Top 100 Golf Courses in Scotland

Top 100 scoTland 2015
28 Glasgow Gailes (▲ 22)
Ayrshire. Designers: Old Tom/Willie Park.
GW VERDICT: Lots of gorse and heather and a
course where you very much have to keep the
ball in play of the tee. If you can you will be
rewarded but if you can’t you will reload a lot.
23 Machrihanish Dunes (▲2)
Argyll. Designer: David McLay Kidd.
GW VERDICT: A very good links that is
constantly getting better and makes the
pilgrimage to Machrihanish absolutely
worthwhile. A great modern links.
18 Gleneagles King’s (▼ 3)
Perthshire. Designer: James Braid.
GW VERDICT: Glorious setting for this James
Braid seminal design – the finest of the
perthshire venue’s three courses and one of
the most peaceful experiences in Scotland.
27 Dundonald ( )
Ayrshire. Designer: Kyle Phiilips.
GW VERDICT: Tremendous layout by Kyle
phillips that makes the most of the linksland.
Low hype but plenty of class here.
22 Gullane No.1 (▼ 1)
East Lothian. Designer: Unknown.
GW VERDICT: Will be a splendid host of the
Scottish Open this summer, it combines strong
design with stirring views.
17 Cruden Bay (▼ 1)
Aberdeenshire. Designer: Archie Simpson.
GW VERDICT: Cruden Bay is scenic, fun, and
yes, very quirky. Stay home if you can’t deal
with blind par 3s!
26 The Renaissance (▼ 2)
East Lothian. Designer: Tom Doak.
GW VERDICT: The Renaissance Club is a great
layout with variety, challenge and beauty. It’s
also fun to play – underrated by many.
25 Southerness (▲ 1)
Dumfriesshire. Designer: Philip Mackenzie Ross.
GW VERDICT: Comfortably the best course in
the South, it is a demanding links with a series
of good par 4s among gorse and heather and
an especially fine closing stretch.
21 Blairgowrie Rosemount (▼ 1)
Perthshire. Designer: James Braid.
GW VERDICT: A picturesque James Braid
design course in mature woodland that can
flatter you with wide fairways and large
greens. One of Britain’s finest inland courses.
20 Castle Course (▼ 1)
Fife. Designer: David McLay Kidd.
GW VERDICT: Very good modern links that
has been too severe in spots but it has been
soothed and boasts a spectacular setting.
16 Western Gailes (▲1)
Ayrshire. Designer: Unknown.
GW VERDICT: A couple of indiferent holes
keep it out of the top 10 but it also has a few
great holes and is a proper championship links.
15 Prestwick (▼ 1)
Ayrshire. Designer: Old Tom Morris.
GW VERDICT: prestwick is a golfing treasure –
as long as you don’t take yourself too seriously
everyone will love this shrine to the game.
Simply impossible not to love it here, surely?
24 The Machrie (▼ 1)
Argyll. Designer: Willie Campbell.
GW VERDICT: Being totally redesigned but
retains its GB&I 2014 ranking, not least
because we expect the DJ Russell revamp to
warrant such a high slot, if not much higher.
19 Machrihanish (▼ 1)
Argyll. Designer: Old Tom Morris.
GW VERDICT: The front nine is as good as golf
gets with a succession of all-world holes. The
beauty, serenity and sheer pleasure of a round
at Machrihanish is tough to beat.
14 Royal Aberdeen (▼ 1)
Aberdeenshire. Designers: Simpson/Braid.
GW VERDICT: Excellent links and although the
back nine is less thrilling, you are more than
satisfied by the high-octane start, including
one of golf’s most daunting opening tee shots.
32 Golf World TOp 100 SCOTLAnD 2015