Golf has never been so appealing. Golfers were doing social distancing outdoors long before it became a thing, and it’s the perfect excuse for treating yourself to some of this season's freshest new knitwear.
As Scotland is the undisputed home of golf, we’ve rounded up its coolest spots to test your swing and do a little exploring, once it’s safe to travel again.
Cruden Bay Golf Club, Aberdeenshire
This may be the most fun you can have on a golf course. It’s built around the area’s enormous sand dunes, in the shadow of Slains Castle (the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula), offering blind shots, hill climbs and spectacular ocean scenery. We’ve been told the view from the 10th tee is worth the trip alone. For the more casual golfer, there's also the enjoyable nine-hole St Olaf course.
Tip: To soak up more of the local sites, visit Newburgh Beach, a short drive down the coast. As well as a bracing walk on the beach, you can’t miss the 400-strong seal colony.
St Andrews Old Course, Fife
It may be the most famous 18 holes in the world, but it’s still a public course, open to anyone through the daily ballot if you have a handicap of 36 or under. It’s also closed on Sundays, so you can go for walks around the fairways. The course, which is overlooked by the five-star Old Course Hotel, begins and ends in the town itself and the skyline is visible throughout. As five-times Open winner Peter Thomson said: “This is where it all started. And all golf courses, really, are imitations of this one.”
But, if you can't get onto the Old Course, don't despair, as the Eden Course that runs alongside it shares the same hallowed piece of links land.
Tip: During your stay in St Andrews, make a dinner reservation at The Seafood Ristorante, which sits on the cliff-edge, overlooking the sea from which many of the kitchen's ingredients are sourced. And if you're in the area between April and September, and have a free day, take a trip to the Isle of May, home to incredible wildlife, including the distinctive puffin.
Machrihanish Dunes, Kintyre, Argyll & The Isles
The ‘Mach Dunes’ are tough but fair. Set hard against the Atlantic Ocean on the Kintyre Peninsula (one of Scotland’s best-kept secrets), the course is designated a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’. This means only the tees and greens have been shaped; the fairways in between remain just as nature made them. This is the game as it was meant to be played.
Tip: Machrihanish Dunes is more than a golf course — the seaside resort also has two historic hotels and cottages for hire — so we recommend making it the base for your stay. Another local highlight is the Beinn an Tuirc distillery, where Kintyre gin is made.
Gleneagles, Perthshire
If your sweater vest is cut from a fancier cloth, you’ll appreciate the luxury of Gleneagles, home to three world-class championship courses, cafés and restaurants, and a spa (those golf shoes can pinch). Blessed with outstanding panoramic views of the rich Perthshire countryside, this is one of the most exhilarating spots in the world to test your swing. It also has strong eco-credentials, from sustainable local produce served in the restaurants to its commitment to natural regeneration of Scots pine woodland.
Tip: Treat yourself to a stay at The Gleneagles Hotel itself, where you can enjoy two-Michelin-star dining at in-house restaurant Andrew Fairlie. And if you fancy a dram, head to the Glenturret Distillery nearby at Crieff.
Eyemouth Golf Club, Scottish Borders
This course, which overlooks the picturesque fishing town of Eyemouth just a short drive over the border, lays claim to Scotland’s longest hole at 656 yards, known as the Hawkness Monster. Its par-3 6th hole has also been voted Britain’s most extraordinary. If that’s not enough to tempt you, the stunning East Berwickshire coastline surely will.
Tip: Discover more of the area with a day's trip to Glentress Forest, which offers world class mountain biking trails and tree-top adventures.
Always check the latest government restrictions relating to Covid-19 before travelling. For more information, go to the VisitScotland website
Find out more about Scotland’s top golfing destinations at VisitScotland. Keep an eye out for businesses using the We’re Good to Go logo, plan ahead and always travel responsibly
