NAME two things that come to mind when you think of Scotland…
Castles and golf would be near the top of most people’s lists – but how often can you combine the two?
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Two castles feature within the grounds of this Ayrshire golf courseCredit: Tom Farmer – The Sun Glasgow
And this idyllic castle has a mysterious future – as does the golf courseCredit: Handout
As it turns out, rather a lot!
So if you like your rounds of golf to feature a fortress (or two), then this is the list for you.
Whether your style is baronial or gothic and if you prefer ruins or restorations, there’s something for the lord and lady in everyone.
Our tour of twelve of the best Scottish golf courses that boast astonishing castle views takes you all over the country from the Highlands to Ayrshire, to the capital city and to the Home of Golf itself.
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Not to mention the home of The Traitors and a castle said to have inspired one of the most famous horror stories of all time.
Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart, Inverness, Highlands)
We start with two for the price of one, at one of Scotland‘s best golfing venues.
Cabot Highlands boasts two excellent golf courses on the property, located just outside of Inverness and overlooking the Moray Firth.
Cabot Highlands’ Old Petty course with Castle Stuart in the backgroundCredit: GMS Golf
The castle is the focal point of several holes on Cabot Highlands’ two coursesCredit: GMS GOLF
Castle Stuart has been consistently ranked inside Scotland’s top ten and the world’s top 60 while its younger sister Old Petty – which opened for play last year – has received positive reviews too.
The views out across the Firth are breath taking, especially when the tide is in, and while it has serious championship pedigree (hosting the Scottish Open four times) it’s extremely playable and enjoyable for the amateur golfer.
And, on both courses, the eponymous castle is a prominent feature.
Built by the Earl of Moray in the 17th-century, the castle lay derelict for 300 years before being restored and has since functioned as a private residence and a boutique hotel.
Charles Stuart spent two decades renovating the delipidated building before opening the hotel.
Inside were eight bedrooms named after each of the clans who fought and died for Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite cause just a few miles away at Culloden, and were decorated in their individual tartans.
When Stuart died, ownership of the castle reverted to the Moray estates and the building itself is no longer open to the general public.
However, visitors to the resort can book accommodation within the castle grounds with a stay at the Castle Cottage.
Castle Course, St Andrews (St Andrews Castle, St Andrews, Fife)
A round-up of any list of Scottish golf courses wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Home of Golf itself, St Andrews.
And it just so happens that the Fife town has a prominent castle within it – which gives its name to a golf course.
The ruins of St Andrews Castle, which is open to the public and visible from afarCredit: Getty
The St Andrews Links Trust owns the nine of the courses in and around the town and the Castle Course is the newest of them, having only opened in 2008.
This clifftop links course sits on the higher terrain to the east of the town (and on the site of another castle that’s now vanished with time), golfers on the Castle Course can gaze at the ramparts on the other side of the bay.
The 800-year-old castle has had a turbulent history, having changed hands and rebuilt many times, particularly during the Scottish Wars of Independence.
It was later home to James I of Scotland and before being used as a prison, particularly for religious persecution during the Reformation period.
Today there is a visitor centre and shop on site, making it a worthwhile detour after a round on the famous fairways.
Cruden Bay Golf Club (Slains Castle, Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire)
Dracula plays golf?
More on that later…
Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK.Credit: Getty
First let’s tell you about the wonder of the golf course itself.
Like Castle Stuart, Cruden Bay is recognised as one of the best courses not just in Scotland but anywhere in the world.
But this Aberdeenshire links differs from its Inverness counterpart in that it’s all natural. What you see is what’s always been seen. The course architect used the lie of the land rather than any mass machinery to construct the route.
Castle Stuart is a modern links course that required massive mounds of earth to be moved but Cruden Bay was laid out way back in 1899 by Old Tom Morris, the same man behind the Old Course at St Andrews.
It was redesigned in 1926 by Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler and the end result is a masterpiece.
And the castle in the distance that can be seen from various tees on the course?
As we alluded to earlier, Slains Castle sits just north-east of the course and the village of Cruden Bay.
Its dramatic position perched on a clifftop looking out over the North Sea is said to have inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Stoker was writing the book whilst staying in Cruden Bay and the castle is also mentioned in two of his other novels, The Watter’s Mou’ and The Mystery of the Sea.
Officially called New Slains Castle, the site is accessible via a single track road and the building is safe enough to be explored on foot but just take care if you decide to climb the turret’s spiral staircase!
Slains Castle is commonly cited as an inspiration for Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel DraculaCredit: Michael Schofield – The Sun Glasgow
Duddingston Golf Club (Craigmillar Castle, Edinburgh)
Situated in the east of Scotland’s capital, Duddingston Golf Club is one of the finest examples of parkland golf in the area.
Its tree-lined fairways make you forget that you’re in a city but one big reminder that you’re in Edinburgh is Arthur‘s Seat.
Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh can be seen from Duddingston Golf ClubCredit: Alamy
It provides an imposing backdrop to one side of the course and on the other side, players have views of the impressive Craigmillar Castle from the 18th hole.
Duddingston was designed by two-time Open Championship winner Willie Park Jnr, who also laid out the venerable Old course at Sunningdale Golf Club near London.
Craigmillar Castle is known as Edinburgh‘s ‘other castle’ and is remarkably well-maintained for a building approaching 700 years old.
And despite living in the shadows of the main Edinburgh Castle it has plenty of stories to tell too, with Mary Queen of Scots using it as a safe haven in 1566.
The castle is open for all but four days of the year (New Year’s Day and January 2 plus Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
Murrayfield Golf Club and Braid Hills Golf Course (Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh)
Muirfield Golf Club can lay claim to being the most famous golf course in Scotland’s but it’s two other courses that can boast views of the most famous fortress of them all.
They are Murrayfield Golf Club and Braid Hills Golf Course.
Murrayfield Golf Club and the Edinburgh skylineCredit: Alamy
Murrayfield is a private club situated just down the road from the rugby stadium while Braid Hills is owned and operated by the local council, Edinburgh Leisure.
The former has a hole named ‘Auld Reekie’ in reference to Edinburgh, with views from the tee rivalling anywhere else in the city.
Braid Hills is laid out over the Pentland Hills and is named after Open winner and prolific course designer James Braid, who used it as a testing ground. With it being a public course it offers superb value for money.
Edinburgh Castle is synonymous not just with the capital but with Scotland itself, and a visit to the city is not complete without at least walking up the Royal Mile to stand and marvel at the the grand façade (though the tour is to die for!).
Edinburgh Castle is the crown jewel of Scotland’s capitalCredit: Getty
Niddry Castle Golf Club (Niddry Castle, Winchburgh, Midlothian)
You really are spoiled for choice when it comes to castles in and around Edinburgh.
Niddy Castle is a 16th century tower-house that rises up above Winchburgh, a small town to the west of the capital city.
Niddry Castle, perched in the middle of Niddry Castle Golf ClubCredit: Trip Advisor
It’s another place where Mary Queen of Scots sought refuge and continues to function as a private home today.
The course that surrounds it isn’t overly long but it demands accuracy off the tee and prides itself on greens that always run true.
Splendid views of the countryside and the castle make this a thoroughly pleasant place to tee it up – and it’s relatively inexpensive too.
Rowallan Castle Golf Club (New and Old Rowallan Castle, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire)
Ayrshire is revered for its links strong offering of historic links courses such as Turnberry, Prestwick and Royal Troon.
But if you head inland there are lesser-known quality golf courses like Rowallan Castle to be found.
New Rowallan Castle is the backdrop for the 18th hole at the club that bears its nameCredit: Rowallan Castle Golf Club
The Rowallan Castle estate is home to two castles, the Old and the New, and a unique 19-hole course designed by Ryder Cup hero Colin Montgomerie.
Both castles are open to the public as wedding venues and exclusive luxury accommodation.
The Old castle, which dates back to the 12th century, is nestled to the right of the eighth hole on the course (a picturesque but challenging tee shot from an elevated position over a burn) and a look inside is a step back in time, with many of its historic artefacts retained and on display.
The New castle, designed by renowned Scottish architect Robert Lorimer, provides a magnificent backdrop for the course’s18th.
This championship-length course is laid out over rolling Ayrshire heathland and on a clear day you can see the Isle of Arran in the distance.
The interior of the Old castle, which is situated next to the eighth hole on the golf course
Royal Balmoral Golf Club (Balmoral Castle, Balmoral, Aberdeenshire)
Balmoral Castle is known internationally as the private Scottish home of the British Royal Family.
But did you know there’s a golf club on the estate too?
The iconic exterior of Balmoral CastleCredit: Alamy
Royal Balmoral Golf Club is nestled at the foot of the Cairngorm mountains and winds its way alongside the River Dee.
It only had royal status bestowed upon it last April, becoming the first Scottish golf club in almost 50 years to receive such an honour, and one of the few nine-hole courses with the royal moniker.
Balmoral is nine miles west of the village of Ballater in Aberdeenshire, and the golf course on the estate used to be played only by the Royal Family, those who worked on the grounds and their families.
But a few years ago they dropped that exclusivity (slightly) and is now open to the public between May and July.
Its first hole, named Victoria & Albert, is flanked by statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and there are several pointers throughout the course that you are teeing it up on royal ground – not least its pristine condition.
Running alongside the first hole is a field home to a herd of royal horses, a reminder of a favourite hobby of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne.
The castle itself is also open to visitors for most of the year, though access to the grounds, gardens and exhibitions varies by month.
Royal Balmoral Castle Golf ClubCredit: Alamy
Stirling Golf Club (Stirling Castle, Stirling)
Perhaps even more important in Scotland’s history than Edinburgh Castle and just as impressive on the eye, Stirling Castle is the centrepiece of the city it lives in.
And it provides a stunning backdrop for golfers playing at Stirling Golf Club.
Stirling Golf Club with the castle lurking in the background
The course also features panoramic views of the Ochil Hills and Ben Ledi, Ben Lomond and Ben Vorlich.
Stirling is a testing parkland setup with lush, well-groomed fairways and a particularly strong end to the round with the dogleg, uphill 15th and the 18th being the longest hole on the course, a par five at over 500 yards.
The castle bore witness to the birth and coronation of many Scottish monarchs and was a key stronghold during the Scottish Wars of Independence and medieval times, due to its central location between the Lowlands and the Highlands.
It’s a five-star tourist attraction and well worth a visit, as is the nearby Wallace Monument.
Afternoon sun on Stirling CastleCredit: Michael Schofield
Taymouth Castle Golf and Sport Club (Taymouth Castle, Kenmore, Perthshire)
Many a golfer will dream of teeing it up at this Perthshire venue, with the River Tay and the Tay Forest Park as its next-door neighbour.
But the sad thing is for most, a round at Taymouth Castle will always be exactly that: a dream.
The stunning Taymouth Castle at Kenmore, Scotland at the mouth of Loch TayCredit: Alamy
The picturesque castle is the main feature of the eponymous estate and used to function as a hotel.
But since being bought over by Discovery Land Company (DLC), it’s now the focal point of an ongoing plan to turn the estate into a private residential community (or in other words, a playground for the uber-wealthy).
The golf course received rave reviews prior to being closed to guests in 2011 – even the Taymouth Castle Golf Club members were booted out, moving to nearby course Mains of Taymouth on the opposing side of the river.
The castle was given a £100m makeover funded by DLC mogul Michael Meldman and there are plans for 145 homes to be built on the around the James Braid-designed golf course, which will also have work done to it.
Aerial views of Taymouth Castle and golf course in Kenmore as it undergoes redevelopmentCredit: Alamy
Alness Golf Club (Ardross Castle, Alness, Highlands)
For all the likes of Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle can boast hundreds of years of history at the heart of Scotland’s story, perhaps the one on everyone’s lips at the moment is Ardross Castle, as made famous by hit BBC show The Traitors.
And wouldn’t you know, there’s a golf course just a dagger’s throw away.
Ardross Castle, home of The TraitorsCredit: ArdrossCastle.co.uk
Ardross Castle is tucked away behind the village of Alness and its baronial design and opulent interior has captured the imagination of viewers.
Alness has a golf club that’s just a ten minute drive from Ardross and it’s a hidden gem worth playing.
It offers scenic Highland views overlooking the Cromarty Firth and much of the course hugs the Averon River.
The course is relatively short at barely 5,000 yards long but it is quirky and tricky, fitting into the description of ‘no two holes are the same’.
In another link to The Traitors, the club’s logo is of the Fyrish Monument, which was featured in the finale of the most recent series.
The monument is worth the hike up the hill but beware, you’ll need to ditch the golf shoes and bring your sturdiest walking boots as the path can become extremely boggy – just ask Claudia!
Alness Golf Club in the Highlands isn’t far from Ardross Castle, the castle of The TraitorsCredit: Alness Golf Club
The club’s logo features the Fyrish Monument, which was also featured in The TraitorsCredit: Alamy