The 10 Best Golf Courses in Scotland to Play in 2027

Direct Answer

Scotland is the home of golf, and no country packs more world-class links into a small geography. Our Best Overall pick is the Old Course at St Andrews, where a public-ballot round runs roughly £320 in peak season (Apr–Oct 2027) and the history is unmatched. The Best Value play is Crail Golfing Society's Balcomie Links at about £95 in summer, a 7th-oldest-club bargain 10 miles from St Andrews.

This list is for serious golfers planning a bucket-list links trip, with green fees spanning roughly £95 to £400. Every course below is a real, currently-operating venue ranked on championship pedigree, links authenticity, conditioning, and the difficulty of securing a tee time.

1. Old Course at St Andrews 🏆 BEST OVERALL

The Old Course is the most famous golf course on earth, owned by the people of St Andrews and managed by the St Andrews Links Trust. It has hosted The Open Championship 30 times, more than any other venue, most recently in 2022 for the 150th Open. Peak-season visitor green fees sit around £320 for 2027, and most rounds are secured via the single-day ballot (entered by 2 pm two days prior) or an advance package.

The double greens, the Swilcan Bridge, the Road Hole 17th, and the cavernous Hell Bunker are landmarks every golfer recognizes. It closes to play on Sundays, when locals walk it as a park. The course measures around 7,300 yards from the championship tees but plays far shorter for visitors, where the real defense is wind, the firm running ground, and the 112 bunkers that the course is famous for.

It ranks #1 because no other course combines this level of history, accessibility to the public, and architectural influence — the template for golf worldwide. A St Andrews trip also unlocks the Trust's other six courses (New, Jubilee, Eden, Strathtyrum, Balgove, and the clifftop Castle), so a multi-day stay rarely runs short of golf, and walking the town's ancient streets between rounds is part of the experience.

2. Royal Dornoch (Championship)

Far up the northeast Highland coast, Royal Dornoch's Championship Links is routinely ranked among the top five courses in the world by *Golf Digest*. Founded in 1877, its turf and natural plateau greens inspired the architect Donald Ross, who grew up here before shaping American golf.

Summer visitor green fees run about £270 for 2027.

The course sits on a strip of yellow-gorse-lined links along the Dornoch Firth, with holes like the par-4 14th "Foxy" — a green with no bunkers that needs no defense. The remote setting, three-plus hours north of Edinburgh, keeps crowds thin and the experience pure, which is exactly why pilgrims make the drive.

3. Muirfield (The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers)

Muirfield in Gullane, East Lothian, is the home of the world's oldest golf club, The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, whose 1744 rules pre-date even St Andrews' club. It has hosted The Open 16 times and is celebrated for its fair, two-loop routing where the front nine runs clockwise and the back runs counter-clockwise, exposing players to wind from every direction.

Visitor play is limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the green fee runs about £365 for 2027, traditionally including the famous clubhouse lunch. It ranks here for its impeccable conditioning and its reputation as the fairest test in championship golf — Jack Nicklaus loved it so much he named his Ohio course Muirfield Village.

4. Carnoustie (Championship)

Nicknamed "Carnasty" for its brutal finishing stretch, the Championship Course at Carnoustie in Angus is the longest of the Open rota courses and arguably the hardest. It has hosted The Open eight times, including the 2018 Championship won by Francesco Molinari and the infamous 1999 collapse of Jean van de Velde on the 18th.

Summer green fees are about £280 for 2027, and unlike many championship links, Carnoustie is publicly accessible via a links-management company. The Barry Burn snakes across the closing holes, and the par-4 18th, "Home," is one of the most feared finishing holes in golf. It's a must for players who want the sternest examination links golf offers.

5. North Berwick (West Links)

The West Links at North Berwick is one of the oldest courses in continuous play in the world, dating to 1832, and a template-design treasure trove. Its par-3 15th "Redan" is the most-copied hole in golf architecture, replicated at clubs across the United States. Summer visitor green fees run about £175 for 2027.

Holes hug Aberlady Bay with views to Bass Rock and the Firth of Forth, and the quirky 13th "Pit" features a stone wall fronting the green. North Berwick blends quirk, history, and walkable charm in a seaside town, making it a beloved fixture of any East Lothian itinerary.

6. Crail Golfing Society (Balcomie Links) 💎 BEST VALUE

Founded in 1786, Crail Golfing Society is the seventh-oldest golf club in the world, and its Balcomie Links delivers a genuine ancient-links experience for a fraction of the marquee fees — roughly £95 in peak summer 2027. Set on the East Neuk of Fife about 10 miles from St Andrews, nearly every hole offers a sea view.

The Balcomie is a short but characterful par-69 with dramatic clifftop holes and a famous 5th, "Hell's Hole," played across a rocky cove. For golfers building a Fife trip who want maximum links authenticity per pound, Crail is the standout value — which is why it earns the Best Value badge.

7. Kingsbarns Golf Links

Opened in 2000 on the Fife coast, Kingsbarns proves a modern course can feel timeless. Designed by Kyle Phillips, it sweeps along a mile and a half of shoreline with the sea in view on every hole, and co-hosts the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship each autumn alongside St Andrews and Carnoustie.

Green fees are premium at about £350 for 2027, reflecting its standing among the best in Britain. The dramatic par-5 12th, curling along the beach, is a signature. Kingsbarns ranks for sheer beauty and conditioning — a links that golfers consistently rate as the most photogenic round of a Scotland trip.

8. Turnberry (Ailsa Course)

On the Ayrshire coast, the Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry is defined by its postcard lighthouse and views to the Ailsa Craig rock and the Isle of Arran. It has hosted The Open four times, including the legendary 1977 "Duel in the Sun" between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus.

A 2016 Martin Ebert redesign added the spectacular par-3 9th "Bruce's Castle" played from a tee beside the lighthouse. Resort green fees run about £400 for 2027, the priciest on this list, justified by the cliffside drama. The Ailsa is the most scenic of the Open courses and a centerpiece of any southwest Scotland trip.

9. Royal Troon (Old Course)

Royal Troon in Ayrshire has hosted The Open 10 times, including 2024, and is home to two of golf's most famous holes: the par-3 8th "Postage Stamp," the shortest hole on the Open rota at roughly 123 yards, and the long, into-the-wind 6th "Turnberry." Visitor green fees run about £330 for 2027.

The course features a benign outward nine and a fierce, wind-lashed back nine — a classic "out and back" links test. The Postage Stamp's tiny green, ringed by deep bunkers, has wrecked countless cards. Troon ranks for its championship pedigree and its place on the active Open rotation.

10. Gullane No. 1

The third Gullane course on this East Lothian list by association, Gullane No. 1 climbs Gullane Hill to deliver some of the finest panoramic views in Scottish golf — on a clear day you can see the Edinburgh skyline, the Forth bridges, and the Lammermuir hills. Summer visitor green fees run about £175 for 2027.

It has served as Open Qualifying and Scottish Open venue, with firm, fast turf and a memorable climb-and-descent routing. Gullane No. 1 rounds out the list as a championship-caliber links that's more attainable than its neighbor Muirfield, making it a smart addition to any Lothian golfing week.

How to Choose

• Book the marquee courses 6–12 months ahead. Old Course ballot aside, St Andrews packages, Muirfield's two visitor days, and Kingsbarns sell out fast for the April–October 2027 window.
• Cluster by region to cut driving. Fife (St Andrews, Kingsbarns, Crail), East Lothian (Muirfield, North Berwick, Gullane), and Ayrshire (Turnberry, Troon) each form a tight, walkable cluster.
• Match fee to expectation. £400 Turnberry and £365 Muirfield are splurges; Crail at £95 and North Berwick at £175 deliver elite links value.
• Pack for wind and rain, even in July. Scottish links are firm and fast but exposed; a links round can swing from calm to gale within a single nine.
• Use the local links trusts and ballots. St Andrews Links Trust and the Carnoustie and Turnberry management companies handle public bookings directly — go to source for the best rates.

FAQ

How do I get a tee time on the Old Course at St Andrews?

You can enter the single-day ballot by 2 pm two days before play (free to enter, you pay only if drawn), book an advance round directly with the St Andrews Links Trust starting the prior September, or buy a guaranteed slot through an approved tour operator package. The Old Course is closed on Sundays.

What is the cheapest world-class links to play in Scotland?

Crail Golfing Society's Balcomie Links at roughly £95 in peak summer is the best value among ancient links, with sea views on nearly every hole. North Berwick West Links at about £175 is another comparatively affordable historic gem.

When is the best time to play golf in Scotland?

May through September offers the longest daylight (up to 17+ hours in June) and the firmest, fastest links turf. Spring and early autumn bring fewer crowds and lower fees, though weather is more variable.

Which Scottish course is the hardest?

Carnoustie's Championship Course is widely considered the most brutal, earning the nickname "Carnasty" for its long yardage and the Barry Burn–guarded closing holes. Muirfield and Royal Dornoch are stern but fairer tests.

Bottom Line

For the ultimate Scottish golf trip, the Old Course at St Andrews is the unmissable Best Overall at around £320, combining unrivaled history with genuine public access. If value matters, Crail Golfing Society's Balcomie Links at about £95 delivers ancient-links magic for a fraction of the marquee prices.

Sources

• *Golf Digest* — World's 100 Greatest Golf Courses ranking
• St Andrews Links Trust — official green fees and ballot information
• The R&A — Open Championship venue history
• *Golf Monthly* — Top 100 Golf Courses in Scotland
• *Top 100 Golf Courses* (top100golfcourses.com) — Scotland rankings and reviews
• VisitScotland — Scotland's Golf Coast guides
• *Links Magazine* — Scottish links course profiles