NCG Top 100s: meet the panel for our Scotland list
Meet the panellists who decided our rating of the best golf courses in Scotland
We sought to assemble a panel who had a deep understanding of Scottish golf. Our panellists even include a man who has played every single golf course in the country, as well as a photographer, a greenkeeper and some very good players.
• View the NCG top 100: Scotland’s best golf courses
Dan Murphy, NCG editor
Handicap: 3
Home club: Alwoodley
Courses played in shortlist: 108
What makes a great course in four words: Design, turf, consistency, options
Chris Bertram, NCG Top 100s editor
Handicap: 11
Courses played in shortlist: 90
What makes a great course: Variety, entertainment, turf, clever.
Tom Irwin
Handicap: 0
Home club: Alwoodley
Courses played in shortlist: 88
What makes a great course: Firm, fast, fun, fiendish
George Oldham
Handicap: 12
Home clubs: Prestwick St Nicholas, Troon Welbeck
Courses played in shortlist: 58
What makes a great course: Setting, challenge, condition, history
Neal Stewart
Handicap: 6
Home club: Haggs Castle
Courses played in list: 125
What makes a great course: Variety, challenge, greens, fairness
Ed Battye
Handicap: 1
Home club: Bradley Park
Courses played in shortlist: 85
What makes a great course Options, turf, uniqueness, wow
Dave Cannon
Handicap: 9
Home club(s): Royal Liverpool, Old Head, The European Club
Courses played in shortlist: 52
What makes a great course: Landscape, fairness, greens, variety
Jim Banting
Handicap: 5
Home club: West Sussex
Courses played in shortlist: 66
What makes a great course: Elegant, sophisticated, utterly unforgettable
Craig Higgs
Handicap: 11
Home club: Shipley
Courses played in shortlist: 52
What makes a great course: 18 interesting golf holes
Dove Jones
Handicap: 12
Home club(s): Royal Liverpool, Crail
Courses played in shortlist: 62
What makes a great course: Strategy, fairness, condition, variety
Alan Ferguson
Handicap: 4
Home club(s): New Golf Club; Crail Golfing Society; St Andrews Golf Club
Courses played on shortlist: 99
What makes a great course: Setting, memorable holes, ambience
Phil Bedford
Handicap: 5
Home club: Enville
Courses played on shortlist: 50
What makes a great course: Humpy, rumpy, lumpy, bumpy.
John Mcloughlin
Handicap: 0
Home club: West Lancs
Courses played in shortlist: 51
What makes a great course:
Design compliments natural surroundings
Peter Rudd
Handicap: 7
Home club(s): Woodbridge, Thorpeness
Courses played in shortlist: 62
What makes a great course: Great design, condition, setting
Alan McPherson
Handicap: 10
Home club(s): The Glen and Dunbar
Courses played on shortlist: 125
What makes a great course: Natural, inspiring, scenery, special
• View the NCG top 100: Scotland’s best golf courses
