published: Feb 12, 2026

updated: Apr 16, 2026

NCG Top 100s: Scotland – Where has the best greens?

Matt Coles

Putting surfaces are the key to a great course, but which venue in Scotland do our panellists believe to have the best greens?

The 2nd hole at Muirfield | Source: Muirfield

A key factor in course rankings is the standard of the putting surfaces. If a course has good greens, then it can elevate itself to another level in a rankings list.

Greens come in all shapes and sizes, at different paces and with undulations that can test even the best putters, but every player wants a firm and fair test with the flat stick in their hands.

Does the ball run true? Are there any bobbles on the surface? Are all the greens the same pace, and do they have the same look to them? These are all the things we look for when it comes to a good green surface.

Our panel have spent the year playing an abundance of golf courses across Scotland, so do they agree on which venue has the best greens? Do you agree with any of our panel on this topic?

**The 7th hole at Luffness | Source: Luffness**

Where are the best greens in Scotland, according to our panel?

As you would expect, many a championship venue got the nod in this category…

Andi White: Trump International – very true

Peter Rudd: Carnoustie – fescue is the dominant grass, making for firm and fast greens

Michael Verity: Western Gailes

David Fox: Castle Stuart – sublime condition

Jim Marshall: Loch Lomond – manicured to perfection

Neil White: Turnberry – King Robert The Bruce

Michael Atkinson: Gullane No. 1 – consistently has the most immaculate greens. Fast and true

The view from the back of the 6th green on Gullane's No.1 Course | Source: Gullane — **The view from the back of the 6th green on Gullane’s No.1 Course | Source: Gullane**

But it wasn’t just championship venues that took praise from our panellists…

Ed Battye: The greens at Auchterarder were pure.

Phil Bedford: Luffness New

David Walker: Irvine – great grass coverage, perfectly true and great pace

Dove Jones: Dumbarnie

Craig Redston: Dunbar were like snooker tables

Craig Morrison: The slick, stylish, old school greens at Spey Bay were wonderful

Hugh Masson: Archerfield, Dirleton. Every green was not only in perfect condition, but had subtlety in the breaks and some slick run-offs

Greg Webber: Glenbervie

Stu Bennett: The Machrie, so true with just the right amount of undulations

**The view of the hills in the distance at Glenbervie | Source: Glenbervie**

And then, there were venues that received praise from multiple members of our panel…

Oliver Baker: Royal Dornoch

David Elliott: Royal Dornoch or Royal Aberdeen. Aberdeen may have been better, but rain made it hard to fully assess

Jim Banting: North Berwick

Chris Griffiths: North Berwick. Absolutely pristine.

Ian Woods: North Berwick. I don’t know what they were like in peak season, but they were awesome in March.

**The 15th hole at North Berwick | Source: Getty Images**

Charles Abraham: The Old Course

Lewis Marr: The Old Course

Chris Myatt: The conditioning at Muirfield was completely flawless from tee to green

Steve Watton: Muirfield

Paul Watson: Muirfield. I played in early April, and yet they were in pristine condition and fast

**The 17th green and 18th hole in view on the Old Course at St Andrews | Source: St Andrews**

NOW READ: What is Scotland’s best finishing hole?
NOW READ: What is the best opening hole in Scotland?
NOW READ: What is the best hole in the country? – COMING SOON

Listen to the NCG Top 100s Podcast

Now have your say

Would you agree with our panellists? Which course in Scotland is home to the best greens? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!

About the author

Matt Coles

Mention a European country, and Matt will tell you which resorts make the National Club Golfer Top 100s: European Resorts list. He might even throw in who designed the golf course and how many rooms the hotel has got at each one…

Matt got into the game of golf from a young age, following his old man to the local golf club. He fell for the sport, and now can’t seem to go a day without thinking about how to improve his game (Thanks Dad!). Matt has been a member of Howley Hall GC in Leeds since 2020, and is just about managing to maintain a single-figure handicap. He likes to remind people that he once broke 75, but won’t tell people that it was on a shortened course during the winter.

He moved to Leeds after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours degree in Sports Journalism. Matt joined NCG after almost five years travelling the world with the Professional Squash Association, working on events in all four corners of the globe.

Matt currently plays a Cobra King LTDx driver and RadSpeed 3-wood. TaylorMade monopolise the rest of his bag, with a SIM UDI, M5 irons and both Milled Grind and HI-TOE wedges, along with a Monza Redline putter. He uses a Vice Pro Plus golf ball, because he’s a bit different…

Away from golf, Matt is a Manchester United fan, and a keen runner, having ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon (his first and possibly last), in May 2023.

Twitter