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Country: gb Page generated at: Wednesday, 29 April 2026 at 13:59:19 British Summer Time
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Courses and Travel
NCG Top 100s: meet the panel for our Scotland list

published: Sep 18, 2019

|

updated: Feb 1, 2024

NCG Top 100s: meet the panel for our Scotland list

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Meet the panellists who decided our rating of the best golf courses in Scotland

Shiskine golf course review

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

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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

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