Downfield Golf Club

The Confidential Guide revealed Tom Doak’s updated “Confidential Guide” book: a Scottish perspective The updated version of Tom Doak’s cult golf book “The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses” will be released in five volumes, the first of which has just been published. For those who don’t know, earlier editions of The Confidential Guide – where Doak reviews and marks courses on a scale of 0 to 10 – change hands for substantial amounts of money amongst acolytes of the minimalist designer. Along with Ran Morrissett (founder of the Golf Club Atlas website), Darius Oliver (writer and publisher of the Planet Golf books) and Masa Nishijima (long-time international consultant at Top 100 Golf Courses and author of Analysis of a Golf Course), Doak now aims to rate and critique more than 2,000 golf courses around the world, the first 289 of which, in Great Britain and Ireland, appear in Volume 1. There’s quite a bit to digest in this particular volume, so we thought it might be worth having an initial look at the book from a more specific Caledonian perspective, leaving an examination of the other countries for future articles. The original Confidential Guide first appeared in 1988, when 53 of the layouts assessed by Tom Doak were located in Scotland. The new revised edition of the book almost doubles the number of courses that lie to the north of the border with England, adding all the top courses that have opened for business in the last quarter of a century, with three glaring exceptions. Most prominent of these is Spey Valley in Aviemore, an exuberant Dave Thomas-designed layout that sits comfortably in the top half of our Scottish Top 100 chart. The exclusion of the other two courses is even more puzzling because the Fidraand Dirleton courses at Archerfield Links – currently number 32 and 39 in our Tartan Top 100 – are located immediately adjacent to Tom Doak’s only Scottish design at Renaissance Club in East Lothian, which is ranked above both its near neighbours at number 27 in Scotland. Cynics might speculate the absence of both Archerfield courses from the book is understandable due to commercial rivalry – we’d like to believe it was simply an oversight. Actually, there are a number of other noteworthy courses that are also missing, three of them on the west coast at Glasgow (Gailes), Kilmarnock (Barassie) and Irvine (all of which have been used in the past as Final Open Qualifying venues) and the expansive parkland layout of Downfield in Dundee. The reason given in the book for leaving out Downfield (a former Scottish Open venue) was that it couldn’t be found after driving around for half an hour in search of it. A rather lame excuse surely? In fairness, to counterbalance any controversy over leaving out (inadvertently or otherwise) those leading Scottish courses, the book does make reference to a raft of lesser layouts, such as Braid Hills, Peebles and Strathpeffer Spa. Also, dare I mention it, there’s even appraisals of other little-known courses, such as Braemar, Cullen and Dunaverty. Furthermore, several wee 9-holers – Carradale, Killin and Rosehearty amongst them – are also considered, so full credit to the authors for this depth of coverage. As it’s perfectly entitled to, the new volume reappraises the “Doak scale” ratings that were originally given to more than a dozen Tartan tracks, with most of these layouts marked up one point from 3 to 4, 4 to 5 or 5 to 6. Nevertheless, eyebrows will be raised at three courses – Lundin, St Andrews (Jubilee) and Dunbar – which have jumped up 2 points from a 3 (“about the level of the average golf course in the world”) to a 5 (“well above the average golf course, but probably about the average among courses covered by this book”). If those ranking alterations are surprising, the three point jump of Shiskinefrom a humdrum Doak scale-2 (“a mediocre golf course with little or no architectural interest”) to a more than respectable 5 (where although “it’s certainly not everybody’s cup of tea… Shiskine is not to be missed”) might well have some people wondering if Arran was under a blanket of fog when the course was first visited. Eighteen of the courses in the book have been selected for special attention, forming what’s been termed “The Gourmet’s Choice,” and five of these favourite tracks – all links layouts – are located north of Hadrian’s Wall: St Andrew’s (Old), Prestwick, North Berwick (West), Royal Dornoch (Championship) and, rather surprisingly, Askernish. These courses are described as “places that stir our souls, and will reward the visitor with something out of the ordinary”. Simply put, the authors think that they’re “courses we would take a good friend to play”. An eclectic 18-hole course for GB & I has also been assembled in the new Confidential Guide, with eight of the holes fashioned from Scottish links courses. The more predictable of these – No. 1 (“Battery”) at Machrihanish (Championship), No. 8 (“Postage Stamp”) on Royal Troon (Old), No.14 (“Foxy”) at Royal Dornoch (Championship) and No. 17 (“Alps”) on Prestwick – are joined by the par four 2nd on St Andrews (Old), the par five 6th at Carnoustie (Championship), the par three 13th at Muirfield and the par three 15th at North Berwick (West). Individual holes on a number of courses attract criticism from the authors – the “uncomfortably American” 18th at Skibo Castle – Carnegie Club and the “ridiculous uphill par-3” 3rd at Gullane No.2 are two that spring to mind – but the most damning narrative is reserved for all 18 holes on the St Andrews (Castle) course, controversially awarded a score of 0 (“a course so contrived and unnatural that it may poison your mind”), where the considered opinion is that “trying to one-up Kingsbarns turned out to be a formula for excess”. Unnecessarily harsh words indeed for a modern layout that currently resides at number 22 in our national rankings for Scotland, only one position behind its illustrious stablemate St Andrews (New). Then again, it’s very fashionable amongst many in the golfing architectural fraternity these days to lambast just about anything the St Andrews Links Trust does. Despite the gap of "local" European knowledge, the authors have, overall, performed a reasonable job from a Scottish golf course perspective. Ralph Thompson and the other golfing islanders on South Uist will no doubt be delighted to have their Askernish course lauded so loudly in the book. However, I'm doubtful that architects David J. Russell and David McLay Kidd will be overwhelmed. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses of the World

The Second Hundred Golf Courses of Scotland 2016 We preview the challengers for the next Top 100 Golf Courses of Scotland rankings and list the second hundred Having just published the latest 2016 edition of our Top 100 for Scotland, we thought we’d take a close look at our golfing crystal ball to see if we could predict which of our “second hundred” Caledonian courses might make it into the top chart next time around. Edzell (Old) dropped out from the latest listings (from position 92 in 2014) but extensive upgrading work currently being carried out on the course could well see the modified layout bounce straight back into the chart when it’s next re-evaluated. Also from the Angus & Dundee region, the highly regarded Burnside links at Carnoustie has featured in our Scottish top 100 before (at number 91 in 2008 and 93 in 2010) and its current high riding regional position gives every indication that it might also make a re-appearance in the near future. A couple of Lothians courses just missed out on the 2016 edition of the Top 100: Duddingston, a nationally ranked course in the first three editions of our chart from 2008 to 2012, and Gullane (No.3), which was placed at number 96 and 99 in our 2008 and 2010 listings. Both of these well-respected tracks should have a reasonable chance of making a swift return next time around. Another four 18-hole layouts that have previously graced our Scottish Top 100 are also in with a good shout of securing a spot in the next set of national rankings: Duff House Royal from the North East (it was listed 2008-12), Cardrona in the Borders (it appeared 2008-10), Dunfermline from Fife (it was in the 2008 edition) and Kingussie in the North, which featured at number 99 in our 2014 chart. Last year, half a dozen courses around the country received strong support when we polled every club and every club professional in Scotland regarding our district rankings and they all narrowly missed out on a Top 100 place in this edition. From our Lanarkshire district, the parkland courses at Strathaven - where the original 9-hole layout was designed by Willie Fernie in 1907 – and Hamilton (which James Braid designed in 1925) both came very close to attaining Top 100 status and they’ll certainly be knocking on the door again next time. Two Glasgow courses may also feature when we next update our table. The first of these is another Braid layout at Cawder Golf Club’s Cawder course, where a number of revisions have sadly diluted much of the original design. The other layout is the delightful moorland track at Cathkin Braes, on the other side of the city, which is said to be the oldest golfing layout still in play in the Glasgow area. Royal Troon’s Portland course in Ayrshire has lurked just outside the Top 100 for a while now and this old Willie Fernie track, which Alister MacKenzie remodelled in the 1920s, might just make its presence in the future. Further north, the New course at Moray is a modern design that Sir Henry Cotton laid out in the late 1970s and it too might make its mark in the listings for 2018. We mustn’t disregard the possibility of a dark horse emerging from the pack and, if that was to happen, we suggest the unexpected candidate could come from the likes of Glenbervie from our Central district (which recently featured in the Scottish Top 100 chart of a national golf magazine) or the moorland Hilton course at Hilton Park Golf Club in Dunbartonshire. Both 18-hole layouts impressed members of the Top100 Team following recent visits so their emergence as a bona fide Top 100 course would not come as a surprise. Perhaps there’s a genuine contender that we’ve missed? If so, please click the “Respond to this article” link below and tell us which course you think deserves Top 100 recognition. The full second hundred list is as follows with the challengers highlighted: Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

Scotland has golf courses for every standard of golfer. While its famous championship links attract visitors from around the world, some of the best places for beginners are shorter, less intimidating and considerably easier on the wallet. Top100 has compiled 10 courses that offer an enjoyable introduction to Scottish golf, taking into account their length, difficulty, green fees and overall atmosphere. Some are classic links, others are inland parkland courses, but all offer something that makes them worth considering for a golfer still finding their feet. 1. Gullane No.3 Why play it: Short, scenic East Lothian links Length: 5,134 yards (4,695m) - Par 67 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: £70 Best for: First taste of links golf Gullane No.3 may sit in the shadow of its more famous neighbours, but it's an excellent introduction to East Lothian links golf. At just over 5,200 yards, it's short enough to be approachable for beginners, with only one par four exceeding 400 yards, while strategically placed bunkers and slick greens still provide plenty of challenge. The biggest reward comes between the fourth and 15th, where the course climbs Gullane Hill before opening up to spectacular views across the Firth of Forth. With Muirfield, North Berwick, Luffness New and Kilspindie all visible from the higher ground, it's a brilliant way to experience one of Scotland's great golfing regions without the price tag or pressure of its more famous neighbours. 2. Kilspindie Golf Club Why play it: Quirky seaside golf packed into a compact layout Length: 5,494 yards (5,024m) - Par 69 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: £120 Best for: Fun, informal links golf Kilspindie is almost tailor-made for beginners looking to experience traditional Scottish links golf. Measuring just under 5,500 yards, the course places far more emphasis on accuracy than distance, with seven of its 13 par fours measuring less than 300 yards. Its compact layout beside Aberlady Bay also means you can enjoy a genuine seaside golfing experience without the intimidation of a long championship course. Founded in 1867, Kilspindie is steeped in history, while its secluded setting beside the nature reserve gives the course a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere. From the opening ‘Point’ to the 252-yard closing hole, ‘Home’, the layout is packed with quirky, old-fashioned holes that reward beginners who learn to plot their way around rather than simply reaching for the driver. 3. St Andrews Links - Strathtyrum Course Why play it: The easiest route into playing St Andrews Length: 5,628 yards (5,146m) - Par 69 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: £60 Best for: First-time visitors wanting to play St Andrews The Strathtyrum is arguably one of the best options for beginners wanting to play at St Andrews. Opened in 1993 and designed by Donald Steel and David Thomas, the 5,628-yard layout is shorter and more forgiving than the Old Course, with generous fairways and relatively straightforward greens giving newer golfers room to enjoy themselves. Its fairways are framed by 15 bunkers, while cleverly positioned hazards and several water features provide enough challenge to keep experienced golfers interested. The Strathtyrum allows beginners to experience the atmosphere of St Andrews Links without the pressure associated with its more historic courses. 4. The Glen Golf Club Why play it: Spectacular coastal views and approachable links golf Length: 6,275 yards (5,738m) - Par 70 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: £100 Best for: Scenic golf The Glen is a brilliant choice for beginners who want to experience Scottish links golf without being overwhelmed by length. Nine of its 12 par fours measure under 400 yards, while relatively gentle greens and generous opportunities from the tee make it possible to enjoy the course without needing a perfect game. The real highlight, however, is the scenery, with much of the course perched above the Firth of Forth and views towards Bass Rock, Fidra and Fife. The famous 13th, known as the ‘Sea Hole’, runs alongside the coastline, while the dramatic downhill 18th at ‘Jacob's Ladder’ provides a memorable finish. With the beaches and walking trails of North Berwick surrounding the course, The Glen has a relaxed, holiday atmosphere that makes it particularly appealing to newer golfers. 5. Hopeman Golf Club Why play it: Affordable clifftop links with spectacular views Length: 5,624 yards (5,143 m) - Par 68 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: From £60 Best for: Affordable coastal golf Hopeman is a great reminder that Scottish links golf isn't all about length. The Moray Firth course rewards accuracy rather than power, with gorse lining its fairways and just one par five on the scorecard. For beginners, that makes it an inviting place to learn how to plot your way around a links rather than simply trying to overpower it. The highlight is the 12th, a 150-yard par three played from an elevated tee more than 100 feet above the green at Clashach Cove. With panoramic views across the Firth, it's the sort of hole that can make a beginner fall in love with Scottish golf. The course has been played since 1909 and remains a wonderfully traditional, unpretentious links experience. 6. Crieff Golf Club - The Ferntower Course Why play it: Friendly parkland golf in a spectacular setting Length: 6,493 yards (5,937m) - Par 71 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Price: From £70 Best for: Relaxed inland golf For beginners who want to experience Scotland beyond the links, Crieff is an excellent alternative. Set among the rolling parkland of the Strathearn Valley, the course offers generous fairways and relatively forgiving rough, making it possible for newer golfers to enjoy their round without constantly searching for their ball. Crieff has plenty of golfing pedigree, too, with an original nine-hole layout designed by Old Tom Morris in 1891 before Robert Simpson and James Braid helped develop it into an 18-hole course. Add in its friendly welcome and excellent value, and Crieff offers a relaxed way for beginners to experience Scottish golf away from the country's famous links. 7. Prestwick St Nicholas Why play it: Traditional links golf without the championship price tag Length: 6,044 yards (5,526 m) - Par 69 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Price: £110 Best for: Traditional Scottish golf Prestwick St Nicholas is proof that a golf course doesn't need to be long to be a challenge. Described by Henry Cotton as a “miniature championship course”, its generous fairways make it approachable for newer golfers, but blind shots, strategically placed bunkers and tricky greens mean course management is essential. There's plenty of history here, too. The club's members originally played on the neighbouring Prestwick course, which hosted the first 12 Open Championships between 1860 and 1872. For beginners, it offers a chance to experience traditional Ayrshire links golf without having to take on one of the region's more intimidating championship layouts. 8. St Andrews Links - Eden Course Why play it: Authentic St Andrews links with a little more challenge Length: 6,140 yards (5,614m) - Par 70 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Price: £80 Best for: Beginners ready to step up If the Old Course feels too intimidating, or its £355 green fee is simply out of reach, the Eden offers a far more accessible way to play at St Andrews. Designed by Harry Colt in 1914, this par 70 layout provides a genuine links experience without the pressure or price tag of the Old Course. The Eden is strategic rather than brutally difficult, with generous fairways giving beginners room to find their feet. The challenge comes around the greens, where deep bunkers, humps and hollows demand a little more thought. With a two-tiered fifth green and the tricky 17th among its highlights, the Eden is an ideal next step for golfers who want to experience the Home of Golf while testing themselves. 9. Dunbar Golf Club Why play it: Classic links golf with a little more bite Length: 6,547 yards (5,987m) - Par 71 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Price: From £145 Best for: Beginners ready for a challenge Dunbar is a step up in difficulty from some of the shorter courses on this list, but it offers an excellent introduction to the more demanding side of Scottish links golf. The course hugs the North Sea coastline for much of its back nine, with spectacular views towards Bass Rock and the wind adding an extra layer of challenge. For beginners, it's a chance to discover why links golf requires more than simply hitting the ball straight and far. There's plenty of history to enjoy along the way, too. Golf has been played around Dunbar since the 17th century, while the course has benefited from the influence of Old Tom Morris, Ben Sayers and James Braid. 10. Brora Golf Club Why play it: Wild, natural links golf with a relaxed atmosphere Length: 6,211 yards (5,679m) - Par 70 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Price: From £180 Best for: An adventurous first links trip Brora offers beginners something that the famous championship courses often can't: the chance to experience a truly natural Scottish links without the pressure of a world-famous name. The 6,211-yard course isn't overly long, but its exposed coastal setting means the wind can quickly change the challenge. The opening nine runs remarkably close to the North Sea, with the second tee perched beside the beach and spectacular views stretching along the coastline. James Braid redesigned Brora in 1923, and relatively little has changed since. The 162-yard ninth, named the ‘Sea Hole’, is a particular highlight, while the closing par three provides a suitably challenging finish. Five-time Open Champion, the late Peter Thomson regularly played Brora and called it one of his favourite links courses in the world. Which Course is Best for You? With so many excellent options, the best Scottish golf course for a beginner depends on the type of experience you're looking for. Best for a first links experience: Gullane No.3 - Short enough to be approachable, but still delivers the classic East Lothian links experience. Best for experiencing St Andrews: St Andrews Strathtyrum - A more forgiving introduction to the Home of Golf than the Old Course. Best scenery: The Glen - Few courses on this list can match its views across North Berwick and the Firth of Forth. Best value: Hopeman - Affordable green fees and spectacular Moray Firth scenery make it an excellent option for golfers on a budget. Best traditional experience: Prestwick St Nicholas - A chance to experience traditional Ayrshire links golf without tackling one of the region's toughest championship courses. Best inland option: Crieff - A scenic alternative to links golf, with a more relaxed setting for golfers still finding their feet. Best for a challenge: Dunbar - Longer and more demanding than some of the other courses on this list, but a good choice for beginners looking to test themselves. Best for character: Kilspindie - A short, quirky and highly memorable links where no two holes quite feel the same. Green fees quoted are summer 2026 rates where available