Best courses to play

G1z1

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After playing trump Aberdeen at the weekend its made me want to get a list of the top courses in Scotland and work my way through them. So can people recommend courses in Scotland that are the best in the country?
My top 3 courses ive played to date are 1. Trump aberdeen. 2. Trump robert the bruce. 3. Prestwick st nics. But number 2 and 3 are miles behind trump aberdeen that course was just on another level. So looking for courses that are right up there with trump aberdeen.
 

patricks148

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Tbh there are too many to mention,try looking at the different regions, east Lothian, Ayrshire, Angus, Fife, Aberdeenshire and Highland and look at playing the best in those areas.
 

Captainron

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Your quest to play the best in Scotland is awesome. There are so many brilliant courses up there. Use the GM list as a guide to start with as it lists those in their Top100.

Trump Aberdeen is a huge rugged beauty of a course. Glad it got your heart racing.
 

KenL

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chico

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I've always been put off playing the top courses because I don't think I'm a good enough player to get the enjoyment out of it. I often think I'd rather play an OK course and go round in 85-90 than play a cracker and take over 100. Do you enjoy these top courses if they beat you up?
 

Crazyface

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I went round carnoustie in 89. They don't have these top courses set up the same, Eg piggin hard, as they do when the top players are due there. You'll be fine, if the weather's ok.
 

Ethan

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I've always been put off playing the top courses because I don't think I'm a good enough player to get the enjoyment out of it. I often think I'd rather play an OK course and go round in 85-90 than play a cracker and take over 100. Do you enjoy these top courses if they beat you up?

Depends how you play them. Some of these courses have holes where you would need to hit a good drive down a narrow part of the fairway and then a good longish iron to get home in regulation, but you can also play a 3 wood, a 6 iron and a 9 iron to get there. Can be good practice in finding a way to play a hole within your capability.
 

Smiffy

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I've always been put off playing the top courses because I don't think I'm a good enough player to get the enjoyment out of it. I often think I'd rather play an OK course and go round in 85-90 than play a cracker and take over 100. Do you enjoy these top courses if they beat you up?

I've played Carnoustie half a dozen times. The Old Course once. When I played Carnoustie I was playing to a "reasonable" level and thoroughly enjoyed it, despite not scoring particularly well. The other lads I was playing with were all similar handicaps to myself and whilst we all cocked up a few times, we could laugh about it. The only course that has ever "beaten me up" was St Mellion. A bad day around there can really make you feel like giving up.
I didn't enjoy St Andrews one bit, and would never go back there. An over zealous marshall put paid to my experience.
Scotland has a host of great courses, many of them I would go back to before the Old course.
But Carnoustie I would play any day of the week. Twice. Maybe 3 times.
 
D

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There are great courses on the list, but like Eric Morcambe's piano playing, not necessarily in the right order.

The old course is a must play.

Other's that might not be up as far as they should, for me, Royal Troon, Panmure, Jubilee course, Kilspindie, Gullane 2 or 3, Southerness and Dunbar (my personal favourite of course).
I didn’t tell him the order was correct!
I’ve just provided a link to a website which lists the best courses in Scotland.
He can make his own mind up regarding which is best.
 

Backache

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I've always been put off playing the top courses because I don't think I'm a good enough player to get the enjoyment out of it. I often think I'd rather play an OK course and go round in 85-90 than play a cracker and take over 100. Do you enjoy these top courses if they beat you up?
I have enjoyed almost all the better courses I have played and am a high handicapper.
I don't worry about my final score but enjoy the moment.
I virtually always play them using Stableford or matchplay.
The new WHS system should make this more realistic though it wasn't previously a problem. If the rough is up you will have some bad holes on long courses, it shouldn't stop you enjoying the course.
 

AliMc

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There are great courses on the list, but like Eric Morcambe's piano playing, not necessarily in the right order.

The old course is a must play.

Other's that might not be up as far as they should, for me, Royal Troon, Panmure, Jubilee course, Kilspindie, Gullane 2 or 3, Southerness and Dunbar (my personal favourite of course).
I think you have to take these listings with a very large pinch of salt tbh, North Berwick 6th best golf course in Scotland really !
St Andrews New ranked higher than both Archerfield courses, Dunbar, Panmure, Downfield, etc and The Roxburghe way down in the list is way way better than numerous courses ranked higher ?
 

Backache

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Loved The Jubilee, hated The Castle when I played them a couple of months back.
Personally I really enjoyed both, was a bit sceptical about the Castle from some of the reviews but in good conditions found it a cracking course, wouldn't like to play it in the wet though.
 

rudebhoy

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Personally I really enjoyed both, was a bit sceptical about the Castle from some of the reviews but in good conditions found it a cracking course, wouldn't like to play it in the wet though.

to be fair, it was blowing a gale the day we played it, but the rough was penal. If you can keep it straight, you will enjoy it. Miss the fairway, and you will be ploughing through knee high stuff trying to find your ball.
 
D

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I think you have to take these listings with a very large pinch of salt tbh, North Berwick 6th best golf course in Scotland really !
St Andrews New ranked higher than both Archerfield courses, Dunbar, Panmure, Downfield, etc and The Roxburghe way down in the list is way way better than numerous courses ranked higher ?
That website is based on public reviews. You get great courses being slagged off by 28hcppers that lost a dozen balls because they were way out of their depth. Use it purely as a rough guide.
 
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