The 6 Top Modern Golf Courses in Scotland
By Erik Matuszewski The game of golf, at least as we know it, was born on the links land of eastern Scotland over 500 years ago. While it’s now played by tens of millions of golfers around the world, Scotland is still widely known as the home of golf. It is home to the iconic […]
From Our Readers: A Love Affair with Scotland’s Muirfield
A subscriber shares his experience at one of Scotland’s most iconic Open Championship venues By Clive Greaves I first fell in love with Muirfield on the occasion of my first visit some 50 years ago. I have been fortunate to return quite a few times in the intervening years and my passion has only increased. […]
Carnoustie Golf Links Hosts its Eighth Open Championship
By Tony Dear Scott Dunlap tied for tenth at the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie. He finished five shots out of the three-man play-off contested by the hapless Frenchman Jean Van de Velde who had blown his chance of outright victory with a calamitous triple-bogey seven on the 72nd hole, 1997 champion at Royal […]
Coul Links: Scotland’s Next Championship Links?
By Adam Schupak Editor’s note: In June 2018, Coul Links received approval to enter the construction phase of the project. This article, written in fall 2017, provides useful background on what will be the newest course in the Scottish Highlands. Ever since he first played Royal Dornoch 40 years ago, developer Mike Keiser has […]
Scotland’s Bench Strength – The Local Gems You Should Know
By Graylyn Loomis Every golfer can name at least a few of Scotland’s famous courses. Classic layouts like the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, and Muirfield touch everyone who plays the game, whether or not you’ve crossed the pond and enjoyed them. But there’s much more to Scottish golf than the Open Championship […]
The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle
By Graylyn Loomis After an inspired renovation, this course is the equal of its regal setting in the Scottish Highlands Skibo Castle dates back to 1211, but the estate just outside of Dornoch, in northern Scotland, really came to prominence when Andrew Carnegie purchased the property in 1898. The famous industrialist hosted everyone from […]
The Architect’s Ultimate Golf Trip
By Erik Matuszewski Golfers love few things better than a great road trip, with the opportunity to experience new courses in new locations. With this being LINKS, it only made sense to envision the ideal golf excursion for an aspiring golf course architect or aficionado of course design. Setting aside logistical obstacles—such as costs […]
Premier Properties: Hamilton Grand

St. Andrews, Scotland The golf world’s most coveted address is one you can now call home. In 1895, the world was treated to the Grand Hotel, a lavish sanctuary built by Thomas Hamilton set by the 18th hole of the Old Course. Today, this iconic building, one of the most famous landmarks in St. Andrews—that […]
The Best Par 3 in Scotland? Hopeman GC Says So…
By George Peper I thought I knew something about golf courses—and Scottish links courses in particular. So imagine my surprise earlier this year, while on a visit to St. Andrews, when a headline in one of the local pennysavers trumpeted the “Best Par-3 in Scotland” on a course that rang only the faintest of bells. Hotfooting […]
The 21st Century Wave of Breathtaking Golf Courses

If you like courses that are about real beauty rather than real estate (and who doesn’t?), then you have to agree that we are in the midst of a very special period in the history of golf architecture. Gone, hopefully for good, are the days of large-scale developments anchored on courses whose sole purpose was […]