SCOTLAND - Top Ten Non-Links

[Niall C]

Sean said something very interesting in his top ten inland courses in England thread, and that was wondering whether the responses from everyone would just produce the usual suspects. I've long thought that these best of lists are to an extent self-perpetuating in that no one really travels to explore, they just want to play the courses that are top of the list. When you come to Scotland that list is going to consist of links courses. So in an effort to broaden horizons I thought it would be worthwhile starting a thread on top ten (best or favourite, whichever you prefer) non-links courses in Scotland. It can include seaside courses as long as they aren't links eg. Castle Stuart  , however the one stipulation is that you must have ten that you've played. Here's mine;

Favourites

Duff House Royal
Elgin
Forfar
Boat of Garten
Queen's Course
Cawder
Killermont
Hamilton
Ranfurly Castle
Wishaw


Niall

[Wayne_Kozun]

I assume by Queen's you mean Gleneagles Queen's.  I would add the King's course at Gleneagles as well. 

[Alan Strachan]

Boat of Garten
Spey Valley-what a great site and location
Forfar
Ladybank
Blairgowrie Rosemount
Gleneagles Kings and Queens
The Dukes isn't a bad track
Very fond memories of Edzell
Cawdor
Bonar Bridge
Golspie (well 2/3s of it is inland)

[David_Tepper]

Is Tain a links or a non-links?

[Chris DeToro]

It's been ages and is the only non-links course I've played in Scotland, but I recall Letham Grange being pretty decent

[Thomas Dai]

Here's some inlanders I recall playing

Blairgowrie Rosemount
Gleneagles Kings
Edzell
Elgin
Newmacher Hawkshead
Duff House Royal
Ballater

Played the Lansdowne course at Blairgowrie too, but it was pretty early days and not very memorable in comparison to the Rosemount. What's the Lansdowne like now? Letham Grange didn't impress me, early days though. I recall the original course however, did have a couple of very memorable holes - I think the hole numbers may have switched at some stage, but believe they were at the time holes 2, 3 and 4. A long time ago.

atb

[Howard Riefs]

Is Tain a links or a non-links?

It is a links, according to Peper's 'True Links' book.

[Rich Goodale]

My list (randomly listed):

Elgin
Ladybank
Forfar
Blairgowrie
Gleneagles (Kings)
Downfield
Pitferrane
Auchterader
Lanark
Glenbervie

All fine courses but none of these would come close to any top 10 including links courses.

[James Boon]

Niall,

Certainly needs to be a favorites list for me this one, as after perhaps Blairgowrie (Rosemount), Gleneagles (Kings) and Boat of Garten the "so called" best list gets rather thin in comparison to the links courses...

Boat of Garten
Gleneagles (Kings)
Blairgowrie (Wee)
Blairgowrie (Rosemount)
Spey Valley

Bonar Bridge
Taymouth Castle (NLE)
Crieff
Killin
Muckhart

I think I just make the 10 courses  Crieff and Taymouth Castle are the only ones I've played more than once and some of these are an awful long time ago. I just cant resist the calling of the links around the Moray Firth!

Cheers,

James

[Mark Bourgeois]

Love the references to Cawdor. Do you play through Birnam Wood?

Interesting that no one thinks Trump International is good enough to crack the top 10.

[Bill_McBride]

Love the references to Cawdor. Do you play through Birnam Wood?

Interesting that no one thinks Trump International is good enough to crack the top 10.

It's allegedly a links.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Love the references to Cawdor. Do you play through Birnam Wood?

Birnam Wood is ok but I find the par 3s to be a bit weak. I prefer Dunsinane Hill.

[Mark Chaplin]

I haven't played 10 so here is all of them in order;

Gleneagles Kings
St Andrews Castle
Gleneagles Queens
Blairgowrie
Boat of Garten
Whitekirk
Struie at Dornoch
Gleneagles Nicklaus
Inverness

[Brian_Ewen]

Gleneagles Kings & Queens
Blairgowrie (Rosemount)
Elgin
Ladybank
Forfar
Downfield
Ballater
Letham Grange
Hazlehead
Craigie Hill

[Sean_A]

Why is there such a lopsided disparity in quality inland courses between England and Scotland (and the the rest of UK and Ireland for that matter)?  Is it a numbers game, money, suitable land or maybe railroad issue?

Ciao

[Cristian]

I have exactly 10!

(though some might call Glen or Craigelaw a links)

Kings course Gleneagles
Boat of Garten
Blairgowrie Rosemount
Belleisle
Bg Landsdowne
East Renfrewshire
Dougalston
Craigelaw
Westerwood
The Glen

[Simon Holt]

In 20 years of growing up and playing golf in Scotland I don't think that I've played 10 inland courses!  Says it all.

Having said that, if there are 10 better courses than Loch Lomond in Scotland I'd be very surprised.  The back 9 is especially good. 

Royal Burgess and Bruntsfield are ok in the summer.  The Braids is really good fun.  Longniddry feels like an inland course and is worth a visit; Edzell is a nice walk.

The courses I constantly hear good things about are Boat of Garten, Spey Valley, both Blairgowrie courses, the Kings and Queens at Gleneagles.

[Robin_Hiseman]

I've played over sixty Scottish inland courses and can easily fill out a list of twenty or thirty that I've really enjoyed. Excluding the likes of Castle Stuart, Renaissance, St. Andrews Bay and the Castle Course, which though not true links, are nevertheless not 'inland' courses, here is my Top 10, in no particular order...except that it is...kind of!

Gleneagles Kings
Gleneagles Queens
Loch Lomond
St. Andrews (Duke's)
Blairgowrie (Rosemount)
Boat of Garten
Gleneagles (PGA)
Ladybank
Letham Grange
East Renfrewshire
and a special mention for the legendary Royal Balfron.

[David Davis]

I have made a vow to not play more than 1 inland courses in Scotland unless I'm forced to. That one is Loch Lomond.

The rest defies my purpose of going to Scotland.

[Robin_Hiseman]

David

Don't deny yourself the opportunity to explore some fantastic courses in great scenery. Why would you want to do that? Gleneagles is a close to heaven on earth as I've ever been.

[Michael Goldstein]

Blairgowrie (Rosemount)
Boat of Garten
Loch Lomond
Balmoral
Gleneagles - Kings & Queens
Skibo
Ladybank
Burgess
Forfar
Musselbrough

[David Davis]

David

Don't deny yourself the opportunity to explore some fantastic courses in great scenery. Why would you want to do that? Gleneagles is a close to heaven on earth as I've ever been.

Robin,

Thanks will add a +1 to my inland list. As close to heaven as you've ever been, wow...that's quite a statement.

[Thomas Dai]

Has the new development, can't remember it's name, next to Gleneagles opened yet?
atb

[Marty Bonnar]

Braid Hills
Dalmahoy
Peebles
Loch Lomond
Pitreavie
Caird Park
Gleneagles Kings
Gleneagles Queens
Ladybank
Boat of Garten

THAT was tough! I also suspect I'll be swapping one out for Rosemount in a couple of weeks time. Ashamed to say I haven't played it until now.
F.

[Jon Wiggett]

Has the new development, can't remember it's name, next to Gleneagles opened yet?
atb

Thomas,

I think you mean G-West. It was certainly almost ready for play when I saw it back in 2011 though I have not heard anything nor do I think that there was much pressure from a financial point of view.

Jon