Scotland is known predominantly for links golf, but Boat of Garten is a good example of golf beyond the coast. Set in the heart of the Cairngorms, with the River Spey close by and the mountains never far from view, the course measures under 6,000 yards and plays to a par of 70, where power is rarely the point.

What matters is keeping the ball in play and finding the right side of fairways to open up the greens. The course encourages a mix of shots and imagination to score well.

The Strathspey steam railway runs alongside the course so you may see trains running by the course, and birds of prey are often seen overhead. It’s a wonderful setting and a lovely place to spend a few hours, and to enjoy a classic example of Scottish inland golf.

Step back in time at Brora Golf Club, a true throwback to how the game used to be played. This natural seaside links has barely been altered since its inception and remains one of the finest examples of James Braid’s work.

The front nine hugs the North Sea coastline, with few dunes to block the view. The course is open and exposed, and conditions can change quickly when the wind picks up. Grazing animals still wander onto the fairways, and burns wind their way across the course, demanding care and attention.

Another notable feature is that the four par 3s all play in different directions. The closing hole, played back towards the clubhouse, is one of the most demanding par 3 finishes in Scottish golf. For those planning a Scottish golf trip, a round at Brora provides something genuinely different and undeniably memorable.

Many consider Castle Stuart a true masterpiece of modern golf. Created by Kingsbarns developer Mark Parsinen and architect Gil Hanse, this magnificent links is a joy to play.

Wide fairways invite freedom from the tee, but the course remains a strategic test throughout. Braver lines are often rewarded, opening up simpler approaches and better angles into the greens.

The course is pure eye candy, with infinity greens that seem to spill into the sea and bunkers that feel carved by nature itself. Each turn brings a new perspective – from the calm waters of the estuary to breathtaking vistas high above the coast.

Take in the views, enjoy the challenge, and get ready for a wonderful day of golf.

Cruden Bay is one of the most captivating courses in Scotland, full of charm, history, and a touch of eccentricity. It’s a great routing – winding through valleys and ridges in a way that feels entirely organic. At times it evokes the west coast of Ireland, with huge dunes that are an unusual sight in Scotland.

After a gentle start, the course comes alive at the 4th, a long par three that demands a carry across a deep chasm. The stretch through to the 7th is world class, with some of the most thrilling and picturesque holes in the country.

The back nine delivers even more in the way of quirks and surprises, where imagination and touch are rewarded at every turn. A round at Cruden Bay is an authentic, joyful experience that will stay with you long after the final putt drops.

Situated on a narrow peninsula jutting into the Moray Firth, Fortrose & Rosemarkie is a delight to play. This historic James Braid design is full of character and charm.

The early holes are breathtaking, with lovely views across the water to Fort George and the lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula. You might even spot dolphins playing in the Moray Firth.

As your round progresses you’ll find a lovely mix of inland and coastal holes, packed with personality and quirk. The round finishes with a testing par three back to the clubhouse, where a few onlookers might be watching to see how you handle the pressure.

This is very much a members’ course which locals play. Too many international visitors drive past on the way to Dornoch without stopping. That’s a shame as they are missing out one of Scotland’s true gems.

Golspie is an unusual course – it’s not often you will find links, heathland and parkland ground all in one round! This James Braid course, just along the coast from Brora, is a great addition to any Highlands golf itinerary.

You will find some lovely views across the Dornoch Firth, and then back towards the hills inland. Helped by the area’s mild coastal climate, the course is typically presented on firm, bouncy turf.

Golspie stands out for its individuality and offers something genuinely different from its illustrious neighbours.

Moray Old, or “Lossie” as it’s known to the locals, is a classic Scottish links with a history that reaches back to Old Tom Morris himself.
It’s one of the most natural-feeling courses you’ll ever play. Old Tom simply chose the best spots for tees and greens and mowed between them, shaping a layout that flows perfectly with the land. Though it’s not long by modern standards, the rumpled fairways and ever-changing bounces ensure every shot is an adventure.

You don’t see much of the sea until the closing stretch, but it’s worth the wait – the finish is one of the finest in Scottish golf. The 18th is the highlight, a demanding yet rewarding hole playing back into the town, with out-of-bounds down the right and a testing approach to the final green.

Moray Old is golf in its purest form – natural, joyful, and full of character from start to finish.

Murcar Links is a classic Scottish links that offers a true and honest test of golf. It’s a course of two halves, each with its own distinct personality.

The opening stretch takes you out through wonderful dunes along the coastline, with standout holes like the 7th, “Serpentine,” a fantastic test that would sit comfortably on any great links. The 9th is another highlight – a bold, risk-and-reward par four that will ask some searching questions of your game.

The back nine moves inland but remains a strong challenge, with clever use of elevation and some truly memorable holes. The 16th is a fine par three played across a ravine, while the 18th provides a strong and satisfying finish.

Murcar rewards accuracy from the tee and good control into the greens. Play smart, and you’ll be treated to a memorable round on one of Aberdeen’s great links courses.

Nairn is one of the great links courses of the Scottish Highlands, long admired for its balance of beauty, substance and challenge. Set beside the Moray Firth, it enjoys wide views across the water towards the Black Isle, with the opening stretch running close to the shoreline and the sea rarely far from play.

The course dates from 1887, with Archie Simpson, Old Tom Morris, James Braid and Ben Sayers all contributing to its evolution. Nairn announced itself to a wider audience when it hosted the Walker Cup in 1999, but its reputation had been secure long before that. Braid’s influence is especially clear in the bunkering, while the greens and cleverly angled short holes demand precision and sound judgement. As the course turns inland, variety and rhythm carry through to a testing and rewarding finish. Nairn is a fair but exacting links, one that quietly proves its quality over the course of a round.

Old Petty at Cabot Highlands is the second Scottish course from Tom Doak. Built on former farmland, it feels like a very established, traditional Scottish course – winding around features such as a bothy with its bright red roof, Castle Stuart itself, and stretches of dry stone dyke that firmly root the course in its setting.

It rewards brains over brawn. Bunkers are few but severe, while the real challenge lies in using the contours of the rumpled fairways and the beautifully shaped greens to work the ball close.

The stretch beside the estuary is a highlight. The short par 4 13th tempts a risk and reward drive to an infinity green overlooking the bay, followed by the par 3 14th dropping sharply towards the water. Old Petty is subtle, thoughtful and full of character, and an important addition to modern Scottish golf.

A round at Royal Aberdeen is a true Scottish links experience and with a club history dating back to 1780, this is a course steeped in tradition.

The front nine is widely considered among the best in the country. It begins with a strong opening hole, played towards the water from a tee set just outside the clubhouse bay window. The quality continues as you head north along the coast, culminating in the magnificent 8th, the signature par three. It’s a beautiful hole, full of subtle challenges, and one to be savoured.

While the front nine may steal the headlines, the back nine more than holds its own. There’s plenty to make you think as you come home, with highlights including the three-tiered green on the 17th and a demanding 18th that ranks among the finest finishing holes anywhere.

Royal Aberdeen is one of the UK’s true classic links courses – a stern but fair test, and a round that lingers long in the memory.

Royal Dornoch is a beautiful, strategic, and deeply rewarding test of golf. Set in a remote but spectacular part of Scotland, it’s a course that inspires devotion in all those who make the journey north.

Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris, Dornoch follows a classic out-and-back design. The round begins on high ground before descending toward the Dornoch Firth, then runs along the beach before climbing back to town on the upper plateau. Along the way, you’ll play some of the most exhilarating holes anywhere in the world.

What truly sets Dornoch apart are its greens. Many are raised and surrounded by tight run-offs that will punish anything less than precision, yet they sit so naturally within the landscape they feel like they must have been there since time began.

This is a course to savour. The colours, the views, and the sense of place are unforgettable – a reminder of just how special the game can be in the far north of Scotland.

The New Course at Trump International brings a striking new dimension to this dramatic stretch of coastline north of Aberdeen. It is a big course, set among vast dunes (some natural and some man-made), heathland edges, and wetland corridors.

The routing follows a classic out-and-back rhythm, with the middle of the round getting close to the shoreline in a run of holes that combine beauty, scale, and challenge. This land known as the Southern Dome provides some of the most memorable moments, with elevated tees, sweeping fairways, and views that shift with every change of light and wind.

The New Course blends drama with strategy, modern flair with traditional spirit.

Standing among the spectacular Balgownie Dunes, the Old Course at Trump International is a modern links that provides a true test.

Most holes weave between towering dunes, creating both beauty and challenge. The routing is relatively straightforward and the fairways are generally forgiving, but the elevated tees and greens provide fine views across the North Sea.

The par threes are a highlight, none more so than the 14th, the most photographed hole on the course, where the scale and drama of the setting come fully into view. The long par five 18th is a fitting finale, a tough, sweeping, test guarded by 18 bunkers.