I suspect Silloth is still thye best bang for your buck that you could ever imagine but then I'm totally biased.
Looking at Moray, my old stomping ground, which is an area that generally gets totally bypassed the value for money is astonishing. Prices as below;
1. Moray GC
Moray Old (peak) £70
Moray New (peak) £30
The New is a good decent links with a couple of really nice holes by the water, some pretty good holes and quite a few that should and easily could be a lot better, however no one goes to Lossiemouth to play the New course. Moray Old is the top course in Moray, quite rightly, and at least as good as Ran's new favourite Fraserburgh, and indeed probably better.
2. Elgin GC
Peak £45
A terrific parkland that has a heathland feel about it. One of the best inland courses in Scotland and thats not just my thoughts but a couple of guys I know who played it in the Northern Open.
3. Duff House Royal GC
Peak £40 although club advertsies deal to be done for last minute bookings !
It's all about the greens on this MacKenzie gem. One of the few MacKenzie courses with double greens.
4. Strathlene GC
Peak £20 round/£24 a day
Cliff top course with panoramic views. Originally laid out as a nine holer by Old Tom, now 18 holes, some of which belie the greenfee.
5. Buckpool GC
Peak £25 round/£30 day
Another cliff top course that was designed by Hawtree & JH Taylor in the early 1930's. A mixture of very good, not bad and OK. When it's very good it provides some of the most memorable golf along the Moray coast.
I'm not generally up on the Doak scale so struggling to rate these courses in a meaningful way but if I was to suggest Moray Old was one of the best non Open links in Scotland I think that about sums it up. Elgin is I think a genuine Hidden Gem as it rarely if ever gets a mention on here. Duff House is a bit of a one off in terms of Scotland and should really be on any gca's must play list in that part of Scotland. The other two have much in common; terrific holida y golf at outstanding value; hideous looking clubhouses; and some of the friendliest members you'll find anywhere.
Niall