The following strapline leads many to believe that those who work in the golf marketing section of visitscotand.com, the official website of Scotland’s national tourism organization, have the easiest of tasks when it comes to promoting the sport to potential visitors.
Scotland, the Home of Golf.
Says it all really - no ifs, no buts; not even a hint of prevarication.
It’s plain, simple and straight to the point. The game may now be played in every corner of the globe but it began here and was carefully nurtured down the centuries, remaining to this day as one of the predominant sporting activities in the country for young and old, male and female.
It’s also why many golfers from around the world make the journey every year to sample the unique atmosphere of playing the iconic layouts where it all began. And so it comes as no surprise to find revered courses like St Andrews (Old), Royal Dornoch (Championship) and Carnoustie (Championship) featuring near the top of our list of reviewer favourites in Caledonia.
We’ve taken every review submitted since 2008 and number crunched the ball mark ratings to produce a unique Tartan Ton of courses where modern classics like Kingsbarns and Loch Lomond vie for prominence with new tracks like St Andrews (Castle) and Castle Stuart.
This list of 100 Scottish courses includes even newer 18-hole layouts like Rowallan Castle and Earl of Mar (both opened in the summer of this year) simply because a sufficient number of golfers have taken the trouble to play and rate them on the Top 100 website.
Of course, not every course on this list will make it into the “official” Scottish Top100 when it is re-ranked next month. Nonetheless, be prepared for several courses to drop out from the main chart and be replaced by existing Scottish Gems.
Your Top 100 Golf Courses in Scotland
1 Turnberry (Ailsa)
2 St Andrews (Old)
3 Kingsbarns
4 Royal Dornoch (Championship)
5 Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie)
6 Carnoustie (Championship)
7 Muirfield
8 Machrihanish
9 Cruden Bay
10 St Andrews (Castle)
11 Machrie
12 North Berwick (West)
13 Castle Stuart
14 Dundonald
15 Loch Lomond
16 Dunbar
17 Nairn (Championship)
18 Brora
19 Gullane (No.1)
20 Prestwick
21 Spey Valley
22 St Andrews (New)
23 Montrose (Medal)
24 Glen
25 Lundin
26 Western Gailes
27 Gleneagles (King's)
28 Crail (Craighead)
29 Panmure
30 Moray (Old)
31 Duke's St Andrews
32 Archerfield (Dirleton)
33 Musselburgh (Old)
34 Machrihanish Dunes
35 Gullane (No.2)
36 St Andrews (Jubilee)
37 Southerness
38 Glasgow (Gailes)
39 Kilspindie
40 Elie
41 Newmachar (Hawkshill)
42 Archerfield (Fidra)
43 Royal Troon (Old)
44 Letham Grange (Old)
45 Pitlochry
46 Blairgowrie (Landsdowne)
47 Leven Links
48 Shiskine
49 Forfar
50 Roxburghe
51 Tain
52 Askernish
53 Kilmacolm
54 Spey Bay
55 Boat of Garten
56 St Andrews (Kittocks)
57 Murcar
58 Blairgowrie (Rosemount)
59 Crail (Balcomie)
60 Edzell (Old)
61 Downfield
62 Portpatrick (Dunskey)
63 Belleisle
64 Prestwick St Nicholas
65 Fortrose & Rosemarkie
66 Stranraer
67 West Kilbride
68 Gullane (No.3)
69 Fraserburgh (Corbie)
70 Scotscraig
71 Peterhead (Old)
72 Ladybank
73 Turnberry (Kintrye)
74 Duddingston
75 Whitekirk
76 Rowallan Castle
77 Irvine
78 East Renfrewshire
79 Earl of Mar
80 Monifieth (Medal)
81 Mortonhall
82 Elgin
83 Alyth
84 Skibo Castle
85 Royal Burgess
86 Longniddry
87 Crieff (Ferntower)
88 Newburgh-on-Ythan
89 Lanark
90 Royal Musselburgh
91 Duff House Royal
92 Kilmarnock (Barassie)
93 Renaissance Club
94 Braid Hills (No.1)
95 Aberdour
96 Gleneagles (Queen's)
97 Strathpeffer Spa
98 Luffness New
99 Ratho Park
100 Haggs Castle
Jim McCann - Top 100 Scottish Correspondent
