting the Old Course is an experience that can’t be forgotten.
2. Royal Dornoch Golf Club
The Royal Dornoch Golf Club lies in the mountainous region of the Scottish Highlands. This is one of Scotland’s most famous and wonderful traditional links courses.
The Royal Dornoch Golf Course was established by the legendary Old Tom Morris in the 19th century that dates back to 1616. This is also the same club that Donald Ross grew up on.
In 1906, King Edward VII officially decreed it as Royal Dornoch Golf Club. This golf club is currently ranked top 10 in the Golf Magazine’s World Top 100 and features 18-hole courses, hillocks, dunes, and ridges.
Royal Dornoch Golf Club’s green fees depend on single rounds and day tickets ranging from £30 to £220.
3. Kingsbarns Golf Links
Kingsbarns Golf Links is located 1.8 miles along the North Sea Coastline and is seven miles from St Andrews, Scotland. It’s in the seaside Scottish link golf course.
In 2000, the Kingsbarns Golf Links was recognized to be the best golf course in Scotland. It has also been ranked top one of the top 100 courses in the world.
The course was established in 1948 and designed by Kyle Philips. The original creators and developers were Art Dunkley and Mark Parsinen.
In 2001, the European Tour pro-am event was co-hosted by Kingsbarns in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The green fees cost between £80 to £90. Kingsbarns Golf Links’s green Fees include full use of clubhouse facilities.
4. Castle Stuart
The Castle Stuart Golf House is 10 kilometres away from the northeast Inverness. Derived from its name, this is a restored tower house on the banks of Moray Firth. The castle was granted to James Stewart in 1561.
The links golf course at Castle Stuart opened in 2009 and it was co-designed by architects Gil Hanse and Mark Parsinen who are Americans. It was voted as the Best New Course in the Golf magazine in 2009.
Castle Stuart’s green fees cost between £85 to £300.
5. North Berwick Golf Club
The North Berwick Golf Club is located in the East Lothian at North Berwick. It was founded in 1832 and is known to be the 13th oldest golf club in the world.
This Golf Club is the first club that allowed female members to join. In 2005, full membership was granted to women and ladies. The club is based on links at North Berwick.
On the edge of the Firth of Forth, you’ll find the West Links at North Berwick. This gold club dates back to the 17th century and they hosted many open championships for both men and women.
According to the North Berwick Golf Club, the green fees cost between £90 to £175.
6. Loch Lomond Golf Club
Loch Lomond has the largest freshwater in Great Britain. Along the western banks, the exclusive private members of the golf club can be found there as well.
The golf course was designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish in 1993. They have created a golf course with stunning scenery and it was voted number one course in Scotland by the Bunkered readers.
Marshland, streams, and trees such as Douglas Firs, Scots Pine, and Ancient oaks add a wonderful appearance to the golf course.
Green fees aren’t applied in this golf course, although you can buy a membership fee in order to play.
Wrap Up
There are over 550 golf courses in Scotland alone. The above are some of the best golf courses available in Scotland and we chose them based on user reviews, location, and historical value.
We highly recommend you to visit these places to genuinely enjoy the essence of golf. Besides, how else can you truly feel the art of golf than visiting the place where it was invented, right?
Have fun and safe travels!
