Scotland - The Home of Golf
Scotland is regarded the world over as the historic and cultural center of golf and the very Home of the Game.
Any other claims are flawed in the one specific that separates our royal and ancient game from all other distractions. It is the element crucial to the whole exercise; the object of the players progress from tee to green, the target of his exertions. It is the round excavation in the ground, four and one quarter inches in diameter, known quite simply as “the hole”.
The early history of golf can be verified in the record of Scottish golf. In 1457 King James II abortive efforts to ban the game by Act of Parliament were occasioned to have his archers focus more on their archery practice. The King was ignored and 56 years later at the battle of Flodden, the country lost not only their King but also the flower of may noble Scottish families. It is not hard to make the case that the pursuit of golf, instead of archery practice, may have been a contributing factor.
While St Andrews is considered the home of the game, the oldest golf club is the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, now located at Muirfield, founded in 1744. There are now 550 golf courses in Scotland, more per head of population than any other country, providing visiting golfers an outstanding selection of courses on which to test their skills.
Courses include 7 Championship courses that have hosted the Open Championship in its 160 year history on a total of 97 occasions:
30 times at St Andrews between 1873 and 2022 (150th Open)
24 times at Old Prestwick between 1860 and 1925 (the original venue)
16 times at Muirfield between 1892 and 2013
9 times at Royal Troon between 1923 and 2016 (also scheduled for 2024)
8 times at Carnoustie between 1931 and 2018
6 times at Musselburgh between 1874 and 1889
4 times at Turnberry between1977 and 2009
There are four major golf regions in Scotland, click on the region below to discover the best courses in the area:
St. Andrews & Central Scotland
Inverness, Highlands & North East
Each region offers a choice of courses:
Championship - recommended for Category 1 golfers
With handicaps under 10
Great Courses - to be enjoyed by all club players who regularly play at or near a handicap under 24
Hidden Gems - Spectacular venues with fun for all and some ideal for an early evening replay
Average daylight hours in Scotland
These long daylight hours allow for 2 or even 3 rounds (June & July) on different courses in one day
April 14 hours (06:30 - 20:30)
May 16 hours (05:30 - 21:30)
June 17 hours (04:45 - 22:00)
July 17 hours (05:00 - 22:00)
August 15 hours (06:00 - 21:00)
September 12 hours (07:00 - 19:45)
Walking the course is normal in Scotland. Caddies can be arranged in advance at the bigger courses. Pull carts are always available and some courses have a few buggies for hire, which must be requested at the time of reservation.