GOLF’s Top 100 course panelists are among the most respected and well-traveled course evaluators in the game. They’re also keen to share their opinions. In this GOLF.com series, we unlock their unvarnished views on all questions course-related. Check out GOLF’s latest Top 100 Courses in the U.S., Top 100 Courses in the World, Top 100 Courses You Can Play, Best Municipal Courses in the U.S. and 100 Best Short Courses.
Royal Troon, host of this week’s Open Championship, is in a golf-rich region of the world. What are your five must-play Scottish golf courses?
Hindrik Gommer, panelist since 2015: In the Netherlands, we are fortunate to have a direct flight to Inverness, a gateway to golf in the Scottish Highlands, where tee times run from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the summer. My top-five recommendations in the region are: Royal Dornoch (Donald Ross’s home course, rightly ranked among the finest in the world); Nairn (Old Tom Morris designed it); Brora (a rustic gem 20 miles north of Dornoch); Castle Stuart (designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, it is now part of the Cabot Collection, and next year it will have a sibling course, designed by Tom Doak); and Skibo Castle (exclusive, expensive and immensely enjoyable).
Paul Arnould, panelist since 2023: Fair warning. Getting to all of these in a single trip will require a lot of driving, or winging around in a whirlybird. Let’s start with Cruden Bay, where the iconic “bathtub” green on the 14th hole is one of countless unforgettable features. Prestwick, the birthplace of the Open Championship, is in my opinion the best match-play course in the world. Machrihanish is golf in the Scottish dunes at its purest. It has the best opening hole in Scotland (though you could also make a case for the 1st at Prestwick). Elie is close to St. Andrews, but off the beaten path. It includes 12 holes of madness by the sea. Finally, Turnberry, Ailsa course — one of the grandest courses in Scotland.
Simon Holt, panelist since 2019: Firstly, plan ahead! Even courses we used to think of as hidden gems are in high demand, often selling out before the end of the year preceding a trip. Because the Old Course almost goes without saying, I’ll suggest five others. Muirfield: One of the greatest courses in the world, it has a club experience to match. The visitor day consisting of fourball in the morning, world class lunch, followed by foursomes in the afternoon, is as good as it gets. North Berwick: An architectural masterpiece that keeps all levels of golfers engaged from the first shot to the last. And if you’re having an off day, enjoy the views while taking one of the best walks in golf. Royal Dornoch: Everything golf should be. It’s hard to articulate the aura, a rightness that I can only describe as having “the feel” when you arrive on the first tee. A world-class set of par-3s is more than supplemented with rumpled fairways, elevation changes and an exceptional set of green complexes. Brora: A short drive north of Dornoch and a step back in time. Livestock, electric fences, rough and ready fairways; a no-frills experience that will go down as the cigar-story of your trip. Turnberry, Ailsa: The Ailsa is all the better for its changes. Holes that needed tweaking have been redone to unanimous praise. This is a “proper” course for those who revel in championship golf.
