Golf courses in Scotland
We list 521 golf courses in Scotland, including 268 with 18 holes, 112 with 9 holes, 9 pitch and putt. 96% have a website listed.
At a glance
521courses listed
268with 18 holes
112with 9 holes
9pitch and putt
72links courses
194say visitors are welcome
498with a website
1761oldest founding year listed
Courses by number of holes
| Holes | Courses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 18 holes | 268 | 51% |
| 9 holes | 112 | 21% |
| 27 holes | 6 | 1% |
| 36 holes or more | 12 | 2% |
| Other (5 to 12 holes) | 6 | 1% |
| Pitch and putt | 9 | 2% |
| Holes not recorded | 108 | 21% |
Venues with several courses are counted once, with their total number of holes.
Type of course
| Setting | Courses |
|---|---|
| Parkland | 83 |
| Links | 50 |
| Moorland | 12 |
| Heathland | 8 |
| Woodland | 2 |
As described on the club website, for 155 of the 521 courses.
By council area or county
Click a column heading to sort.
| Council area or county | Courses | 18 holes | 9 holes | Links | Visitors welcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland | 47 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 17 |
| Fife | 45 | 32 | 9 | 11 | 16 |
| Aberdeenshire | 40 | 22 | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| Argyll and Bute | 32 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 8 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 28 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 11 |
| Perth and Kinross | 27 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 11 |
| Scottish Borders | 24 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| City of Edinburgh | 23 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| North Ayrshire | 21 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| South Lanarkshire | 21 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| East Lothian | 19 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Moray | 18 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| North Lanarkshire | 16 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Angus | 15 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| South Ayrshire | 15 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 14 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Renfrewshire | 13 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| West Lothian | 13 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| East Renfrewshire | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Stirling | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Aberdeen City | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Falkirk | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Glasgow City | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| East Ayrshire | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Clackmannanshire | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Midlothian | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Na h-Eileanan Siar | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Orkney Islands | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Inverclyde | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Shetland Islands | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Elsewhere (no county page) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Visitors welcome: as stated on the club website; not recorded for the other courses.
Links courses: 8 of 72
| Course | Holes | Par | Founded | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fraserburgh Golf Club | 18 | 1777 | Aberdeenshire | |
| Royal Aberdeen Golf Club | 36 | 64 | 1780 | Aberdeen City |
| Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club | 18 | 69 | 1793 | Highland |
| Scotscraig Golf Club | 18 | 71 | 1817 | Fife |
| The North Berwick Golf Club | 18 | 71 | 1832 | East Lothian |
| Peterhead Golf Club | 18 | 1841 | Aberdeenshire | |
| Panmure Links | 18 | 70 | 1845 | Angus |
| St. Nicholas Golf Club | 69 | 1851 | South Ayrshire |
Courses that welcome visitors: 10 of 194
| Course | Holes | Par | Founded | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gullane Golf Club | 54 | 71 | East Lothian | |
| Cawder Golf Club | 36 | 70 | East Dunbartonshire | |
| Kinross Golf Courses | 36 | Perth and Kinross | ||
| Edzell Golf Club | 27 | Angus | ||
| Fraserburgh Golf Club | 18 | 1777 | Aberdeenshire | |
| Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club | 18 | 69 | 1793 | Highland |
| Scotscraig Golf Club | 18 | 71 | 1817 | Fife |
| The North Berwick Golf Club | 18 | 71 | 1832 | East Lothian |
| Peterhead Golf Club | 18 | 1841 | Aberdeenshire | |
| Panmure Links | 18 | 70 | 1845 | Angus |
Largest venues first. Visitors welcome as stated on the club website: check tee times and dress code with the club.
Oldest clubs
| Course | Holes | Par | Founded | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruntsfield Links | 18 | 71 | 1761 | City of Edinburgh |
| Fraserburgh Golf Club | 18 | 1777 | Aberdeenshire | |
| Royal Aberdeen Golf Club | 36 | 64 | 1780 | Aberdeen City |
| Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club | 18 | 69 | 1793 | Highland |
| Scotscraig Golf Club | 18 | 71 | 1817 | Fife |
| The North Berwick Golf Club | 18 | 71 | 1832 | East Lothian |
Founding year as given on the club website, known for 136 of the 521 courses.
Course designers
Architects named on club websites, with the number of courses listed here that credit them: James Braid (43), Old Tom Morris (10), Alister MacKenzie (4), Ben Sayers (3), Harry Colt (3), Willie Fernie (3), Willie Park Jnr (3), Donald Steel (2).
By type of course
- 9-hole golf courses (115)
- Pitch and putt courses (9)
- Links golf courses (72)
Golf courses near a town
Other golf courses
- Downfield
Frequently asked questions
- How many golf courses are there in Scotland?
- We list 521 golf courses in Scotland. 268 have 18 holes and 112 have 9 holes; 9 are pitch and putt courses.
- Which area has the most golf courses in Scotland?
- Highland, with 47 courses, followed by Fife (45) and Aberdeenshire (40).
- How many 18-hole golf courses are there in Scotland?
- 268 courses with 18 holes are listed in Scotland, out of 521 courses. The number of holes is not recorded for 108.
- Are there links golf courses in Scotland?
- Yes: 72 courses are recorded as links, including Fraserburgh Golf Club, Royal Aberdeen Golf Club and Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club.
- Which golf courses welcome visitors in Scotland?
- 194 courses say on their website that visitors are welcome, for example Gullane Golf Club, Cawder Golf Club and Kinross Golf Courses. For the others this is not recorded: check with the club before you go.
- What is the oldest golf club in Scotland?
- Among the 136 courses whose club website gives a founding year, Bruntsfield Links dates back to 1761, followed by Fraserburgh Golf Club (1777).
Updated: