Scotland
Powfoot
Dumfries
6,458 yards, Par 71
POWFOOT may sometimes be overshadowed by its famous neighbour Southerness, but the former is also a fine links in its own right.
Indeed, for some it has the edge and certainly in parts has more charm than its compatriot just a few miles further round the Solway coast. Combined, they make a great couple of days.
Part parkland but mostly links, it is a classic tight seaside course with the gorse seeming to close in before your eyes on several holes.
Designed by James Braid and opened in 1903, when the wind swirls in off the Irish Sea and Solway Firth it is a test for all.
Location: Less than 3 miles from Annan
Green fees: £37 weekdays; £43 weekends
Special offer: Open competitions run from now until September 19 – see website for further details
www.powfootgolfclub.com
01461 204 100
Torwoodlee
Borders
6,021 yards, Par 69
Quick Guide: SITUATED in the picturesque Scottish countryside, Torwoodlee is a feast for the eyes. But don’t be fooled by its pretty exterior, this parkland and woodland mix can be a real challenge.
Location: Less than an hour’s drive from Edinburgh
Green fees: £30 weekdays; £35 weekends
Special offers: Packages from £35, call for more details
www.torwoodleegolfclub.org.uk
01896 752 260
St Nicholas Ayrshire
6,044 yards, Par 69
Quick Guide: A TRADITIONAL links with sandy, free-draining soil, gorse, deep bunkers and an ever-present breeze. Old Tom Morris was a founder member.
Location: Prestwick town centre
Green fees: £55 weekdays; £60 weekends
Special offer: Call for group offers
www.prestwickstnicholas.com
01292 477 608
Dumfries
6,308 yards, Par 70
Quick Guide: FAMED as the last course James Braid designed, Stranraer sits on the shores of Loch Ryan looking out to Arran.
Location: 35 miles from Turnberry
Green fees: £28 weekdays; £33 weekends
Special offer: Call for society packages
www.stranraergolfclub.net
01776 870 245
Girvan
LOCATED just six miles from Turnberry and taking in fantastic sea views, the Woodland Bay Hotel is the perfect base.
Its ocean-view rooms are the perfect place to wake up before setting out to enjoy the Open or playing one of the many courses nearby. Once back at Woodland Bay you can enjoy the freshly cooked and locally sourced produce before settling into the relaxed and friendly surroundings.
woodlandbayhotel.com 01465 710 700
WITH the Open Championship at Turnberry, visit this website for a guide to what’s happening on and off the course in Ayr. You will find links to local businesses, restaurants, bars and places to visit.
And should you not have booked your accommodation, there are plenty of links to help you find somewhere to stay in the area.
There’s even a free competition when you can win some great prizes.
www.activayr.com
The Glen
East Lothian
6,321 yards, Par 70
ONE of two fantastic courses in the tiny town of North Berwick, The Glen rises from sea level to offer views across the Firth of Forth before plunging downwards again with an unforgettable par 3.
The short 14th, pictured right, calls for an approach from an elevated tee that can be anything from a flick with a short iron to a full-blooded wood, depending on the conditions.
One of the friendliest and most forward-looking clubs you are likely to visit, The Glen caters brilliantly for visitors and offers a day out to remember.
It was recently extended and improved and is invariably presented in immaculate condition.
Location: North Berwick, East Links
Green fees: £37 weekdays; £49 weekends
Special offer: See website for reduced green fees and offers
www.glengolfclub.co.uk
01620 892 221
Erskine
Renfrewshire
6,372 yards, Par 71
Quick Guide: Designed by Willie Fernie, James Braid and Dr Alastair MacKenzie, Erskine is arguably one of the finest courses in the west of Scotland. Over 100 years old, it can be enjoyed all year-round thanks to its excellent drainage.
Location: Close to Bishopton and easily approached from the M8
Green fees: £35 per round; £45 per day
Special offers: Contact club
www.erskinegolfclublimited.co.uk
01505 862 302
Glasgow
6,105 yards, Par 70
Quick Guide: FOUNDED in 1906 and redesigned under the supervision of James Braid in 1923, Cowglen is a challenging parkland course.
Location: 15 mins from Glasgow
Green fees: £35 per round; £45 per day
Special offer: Contact club for society packages
www.cowglengolfclub.co.uk
0141 632 0556
Glasgow
6,262 yards, Par 71
Quick Guide: This scenic tree-lined parkland course is home to many species of woodland and the Bishopbriggs burn which meanders through the 18 holes.
Location: 3 miles north of Glasgow
Green fees: £30 per round; £40 per day (weekdays), £50 (weekends)
www.thebishopbriggsgolfclub.com
0141 772 8938
Lanarkshire
6,125 yards, Par 70
Quick Guide: A CHALLENGING course with lush fairways and receptive greens, Shotts was laid out by James Braid and is home to Devil’s Elbow – a 409-yard dogleg that has been voted as one of the best holes in Scotland.
Location: Close to J5 of M8
Green fees: £22 weekdays; £30 weekends
www.shottsgolfclub.co.uk
01501 822 658
Dumbartonshire
5,905 yards, Par 70
Quick Guide: THIS pretty parkland course was founded in 1888. Mature trees make accuracy a must while the 11th and 12th have been redesigned.
Location: Outskirts of Dumbarton
Green fees: £22 weekdays; £27 Sundays
Special offer: Society packages start at £30pp
www.dumbartongolfclub.co.uk
01389 732 830
The Duke’s
St Andrews,Fife
7,512 yards, Par 71
THE DUKE’S stands high above St Andrews and offers a completely different golfing experience to the links courses in the Auld Grey Toun itself.
Originally designed by five-time Open champion Peter Thomson and opened in 1995, it was the first heathland style course at the Home of Golf and has matured into one of the finest in the British Isles.
Renovated and revised by Tom Liddy in 2006, five completely new holes were created while the visual impact also changed dramatically, with waste-style bunkering a particularly eye-catching feature.
A big course in every sense, it begins with a par 5 and holes that wend their way through woodland. Then the 7th drops dramatically downhill while sweeping to the right and you are treated to quite magnificent panoramic views across the countryside and out towards the sea.
On the back nine, the land is more open with one highlight coming at the downhill 13th, Braw View. You may be tempted to open your shoulders but accuracy is the key here to set up a short-iron approach and birdie chance. The last hole, Ice House, has been redesigned and now presents a suitable climax to the round.
Owned and run by the Old Course Hotel, you will get privileged access to the Dukes should you be staying at one of the most famous landmarks in St Andrews.
Location: Five minutes from Old Course Hotel
Green fees: £110, includes range balls, course guide and bag tag
Special offer: Golf breaks start at £350pp (April-October)
www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk
01334 474 371
St Andrews, Fife
6,759 yards, Par 71
Quick Guide: THE latest course in St Andrews is clifftop in style. Built by Scottish architect David McLay, it opened last year to great acclaim.
Location: 2 miles outside town
Green fees: £117.50 adults; £59 under 16s
Special offer: £200 per tee time for members of SGU SLGA clubs
www.standrews.org.uk
01334 466 666
Fife
6,506 yards, Par 71
Quick Guide: THE holes range from drivable par fours to others that can barely be reached with two woods. When the fairways get brown and fast, control of your approach shots is key.
Location: 30 mins from St Andrews
Green fees: £45/50 per round, £55/60 per day wkdays/ wkends
www.leven-links.com
01333 428 859
Fife
6,313 yards, Par 71
Quick Guide: SET amid 140 acres of beautiful woodland, Balbirnie is a fine example of what the best of traditional parkland golf has to offer.
Location: Off of the A92, minutes from St Andrews
Green fees: £40 weekdays; £45 weekends
Special offer: Call for group offers
www.balbirniegolf.com
01592 752 006
Fife
Quick Guide: Conveniently located between St Andrews and Carnoustie, this is the ideal golfing retreat thanks to the combination of its championship course and a warm, welcoming hotel.
Location: 8 miles from St Andrews
Green fees: £12 (weekdays); £15 (weekends)
Special offer: Tailor-made play and stay deals, call for details
www.drumoigleisure.com 01382 541 800
Blairgowrie
Perthshire
6,588 yards, Par 72
THE Rosemount at Blairgowrie was described by Old Tom Morris as the “most beautiful inland green I have ever seen” – a statement difficult to disagree with.
The course wends its way through a mature forest of pine, occasionally breaking into more open land but then always quickly returning to fairways of glorious seclusion and separation.
That the Rosemount is both intelligently and subtly designed should come as no surprise. After all, it has been shaped by two of the greatest architects in the history of the game.
The original layout was established in 1889 while Dr Alister MacKenzie and James Braid have since both had a significant input.
Location: 10 miles north of Perth
Green fees: £70 Rosemount; £50 Lansdowne
Special offer: £200 per fourball on Rosemount; £150 on Lansdowne
www.theblairgowriegolfclub.co.uk
01250 872 622
King James VI
Perthshire
5,664 yards, Par 70
Quick Guide: THERE is little danger of forgetting your day at King James VI – the entire course is located on a river island. This delightful parkland layout has fairways lined by trees and the River Tay is never far away.
Location: Moncrieffe Island, Perth
Green fees: £24 weekdays; £26 weekends after 2pm
Special offer: £32 per day weekdays; £34 weekends
www.kingjamesvi.co.uk
01738 632 460
Perthshire
5,442 yards, Par 70
Quick Guide: GOLF in various forms has been played at the historic North Inch since 1450. Its River Tay location is perhaps its greatest asset.
Location: Centre of Perth
Green fees: £15 weekdays; £19 weekends
Special offer: Reductions for groups of 12 or more
www.pkc.gov.uk
01738 636 481
Angus
6,367 yards, Par 71
Quick Guide: THIS charming mixture of heathland and parkland holes lie in the foothills of the Angus Glens, at the gateway to the Grampians.
Location: On A90, between Dundee and Aberdeen
Green fees: £36 weekdays; £42 weekends
Special offer: Call for packages
www.edzellgolfclub.net
01356 648462
Angus
6,116 yards, Par 72
Quick Guide: BRECHIN has a growing reputation for its lush green fairways, fabulous putting surfaces and outstanding views.
Location: Between Dundee and Aberdeen
Green fees: £32 weekdays; £34 weekends
Special offer: £40 including 36 holes, snack lunch and high tea
www.brechingolfclub.co.uk
01356 625 270
Angus
6,066 yards, Par 69
Quick Guide: FOUNDED in 1871, Forfar is a wooded heathland course originally laid out by Old Tom Morris and later tweaked James Braid in 1926.
Location: 12 miles from Carnoustie
Green fees: £34 weekdays; £37 weekends
Special offer: See website
www.forfargolfclub.com
01307 465 683
Boat of Garten
Inverness-shire
5,876 yards, Par 70
GREAT things come in small packages and never more so, in golfing terms anyway, than at Boat of Garten.
With the Cairngorm mountains to the south and the River Spey and Strathspey steam railway bordering the course, this is a sensational location. Better still, there is a marvellous layout to be enjoyed.
If proof were needed that great courses do not need to be around the 7,000 yard mark then here it is. The ‘Boat’, as it is known locally, wends and winds its way over links-like turf and between heather and silver birches to provide as exacting a test as it is picturesque.
Be sure to pencil this James Braid classic into any trip to the Highlands.
Location: Approx 20 miles from Inverness
Green fees: £34 weekdays; £39 weekends
Special offer: Contact club for offers
www.boatgolf.com
01479 831 282
Fortrose
Highlands
5,890 yards, Par 71
Quick Guide: THIS is another Braid masterpiece, not least in fitting in 18 superb holes within the narrow Chanonry peninsula.
Despite having eight holes that run by the sea, the beach should not feature – the same might not be said of the gorse. The 5th is a beautiful example of why short par 3s are often the best.
Location: Chanonry peninsula, near Fortrose
Green fees: £35 weekdays, £42 weekends
Special offer: £110 5-day rate; £145 10-day
www.fortrosegolfclub.co.uk
01381 620 529
Highlands
5,379 yards, Par 68
Quick Guide: LAID out by Harry Colt, Fort Augustus is regarded as one of the most challenging 9-hole courses in Scotland.
Location: South Inverness
Green fees: £15 per round, £20 per day
Special offer: See club
www.fortaugustusgc.webeden.co.uk
01320 366 660
Moray
5,624 yards, Par 68
Quick Guide: EXTENDED in 1985, Hopeman’s fairways are guarded by gorse and broom.
Location: 4 miles north of Elgin
Green fees: £22 weekday, £28 Saturday, £20 Sunday
Special offer: Day tickets priced at £28/£34/£26
www.hopemangc.co.uk
01343 830 578
Aberdeen
5,103 yards, Par 66
Quick Guide: STUNNING views make this a memorable course before you have even hit a ball.
Location: On the A90
Green fees: £25 per day, 7-days
Special offer: Day ticket - breakfast/dinner for £45
www.stonehavengolfclub.com
01569 762 124
Highlands
6,704 yards, Par 70
Quick Guide: DORNOCH should be visited by everybody at some point. Truly special.
Location: 45 miles north of Inverness, off A9
Green fees: C’ship £82/£92; Struie - £35/£45
Special offer: Round on each - £87 w/d, £97 w/e
www.royaldornoch.com
01862 810 219