For those of you who follow me on Twitter or
Instagram, you’ll have seen I was in Scotland late last year, touring a large
number of clubs on the east coast… I was posting photographs of the 30+ courses
as I travelled from East Lothian (and the ‘Scottish Golf Coast’) up to St
Andrews and Fife, and then north again to Dundee and beyond, and the courses
around Carnoustie.
It was all part of a Destination Golf trip for
Scotland’s Top 100 Courses Guide 2018… which has just been published. It’s
available online here and you’ll find hard copies in clubs around the country.
 |
| Gullane No. 1 |
Picking the ‘100 best’ is no easy task when you
have 600+ to choose from and – more importantly – you have such depth of
quality. If you’re not Scottish then you’ve probably never heard of Longniddry,
Irvine, Tain, Lundin, Panmure, or Blairgowrie. Top quality courses but rarely on the
bucket lists of most travelling golfers. To call them second tier is an insult…
more like the back-up tier, the clubs that would be played if it weren’t for
the Prestwicks, Royal Troons, Muirfields, St Andrews and Carnousties of the
world.
 |
| Glen Golf Club |
No, it’s no easy task but it is a lot of fun
trying. Visiting places like Downfield (parkland), Glen (seaside) and
Scotscraig (links/heathland) proved just what kind of adventures you can have
without playing the ‘big name’ links. Of course if you want to play the big
name links, parklands and heathlands go right ahead. Your choices in
accommodation are vast.
 |
| Fairmont St Andrews - the Kittocks course |
The Marine Hotel overlooks Royal Troon, Garleton Lodge
overlooks nine – yes, nine – courses in East Lothian, and the Royal Marine
Hotel makes Brora a two minute walk away and Royal Dornoch a short drive to the
south. Those are just three regions and there are so many more.
 |
| Kingsbarns |
Take a look at the guide and see which of
Scotland’s regions you want to visit first. And second.
 |
Carnoustie's 1st green where so many of the world's best will be
playing this year. |
 |
Duke's, St Andrews - a fabulous heathland with all the
professional flourishes. |
 |
| The scintillating start to Lundin Links. |
 |
| Panmure's famous 6th hole, 'Hogan'. |
For those of you who follow me on Twitter or
Instagram, you’ll have seen I was in Scotland late last year, touring a large
number of clubs on the east coast… I was posting photographs of the 30+ courses
as I travelled from East Lothian (and the ‘Scottish Golf Coast’) up to St
Andrews and Fife, and then north again to Dundee and beyond, and the courses
around Carnoustie.
Wow, great photos...I envy your job! Just out of curiosity, what is the typical cost for a round of golf at some of these "unknown" links that a traveler may want to play?
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard one to call, Scott, without looking up all the green fees. It depends on where you're looking as location makes a big difference. Courses in the Highlands (Tain, Golspie, Brora, Durness) offer fabulous value. Brora and Tain are around £60. In Ayrshire you're looking at €60 for the likes of Irvine, which is very good value for the area, but £80 is more like it. Panmure, up Carnoustie way, is £105, while Kilspindie in East Lothian is £70.
Delete