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Okay, maybe it would be unfair to say definitively that the golf courses listed here are the ten best in Scotland. The country just has too many great courses. You would need to golf every day for nearly a year to hit all the courses. But each one listed below has its own special attraction. Some are more famous than others; some are more difficult than others. Remember, to play the championship courses, you need a bona fide and acceptable handicap.
 | For every course, call ahead for information about tee times and requirements to play (if any exist). |
Carnoustie
Although golfers have been playing here since 1560, somehow Carnoustie has remained one of Scotland's lesser-known championship courses. It's increasingly popular, in part because it has been the site of recent British Open tournaments. The course has one of the toughest and longest finishes in the country.
Gairloch Golf Club
It may be only 9 holes, but the Gairloch Golf Club course is still very much a challenging and tricky one. Combine this challenge with a location along a golden beach and overlooking Skye and the Hebrides and you have a great course.
Muirfield
Muirfield is the best championship course near Edinburgh, and it's regularly a location for qualifying play before the British Open (which people here just call the "Open"). If you're not an expert, you'll be more comfortable playing on one of the other courses near Gullane.
Prestwick
The original home of the Open, Prestwick remains a monument to the early days of golf (1860s). It has bumpy fairways, deep bunkers, and many blind shots, but this old-school course is well worth the time and the challenge.
Royal Dornoch Course
Royal Dornoch doesn't have a single bad hole, and its only downside is its location in the far north. You have plenty of room off the tee, but placing your drive depends greatly upon the wind and the pin positions. The course is challenging but accessible to nearly everyone.
Royal Troon
Despite popular belief, nonmembers (and women) aren't prohibited from playing the famous and fabulous Royal Troon course in Ayrshire on the Clyde Coast. The course has frequently played host to the Open, and each hole provides a challenge. The 8th hole, or "postage stamp," is the shortest in Open history. If you don't have the chops for Royal Troon, go to one of the excellent municipal courses nearby.
St. Andrews
 | The Old Course at St. Andrews is arguably the most famous golf course in the world. All the "greats" of the sport have played here, apparently even Mary Queen of Scots. This always challenging seaside links golf course is the one in Scotland that most frequently hosts the Open. It's definitely the Mecca of golf, if ever there was one. |
Traigh
Traigh is perhaps the most picturesque 9-hole course in Scotland, and possibly in Europe. Just 3.2km (2 miles) up the road from Arisaig on the old highway, and set right along the country's most attractive shoreline, Traigh offers not only challenging golf (for a short course), but brilliant views, too.
Turnberry
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry is home to a fair amount of Open drama; golf heroes such as Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Greg Norman have all competed for the top prize here. The links-style course that runs along the South Ayrshire seashore, against the backdrop of the grand Turnberry hotel, is one of the most picturesque in Scotland. Book a room at the hotel to be guaranteed a tee time.
Western Gailes
With its unique layout of greens tucked away in hollows, the course at Western Gailes requires finesse, accuracy, and precision. This natural links-style course hugs the coastline less than an hour's drive from Glasgow and can be played practically all year round because its sandy fairways and greens drain quickly and the weather is generally moderate (if typically windy).
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