How many 18 hole golf courses are there in Scotland?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 25, 2026
Due to the status of St Andrews as the 'home of golf', other courses followed suit and the 18 hole course became the standard which has remained to the present day. There are now more than 550 golf courses throughout the country, with at least 21 courses in Edinburgh alone.
How many golf courses are in Scotland?
Of Scotland's 547 courses, 29% are 9 hole courses.
How many 18 hole golf courses are there in the UK?
England is far and away the number one golfing country in Europe; home to 2,270 golf courses, more than every country in the world barring USA, Japan and Canada.
What is the largest golf course in Scotland?
Dukes Course
Played from the tips, this is the longest golf course in Scotland and will out even the most talented players to the test.
How many public golf courses are there in Scotland?
How many golf courses are there in Scotland? There are 550 golf courses in Scotland. Many of the most famous golf courses in Scotland are found on the East and West coast.
36 related questions foundHow many royal golf courses are there in Scotland?
The 64 clubs, in alphabetical order, are: Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, founded in 1745, granted Royal patronage by William IV in 1834. Royal Aberdeen, founded in 1780, granted Royal patronage in by Edward VII in 1903 (although Leopold had given patronage in 1872 without the “Royal” title being applied).
How many links golf courses are there in Scotland?
Scotland can proudly lay claim to possessing more links courses than any other country, 100 in total.
What is the hardest golf course in Scotland?
Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
A links beast as well as a beauty, 'Carnasty' – as it is affectionately known – is widely regarded as the most difficult course on the Open Championship rota and is fraught with danger virtually around every twist and turn with the 18th providing one of the iconic closing holes in golf.
What are Scottish golf courses called?
A links is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. Links courses are generally built on sandy coastland that offers a firmer playing surface than parkland and heathland courses.
Who is the best Scottish golfer?
We're going to start in ascending order.
- 1 Colin Montgomerie. European Tour wins: 31.
- 2 Sandy Lyle. Majors: 2 (The Open 1985, The Masters 1988) ...
- 3 Paul Lawrie. Majors: 1 (The Open 1999) ...
- 4 Eric Brown. Tour wins: 26. ...
- 5 Sam Torrance. European Tour wins: 21. ...
- 6 Bernard Gallacher. European Tour wins: 10. ...
- 7 John Panton. ...
- 8 Catriona Matthew. ...
Which UK city has most golf courses?
One might expect Scotland to have the densest golf territory. It is said to be the nation with the most holes of golf per head of population. The town of St Andrews alone has 12 courses.
Which UK County has the most golf courses?
Officially the birth place of county golf unions in the UK, Hampshire now boasts a number of world-class courses.
Why are there so many golf courses in Scotland?
Scotland is the Birthplace of Golf
The modern game of golf was born in Scotland, and the first 18 hole course and the rules were both formed in the country. It is widely believed that St Andrews is where the first reference of golf was found, and this dates back all the way to 1552.
What is the name of the most famous golf course in Scotland?
1. Royal Troon. Founded in 1878, Royal Troon is considered one of the most challenging links courses in the world.
How many holes are on a golf course?
Those are the broad strokes of how a typical golf course came to have 18 holes. Sadly, as Snopes confirmed, the number has nothing to do with how many shots are in a bottle of Scotch—though that makes for a much more fun story.
How many courses are at St Andrews?
Today there are seven public golf courses; the Balgove, Eden, Jubilee, Strathtyrum, New, the Old Course (which is widely considered one of the finest, and certainly the most famous and traditional course in the world), and The Castle Course, sited on the cliffs a mile to the east of St Andrews and designed by the ...
How many par 5 holes does a golf course have?
There are usually from two to six par-5 holes on a full-sized 18-hole golf course, with four (two on the front nine, two on the back nine) being the most common number of par 5s.
What is the easiest golf course in the UK?
50 Courses With Easiest Greens in the UK
- Wortley Golf Club. Average Total Putts – 29.90. ...
- Temple Newsam Golf Club. Average Total Putts - 30.14. ...
- Weymouth Golf Club. Average Total Putts - 30.16. ...
- Skipton Golf Club. Average Total Putts - 30.42. ...
- Great Hadham Golf Club. ...
- Belhus Park Golf Club. ...
- Lumphanan Golf Club. ...
- Whiston Hall Golf Club.
Which course in UK has highest slope rating?
The Albatros Course has a hefty slope rating of 155, which is the highest slope rating a course can receive. If you do not want the challenge, then head over to the Aigle course, which is a bit more friendly and forgiving.
What country invented golf?
Golf originated from a game played on the eastern coast of Scotland, in an area close to the royal capital of Edinburgh. In those early days players would attempt to hit a pebble over sand dunes and around tracks using a bent stick or club.
How many true links golf courses are there in the world?
How many links golf courses have you played in the United States? According to a new book, it's probably fewer than you think. The book, entitled True Links, claims there are 246 authentic links courses in the world, but only four of them exist in the United States (and none yet in Canada).
How many links golf courses are there in the UK?
It is thought that there are close to 250 links courses in England. The country as a whole has 2,270 golf courses according to the R&A's 'Golf Around the World' release in 2019.
Can anyone play at St Andrews?
Anyone can play golf in St Andrews. Of the town's 10 golf courses only the Old Course requires a handicap and there are plenty of options depending on your budget.
