The best of Scotland's links  Golf International, Inc. Anyone planning a Scottish golf trip understandably has dreams of playing all of the very best courses in a country that boasts more than 550 layouts, the vast majority, a lot tougher than your home course. They want to include every course that has ever hosted The British Open, plus as many of the other highly ranked layouts as can be squeezed into the allotted vacation time.  Turnberry Ailsa -- 9th green. Dreams and high aspirations are wonderful, though not always practical. Take it from someone who knows - just as you can only get a gallon of water into a gallon jug, on a seven day golf trip, you will probably be happy playing no more than 7 courses or perhaps even one or two less. Sure there are those tough guys who will want to try a couple of 36 hole days, but it's very rare for even the youngest and fittest to be able to play more than 9 rounds in that week long vacation. And remember, it is supposed to be a vacation. The best way to fit in as many of the top courses as possible is to spend as little time as you can traveling from one golfing region to the next. Avoid the temptation to run all over the country, cherry-picking one course here and another there. Instead, stay a few nights in just two regions, or better yet, only one. Take advantage of the fact that Scotland's links courses occur in clusters and by limiting the number of regions visited, you will be able to play more golf and have more time to enjoy Scotland's many other attractions.  St. Andrews Old Course -- The Home of Golf. If you restrict your focus to only the very top ranked courses you will be missing another kind of golf experience. Each Scottish links cluster contains a few ranked among Scotland's top 30, together with others that may be less known, but hold an allure of their very own. Often, these unfamiliar names offer the very best Scottish golf experiences of all - Study Scotland's links clusters and make your choices. 1. Troon Cluster (Southwest Scotland) Royal Troon: An 8-time British Open host, this outstanding links contains both the longest and shortest holes on The Open circuit and has one of the toughest back 9's in Scottish golf.  Royal Troon's famous Postage Stamp Hole. Prestwick: The place where The Open started in 1860, this historic links had hosted the event 24 times before it was eventually retired from the circuit in 1927. A must play for every serious golfer. Western Gailes: A reluctant shining star in Ayrshire's galaxy of top ranked courses, containing more of the good things of golf than any other. A truly testing, pure Scottish links of the highest order. Hidden Gems of the Southwest -- Dundonald, Glasgow Gailes, West Kilbride, Kilmarnock Barassie 2. Inverness Cluster (Scottish Highlands) Royal Dornoch: Filled with golf history, this remotely located jewel becomes an automatic favorite of all who play it. Add in its good looks and Royal Dornoch belongs on every visitors must play list. Nairn: Boasting some of the fastest greens in the country, ominous rough and stunning views of The Moray Firth, this Walker Cup venue was recently announced as being the 2012 host to the Curtis Cup. A top of the line championship layout in every way.  Royal Dornoch -- ranked among the world's Top 10. Hidden Gems of The Highlands -- Brora, Tain, Nairn-Dunbar, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, Old Moray. 3. Aberdeen Cluster (Northeast Coast) Royal Aberdeen: A great classic links boasting one of the strongest front 9's in Scottish golf. Mammoth sand dunes, superb bunkering and unforgiving rough, all join forces with an erratic wind gusting in from the North Sea to present a thorough examination of links golf. Cruden Bay: Links golf from an age gone by and a deceivingly short layout, containing every trick in the book. Love it or hate it, by the time you reach the 19th; you'll have a new found respect for those golfers of yesteryear. Hidden Gems of the Northeast -- Murcar, Fraserburgh, Peterhead.  Royal Aberdeen Golf Club -- founded in 1780, but only now being discovered by visitors. 4. Dundee Cluster (Carnoustie Country) Carnoustie: The toughest layout on the current British Open rota, Carnoustie will be proving its nickname, Carnasty, when it host The Open for the seventh time next month. Difficult, even under calm conditions -- which hardly ever happen. Hidden Gems of Carnoustie Country -- Montrose, Panmure, Carnoustie-Burnside, Monifieth. 5. St. Andrews Cluster (Kingdom of Fife) St. Andrews Old Course: Designed by Mother Nature and containing more than 600 years of golf history, this is the Grand Dame of golf, sitting at the very top of every golfers wish list. You'll need to book early to make your wish come true and may have to pay well for the privilege -- but it will be worth it. Kingsbarns: A 7-year old masterpiece from Californian designer, Kyle Phillips, that looks and plays as though it's been here for centuries. Already established as one of the best in the British Isles, many believe Kingsbarns is in line for the ultimate accolade and could be added to the prestigious British Open rota soon.  North Berwick's historic East Course. St. Andrews New Course: Some say this is the most challenging of the St. Andrews courses. It's tighter and closer to the sea than The Old Course, demanding technical skill and creativity. Hidden Gems of Fife -- Crail, St. Andrews Jubilee, Lundin Links, Elie, Scotscraig, 6. Edinburgh Cluster (East Lothian) Muirfield: Home to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the world's oldest golf club and a regular host to The British Open since the 19th century, this is a real slice of golf history. Scotland's top ranked golf course and its most respected, accepts just a few fortunate visitors each week, but you'll have to book very early to get on the list. North Berwick: More impersonated by golf architects than any other course, this 175 year old, wise beauty has something to teach everyone. An exhilarating experience for even the most jaded links connoisseur and not to be missed.  Carnoustie -- Host to the 2007 British Open.
Gullane # 1: Wide-open spaces, stunning views and a spectacular links challenge are what you get for your money on the best of Gullane's three courses. Sitting next door to fabled Muirfield, Gullane is proof positive that top quality courses in Scotland come in clusters. Luffness New: A Tom Morris design dating from 1898 and one of East Lothian's lesser known celebrity layouts, this is links golf at its best. Always in perfect condition, especially the greens, the talented player will be tested to the extreme. Hidden Gems of East Lothian -- Craigielaw, Dunbar, Musselburgh, Longniddry. For most, the conclusion is quite simple, one golf trip to Scotland isn't going to be enough. It would take a dozen trips to play all of the links courses calling out to be played and a dozen more to play them just one more time. For a little help in deciding which layouts to include on your next trip, click here. © 2007 David Brice / Golf International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Golf International -- Providers of quality golf travel arrangements since 1988. |
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