Exploring Scotland's Highlands and Golf Courses

June 12th, 2025

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There's something timeless about the Scottish Highlands, a place where mist hangs low over jagged peaks, where ancient glens whisper legends of clans and kings, and where the wind seems to carry the echoes of centuries past. Scotland is a place that stirs the soul, and for golfers, it does something even more: it calls you to play the game as it was meant to be played.

In the Highlands, golf is not a manufactured experience. It's not about manicured perfection or commercial spectacle. It's elemental. Here, the game feels rooted in the very terrain, shaped by shifting dunes, craggy cliffs, and the unpredictable moods of the sea and sky. Every course, whether centuries-old or a modern masterpiece, exists in harmony with its surroundings.

Each one is a reflection of Scotland's raw, poetic landscape and the reverence it holds for the game that gave the world its name. But this journey is about more than just golf. It's about discovery. Let's explore Scotland's Highlands and golf courses.

Golf Courses of the Past

The Highlands are home to some of the oldest and most storied clubs in Scotland, places where the game has been cherished for generations and where tradition is not just preserved but lived.

  • St. Andrews was one of the oldest golf courses, dating back to 1552. By 1754, the course consisted of 12 holes. Today, the old course, along with the other five courses around town, remains public so that anybody can play.
  • Second on this list is the Musselburgh Old Course, dating back to 1672, making it the second oldest course in Scotland. It originally hosted Open Championship events between 1874 and 1889.
  • The third-oldest course was Elie and Earlsferry in the East Neuk of Fife, dating back to 1787; however, the current club was formed in 1858. Today, the starter on the first hole uses a periscope salvaged from the HMS Excalibur to make sure the coast is clear for golfers to play.
  • Fotrose Golf Course was formerly called Chanonry, and there is documentary evidence of golf being played here dating back to 1702. By 1793, the Fortrose Golf Society had been established, and the course was expanded to its current 18-hole layout in 1924.

Golf Courses with Visions of Modernity

While the Highlands are a stronghold of tradition, they've also embraced modern course design with significant success. These modern courses are combined with Scotland's innate charm, featuring rugged terrain and bold, dramatic greens that are sought after among golf enthusiasts.

  • First on the list is a Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish-designed parkland course known as Loch Lomond Golf Club, located west of Glasgow. This course has never been off the world's top 100 courses since its inception.
  • Second is the Kingsbarns Golf Links, which has been the ultimate golfing go-to since the 1700s and is brilliantly designed by Kyle Phillips.
  • Last but definitely not least is the Castle Stuart Golf Links. Designed by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse, this course offers everything a golfer could want from a course: room off the tee, well-guarded greens, good playing conditions, and views of the sea.

To play golf in the Scottish Highlands is to return to the baseline of the game. The Highlands are humbling in beauty and challenge. Contact us to book your Scotland golf package today and experience a golf getaway like never before.