All golfers dream of playing where the game was invented – Scotland’s world-famous links. These holy grounds have tried players for centuries, and each course has a story through rolling dunes, seascapes of drama, and unpredictable weather that can veer from tranquil to ferocious within minutes.
Let’s discover these legendary courses that have made golfing history. Each of them has something unique to offer that will make traveling to Scotland worth every mile.
St Andrews Old Course
The home of golf at St. Andrews needs no introduction but deserves every compliment. The Swilcan Bridge, the Road Hole, and the Valley of Sin have tested champions for over 600 years.
To walk the fairways here is to walk in the footsteps of every golfing great who ever lived.
Royal Dornoch
Hidden away in the north Highlands, Royal Dornoch’s raised greens and natural landscape present every approach shot with a tantalizing test. The wind sweeps in off the Dornoch Firth, demanding imagination and precision.
Tom Watson called it the most fun he’s ever had playing golf.
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Muirfield
Home to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Muirfield’s clockwise front nine and counterclockwise back nine test every club in your bag. The rough is notoriously thick, the bunkers strategically placed, and the greens fast and true.
Jack Nicklaus liked it so much that he named his own club after it.
Carnoustie
Nicknamed ‘Car-nasty’ when the wind is in your face, it’s arguably Scotland’s sternest golf test. The final three holes, and particularly the ferocious 18th, have shattered many a dream of greatness.
Ben Hogan beat it in 1953, but numerous others have been beaten by these hard-as-nails links.
North Berwick
The real Redan hole and stunning views of the Bass Rock create this East Lothian gem unforgettable. Unconventional elements like stone boundaries and joint greens make each game unique.
The 13th green, where a deep gully slices down the middle, is among the most replicated holes in golf.
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Turnberry
The lighthouse guards Ailsa, where golf is fought for attention with the sea views. The redesigned configuration brings players closer to the crashing waves than ever before.
This is where Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus engaged in their epic ‘Duel in the Sun.’
Royal Aberdeen
Scotland’s sixth-oldest golf club boasts a front nine that is generally considered the best in links golf. The dunes circle each hole stunningly, creating natural amphitheaters for golf drama.
The back nine climbs to higher ground, offering breathtaking views of the entire layout.
Prestwick
The Open Championship home is still today, with several original holes remaining from 1851. Blind shots, vast bunkers, and the iconic ‘Alps’ hole set an adventure along every turn.
From the very first tee, you can feel the heritage of golf all about you.
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Royal Troon
Home to the ‘Postage Stamp,’ the shortest and most famous par-3 hole in Open Championship golf. The back nine plays into the wind, offering one of golf’s toughest closing foursomes.
Spring, when gorse blooms yellow, sees Scotland’s most picturesque course.
Cruden Bay
Old Tom Morris built this hidden gem in which tradition and quirky character unite. Blind shots and spectacular elevation changes challenge golfers during their rounds.
The perspective from the elevated 9th tee overlooking the beach and bay itself is well worth the journey.
Kingsbarns
Though younger than all the others, Kingsbarns feels as if it has been around forever. Every hole has magnificent sea scenery and creative shot chances.
The 15th, a par-3 that spans a boulder-strewn cove, summarizes all that’s great about golf in Scotland.
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Castle Stuart
Contemporary design sits alongside historic links golf along the Moray Firth. Breathtaking fairways encourage bold play, yet subtle ridges require cautious approach shots.
A stunning art deco clubhouse presents vistas over the course and out across to the Black Isle.
Western Gailes
Placed in between railroad tracks and the sea, this patch of linked land offers a spotless golf game. Wind is always in your mind, and the greens are demanding on precision approach shots.
The brief, clever putting grounds are Scotland’s best.
Trump International
Martin Hawtree’s new work to the north of Aberdeen twists its way through golf’s tallest dunes. Each hole is isolated from the others, producing a sense of solitude rare in golf.
Back tee views are among the finest in Scottish golf.
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Machrihanish
The fabled first hole, spanning a corner of the Atlantic Ocean, is only the start of an unforgettable trip. The remoteness guarantees crowds don’t trouble it, though the drive alone is worth all miles.
Nature designed this links, according to Old Tom Morris, he simply discovered it.
Gullane No. 1
Roly-poly hills and spotless lawn make this East Lothian gem a joy to play. Panoramic views stretch over the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh and beyond.
The elevated greens demand precise approach shots, especially on windy days.
Nairn
This Highland gem starts and finishes in town, and there are sea views from every hole. The early sequence clings to the beach, where polar bears once swam.
The hard, running greens have tested golfers for over 100 years.
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Brora
James Braid’s gem of the north is enjoyed by grazing sheep and cattle on its fairways. Electric fences protect the greens from the animals, giving the local charm a unique flavor.
The uncompromised links golf experience here remains unchanged for centuries.
Elie
The periscope of an antiquated submarine aids the starter to ascertain whether or not the first fairway is empty. Two-purpose greens and blind shots make this short course interesting beyond expression.
Golf is played here from the 15th century onward, and does so in the most wonderful of ways.
St Andrews New
The perfect companion to its more famous cousin, the New Course offers pure links golf with fewer crowds. Originally opened in 1895, it’s only ‘new’ compared to the Old Course.
This is where the locals like to have their golf.
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Links Legacy Lives On
These are more than golf courses to play on – they’re living history museums of the game. Each round is a chance to play golf as it was meant to be played, where ground game is as valuable as air attacks, and where imagination is more valuable than brute force.
Who would have believed that golf can be so much more than just a game? Scotland’s links guarantee us that the sport’s most pleasures often lie in relishing centuries-old courses that have challenged golfers for centuries.
Each golfer deserves to appreciate these treasures at least once.
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