Scotland may be the home of golf and St. Andrews its fireside and hearth but there are many more dining rooms, sitting rooms, lounges, bedrooms, kitchens, conservatories and cellars, not to mention a few garden sheds, in this Home of Golf and most of them have their doors ajar just waiting for the next visitor to enter.
From the South West to the Most Northerly North
What can the visiting golfer to Scotland expect outside of the "Auld Grey Toon," of St Andrews? From Machrihanish at the very foot of the Mull of Kintyre in the country’s extreme South West, to the most Northerly tip of Scotland’s most northerly territory, the Shetland Islands, there are golfing delights and challenges in equal measure in the most spectacular of scenery, unrivalled anywhere in the world. There is also some of the most diverse golf concentrated in one place on the planet.
Championship Courses
Outside of the Old Course, of course there are championship courses. Spread throughout the length and breadth of the land. The famous names alphabetically are:
- Carnoustie, Cruden Bay, and Loch Lomond,
- Muirfield, Nairn, Prestwick and Turnbery;
- and those with the Royal connections immediately in their name, namely Royal Dornoch and Royal Troon.
Hidden Gems, Delights and Surprises
Play the championship courses by all means and any golfing holiday party in Scotland would be well satisfied. It might be to the financial advantage of any visiting party or solo golfer however to look beyond the famous names. Here are just a few Hidden Gems, Delights and Surprises by area:
- In Ayrshire : Seafield, Belleisle, Lochgreen, and Brunston Castle.
- In the Highlands : Tain, Golspie, and Brora.
- In Aberdeenshire : Stonehaven, Peterculter and Murcar.
- In Central Scotland : Blairgowrie, Elie, Leven Links and of course Gleneagles.
And then there are:
- The Isle of Arran : boasting 7 courses. The Gem is the 12 hole Shiskine
- The Old Course at Musselburgh (officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest course in the world.)
- In the East: North Berwick and the Glen Course at North Berwick and Gullane
- In the West: Glasgow Gailes, Machrihanish, and Portpatrick.
The cost of play is not always a measure of a ‘Great’ golf course. At the same time as saving money the visitor could well achieve kudos among their peers for their insider knowledge of the less well known courses and for introducing their fellow golfers to some rare delights. They will also gain considerable knowledge of Scotland’s Golfing Heritage.
Sam Torrance, Scotland’s Ambassador for Golf, in his introduction to Visit Scotland’s Official Guide to Golf in Scotland 2009 waxes lyrical that the “Courses in Scotland are surrounded by breathtaking scenery,” as he wishes all visitors “a warm welcome to the ‘Home of Golf.’” With the 39 or so courses mentioned above this only leaves 511 courses approximately for both the visitor and the Scottish based golfer to discover.
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