James Braid Golf Courses
with Your Golf Travel
with Your Golf Travel
Five-time Open Champion James Braid was one of Scotland’s greatest-ever golfers, he retired from competitive golf in 1912 and became a renowned golf course architect responsible for designing over 250 golf courses throughout the British Isles.
Often regarded as the "inventor" of the dogleg, although holes of similar design had been known for centuries, Braid's courses range from the prestigious and well known championship layouts, to remote village courses but every one of them will give the golfer a thorough test of his golfing ability.
James Braid Facts
| Name | James Braid |
| Born | 6 Feb, 1870 |
| Died | 27 Nov, 1950 |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Majors | 5 Open Championships |
Braid may have had a hand in the design of over 250 golf courses throughout the British Isles but his most prominent courses are the Championship layouts. He has designed or remodelled The Open courses of Royal Cinque Ports, Royal Troon and Carnoustie as well the Scottish Open and Walker Cup course of Royal Aberdeen and Ryder Cup host Ganton.
Kent
Rated 9 by 8 golfers (Read reviews of Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club)
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
Dundee & Angus
Rated 9 by 56 golfers (Read reviews of Carnoustie Golf Links)
1 Night, 2 Rounds
Glasgow & Ayrshire
Rated 10 by 3 golfers (Read reviews of Royal Troon Golf Club)
1 Night, 2 Rounds
Aberdeenshire
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
Yorkshire
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
Swansea
Rated 9 by 6 golfers (Read reviews of Pennard Golf Club)
1 Night, 2 Rounds
As well as designing Championship layouts for the Pro Golfers to do combat on, Braid also designed many lesser known courses or certainly ones with less air time on TV.
The majority of his courses are within his homeland of Scotland but as well as following the James Braid Trail north of the border you will find Braid designs all over the British Isles.
England has many Braid designs with the likes of Sherwood Forest & The Mere, there is Pwllheli & Holyhead in Wales and Howth in Ireland.
The King's course places emphasis on the golfer's ability to shape shots and be creative. Lee Trevino once said of the course "If Heaven is as good as this, I sure hope they have some tee-times left."
The King's Course Statistics
Par: 71 | Year Opened: 1919
The Queen's course is set in beautiful woodland with indigenous lochans and streams as water hazards. The course is shorter than the other layouts but makes up for the lack of length with exquisite beauty.
The Queen's Course Course Statistics
Par: 68 | Year Opened: 1917
Perthshire & Heartlands
Rated 9.2 by 32 golfers (Read reviews of Gleneagles)
1 Night, 1 Round
James Braid was one of the best golfers of his generation. The Fife native won 5 Open Championships (1901, 1905, 1905, 1908 & 1910) and was admitted into The World Golf Hall of Fame in 1976.
Braid's time in the game was one of a great boom thanks to a huge amount of public interest generated by himself, Harry Vardon and John Henry (JH) Taylor. This trio became known as The Great Triumvirate and won 16 of the 21 Open Championships played between 1894 - 1914.
Despite his very apparent talent for the game, he was reportedly playing to a handicap of scratch from the age of 16 at Ellie Golf Club, it could've been a very different life for him had he not been able to match his long-game talents with his putting. A change to a lighter aluminium putter improved his fortunes and gave the platform for a prolific career in golf.
Braid left a legacy, not only with his professional endeavours but also as one of the most active golf course architects in the history of the game. His designs include both The Kings and The Queens Course at Gleneagles and Southport and Ainsdale with further hands in the redesign and updating of the likes of Carnoustie Golf Links, Royal Troon, Ballybunion and Royal Musselburgh.
Braid spent more than 40 years as Professional at Walton Heath Golf Club where he joined as the club's 1st professional.
Take in the mountain views of the James Braid Highland Golf Trail including Boat of Garten near Aviemore through Fortrose and Rosemarkie near Inverness up to Brora Golf Club in Sutherland. Base yourself around the capital playing Dalmahoy, Bruntsfield or Ratho Park or play the links courses of East Lothian, there are Braid courses throught the whole of Scotland.
Edinburgh
Rated 8.6 by 26 golfers (Read reviews of Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club)
1 Night, 2 Rounds
Highlands & Inverness
Rated 10 by 1 golfer (Read review of Brora Golf Club)
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
East Lothians
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
East Lothians
Rated 8.6 by 3 golfers (Read reviews of Glen Golf Club)
1 Night, 2 Rounds
Highlands & Inverness
Rated 8 by 2 golfers (Read reviews of Nairn Golf Club)
5 Nights, 5 Rounds
East Lothians
Rated 8.6 by 3 golfers (Read reviews of Royal Musselburgh Golf Club)
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
There are James Braid courses in England that you can easily build into a little tour of the North or South. Base yourself at The Mere Golf Resort while also playing Caldy and Sherwood Forest in the North or take in the likes of Littlestone, Walmer & Kingsdown and Kingswood in the South.
Lancashire
Rated 9 by 2 golfers (Read reviews of Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club)
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
Lancashire
Rated 9 by 4 golfers (Read reviews of Formby Golf Club)
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
Dorset
Rated 9 by 2 golfers (Read reviews of Parkstone Golf Club)
3 Nights, 4 Rounds
Kent
Rated 6.6 by 8 golfers (Read reviews of Littlestone Golf Club)
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
Cornwall
Rated 9.6 by 4 golfers (Read reviews of St Enodoc Golf Club)
4 Nights, 5 Rounds
A visit to North Wales can take in Braid layouts such as Aberdovey, Maesdu, Holyhead, Pwllheli and Porthmadog. While in the South there are the superb tracks of Pennard, Langland Bay and Tenby. You could also pop over to Ireland and base yourself around Dublin to sample the likes of Howth Golf Club and Tullamore Golf Club.
North West & Harlech
Rated 9.6 by 4 golfers (Read reviews of Aberdovey Golf Club)
1 Night, 2 Rounds
North West & Harlech
Rated 8.2 by 12 golfers (Read reviews of Porthmadog Golf Club)
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
Dublin
4 Nights, 4 Rounds
South Coast & Pembrokeshire
3 Nights, 4 Rounds
Swansea
Rated 8.6 by 3 golfers (Read reviews of Langland Bay Golf Club)
1 Night, 2 Rounds
Scotland Golf Courses
Belleisle Golf Club
Blairgowrie Golf Club
Boat of Garten Golf Club
Downfield Golf Club
Forfar Golf Club
Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club
Fraserburgh Golf Club
Golspie Golf Club
Lundin Golf Club
Murcar Golf Links
Panmure Golf Club
Powfoot Golf Club
Ratho Park Golf Club
Scotscraig Golf Club
Stranrear Golf Club
England Golf Courses
Caldy Golf Club
Goswick Links Golf Club
Hawkstone Park
Kingswood Golf & Country Club
Northumberland Golf Club
Sherwood Forest Golf Club
The Mere Golf & Country Club
Thorpeness Golf Hotel
Torquay Golf Club
Walmer & Kingsdown Golf Club
Wales Golf Courses
Glamorganshire Golf Club
Holyhead Golf Club
Llandrindod Wells Golf Club
Maesdu Golf Club
Monmouthshire Golf Club
Pwllheli Golf Club