The south of Scotland features two regions - Dumfries and Galloway to the southwest of the country, and the Scottish Borders to the southeast of the nation - the majorty of both sharing a border with England.
There are plenty of spots to stay if you fancy a trip to Dumfries & Galloway, with the likes of Stranraer, Castle Douglas, Wigtown and Dumfries itself all offering great scenery. Then, to the east, there is Kelso, Hawak, Galashiels and even Berwick-upon-Tweed in England, which is actually further north than most of the two regions.
The first course you will come to if you are driving north of the border from England is Powfoot, which is just a few miles into Scotland. Southerness, arguably the best layout in the southwest of the country, is nearby, and a course that has only seen its routing change over its history, with very few structural changes to a sublime course.
Move further west, and you will come to Stranraer, Wigtownshire County, and the Dunskey Course at Portpatrick. The former was the last ever course designed by James Braid, at the end of an incredible career in golf course design. The Dunskey, on the other hand, differs to most courses in the region, as it plays as a cliff-top layout.
In the Scottish Borders, there are the likes of the Schloss Roxburghe and West Linton. The former is a cracking stay-and-play option, with a gorgeous hotel and apartments dotted around the site. The course itself hosted the European Challenge Tour in 2025.
How we compiled our Southern Scotland list
We updated our Southern Scotland list when we created our NCG Top 100s list of the best golf courses in Scotland. If one course from the south of the country is above another in our Scotland list, then it will also be above it in our Southern Scotland list.
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