If you are looking for a break from your hectic schedule, a bespoke golf trip to Scotland is a great way to unwind. With hundreds of different courses, stunning landscapes, and amazing history and architecture, Scotland can turn into an unforgettable trip.
However, with a range of golf courses, making the right choice can be quite overwhelming as golfers try to pack more options into their itinerary. Having a bespoke golfing trip eliminates the risk of making too many choices and instead allows you to focus on the experiences you want.
Choosing bespoke golf trips in Scotland allows you to make sense of your golf holiday, as the trip is shaped around your golfing ability, preferred pace, interests, and includes parts of Scotland that you want to experience.
Hence, rather than looking for some of the best courses in Scotland, we take a look at seven different golf experiences worth building a personalized trip around.
St Andrews Old Course – The Ultimate Golf Pilgrimage
The Old Course at St Andrews is a lot more than one of the famous golf courses in Scotland. To many golfers around the world, playing here is a pilgrimage to the traditional home of golf. Hence, if you are in Scotland and would want to make the most of your trip, you can turn your golfing holiday into something memorable.
This is where securing a round requires planning and some patience. Also, you would want to make sure that you have the skills to take on the challenges because the hidden humps and hollows can quickly change your game. The 17th hole is especially challenging, but it also elevates the game and pushes you to improve your skills.
Off the course, you also get to make the most of you staying in St Andrews; you can explore the historic town and enjoy delicious food. Also, you can take some time to walk West Sands beach, which remains one of the best beaches in Scotland, ideal for some spectacular sunrise and sunset views.
Carnoustie – Where Golf Meets Its Toughest Test
If you are really up for a challenge, Carnoustie offers one of the best courses in Scotland. The demanding links courses demand that you have knowledge of the game and how you can rise to the natural challenges that will come your way. The bunkers are strategically placed, and golfers also have to take into consideration coastal winds that can ruin good shots.
Apart from handling the sea breeze and bunkers, golfers also have to consider the Barry Burn, which comes into play, adding another layer of pressure. Hence, accuracy and strategy are the key here rather than hitting the ball hard.
Once you are done with the game, you can go around and explore the area and even make the most of your visit to nearby towns like Dundee and Forfar.
Kingsbarns – Scotland’s Most Scenic Round
Looking for a game of golf with spectacular coastal scenery? Kingsbarns offers one of the most scenic rounds that you can enjoy while you are in Scotland. The golf course offers a combination of dramatic coastline, sea views and an immersive golfing experience that is hard to replicate elsewhere.
Unlike most of the old courses, this one offers a modern course, but the game still matters. The links course presents various coastal conditions, and therefore golfers have to focus on their game and take into consideration the landscape and the weather conditions.
Golfers can also focus on a bespoke itinerary that includes exploring the areas around the course, offering an overall immersive golfing holiday experience.
Royal Dornoch – A Golf Escape Into the Highlands
If you are planning to explore the Scottish Highlands but also want a memorable golfing experience, Royal Dornoch is the place to be. This isn’t just any other golf course, but a quite famous one that offers you a combination of stunning Highland scenery and a sense of remoteness.
With its undulating fairways, natural terrain and a bit of windy weather, Royal Dornoch rewards those who bring in strategy and accuracy into their game. However, in terms of character, Royal Dornoch is quite different from Carnoustie, as it offers a sense of getting away from it all.
This is also an ideal course for those who want a lot more from their bespoke golf trip. Golfers can spend a day exploring various small towns and cities nearby. With plenty of things to do in Inverness, golfers can explore the local culture, walk around the city, tour Inverness Castle and even drink small-batch whisky.
Cruden Bay – For Golfers Who Like the Unexpected
Golfers looking for something unique and understated can always look out for Cruden Bay, offering an amazing game of golf in Scotland. Cruden Bay sits on the Aberdeenshire coast and provides amazing scenery packed with dunes and views towards the North Sea.
Unlike other golf courses, the biggest differentiator here is the natural, rugged character of the links. Golfers, therefore, have to take into consideration the geography and the weather and use it to their advantage. Hence, this makes a perfect course for golfers who like to discover the character of the course as they play their game.
This trip can be tied to an Aberdeenshire itinerary, and golfers can look out for exploring various local towns and even the city of Aberdeen, where they can discover local food and culture.
Gleneagles – Where Golf Becomes a Luxury Retreat
Gleneagles is ideal for golfers who believe that their golf trip doesn’t end when the rounds do. Hence, this is a particularly strong choice for those who want to blend a luxurious holiday experience with the game of golf. This is where golfers can also explore multiple championship courses and secure more than one round.
The courses here combine natural scenery with tough undulations, and this means golfers have to stay focused rather than being swayed away by stunning scenery. Various holes here offer significant elevation changes, which means strategy and shot accuracy matter.
Staying at The Gleneagles Hotel ensures that golfers can bask in the luxury and comfort once they’re off the course. This is where they can enjoy delicious breakfast and meals, meet other golfers and even head out for a day’s trip to Edinburgh.
Crail – For a Taste of Traditional Scottish Golf
If you are not much into the biggest or the most famous golf courses, Crail is where you can experience traditional Scottish golf in an intimate setting. Crail Golfing Society dates back to 1786 and has its own history quite different from St Andrews. This makes this golf course one of the best ones that you shouldn’t miss when you are in Scotland.
Also, the course here is quite unique; golfers can enjoy the rugged coastline, sea views and undulations that are a part of the natural landscape. The small, intimate space makes it look like a personal game rather than a golfing spectacle.
While Crail is certainly not St Andrews, it does offer something unique to golfers looking for a quiet game of golf in Scotland.
