For generations, 18 holes has been the accepted standard for a round of golf. But with people becoming increasingly time-poor, a growing number of clubs are questioning whether it still needs to be the default. After running into financial difficulties in 2019, Eastwood Golf Club - a moorland course on the outskirts of Glasgow in Scotland's central belt - was forced to appoint an administrator and shut its doors after 126 years in operation. Enter Glasgow-based property developer Colin Whitelaw, who took over the land at the end of 2019, three months before the Covid-19 pandemic forced a change in his plans. “Instead of thinking it was a land deal, I had to really think about whether I was going to continue maintaining the golf course,” Whitelaw told Top100 Golf Courses. “That was the big issue, and wondering whether there was value in that. We decided there would be.” As a member of Prestwick Golf Club, where the first nine Open Championships were played over the layout, and a long-time player at Shiskine Golf Club on the Isle of Arran, Whitelaw was familiar with the concept of a shorter format. “We’ve played Shiskine for 35 years or something and just loved the whole idea of going out and playing for two-and-a-quarter hours…. It’s just a lovely number.” Whitelaw said he reflected on the fact that there were a handful of 18-hole members-only clubs in and around the south side of Glasgow that he would have to compete with if he kept the original layout of Eastwood Golf Club. “Why would we establish another 18-hole members-only course that had already failed?” he said. The idea for a 12-hole course was developed in 2021, with Eastwood Twelve opening its gates in June 2025. ‘It’s been a rollercoaster’: Building Eastwood Twelve Eastwood's existing parcel of land contained a collection of holes that Whitelaw believed could work in the shorter format. The resulting course has five par threes and seven par fours, including two par fours of more than 400 yards. “It’s actually a very good test of golf, and we established a set of three tees so we could have something for the higher handicappers, but a real challenge for the low handicappers,” Whitelaw said. Just over a year after opening, Eastwood Twelve has amassed more than 320 members. Roughly half of its rounds are being played by visitors. Whitelaw said there was plenty of demand after opening, with curious visitors coming from afar to test the new layout, and that the club’s only hiccup this year was the “appalling” weather during spring, which he estimated had lost them 10% of their turnover. “It’s been a rollercoaster… but it’s all going in the right direction,” he said. The club has also taken a different approach to marketing. Whitelaw credits his daughter Samantha, the club's general manager, with building its presence on social media platforms Instagram and TikTok. “The power of Instagram and TikTok has driven our business, without a doubt. If you look at our figures in terms of followers, it’s quite amazing for a wee company. That’s been a big eye-opener for me.” The result has been a club that draws both members and visitors, rather than relying solely on traditional membership. ‘That’s a brilliant number’: The Two-And-A-Quarter Golf Round Whitelaw said a lot of people want to get out and hit a ball, but many think that 18 holes is too many and 9 isn’t enough. “When people come off the golf course… particularly the ones that have not been before, the first thing they say is, ‘12 holes, that’s a brilliant number’. “To get dressed up, to get your kit out and go out for an hour-and-a-half is just not quite enough, but to go out for 12 holes, two-and-a-quarter hours, is a much better prospect.” As for the demographic of golfers attracted by Eastwood Twelve, Whitelaw said the vast majority were time-precious people aged 30 to 50 who would play before, after or during the working day for a few hours. “We have a lot of business owners who can nick away, but we don’t actually have a lot of older people.” Whitelaw said the club has worked hard to improve the quality of the course, including through investment in five robotic mowers. “The quality of the cut and everything… The fairways are fantastic because of that.” ‘A market for it’: Is 12-Hole Golf the Future? Whitelaw says there were fewer than 10 12-hole courses around the world when he first began looking seriously at the concept. He now puts the number at 33, including around eight in the UK. Asked if 12-hole courses would become more prevalent in golf’s future, he said “definitely”. “People are more time-precious. I think the modern man is not allowed to disappear on a Saturday morning at 8am and come home at 5pm, that’s a big factor. There’s just so much more going on in life… there’s so much to do. “I think the demands on people nowadays are more inclusive, I think families are more inclusive. People want to still play golf, but they recognise they can’t escape for seven hours.” Talking about the state of Scotland’s golfing market, which has approximately 550 to 600 courses, Whitelaw said there are too many for the playing population, meaning “a lot of courses are on the margin”. “Scotland is overshopped, that’s the problem, there’s so much choice. “There’s this problem, and you can see it happening, that the poorer facilities go and chase the market down, and they spiral out of control and get into this situation where you get £10 Tuesdays. It’s just nonsense, and there’s no future in that, but I’m not sure what you do about that because they survive, just.” He suggested that developing a new 12-hole course would be too expensive given the potential returns, but there was a real market for transforming an existing course. “I think there’s definitely a market for it. “I think quality is the key to the element, it’s not the quantity, actually. If you’ve got a quality product, people will come up and pay for it.” He referenced the quality of Cabot Highlands in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, and how people would happily travel to experience it. “That whole Moray-Firth neck from Royal Dornoch right to Nairn is just becoming so exciting, and people are really happy to go up there and travel to play these links courses, it’s fantastic.” Whitelaw said if he were to open another 12-hole course, he would try to do it with a links layout, “because you get better all-year-round play”. “But as I say, we inherited this situation, and it’s a moorland course, but it plays more like a parkland course frankly.” As for Eastwood Twelve, a full seven-day membership is currently priced at £795, which Whitelaw says will increase once the club has built a solid membership base. “It’s less than two-thirds of what the equivalent courses are nearby… We’re very competitive at the moment, but obviously hoping longer term that will nudge its way up.”

You don't need a four-figure budget, a private-club connection or an invitation from a member to play a course in the World Top 100. Top100 has collated the 10 cheapest visitor-accessible courses on our current World Top 100 Ranking, based on standard green fees. From a world-class links in Tasmania to a U.S. Open and Ryder Cup venue in New York, these courses offer the chance to play some of the best golf on the planet without the eye-watering green fees attached to many of their World Top 100 counterparts. 1. St Andrews Beach Golf Course (Victoria, Australia) World Ranking: 89th | Australia ranking: 6th | Green fee: A$139 (£74) Tom Doak’s first Australian mainland design, St Andrews Beach opened in 2004 on the Mornington Peninsula and has since become one of the country’s best-value, ranked courses. The public-access layout occupies 175 hectares of former grazing land, with wide fairways, rolling terrain and sandy natural contours that give several holes a links-like feel. Measuring just over 6,000 metres from the back tees, it is playable for a broad range of golfers, though the subtle greens ensure there is still plenty to think about. In a region known for outstanding golf, St Andrews Beach stands out not only for its quality but also for its accessibility, offering everyday golfers the chance to experience a Tom Doak design without the premium price tag often attached to courses of this calibre. 2. Bethpage Black (New York, USA) World Ranking: 58th | USA ranking: 28th | Green fee: From US$140 (£106) Bethpage Black has the rare distinction of being a World Top 100 course, a major championship venue and a public golf course. Located within Bethpage State Park on Long Island, the A.W. Tillinghast design opened in 1936 and has since hosted two U.S. Opens and the 2025 Ryder Cup. The Black is renowned for its difficulty, with narrow fairways, deep rough, large sculpted bunkers and elevated greens making accuracy essential. It is a demanding test, but one that remains remarkably accessible to everyday golfers. That combination of championship pedigree and public access is what makes Bethpage Black so unusual. Few golfers get the chance to play a course of this stature without needing a private-club connection or resort stay. 3. Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club (Wellington, New Zealand) World Ranking: 91st | New Zealand ranking: 2nd | Green fee: NZ$275 (£118) Set on the Kapiti Coast, north of New Zealand's capital city Wellington, Paraparaumu Beach has been one of the country’s most celebrated golf courses since Alex Russell designed it in 1949. The links has hosted 12 New Zealand Opens and has long been regarded as one of the country’s finest layouts. It is a relatively short course by modern championship standards, but the coastal wind, firm fairways, deep bunkers and undulating greens provide plenty of challenge. The split-fairway 17th is a particular highlight, forcing golfers to choose between two very different routes to the green. For international golfers, Paraparaumu offers the chance to experience a genuine piece of New Zealand golfing history without needing access to a private resort. 4. Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course (Alberta, Canada) World Ranking: 73rd | Canada ranking: 2nd | Green fee: C$280 (£149) Set among the Canadian Rockies in Jasper National Park, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is one of Stanley Thompson’s most celebrated designs. Opened in 1925, the course winds through the valley beside Lake Beauvert, with snow-capped peaks providing a backdrop to almost every hole. The course combines wide fairways, elevated tees and strategically placed bunkers with the natural contours of the landscape. Thompson’s design rewards thoughtful play rather than simply demanding power, making it a course that can be enjoyed by golfers of different abilities. The result is a rare combination of classic golf and Canadian wilderness, with the surrounding mountains and forest making the journey between shots almost as memorable as the golf itself. 5. Barnbougle - The Dunes Course (Tasmania, Australia) World Ranking: 25th | Australia ranking: 3rd | Green fee: A$285 (£151) Barnbougle Dunes is about as close as Australia gets to a traditional seaside links. Set on Tasmania’s northeast coast, the course was designed by Tom Doak and Australian Mike Clayton and opened in 2004, establishing Barnbougle as one of the country’s premier golf destinations. The layout runs through towering coastal dunes, with wide fairways, natural contours and greens that follow the movement of the land. The wind is an ever-present factor, while the strategic design rewards golfers who think their way around the course rather than simply relying on power. For golfers seeking a genuine links experience outside the British Isles, Barnbougle Dunes is about as compelling as it gets, combining world-class golf with the rugged coastline of Tasmania. 6. Cape Wickham Golf Links (Tasmania, Australia) World Ranking: 47th | Australia ranking: 4th | Green fee: A$315 (£167) Cape Wickham occupies a spectacular stretch of coastline on King Island, sitting in Bass Strait between Tasmania and mainland Australia. Designed by American architect Mike DeVries, the links opened in 2015 and quickly established itself as one of the country's standout modern courses. The course makes the most of its remote coastal setting, with the opening five holes winding around Cape Farewell before the layout moves through sand hills and limestone outcrops. Several holes hug the shoreline, while the closing stretch heads towards the imposing Cape Wickham Lighthouse. The 18th provides a fitting finale, with the fairway doglegging around a sandy bay before reaching the home green, making Cape Wickham a memorable links experience from start to finish. 7. St Enodoc Golf Club - Church Course (Cornwall, England) World Ranking: 49th | England ranking: 4th | Green fee: £175 Set among towering dunes overlooking the Camel Estuary in Cornwall, St Enodoc’s Church Course is one of James Braid’s most distinctive designs. Founded in 1891, the course was transformed by Braid in the early 20th century and remains a spectacularly natural links. It is a relatively short par 69 at 6,010 metres, but its undulating fairways, dramatic elevation changes and formidable dunes create a test that demands imagination. The famous 6th is the standout, with the enormous Himalaya dune obscuring the green and making club selection particularly difficult. The course also has an unusual piece of history, with the 13th hole running alongside the churchyard where poet laureate John Betjeman is buried. 8. South Cape Owners Club (Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea) World Ranking: 63rd | South Korea ranking: 2nd | Green fee: From KRW 350,000 (£195) Set on Namhae Island off the southeast coast of South Korea, South Cape Owners Club is a dramatic Kyle Phillips design where the ocean is visible from all 18 holes. The course opened in 2013 as part of a luxury resort development and has quickly established itself among Asia's most striking modern layouts. The course is framed by granite outcrops, coastal cliffs and rolling terrain, with bluegrass fairways contrasting against fine fescue rough. The standout stretch comes from the 11th onwards, culminating in two spectacular waterside par threes at the 14th and 16th. For golfers willing to make the journey to Namhae Island, South Cape offers a rare combination of world-class golf, dramatic coastal scenery and a luxury resort experience. 9. Utrecht De Pan Golf Club (Utrecht, Netherlands) World Ranking: 56th | Netherlands ranking: 1st | Green fee: From €235 (£198) Dating back to 1894, Utrecht De Pan is the second-oldest golf club in the Netherlands, with Harry Colt designing the current course in 1929. Set in secluded woodland near Utrecht, the layout is a classic heathland course, winding through pine, birch, oak and chestnut trees. De Pan has hosted the Dutch Open three times and is built around strategic rather than power golf. Several of its most memorable holes play over valleys of heather and sand, while the sixth and seventh demand particularly thoughtful tee shots and approaches. Recent restoration work by Frank Pont has helped return the course towards Colt’s original design, making De Pan a fascinating example of Golden Age heathland golf in the Netherlands. 10. Cruden Bay Golf Club - Championship Course (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) World Ranking: 70th | Scotland ranking: 10th | Green fee: From £205 Cruden Bay is one of Scotland’s most distinctive links, winding through towering dunes on the Aberdeenshire coast with the North Sea providing a constant backdrop. The course opened in 1899 after being laid out by Old Tom Morris and Archie Simpson, before Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler remodelled it in 1926. Cruden Bay makes spectacular use of its natural terrain, with elevated tees, blind drives, punchbowl greens and fairways that rise and fall between the dunes. The 193-yard 4th, played from an elevated tee across a deep hollow, is one of several standout holes. There is plenty of character, too, from driveable par fours and back-to-back par threes to the feeling that every hole reveals something different. It is exactly the sort of course that rewards golfers willing to embrace its quirks. Green fees are based on standard 18-hole visitor rates, using international visitor rates where applicable. All prices are peak-season rates and do not take twilight, off-season or promotional rates into account. Prices are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.

You’ve planned the trip to St Andrews. The hotels are booked, the flights are sorted and then the Old Course tee time doesn't come through. It happens. The Old Course remains one of the hardest tee times in golf to secure, whether you're trying the advance booking route, the daily ballot or the singles queue. But missing out on the Old Course doesn't mean missing out on great golf. St Andrews sits at the heart of one of the world's richest golfing regions, with championship links, historic clubs and modern designs all within easy reach. In fact, you could build an excellent Fife golf trip without ever setting foot on the Old Course. St Andrews Links - New Course Scotland Ranking: 26th | Green Fees: £155 Best For: Staying at the Home of Golf If the Old Course tee time doesn't come through, there is no need to leave St Andrews in search of your next round. The New Course sits immediately alongside its more famous neighbour, offering the chance to play historic links golf at the Home of Golf without securing one of the game's most sought-after tee times. Designed by Old Tom Morris and Edinburgh engineer Benjamin Hall Blyth, the New Course opened in 1895 after the Old Course became increasingly crowded with visitors arriving in St Andrews by train. The R&A helped fund its construction in exchange for allocated tee times on the Old Course, with those rights later incorporated into legislation governing the St Andrews links. The New shares some of the Old's characteristics, including its traditional out-and-back layout, shared fairways and a double green serving the 3rd and 15th. But it is a tighter, more defined links, with fewer of the dramatic slopes and quirks that make the Old so distinctive. Undulating fairways, dense gorse and a series of holes winding through the dunes give it a character of its own. The 10th is one of the standout holes, a demanding 464-yard par 4 that runs through a narrow gorge between two ranges of dunes. The closing stretch provides more of the course's best terrain, with the holes becoming increasingly shaped by the dunes as they turn back towards the clubhouse. The New Course has spent much of its existence in the shadow of the Old, but that can perhaps work in the visitor's favour. For golfers who miss out on the famous tee time, it provides a chance to remain in St Andrews and discover a links course that has been part of the town's golfing landscape for more than 130 years. Kingsbarns Golf Links World Ranking: 43rd | Scotland Ranking: 7th | Green Fees: £486 Best For: Another world-class links Just six miles from St Andrews, Kingsbarns offers a very different way to experience Fife links golf. Where the Old Course carries centuries of history, Kingsbarns is a modern creation, having opened in 2000, yet its natural appearance makes it feel as though it has been part of the coastline for generations. American architect Kyle Phillips studied some of Scotland's great links, including Royal Dornoch, before shaping the course from what was originally a relatively flat piece of land. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of earth were moved during construction, but the finished product is remarkably convincing, with rippling fairways, natural-looking humps and hollows and the Cambo Burn winding through the layout. The North Sea is never far away, either. Kingsbarns has around two kilometres of coastline, with sea views from almost every part of the course. Several holes venture close to the shore, while the elevated 4th and 5th provide particularly memorable views across the water. Kingsbarns has also established itself on the tournament stage, co-hosting the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship alongside the Old Course and Carnoustie, while the course hosted the Women's British Open in 2017. For a golfer who has missed out on the Old Course, Kingsbarns isn't simply a consolation round. It's a chance to play one of Scotland's modern links that has already earned a place among the country's established greats. The Golf House Club, Elie Scotland Ranking: 21st | Green Fees: From £75 Best For: Historic links with plenty of character Just 12 miles south of St Andrews, The Golf House Club at Elie offers a very different experience from the Old Course, but one that is every bit as rooted in the history of Scottish golf. Golf has been played on the Earlsferry links since at least 1589, while The Golf House Club itself was established in 1875. Old Tom Morris extended the course to 18 holes in 1895, with James Braid, who was born in nearby Earlsferry, also leaving his mark on the layout. The result is a par-70 links with an unusual scorecard of 16 par 4s and two par 3s, played across firm, undulating ground beside the Firth of Forth. The wind can change the character of the holes throughout the round, while the large, contoured greens and fine links turf put a premium on precision rather than simply overpowering the course. There is plenty of personality, too. The opening hole requires a blind drive over a hill, with a submarine periscope in the starter's hut allowing golfers to check the fairway before teeing off. Further into the round, the course turns towards the coast, with the 11th and 12th running alongside the beach before the 13th heads beneath the cliffs of Kincraig Point. For golfers who miss out on the Old Course, Elie offers something the St Andrews showpiece can't - a chance to experience a historic Fife links where the golf, the landscape and the club's quirks are all part of the appeal. Crail Golfing Society (Balcomie Links) Scotland Ranking: 57th | Green Fees: £170 Best For: Character and coastal views Ten miles from St Andrews, on the eastern tip of the Kingdom of Fife, Balcomie Links occupies a narrow stretch of coastline overlooking the Firth of Forth. North Sea winds are a constant presence, while the opening holes hug the shoreline to produce one of the most enjoyable starts to a round in the East Neuk. Balcomie is home to Crail Golfing Society, the ninth oldest golf club in the world, which was founded in 1786. The club originally played on an eight-hole course closer to the fishing village of Crail before moving to Balcomie, where Old Tom Morris was brought in to improve the existing nine-hole course in 1894. Four years later, he returned to extend it to 18 holes. At just 5,922 yards from the men's medal tees, Balcomie is considerably shorter than many of the headline links courses around St Andrews. But the yardage can be misleading. With a par of 69 and the wind coming off the North Sea, club selection and accuracy matter more than the scorecard suggests. The first five holes provide the real coastal highlight, with the opening hole falling towards the sea before the next four follow the shoreline. The course then turns inland for a quieter middle section before returning to the coast to finish the round. It's also a course that rewards another go. The contrasting nines and ever-changing wind mean Balcomie can feel like a different test on a second round, making it an appealing option for golfers with more time in Fife. For anyone who misses out on the Old Course, Balcomie offers a reminder that great Fife links golf extends well beyond the most famous names. Dumbarnie Links Scotland Ranking: 28th | Green Fees: £350 Best For: A modern take on links golf Opened in 2020 on the 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate, Dumbarnie Links offers a more modern take on Fife links golf. The Clive Clark design occupies 350 acres beside Largo Bay, between Lundin Golf Club and The Golf House Club at Elie, and has quickly established itself as another reason to venture beyond St Andrews. The course was built as a genuine pay-and-play facility, with an out-and-back layout that brings several holes close to the beach. Like Kingsbarns, the landscape was shaped during construction, but the result is a convincing links setting, with low dunes, rolling contours and views towards the Firth of Forth. There is plenty of variety throughout the round. Raised tee shots feature on the 6th, 8th and 9th, while the greens are surrounded by generous run-off areas that give golfers options when approaching from the wrong side of the pin. Bunkers range from small pot-style hazards to larger sandy areas edged by native vegetation. The 1st provides an early taste of what is to come, with a wide fairway leading downhill towards a large green, while the 5th and 15th offer split-fairway options. The downhill par-three 8th is another highlight, and the short 17th provides a memorable finish, climbing towards a three-tiered green beyond a 300-year-old stone wall. Dumbarnie has already attracted championship golf, hosting the Women's Scottish Open in 2021, just a year after opening. For golfers who have missed out on the Old Course, Dumbarnie provides a chance to experience a very different side of Fife, with a modern links that has already established itself on the golfing map. Green fees quoted are summer 2026 rates where available