Golf in Scotland
Golf In Scotland
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Scotland has over 400 golf courses, with more being built all the time, and, therefore has more courses per head of population than any other country in the world. Any decent sized town in Scotland will have a golf course nearby and most, if not all, are available for play. There are many public courses, which tend to be both cheap and extremely busy, often have excellent layouts.
The majority of private clubs allow visitors, although many have restrictions as to what days these visitors can play. Weekends are usually reserved for club competitions for the members so it is best to try to play on a weekday. All private clubs have a dress code and it is inadvisable to turn up for a round in a collarless shirt and jeans. These minor caveats aside, you are more than likely to receive a warm and courteous welcome.
One of the unique attractions of golf in Scotland is the accessibility of its famous venues. The average football fan will never get the chance to play at Wembley Stadium, likewise the club tennis player is unlikely to play a few sets on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, but any golfer can, for example, play at Carnoustie or St Andrews. This represents a unique opportunity to follow in the footsteps of golf's legendary players and compare your own game, however unfavourably, with theirs. Green fees for one of the top championship courses will cost from around £40 upwards. Many clubs offer a daily or weekly ticket. A Golf Pass Scotland costs between £46 and £70 for five days (Monday-Friday), depending on the area.
Golf in Scotland is a free brochure listing 400 courses and clubs with accommodation details. For a copy contact the Scottish Tourist Board. The British Tourist Authority (BTA) has a very useful Golfing Holidays booklet which provides details of golfing holidays and major golf tournaments in Britain.
