For what it is worth here is my personal top 20 played. Embarrassing 'not played' are Prestwick, Carnoustie and the new boy Castle Stuart.
To all visiting golfers to our shores- these are the courses I would suggest playing; these are the ones I would happily go back to without putting any down to bulk out my list. Not too precious about this order but its close....
1. Muirfield (East Lothian)
2. TOC (Fife)
3. North Berwick (East Lothian)
4. Royal Dornoch (Highlands)
5. Turnberry (Ayrshire)
6. St. Andrews New (Fife)
7. Renaissance Club (East Lothian)
8. Kingsbarns (Fife)
9. Loch Lomond (Dumbartonshire)
10. Royal Troon (Ayrshire)
11. Gullane No. 1 (East Lothian)
12. Brora (Highlands)
13. Gullane No.2 (East Lothian)
14. Dunbar (East Lothian)
15. Balcomie (Fife)
16. Elie (Fife)
17. St. A Jubilee (Fife)
18. Luffness (East Lothian)
19. Leven (Fife)
20. Kilspindie (East Lothian)
Nothing to do with the fact I grew up in East Lothian and went to University in Fife.
It does show that IMO you can visit lots of great courses all within a short drive of each other, some with a high price tag and others more affordable. A golfer staying in East Lothian could play all those courses for £400-£450 if he/she took out Muirfield and RC for price and access reasons. That’s $600 (a round at Pebble?) to play 6 good courses, 35 minutes from Edinburgh Airport to NB, all within 15 minutes drive of North Berwick.
In Fife, stay in St Andrews. 1 hour from the airport depending on the bridge, around the same money for the 7 listed Fife courses all within a 30 minute drive of St. A. Perhaps the golf is slightly more expensive there with the courses listed but you can always take out 1 headliner.
S