Best golf courses in Scotland

Welcome to the NCG Top 100s list of the very best golf courses in Scotland.

Golf dates back to the 15th Century, originating in the eastern part of Scotland. This part of the world even has the venue known as the 'Home of Golf'. The Old Course at St Andrews is the 'Home of Golf', and is arguably the most famous golf course in the world. 1764 saw the course transformed in 18 holes, and thanks to its' status in the game, other venues followed suit with 18-hole layouts becoming the norm.

The Open Championship - the sport's oldest tournament - was first held at Prestwick in 1860. The event was hosted solely in Scotland through to 1893. Our list of the best golf courses in Scotland features a mix of both coastline links layouts and inland moorland venues. This is the gold standard of lists when it comes to Scottish golf.

The NCG Top 100s: Scotland list stars the likes of Kingsbarns, Carnoustie, Muirfield, North Berwick, Western Gailes and Royal Dornoch. Like all of our lists, it is a list that is sure to stimulate debate and inspire future golf trips in equal measure.

How did we get our top 100?
We compiled a shortlist of around 160 courses from across the length and breadth of Scotland, aiming to include all courses that we felt had a realistic chance of making the final top 100. Our team of panellists spent the entirety of the 2022 season playing courses around Scotland, with their verdicts being brought together to create this NCG Top 100s: Scotland list.