Scotland boasts a seriously impressive list of championship courses, some of which are the most famous in the world, and would be at the top of many golfers list of ‘courses to play before I die’. While the big hitters including St Andrews, Turnberry and Carnoustie grab all the attention, we shouldn’t forget that they’re not all the birthplace of golf has to offer. We take a look at golf tours and resorts featuring the courses we have labelled “The Unsung Heroes”.
Tours
If you are lucky enough to be embarking on a golf tour of Scotland be sure to visit our recommmended unsung heroes.
East Lothian houses some of the best links golf to be found in the UK. Home to famous courses including the Open Championship host, Muirfield, the East Lothian coastline is awash with hidden gems. Only a short drive from Edinburgh and littered with amazing golf courses, the East Lothian coastline is an ideal place to embark on a golf tour of Scotland.
Our East Lothian hidden gem of choice is Craigielaw Golf Club. Designed by Donald Steel, this newcomer was opened in 2001 and has already established a fine reputation. Offering stunning views over the Firth of Forth, Gullane Hill and out towards Edinburgh and Fife, Craigielaw’s features include challenging putting greens at treacherous bunkers. It will be one of many highlights on a tour of East Lothian.
Refreshingly uncomplicated golf courses, constructed on natural, sandy turf are a common feature of the Ayrshire coastline. Home to Turnberry and Royal Troon, Ayr also provides plenty of options for golfers looking to discover something new. Within driving distance of Glasgow, Ayr is a great base for a golf tour of Scotland.
One of many hidden gems is Glasgow Gailes Golf Club. Glasgow Gailes has the distinction of being the ninth-oldest golf club in the world. This course has a traditional links layout and has consistently been selected by the Royal & Ancient as a qualifying course for the Open Championship. Utilising the natural lay of the land the course features plenty of gorse and heather and provides an exacting test of golf in its purest form.
The stunning scenery and unrivalled tranquillity makes the Scottish Highlands one of the most dramatic settings for golf. Courses in this region provide a spectacular array of layouts from traditional links to mountainous parkland delights…in short, the Highlands provide golfers with the opportunity to sample everything the birthplace of golf has to offer.
Make sure to visit the Boat of Garten Golf Club, which can only be described as a Highland gem. Legendary architect James Braid has carved a masterpiece into the landscape of the Cairngorm National Park and it is not to be missed!
The rugged coastline that stretches from the city of Dundee has provided golf courses galore and is the perfect destination for golfers with a soft spot for links golf. Home of the treacherous Carnoustie; Dundee golf tours should also include days spent on the fairways of some of Scotland’s best kept secrets.
Our pick of the bunch is Panmure; where golf legend Ben Hogan chose to familiarise himself with the subtleties of golf in Scotland, leading him to fall in love with the course. With tight fairways, challenging carries and undulating greens, Panmure provides the perfect blend of links and heathland golf. You will also have a hard time forgetting the charming clubhouse, which offers the perfect place to refuel and relax after your day at Panmure.
Resorts
If an extended golf tour isn’t on the cards there are plenty of resorts and hotels that are perfect for a short golf break to discover Scotland’s hidden gems.
The Westerwood Hotel and Golf Resort
Designed by Seve Ballesteros and Dave Thomas, the par-72 layout at Westerwood stretches through the silver birches and firs that adorn this heathland course. The signature hole, devised by Seve, is the par 3 15th, known as the Waterfall hole. With an elevated tee to a green surrounded by a 60ft rock face, this tricky par 3 will certainly be a hole to remember. The undulating greens will also set your knees trembling over those tricky 3 footers!
The Green Hotel is situated right next door to the Kinross Golf Club. Guests can enjoy two fantastic courses, The Montgomery and The Bruce, both of which provide players with spectacular views across Loch Leven.
The senior of the two courses at Kinross, The Montgomery, is fair for the weekend or occasional golfer yet the course provides a stern test for more accomplished players. An added incentive to play this course is the Montgomery Challenge…break 80 gross and your next round will be free!
The Montgomery’s little sister is a little more unpredictable but equally as fun. Golfers may feel a false sense of security when they see four par fives in the first six holes but don’t be fooled! The Bruce may not offer the same exacting test as the Montgomery, but is a challenge none the less.
The Macdonald Highland Hotel offers its patrons the customs and service of a top Scottish venue, and has been tastefully designed and furnished in a contemporary, stylish fashion.
It is reasonable to view the Spey Valley course as a hidden Scottish Gem, but it seems unlikely that it will remain that way. Renowned golf course architect Dave Thomas was commissioned to build the course and its location is one of the most picturesque in Scotland, which given what else is on offer says quite a lot! As a relative new comer the Spey Valley course is being tipped for recognition as among the best in Scotland. The signature hole will undoubtedly be the par-5 fifth hole. At a colossal 641 yards long, even the big boys out there will struggle to get home in two! Accompanied by the vivid purple heather and towering peaks of the Cairngorms National Park, Spey Valley is truly a hidden gem.
Guests at Murrayshall can enjoy the comfort of its 41 comfortable rooms and selection of lavish suites. In keeping with the atmosphere that pervades throughout the resort, the accommodation is intimate and personal, combining perfectly the traditional Scottish character with a host of modern facilities.
Murrayshall is one of few golf break destinations in Scotland that boasts two excellent 18-hole courses, the Murrayshall Course and the Lynedoch Course. Both courses are perfectly manicured and feature fairways that are lined by mature woodland, while the pristine putting surfaces are protected by strategic bunkers just waiting to gobble up less than adequate approaches. The Murrayshall is the main event and the highly rated par 73 will be a test of any golfers skill. The Lynedoch is not to be overlooked though. A par 69 course littered with water hazards will provide a supreme test of accuracy and nerves, while the huge greens will undoubtedly leave you with one or putts that will surely require your playing partner to tend the pin!
The 99-bedroom hotel at Cardrona opened officially in 2003, and is the ideal counterpart to Dave Thomas’ excellent golf course. Just east of Peebles, on the banks of the free-flowing River Tweed, the 4* facility provides guests with all the modern features you would expect and a golf course of the highest quality.
Another course that was built with the intention of creating something utilising the natural lay of the land Cardrona is a beautiful and challenging layout. Architect, Dave Thomas, to his enormous credit, has managed to build a course that feels mature beyond its years. The course itself is relatively flat and lies low among the surrounding hills creating an atmospheric arena perfectly suited to golfers of all abilities.
If you’re returning to Scotland or planning your first golf holiday at the birthplace of golf, you are now armed with the wisdom and information that will steer you in the direction of these amazing, but all too overlooked courses that have made our list of Scotland’s hidden gems.
For more information and advice on arranging your perfect golf tour in Scotland please visit http://www.yourgolftravel.com/scottish-golf-tours.html
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