Scotland is a small nation. With a population of about 6 million people (0.0008% of the world's population) it is always surprising how much of an influence it has had and continues to have on the world. One of the areas where our nation's influence can be most strongly felt is in the world of golf. It is truly astounding how many world class courses there are in Scotland. Some of the greens fees are truly astounding too! (the courses on our list range from £30 a round to £240 a round). Without prattling on any longer, let's get on with our list.

Looking out over the Moray Firth between Inverness and Nairn, Castle Stuart is the newest golf course on our list but one that has gained an outstanding international reputation it the years it has been open - in its second year it hosted the first European Tour to be played in the Highlands. Many of the holes nestle against the cliffs to provide an exhilarating experience whilst the wide fairways and deep bunkers of other holes demand a more strategic approach to the game than other courses demand. With astounding views and immaculately maintained facilities, Castle Stuart is perfect for professionals and amateurs alike.

Now run by Cabot Highlands a second golf course designed by the acclaimed architect Tom Doak is scheduled to open in 2024. Ellen was recently lucky enough to meet two golf fanatics, James and Iain, and enjoy the views across the links course. Iain Colquhoun from Lomond Golf Tours Scotland is well placed to share his views, with over 20 years experience in the industry and a PGA Director of Golf, his company now offers individually tailored tours of the finest golf courses in Scotland, with accommodation and travel to match.

The Highlands of Scotland offer a unique experience for any golfer and Cabot Highlands tops it off as one of the worlds finest golfing locations. With a warm Highland welcome this spectacular venue keeps getting better and better over time. Exciting times lie ahead and I for one look forward to seeing its continued development.

Iain and James enjoy Castle Stuart Golf Course

James Brannan, owner of Brannan Investments Ltd, a property investment company, was delighted to take to this acclaimed course regularly ranked in the Top 100 Courses in the world, with Iain. This course has played host to 4 Scottish Opens and Castle Stuart itself will celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2025. This seems an impressive history, however only 5 miles away is the emotive and atmospheric Culloden Battlefield where the Jacobite Rising came to a tragic end in 1745.

We love our golf but we also love our Scottish history and the new course will play around Castle Stuart's 400 year old castle. Walk the battlements with the ghost of Charles I before he lost his kingdom and his head, or with Bonnie Prince Charlie the night before his tragic defeat at nearby Culloden Moor. If you aren't impressed by ancient Scottish history you can't fail to be wowed by the view of the Moray Firth and mountains beyond from the battlements. The current 17th century tower house was built on the site of an earlier castle known as Halhill, and owned by the Mackintosh family until Mary Queen of Scots granted it to her half-brother, James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray in 1561.

This course, situated between Dundee and Arbroath, is notorious for bringing giants of the game to their knees. Considered by many to be the most challenging course on the entire open rota, Carnoustie is alternatively known as Car-nasty. With odd-shaped, steep sided bunkers dotted along faiways which vary in width seemingly at random, this whole course has been engineered to torture any player foolish enough to attempt a round here.

Located just 23 miles north of Aberdeen, Cruden Bay Golf Course is a quirky little links course that never fails to delight. The fairways are designed to follow the lie of the land, including any bumps, troughs and rises meaning that you’ll get all manner of play on the one hole. The course meanders its way around sand dunes that tower all around hiding the other holes from sight and creating a peaceful atmosphere in which to approach the ball.

Standing on the location of the original Kingsbarns course - a 9-hole which was first established in 1793 but reclaimed as farmland in 1850 then reestablished as a course in 1920 before being reclaimed once again in 1939 for the war effort - this course was brought back to life in the year 2000. After shifting hundreds of thousands of tonnes of soil and sand, a pristine course of undulating fairways with plenty of peaks and troughs was unveil to wide acclaim. This course have gone from strength to strength in its short lifetime and continues to provide challenging but enjoyable play to golfers young and old.

Formed in 1876, this course on the Mull of Kintyre offers the player stunning views of Jura and even Ireland. Machrihanish isn’t exactly the longest course around but what it lacks in length it more than makes up for in enjoyment. Machrihanish’s first hole; The Battery is generally considered to be one of the best holes in the world. The Battery’s fairway curves around the beach which is in-bound, allowing those brave enough to play diagonally across the sand. Although it is a bit of a hike to get to Machrihanish, those who make the journey are thoroughly rewarded.

Muirfield Golf Club can be found in Gullane, about 30 minutes drive from Edinburgh city centre and is the home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Unlike most links courses, Muirfield does not follow the coast in a linear manner but is made up of two circles, one clockwise the other anti-clockwise. This arrangement means that the wind is never the same on any two holes, increasing the challenge immensely. Although challenging, Muirfield is so highly regarded that Jack Nicklaus described it as “the best golf course in Britain” he loved it so much in fact that he named his own golf course after it.

In the idyllic East Lothian town of North Berwick lies the West Links which have been played in the current layout since 1832, making this the third oldest continually played links in the world. If you are looking for a links course with commanding views, they don’t get more commanding than those offered at North Berwick. Peering out towards Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth, keeping your eye on the game is almost as challenging as the course itself. The West Links can boast of the most copied hole in the world; the Redan is a single shot hole with a sloping green that, although now ubiquitous, originated in North Berwick.

Situated on the Dornoch firth next to white sand beaches, this links course boasts challenging fairways which are made even more challenging by the winds that blow in from the coast. The course was extended by Old Tom Morris, in 1886.

Established in 1838 with the help of the duke of Portland - for whom the Portland course is named- Tron golf course was given its royal charter in 19XX. Situated on the Firth of Clyde, the course is exposed to beautiful views as well as the extremes of Scotland’s less than beautiful weather. The weather, as well as the bounty of hazards around the course; gorse bushes, ditches and train lines, make Royal Troon a particularly difficult course to play. Royal Troon is also home to the shortest hole on the open circuit The Postage Stamp a puny par 3 measuring only 123yds long.

Golf has been played at St. Andrews since the 15th century and the course is rightfully considered to be the home of the sport. This course has been pivotal in engineering the shape of the modern game through normalising the 18 hole layout and formalising the rule of the game. The Old Course has many notable features such as the 700 year old Swalican Bridge, the 10ft deep Hell Bunker and most importantly the fact that it is a public course. The Old Course at St. Andrews provides players with a challenging game but also provides a tangible link to the origins of the sport.

Top Ten Golf Courses in Scotland

I hope you enjoyed our run-through of Scotland's greatest golf courses. Do you agree with my choices? Do you think I left something off that really should be on the list? Get in touch and let me know either way. Perhaps this list has inspired you to finally take that golf trip you've always dreamed of? If so, make sure you look your very best in our fine range of golf wear.