Best area of Scotland for golf

[Jacko_G]

With NB, be good to hear what you think - massively over rated for me.

Kilspindie is fab and you might like Craigielaw, a modern links with interesting greens.

Not a great lover of Kilspindie tbh. It's too short and just lacks a bit of WOW factor for me. It's a nice course, it was in tremendous condition when I last played it but in all honesty I would rather just head to West Kilbride on the west coast then travel through. Similar sort of standard for me.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

The highlands (inc A9 corridor & west Moray), hard to pick out a course that isn't very good.

Working north ~ Pitlochry, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Boat of Garten, Grantown-on-spey, Carrbridge, Abernethy, Forres, Elgin, Moray, Hopeman, Nairn, Nairn Dunbar, Inverness, Kings, Fortrose & R, Bonar Bridge, Muir of Ord, Tain, Golspie, Dornoch, Brora, Wick, Durness, Reay.

I'd not trade that for anywhere

 

[Backache]

The highlands (inc A9 corridor & west Moray), hard to pick out a course that isn't very good.

Working north ~ Pitlochry, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Boat of Garten, Grantown-on-spey, Carrbridge, Abernethy, Forres, Elgin, Moray, Hopeman, Nairn, Nairn Dunbar, Inverness, Kings, Fortrose & R, Bonar Bridge, Muir of Ord, Tain, Golspie, Dornoch, Brora, Wick, Durness, Reay.

I'd not trade that for anywhere

Many of them are nice courses and the Highlands can be considered an area but in terms of a holiday particularly if you wanted to base yourself in one place its a bit like treating the rest of Scotland as one area. The travel time between Pitochry and Durness would be longer than between Southerness and Carnoustie.

 

[Smokey Lomcevak]

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with geography of the Western portion of Scotland, it should be said that if one can navigate (and tolerate) the vagaries of CalMac then It is entirely possible to include Kintyre, Arran and even Islay in an Ayrshire golf trip.

During the Summer, a small ferry links Lochranza with Clonaig on Kintyre, and the drive to Campbeltown is ~45 minutes. Turn right from the ferry to take a detour to Skipness Seafood Cabin. Additionally, on certain days of the week, the second ferry on the Ardrossan - Brodick run calls at Campbeltown. This is prone to cancellations however. Vehicle bookings are essential on the big boats into and out of Brodick - often several weeks out if travelling at the weekend or near the holidays. However there is always the back of returning to civilisation via the road from Clonaig or Cambeltown - but it’s longer than you think, and not a drive to be done with a deadline.

I imagaine a trip taking in 2 solid Ayrshire courses, Shiskine, Corrie, Machrihanish/Dunes/Dunaverty and The Machrie (Islay) as being the ultimate Scottish experience.

 

[Backache]

and The Machrihanish (Islay) as being the ultimate Scottish experience.

Think you mean The Machrie. Nice post, would be a lovely trip if the weather held. Carradale is another funky little nine holer on the Kintyre peninsula.

 

[Smokey Lomcevak]

I do indeed. Edited. If I’d known autocorrect would have helped me I would have used the word more generously!

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Many of them are nice courses and the Highlands can be considered an area but in terms of a holiday particularly if you wanted to base yourself in one place its a bit like treating the rest of Scotland as one area. The travel time between Pitochry and Durness would be longer than between Southerness and Carnoustie.

there's 2 dozen courses there, I don't think I was suggesting you'd play them all in a week. You'd either base yourself around Aviemore and do the Speyside area, or perhaps Tain and do the Black Isle area, or head right up and do the northern coast. But for me it's the finest bit of golf land in the country, and you don't need to go near the stupidly expensive courses

 

[need_my_wedge]

Total opposite for me. Mach Dunes is the stronger of the two for me. Machrihanish has a brilliant front 9, 10 is also excellent then it peters out into mediocrity for me. Back nine is such a disappointment from the front.

I've never once came off Mach Dunes "cream crackered" regularly play 27 when I go down.

I guess we all like and appreciate different things.

Maybe we were just tired from travel and previous rounds, but all three of us were done in on the back 9 at the Dunes. Don't remember too much coming in, which probably contributes to the opinion.

 

[patricks148]

Total opposite for me. Mach Dunes is the stronger of the two for me. Machrihanish has a brilliant front 9, 10 is also excellent then it peters out into mediocrity for me. Back nine is such a disappointment from the front.

I've never once came off Mach Dunes "cream crackered" regularly play 27 when I go down.

I guess we all like and appreciate different things.

Really! Only played it twice and did both times?
Mind one of those was after watching another former steal evey tee in the place and setting out at 3am to get there

 

[patricks148]

there's 2 dozen courses there, I don't think I was suggesting you'd play them all in a week. You'd either base yourself around Aviemore and do the Speyside area, or perhaps Tain and do the Black Isle area, or head right up and do the northern coast. But for me it's the finest bit of golf land in the country, and you don't need to go near the stupidly expensive courses

I'd guess its would be easy to do, you have to drive past or within 20 min of the a9, stop off a couple of nights aviemore area, a couple Invernesd and a couple Dornoch then head to Thurso/wick. An American guy on the Facebook group did exactly this last summer, I think he played all the course including Agas, Strathpeffer, Alness, Invergordon, Portmahomack, Helmsdale, wick, Reay and Durness, then went back down the west side NC500 and played all those.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

I'd guess its would be easy to do, you have to drive past or within 20 min of the a9, stop off a couple of nights aviemore area, a couple Invernesd and a couple Dornoch then head to Thurso/wick. An American guy on the Facebook group did exactly this last summer, I think he played all the course including Agas, Strathpeffer, Alness, Invergordon, Portmahomack, Helmsdale, wick, Reay and Durness, then went back down the west side NC500 and played all those.

Yeah not difficult really as it's a pretty linear list as most are on the coast or just off the A9 as you head to Inverness

 

[IanM]

I'd guess its would be easy to do, you have to drive past or within 20 min of the a9, stop off a couple of nights aviemore area, a couple Invernesd and a couple Dornoch then head to Thurso/wick. An American guy on the Facebook group did exactly this last summer, I think he played all the course including Agas, Strathpeffer, Alness, Invergordon, Portmahomack, Helmsdale, wick, Reay and Durness, then went back down the west side NC500 and played all those.

Right ho Patrick, you've been appointed Travel Agent... I don't know any of those courses. Sounds just the thing!

 

[patricks148]

Yeah not difficult really as it's a pretty linear list as most are on the coast or just off the A9 as you head to Inverness

And the ones that aren't just off the A9 were before they diverted it to bridge the Moray and Cromarty firths..
If you didn't want to go further north Than Brora, the A96 East would be pretty good too. Castle Stuart, Nairn and Nairn Dunbar, Forres, Hopeman, Moray, Elgin Garmouth and Spey Bay, then up along the coast Cullen Starthlean, Duff House etc.

 

[Big85]

With NB, be good to hear what you think - massively over rated for me.

Kilspindie is fab and you might like Craigielaw, a modern links with interesting greens.

They are the other 2 we have booked in for this year

 

[Jacko_G]

They are the other 2 we have booked in for this year

I'd rather play at Dunbar every day of the week than Kilspindie. Just my opinion though.

 

[Bratty]

All I'll add to this is regardless of where you golf in Scotland, if you're heading up the West of England to get there, stop at Silloth on Solway GC on your way. It'll be the best golf pit stop you've ever made!

 

[Val]

Aberdeenshire coast is superb and probably no 1 for me, then Ayrshire Coast, Moray firth and North, East Lothian coast then Angus with Panmure being superb.

Spoiled for choice

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

For holiday golf played in stunning countryside, with a few challenging courses, I give you central Perthshire.

A few years ago I organised a golfing holiday in the area: Rosemount; Pitlochry; Dunkeld; Comrie; Blair Athol, Aberfeldy; Taymouth Castle.

Not all the most testing courses but every one in scenery that is IMO the equal of anywhere in the world (though I’m biased as my mums from Dunkeld and I have been a member of Dunkeld and also might as well have been a member of Pitlochry I played it so often over two summers).

 

[KenL]

For holiday golf played in stunning countryside, with a few challenging courses, I give you central Perthshire.

A few years ago I organised a golfing holiday in the area: Rosemount; Pitlochry; Dunkeld; Comrie; Blair Athol, Aberfeldy; Taymouth Castle.

Not all the most testing courses but every one in scenery that is IMO the equal of anywhere in the world (though I’m biased as my mums from Dunkeld and I have been a member of Dunkeld and also might as well have been a member of Pitlochry I played it so often over two summers).

Yes indeed, a beautiful part of the world.
Rosemount is my favourite inland course.

 

[patricks148]

For holiday golf played in stunning countryside, with a few challenging courses, I give you central Perthshire.

A few years ago I organised a golfing holiday in the area: Rosemount; Pitlochry; Dunkeld; Comrie; Blair Athol, Aberfeldy; Taymouth Castle.

Not all the most testing courses but every one in scenery that is IMO the equal of anywhere in the world (though I’m biased as my mums from Dunkeld and I have been a member of Dunkeld and also might as well have been a member of Pitlochry I played it so often over two summers).

I don't get the love of those courses, maybe Blairgowrie. When we had a forum meet at Pitlochry I was bitterly disappointed with it. But then scenery plays no part in why I'd play a course. But that's just my opinion mind.