Join us on the Trails Where Golf Began as we explore seven themed trails across every corner of Scotland. Exploring incredible courses, stunning scenery and the local hospitality by going off the well-trodden tourism paths and uncovering golf in Scotland that you perhaps didn’t know existed.
A film by Oliver Allison & Oliver Lawson produced by The 1457 Club for Scotland Where Golf Began featuring Reniassance Club, Ducks Inn, Shiskine, Craigielaw, Gleaneagles, Comrie, St Fillans, Bruntsfield Links, Western Gailes and more.
As golfers we’re always in search of a Perfection a Perfection which never comes a perfect round a perfect course traveling far and wide to play our beloved game on different terrain the Paradox is that it’s during our Pursuit for Perfection when we find those fleeting moments we’ll remember for a Lifetime if one was to look for golfing Perfection though a clever place to start would probably be to visit no other than our game’s birthplace itself Scotland we documented seven themed Trails playing some of the best and lesser known courses in Scotland as well as playing places and points of interest
Along the way we started with a ferry Crossing across the fth of Clyde to the Jurassic Park esque Isle of Aaron there nestled among some of the most breathtaking rugged natural Coastline I’ve ever seen is the quirky 12 O course Shishkin Playing golf in Scotland is undoubtedly special why that is is something that you can’t quite put your finger on I think it’s a combination of things these wild Coast lines and Junes the history of these ancient courses Each of which tell their own story of golf’s con reception crafted and played by golf’s Pioneers when you look at courses like this it’s even down to the technicalities of the land the perfect sand based lyx Turf and the greens and tea boxes which perch out on Rocky Headlands you see that and you realize that there could have been no other place on the planet that birthed our Game Well it’s on the marip poost so we’ll see when we get up there on these aisles such as Aaron it’s the quirky courses like shushin that intensify that special feeling even further that was a shank shishkin has a real locals vibe welcoming and not in the slightest bit intimidating quirky markers and
Signaling Contraptions guide you up and around the undulating Fairways and greens which are all flanked by gws you’re always among the backdrop of these epic Cliffs with birds of prey swirling around you or overlooking the coastline out to the mainland and the low hanging Clouds Mar a post where now there it’s to the see on that BGE Circle yeah so it’s in like a dip straight there Okay to get to shishkin you take the ferry from ardren which is not far from presswick and Trum the ferry costs less than10 return and takes about an hour each way with many other islands and peninsulas to visit exploring Scotland’s remote golf courses by ferry is an adventure that I can’t wait to Continue Lynx golf the seaside venues that perhaps Define Scottish golf a lynx is the oldest style of golf course first developed here in Scotland the very word linkx comes from the Scots language from the old English word link which means a bank separating strips of arable land on a Slope Scotland is home to approximately a 100 Links golf courses dotted at all corners of the compass many are ranked inside the top 100 of the world’s best courses with a notable number hosting the Open Championship in the past and present the first open being played at preswick in 1860 just a few miles down the road from preswick was the stop for our next visit Western Gales widely considered as one of the finest courses in Scotland Western Gales is a real players track it’s a slim piece of rugged natural undulating land which offers up the true nature of the lynx golf experience natural bunkering wispy Heather and that fresh smell of Salty Sea A yeah that might be that Bunker bunker again A trip down this West Coast uncovers a treasure Trove of links Gulf rivaling the quality on offer in the East Royal trun is the centerpiece the venue for the duel between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson at the open in 2016 presswick presswick Nicholas dun Donald links and Gail’s links offer
Further appeal Kil manik Irvine bogside and Trump Terre are other reown names to tick Off accommodation options are almost as plentiful as the golf Trump turre with stunning views over the aisle of Aaron dun Donald and the Marine Hotel Pierland house and South Beach Hotel are all excellent choices this stretch of AA coastline is truly one to Admire make sure you stop off in TR Harbor at the we hurry takeaway after you’re round I think probably this is the best fishing chips I’ve ever Had to play golf is to be patient we spend years decades trying to understand subtle dispositions in our swings that affect the ball strike refining and constantly adapting we embark on a personal Journey our own trail of Obsession for this Trail we started at the home of the 2014 Ryder Cup and the 2019 solheim cup Glenn Eagles There’s another Scottish Dominion which shares these foundations whiskey an enduring relationship Golf and whiskey have long complimented each other not only did the Scots give us the game of golf They gave those who vent it out onto the Junes and Pines a drum to warm the heart and Revitalize the
Soul the perfect match of whiskey and golf can be discovered all over Scotland up in the highlands starting at Glenn Eagles and finishing at brora and down to the lowlands taking in the Rich East Coastline of St Andrews and further south to gulan and dumbar or head over to Campbell toown
And isay starting at the maer hotel and Golf Links or the epicenter of the whiskey industry in Spide the James braid designed King’s course which opened in 19 199 is a masterpiece you wind your way through glorious Perth sh Rolling Hills and low hanging Misty morning clouds to find
Bold Fairways and plateaued greens which are a test to any Golfa the surroundings of the estate are breathtaking and there’s a magic in the way the light hits the Foothills in the distance and an air of History among the Evergreens a feeling that this is a course to be Cherished the vision for Glenn Eagles dates back to 1910 When Donald mat general manager of the Caledonian Railway company was so impressed by the local Countryside that he conjured up this vision for a palacial country House hotel with a golf course after the first world war the kings and queen courses
Were forged out of the rugged terrain using manual labor horse and cart the hotel opened in 1924 the connection between Golf and whiskey in Scotland runs deep it’s estimated that the practices of generating today’s tipples in Scotland began in the 1500s today the country country is home
To over 130 malt and grain distilleries each uniquely flavored making it the greatest concentration of whiskey production in the World Glen is just up the road from Glenn Eagles and dates back to 1763 this makes it the oldest working Distillery still producing today in Scotland over the years we’ve had lots of different things happen from the visit of Alfred Bernard in the late 1800s the very famous whiskey historian
And into the more modern era of Glen turret where we’re still being exported and enjoyed around the world everything is rated crafted with the making the best whiskey in mind basically and showcasing it that way so the more that we go in with our nose the more now we’re going to start revealing
Some more the flavors although we are a small production here we still have a lot of the traditional methods that were used many years ago so things like our hand operated Mash ton and also not using any computers doing everything by eye and very traditionally so glint turet really
Is the gem of the whiskey world and a very important historic place to visit Scotland’s breweries are dted across the map much like the nation’s golf courses old established breweries such as Bell Haven as well as an array of new Brewers and craft beer houses and while most of these Scottish golf courses are the forefathers like its breweries there are protes which have weaned their way into
The crown one of these courses is the stop for our next visit the Renaissance Club Perched on a rugged clifftop overlooking fidra Lighthouse and the lapping tidle sets of the fth of fourth the Renaissance Club was opened in 2008 despite being newly built it occupies land in the neighborhood of some of the most historic courses in the world mfield gulen North Beric and the
Archerfield estate to name a few reene has recently hosted the Scottish open and was designed by Tom dog what’s been created is a worldclass course showcasing Windswept tunes and the natural features of the Land to wash down the mouth waterer and Gulf we visited Winton Brewery there are more than a 100 breweries operating across the country the variety and quality of Beer and Ale produced and served in Scotland bars restaurants and club houses is significant from hoppy pale alses to refreshing loggers golden
Alses and strong Stouts the choice is huge just like the golf don’t forget the local gin choices too which continue to grow in popularity like the Wild Island botanic Gins which celebrate the beauty and unique character of the Isles Golf is an escape an obsession something we can’t live without a kind of meditation in a way a lesson in patience commitment intuition and wonder even though it takes a lot of concentration and sometimes crippling heartache for that brief moment when we’re about to hit our shot nothing else Matters so feel the breeze swing smooth and like Ben ogan said may your ball line Green Pastures and not in Still Waters While Scotland may be famed for its Championship links layouts the quality of golf within the nation’s major cities is notable for our next stop we just had to stop off at the nation’s historic Capital Edinburgh first recorded rules of the game of golf were actually created by
The golfers playing at leth links in Edinburgh in 1744 while the brunsfield links golfing Society a mature Parkland style course is the fourth oldest in the world founded in 1761 Scotland’s vibrant capital city is blessed with history Heritage architecture night life and golf across Edinburgh Glasgow abedine and dunde glorious golf is mixed with the buzz of the city life and their Associated attractions It’s a little known fact that one in every five courses in Scotland are made up of only nine holes going back Generations these short form layouts were at the heart of villages and towns the lifeblood of a community where people would gather and enjoy a game for all levels of
Ability that remains true today across the rich tapestry of Scottish golf’s cloth in fact in our modern time conscious Society where Lifestyles often make 18 holes a challenge the N9 hole game has perhaps never been more relevant Nine holes is perfect with family and friends and can also be easily fitted into a visitor’s busy golfing Itinerary whilst the courses are only half the size of conventional venues they make up for it in charm and good oldfashioned Fun at some remote venues The Humble honesty box will gratefully accept your green fee and Away you Go in the heart of Scotland is a hot bed for N9 Hole Golf comry creef and St phillins form a glorious Trio a handful of miles apart with the world famous Glenn Eagles Hotel even offering a nine-hole weour ideal for beginners from up in the highlands to
Down to the far Southwest nine hole gems are waiting to be discovered the thrill is in the Chase and the joy and camaraderie that awaits Golf isn’t just a game it’s not just about the competition it’s about the journeys we take and the trails we discover with our friends and family along the Way we travel far and wide in search of new lands Junes and turf away from the championship challenges revered links layouts and modern venues that draw golf visitors to Scotland there are a host of other lesser known courses where locals have loved and played for Generations it’s here amidst The Humble
Clubhouses and welcoming in members where you’ll find the true essence of what it means to play Golf Scotland’s less obvious are those venues that perhaps sit in the shadow of siblings go under the radar or lock the profile enjoyed by bigger names however that takes nothing away from their quality value for money and experience booking a tea time is also usually a less honorous a task than over
Subscribed venues where tourists constantly flock you hardly need to go off the beat and track in Scotland to appreciate the Delights of these hidden gems after all Scotland has had golf coursing through its veins for centuries in Scotland you can rest assured that you’re never far from a golf course When you discover your own golfing gems you discover the offcast gems to go with them like the ducks in where our evening sharing whiskey and golf stories progress to Eccentric putting games holding a hickory putter perched at top a bar stool under an adornment of flags memories that last a Lifetime I Agree
