Destination Golf Scotland 2017 * | Page 15

Golf comes in no greater dramatic abundance than in Scotland – the Home of Golf. This is where the great game started and everyone wants to experience the difficulties and delights of Scottish golf, especially the links. All the key ingredients are here - towering dunes, elevated greens, blind shots, deep pot bunkers, tumbling fairways, slick putting surfaces, howling winds and the taste of salt in the sea air. Some courses are old classics laid out by legendary designers such as Old Tom Morris and James Braid, whilst others are recent creations that still look as though they have been part of the landscape for centuries. Here’s a selection of top-quality links throughout different regions of Scotland: AYRSHIRE Turnberry. The venue for the British Open Championship 2009 came to international prominence with the infamous ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson (champion) and Jack Nicklaus over four sweltering days during July 1977. Since then, Greg Norman (86), Nick Price (94) and most recently Stewart Cink (09) (when Tom Watson narrowly missed out to become the oldest winner in history) have made up the quartet of golfers to lift the Claret Jug, and polls now regularly acknowledge the Ailsa course as one of Britain’s top three courses with regular rankings within the world’s top 20. The ninth (Bruce’s Castle) is a contender for Turnberry’s trademark hole. Adjacent to the famous lighthouse and the remains of Robert the Bruce’s Castle (Scottish King from 1306-1329), this 452-yard par-4 has no bunkers, yet is a daunting par-4 especially from the Championship tee which is perched on a rocky premonitory on the edge of the sea. Other golfing options: Royal Troon, Prestwick, Western Gailes. 13