Glasgow is a port city on the River Clyde in Scotland's western Lowlands. It's famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, a rich legacy of the city's 18th–20th-century prosperity due to trade and shipbuilding. Today it's a national cultural hub, home to institutions including the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and National Theatre of Scotland, as well as acclaimed museums and a thriving music scene.
The Kinross golf courses, originally opened in 1988, changed the "Blue" and "Red" to "Montgomery course" and "Bruce," respectively, in 2005. Owned by the four-star Green Hotel across the street, the names come from two of the Loch Leven area's principle land owners and will add a little more character to the course, in a country where tradition is paramount.
Just a few minutes south of Loch Lomond G.C. is a resort course anyone can play: The Carrick on Loch Lomond, part of the luxurious Cameron House Hotel. The golf course opened in 2007 and was designed by Canadian architect Doug Carrick. It plays to 7,082 yards from the back set of five tee boxes.
The Queen's Course, one of three championship layouts at the Gleneagles Resort in Perth and Kinross, is one of the great golf courses that play less than 6,000 yards. Its short length can be deceiving, however, especially on the front nine. Meanwhile, the back nine has some shorter holes, like the 15th, a drivable 252-yard par 4. But deep and intimidating bunkers await errant drives.
Think blind shots are only a phenomenon on links courses? Try the wild and wonderful King's Course at Gleneagles, a James Braid course dating back to 1919.
Conditions on the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles Resort are rounding into form after a seven-month renovation to prepare for the 2014 Ryder Cup. New drainage systems should allow the Jack Nicklaus-designed course, which opened in 1993, to survive even the wettest weather.
Dundonald Links might be young compared to its historic neighbors -- Royal Troon, Western Gailes and Prestwick -- but the site does have some interesting history. There was an early course named the Dundonald Golf Club from 1911-1936 before the land was taken over by the military. Architect Kyle Phillips brought golf back here, creating a 7,100-yard modern links that opened in 2003. He uses wide fairways cut through man-made dunes to make players feel confident before tightening the shot-making demands on the approach.
Without any views of the water, the Gailes Links at Glasgow Golf Club tends to be overlooked by golfers touring Scotland's west coast. It's not so easily dismissed by the R&A, however. The Gailes Links has been named the only Scottish links that will host the final Open Championship qualifier for four consecutive years, beginning in 2014. Long grass and gorse pinches its fairways. With only two par 5s and three par 3s, players must churn out pars on one tough par 4 after another for a decent score.
Although it doesn't have a history of Open Championships, Western Gailes Golf Club still seduces golfers into loving this narrow links just as much -- if not more -- than its prestigious neighbors, Royal Troon and Prestwick. Founded in 1897, Western Gailes serves as a qualifying site whenever the Open visits Royal Troon or Turnberry. It plays every bit as tough as other Open venues when the wind kicks up.
Royal Troon Golf Club, a 7,202-yard par-71 course dating to 1878, will host its ninth Open Championship in 2016. Royal Troon features the "Postage Stamp" hole -- the iconic, pint-sized, par-3 eighth -- but the closing stretch is among the toughest in golf. It's here that Open Championships are won and lost. When the wind blows off the Firth, there is no tougher closing championship test.
Prestwick Golf Club hasn't held an Open Championship in nearly 90 years, yet only the Old Course at St. Andrews has hosted more Opens than this venerable club. Prestwick might be too short and too quirky to host an Open today, but golfers shouldn't pass up the chance to play such a historic treasure. Old and Young Tom Morris, Willie Park and Harry Vardon have all won at Prestwick.
Back
