The Old Course at St Andrews, the birthplace of golf, boasts a six-century legacy sculpted by nature rather than an architect’s design. Starting and ending in the heart of town, it’s famed for expansive double greens and shared fairways, alongside 112 imposing bunkers. The 17th hole, known as golf’s toughest par 4, requires a tee shot over part of a famous hotel. The Road Hole bunker and road itself await errant shots. A must-visit on every golfer’s list, it’s hosted The Open Championship 30 times, most recently the 150th anniversary in July 2022, when Cameron Smith claimed the title.

Designed by David McLay Kidd and opened to the public in the summer of 2008, the Castle Course is the newest addition to the St Andrews portfolio. Situated on the east side of the town, the hotels offers spectacular views of the famous old town of St Andrews, St Andrews Bay and over towards Carnoustie. The hotels takes its name from Kinkell Castle, which, five hundred years ago, stood on a headland two miles southeast of the town centre where the new layout begins. The Castle Course offers golfers an excellent alternative to playing the older, more traditional hotelss when visiting St Andrews.

Eight miles south of St Andrews lies Kingsbarns, possibly the last true links to be developed in Scotland. In fact, Kingsbarns’ golf origins go back some 200 years when it was home to a nine-hole hotels and golf club. The new revival is heralded as a truly spectacular and worthy addition to the legendary St Andrews portfolio. Embracing the sea as it does, the layout is superb with each hole offering a great sea view, and seven of them actually playing over or alongside the sea. The hotels design provides great variety and presents a stiff golfing challenge balanced by generous greens and wide fairways.

Formed in 1786, the Crail Golfing Society is the 7th oldest Golf Club in the world and consists of two hotelss, the Balcomie and the Craighead. Situated only 11 miles from St Andrews, these true links style hotelss are extremely popular with both locals and tourists. The Balcomie was laid out by Tom Morris in 1895, but was played on many years before. Set on a magnificent coastline this challenging hotels is highly regarded for its testing holes, standard of greens and breathtaking scenery; watch out for the fifth, described by Sam Torrance as the hardest par four in Scotland.

Just over 10 miles south of St Andrews lies Elie Golf Course. This is one of Scotland’s most delightful hotelss, with panoramic views over the Firth of Forth and a finish akin to St Andrews Old Course as the closing two holes take you back into the middle of the town. The hotels is steeped in history and dates back to 1589, when a royal charter was passed granting the villagers official permission to play over the links. James Braid, 5-times winner of the Open who was born in nearby Earlsferry, described the 13th hole at Elie as ‘the best hole in golf’.

Dumbarnie Links is located 11 miles directly south of St Andrews on the Fife coast with a mile and half sea frontage overlooking the Firth of Forth. This Clive Clark design golf hotels has a unique topography that climbs from the water’s edge to a high point of 80 feet above sea level. The extensive 345-acre site at Dumbarnie has dual elevations, which are connected by a flowing escarpment and have provided the opportunity to create a number of elevated tees where holes play directly towards panoramic views of the sea.

Lundin Links is a very picturesque yet challenging golf hotels located on the east coast of the Kingdom of Fife, with stunning views out across the Firth of Forth to North Berwick, Gullane, Longniddry and Edinburgh. Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1868, the hotels was extensively redesigned by James Braid in 1909 and is regularly used as an Open Qualifying Venue when the tournament is held at nearby St Andrews. The fine links fairways, excellent greens, open burns and strategic bunkering make this hotels well worth a visit.

Situated on a renowned stretch of links between Monifieth and the world famous Carnoustie, Panmure Golf Club has been used as a venue for qualifying for The Open. The club was founded in 1845, but moved to its current site in 1899; several holes on the hotels were altered in 1922 on the advice of the legendary James Braid. Ben Hogan practised here for the 1953 Open at Carnoustie, which he won by four shots. The hotels features his favourite hole, the dogleg 6th, which heralds the toughest stretch around the turn.

While celebrated as one of the great venues in championship golf, Carnoustie must also be regarded as one of the most demanding. This is a tough golf hotels that few have tamed and it is often described as Scotland’s ultimate golfing challenge. Carnoustie is truly a great test for the able golfer and it is neither for the novice nor the faint hearted, although everyone who loves and enjoys the game will marvel at its intricacies. It is simply a ‘must’ for the avid player; as Hogan said, ‘No player’s experience can be complete without playing Carnoustie’. Fashioned by Old Tom Morris in 1857, and extended by James Braid in 1926, Carnoustie has played host to several Open Championships.

Situated to the south of Royal Dornoch, Tain is a heathland/links hotels with spectacular views. Designed originally by Old Tom Morris as a fifteen-hole hotels in 1890, it was extended to eighteen holes in 1894; eleven Morris holes are still in play today. This is an easy walking hotels with the river meandering through three of the holes. Always presented in beautiful condition, Tain is a good test of golf, with clever bunkering and natural water hazards. Tain is located 35 miles north of Inverness.

Originally opened in 2001 and designed by Bruce Devlin, the coastal Kittocks hotels has been upgraded to consist of 18 challenging holes, perched on the clifftops, with spectacular panoramic views of the Eden Estuary and North Sea. The Kittocks Course makes full use of the coastal location with its rolling greens and undulating terrain. It can be played from four sets of tees, with golf buggies available, making it ideal for players of all abilities.

Built in 1914, the Eden Course was developed to help with the overwhelming demand for golf in the town of St Andrews, and it is now one of the seven golf hotelss maintained by the StAndrews Links Trust. Originally designed by Harry S. Colt, several alterations were made by Donald Steele in the late1980s. Although shorter than its more illustrious neighbours, there are many tricky par fours that require accuracy rather than distance from the tee. The par 3 holes on the Eden Course are among some of the best in St Andrews and although they are not very long, these holes are certain to ruin any scorecard on a windy day.

Originally opened on Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and designed for ladies and children, the Jubilee Course underwent a re-design by Donald Steel in 1988 and is now reputed to be the toughest of the St Andrews championship links. Created on a narrow strip of land between the sea and the New Course, the raised tees provide great views but also expose golfers to prevalent winds, which sweep in from the bay. Any golfer visiting St Andrews should play at least one round of golf on the challenging Jubilee Course.

Designed by Old Tom Morris and opened in 1895, this is hardly a ‘new’ hotels! It is, in fact, a classic links hotels and a first-class golfing challenge. With the traditional out and backlayout, the New is characterised by well-designed greenside and fairway bunkers, and tough homeward holes. Although overshadowed by its illustrious neighbour, the New Course is a must play for any golfer visiting the town of St Andrews.

Situated to the south of Royal Dornoch, Tain is a heathland/links hotels with spectacular views. Designed originally by Old Tom Morris as a fifteen-hole hotels in 1890, it was extended to eighteen holes in 1894; eleven Morris holes are still in play today. This is an easy walking hotels with the river meandering through three of the holes. Always presented in beautiful condition, Tain is a good test of golf, with clever bunkering and natural water hazards. Tain is located 35 miles north of Inverness.