Our team have played copious Scottish courses ahead of compiling the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list – but which courses make the top three for our panellists?
Scotland is home to some incredible golf courses, the birthplace of links golf and history around every corner from the early days of the sport.
To pick just three courses across the nation requires clear criteria. Is it playability, is it cost, is it the views? Rankings are subjective, but a few notable places reign supreme over the rest.
Everyone knows the Open Championship rota courses, but there are so many more to discover.
But what did our panellists think? They all will have played different courses, so their top threes will be different, or will they…?
RELATED: Check out the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list
RELATED: Meet the panellists that toured Scotland!
RELATED: What is the methodology behind the new NCG Top 100s: Scotland list?
Which NCG Top 100s: Scotland courses make our panellists’ top three?
Phil Bedford
1 – The Old Course: the history
2 – Carnoustie: the challenge and condition
3 – Machrihanish: the journey, the scenery, the first sixteen holes are fabulous
David Fox
1 – Western Gailes: perfect condition, stunning views, epic dunes, and the greens were exceptional
2 – Dunbar: Stunning setting, quirky shaping, a true links
3 – Castle Stuart: Impeccable throughout
Jim Marshall
1 – Muirfield for its tradition and world-class golf course
2 – Loch Lomond for luxury, class and scenery
3 – Western Gailes for pure links magic.
Jim Banting
1 – Turnberry Ailsa: great layout and use of extraordinary links landscape
2 – Royal Dornoch: great condition and presentation with bags of charm
3 – Carnoustie: challenging, playable and great flow to holes
Craig Medston
1: Cruden Bay
2: Western Gailes
3: Machrihanish
RELATED: What is the best opening hole in Scotland?
RELATED: What is the best closing hole in Scotland?
RELATED: What is the best hole in Scotland? – COMING SOON
Chris Myatt
Royal Dornoch and Machrihanish for their pure links nature and views, and Muirfield for its strategy and atmosphere.
Advertisement
Oliver Baker
Royal Dornoch, Muirfield, The Old Course. All have great routings, a fantastic set of greens that take plenty of learning, numerous strategic options, wonderful views and setting.
Peter Rudd
1: St Andrews Old Course – unrivalled tradition
2: Kingsbarns – simply the best modern links with a great location
3: Carnoustie – great test and always in superb condition
Craig Morrison
Royal Dornoch, Machrihanish and Machrihanish Dunes. For me, they’re freedom, happiness and excellence.
Dove Jones
1 – Alisa: not a bad hole or approach shot
2 – Castle St Andrews: Always loved it – love the green complexes, quirky fun with great views (despite the haters)
3 – Queens: heathland classic, scoreable
Michael Verity
1: The Old Course – Tough to say something original about TOC. It just connects with me in a way nowhere else does.
2: Muirfield – High level just never drops throughout the round. Outstanding
3: Royal Dornoch
RELATED: Our panellists highlight of playing golf in Scotland in 2025
RELATED: Which Scottish courses are underrated?
RELATED: Which part of Scotland is the best when it comes to golf?
Hugh Masson
1: Royal Dornoch – Exceeded my lofty expectations.
2: Elie – An invigorating experience. It transcends golf.
3: Castle Stuart – An expertly crafted course that pleases the eye at every turn.
Charles Abraham
The Old Course, Trump Turnberry and Muirfield. The Old Course operates on a different level to anything else on this list.
Ed Battye
1: St Andrews Old – The Holy Grail
2: Askernish – Beautifully raw golf distilled to its origins; a mix of simplistic brilliance & crazy genius
3: North Berwick – An eccentrically brilliant links, beyond quirky.
Steve Watton
1: Trump Turnberry
2: Royal Dornoch
3: Muirfield
David Elliott
1: Elie – because of its charm and stunning views.
2: Loch Lomond – because of its grandeur and stunning views.
3: Royal Dornoch – because of its playability and stunning views.
RELATED: What is the best par 3 in Scotland?
RELATED: What is the best par 4 in Scotland?
RELATED: What is the best par 5 in Scotland?
Chris Griffiths
1: North Berwick – Incredible
2: Dunbar – Close 2nd, and I would love to be a member here.
3: Mortonhall – Nice parkland course and very nice to play a different type of course than the others.
David Walker
1 – Muirfield
2 – Ailsa
3 – Royal Dornoch
Historic courses where strategy is critical
Paul Watson
1 – The Old Course: It has a huge history and a unique atmosphere.
2 – Muirfield: Its history and layout tests all golfers
3 – Gleneagles King’s: Its beautiful location and challenge
Ian Woods
1 – Cruden Bay. Abundance of drama.
2 – North Berwick. Quirkiness and views.
3 – St Andrews Old Course. History and atmosphere.
Neil White
1: Turnberry Ailsa – just magnificent in every possible way
2: St Andrews Old Course – famous holes, brilliant design, a lifetime memory
3: Cruden Bay – maybe the quirkiest and most fun course I’ve played
RELATED: What is the best view in Scottish golf?
RELATED: Where do our panellists want to visit next?
RELATED: Which Scottish venues has the best putting surfaces?
Andi White
1: St Andrews Old Course – variety of holes, undulations, and shared greens.
2: Nairn – fabulous green complexes, with great bunkers, drop-offs and undulations
3: Royal Troon – amazing condition and so tough
Stu Bennett
Royal Dornoch, Kingsbarns, Muirfield – all challenging with great green complexes and par 3s that are difficult to match
Michael Atkinson
Royal Dornoch, Gullane No 1 and Turnberry’s Ailsa course. Three historic links courses, all in very different parts of Scotland, but each filled with great character and personality.
Lewis Marr
1: The Old Course – an unrivalled sense of history.
2: Cruden Bay – wild and fun.
3: Trump Aberdeen – visually impressive.
NOW READ: What is the hardest hole in Scotland?
NOW READ: Which courses surprised our panellists the most?
Listen to the NCG Top 100s Podcast
Now have your say
Visit the NCG Top 100s: Scotland page, click on a course you have played and leave a review on our website!
Advertisement
What are your memories of playing golf in Scotland? What would you put in your own top three? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
Advertisement
