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Planning a golf trip to Scotland in 2025? While iconic venues like St. Andrews, Carnoustie, and Muirfield remain bucket-list destinations, a significant shift in our Top 100 Scotland rankings is reshaping how golfers should approach their Scottish golf pilgrimage. This evolution in our ranking methodology could transform your next Scottish golf itinerary from predictable to extraordinary.
"There's really cool golf to be had here that doesn't actually fit a traditional mould," explains Jasper, highlighting the fundamental shift in our ranking philosophy on a recent Top 100 Clubhouse Podcast. Our team has implemented a complete reset of Scottish golf rankings with new panellists, updated guidance, and a fresh appreciation for what makes Scotland's best golf courses truly special.
For travellers planning a Scottish golf trip, the implications are significant. Courses once overlooked for being too "quirky" or unconventional are climbing our rankings, while some polished resort courses that "don't necessarily play as well" are dropping. Understanding these changes could be the difference between checking off famous names and discovering the authentic soul of Scottish golf.
Our approach to ranking Scotland's best golf courses now follows a sophisticated, hierarchical system that combines global perspective with local expertise:
"The top 13 golf courses in Scotland are all in the world rankings... The top 28 golf courses in Scotland were decided by the GB&I panel. So the Scottish panel basically starts from about 29 onwards," explains Jasper.
This structure ensures consistency across different geographic levels while acknowledging that even courses ranked lower in our Scotland Top 100 represent exceptional golf by global standards. James emphasizes that courses at "the bottom tier" are "still top tier if you were taking all Scottish golf courses," with Jasper adding that they likely rank "in the top 1% of golf courses" worldwide among the 40,000 golf courses globally.
For golfers planning a Scottish golf trip, this context is crucial. A course ranked #50 in Scotland might not equal the Old Course at St. Andrews, but it still offers world-class golf that would be a highlight in virtually any other global destination.
With this structural framework in place, our rankings now increasingly celebrate courses that offer authentic, natural Scottish golf experiences – even when they challenge conventional expectations of what constitutes a "great" golf course.
Askernish exemplifies this philosophical evolution in our rankings. Described as "a golf course that completely divides opinion because it's raw, it's rugged," with "more daisies on the fairway than short grass" at certain times of year and maintenance provided largely by "green keepers, i.e., sheep or other livestock," Askernish has become "the biggest riser" in our latest Scotland rankings.
"It is a brilliant golf course. It's as natural as it gets. The routing is great," explains Jasper. "In the past, unfortunately, we've probably not given it its fair dues simply because it didn't fall into the typical 'what is a golf course' box."
Our new ranking direction doesn't mean abandoning quality standards. Rather, it represents a more nuanced understanding of what makes Scottish links golf compelling. We're now rewarding courses that offer "firm surfaces with fine grasses that allow multiple options and decisions" where "you can incorporate the running game along with the aerial game."
Even established courses are being reconsidered through this lens. Murcar has risen in our rankings after maintenance changes enhanced its playability while preserving character. Similarly, Longniddry has improved after implementing thoughtful adjustments to "mowing lines, rebuilding bunkers, increasing green pad size" under the guidance of "the second man from Muirfield."
For golf travellers seeking authentic Scottish golf experiences, these changes highlight courses where you'll find the true spirit of Scottish golf – not just championship pedigrees.
As our rankings evolve to emphasize authentic golf experiences, we're developing new tools to help you discover these courses more effectively when planning your Scottish golf trip.
First, we've reorganized our regional classifications from counties to more intuitive geographic regions like "Grampian in Northeast, Glasgow and Clyde Valley, the Highlands and Islands, Tayside, South Scotland, and the Central Region." This change recognizes that international visitors may not know specific Scottish counties but can navigate broader regions, making trip planning more intuitive.
Even more exciting is our upcoming "trip builder" functionality, currently in beta testing. This tool will help you create custom Scottish golf itineraries based on "budget, time and location" preferences, with our system recommending appropriate course combinations.
For example, a trip to Aberdeen might start with: "Trump Old and New, Cruden Bay, and Royal Aberdeen. If you're here for three days, you want to get those ones done. If you're here for five days, you might want to add in Murcar... if you're here for seven days, you might add in Peterhead and Fraserburgh, and if you're here for 10 days, then maybe you do add in a Stonehaven."
This approach acknowledges that different travellers have different priorities and constraints, providing personalized guidance rather than one-size-fits-all recommendations. More importantly, it helps you discover those authentic, characterful courses that might have been overlooked in previous ranking systems but now receive proper recognition in our Scotland Top 100.
Scotland's golf landscape continues to evolve, with notable new courses emerging and existing hidden gems gaining recognition. These changes represent the practical application of our ranking philosophy.
Two major developments stand out for 2025: Cabot Highlands (Tom Doak's design "quarterbacked by Clyde Johnson") and "the new course at Trump." Both "will enter into obviously the top 100 in Scotland," with the question being "where they're going to be in GB and I," though "the jury's still out whether they can crack the world top 100."
When evaluating new courses, we emphasize patience. As James observes, "You're never gonna enjoy your whiskey straight out of a barrel at 1-year-old." This perspective guides our approach, giving new courses time to "mature and settle" before making definitive judgments, typically waiting until they're "three years in."
For travellers planning a Scottish golf trip in 2025 and beyond, these emerging courses and hidden gems offer opportunities to experience exceptional Scottish golf beyond the famous-name venues.
The evolution of our Scotland Top 100 golf course rankings represents a renewed appreciation for what makes Scottish golf special: natural courses that embrace rather than fight the landscape, designs that reward creativity and strategic thinking, and experiences that connect players with the game's roots.
"I'm really excited about Scotland because I think there's a lot of quirky golf that's actually really, really good that in the past we've perhaps overlooked because it didn't fit into a particular box," explains Jasper. Scotland's rankings "will actually become very exciting because there's really cool golf to be had here that doesn't actually fit a traditional mould."
This shift challenges travellers to look beyond famous Open venues and discover hidden gems that might provide even more memorable experiences. The most authentic Scottish golf might be found not at the most polished or prestigious courses, but at those natural, quirky venues where the land dictates the design and creativity matters more than power.
For discerning golf travellers planning a Scottish golf trip, our evolved rankings offer a compelling invitation to experience Scotland's golf landscape with fresh eyes. By embracing courses that prioritize authentic golf experiences over mere presentation, our Scotland Top 100 helps you discover the soul of Scottish golf in its most natural state.
As Jasper concludes, these changes will make "Scotland become a more exciting travel destination than simply ticking off the big names." It's a vision that honours Scotland's golfing heritage while ensuring its continued relevance for future generations of golf travellers – not by reinventing Scottish golf, but by helping you rediscover what made it special in the first place.
Check back after our post-playing season updates this autumn to see the latest movements in our Scotland Top 100 golf course rankings, and sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when our trip builder tool launches.
There are 13 World Ranked golf courses in Scotland and 28 that are ranked in GB&I. Of those only Ardfin, Loch Lomond, and Gleneagles are not links.
The Old Course reigns supreme with Muirfield overtaking Trump Turnberry Ailsa for 2nd place. Carnoustie moves up 1 spot, knocking North Berwick down one spot. Ardfin breaks into the Top 10 with a four-spot rise while Royal Aberdeen falls out of the Top 10. Amazingly, even with the drop, it still finds itself in the World Top 100.
Carrick, Cathkin Braes, Cawder Championship, Reay, Ranfurly Castle, Craigielaw, Glenbervie, Gullane No. 3, Portpatrick Dunskey, and Roxburghe drop out... Pitlochry, Shiskine, Dunaverty, Royal Troon Portland, Carnoustie Burnside, Grantown-on-Spey, Arbroath, Elgin, Newburgh-on-Ythan and Paisley enter.
Murcar, Machrihanish, Golspie and Longniddry rise significantly, with Askernish coming in at 49 after languishing lower in the ranking. This is a direct reflection of our updated ranking guidance.
The Duke's, Gleneagles PGA Centenary, Fairmont St Andrews and Archerfield all slide down the ranking.
We have traditionally used the Golf Union regions and counties for groupings but this year, we introduce area rankings. They are South Scotland, Lothians, Glasgow & Clyde Valley, Central Scotland, Grampian & Northeast, Central, and Highlands & Islands.
