Ladybank
Course
Ladybank Golf Club, Ladybank, Fife
Founded 1879. Parkland Course
Lying only 20 minutes west of St Andrews, Ladybank Golf Club was founded in 1879 and is one of the best inland golf courses in Scotland. Golfing in Scotland is too often perceived to be just about links golf but Ladybank, along with Blairgowrie and Gleneagles is one of those courses that prove this theory incorrect. The original six holes at Ladybank were laid out by Old Tom Morris and the course was only extended to 18 holes as recently as 1961. Ideal as the second course on a 36-hole day or indeed as an often welcome change from links golf, Ladybank has hosted Final Qualifying for the Open Championship on seven occasions and does not disappoint.
Sightseeing
Great golf is only part of the story when considering what makes the perfect golf trip. Thankfully the other essential components are all found in abundance in Scotland, not least in the sights to see department. Whether scheduling a day off from golf or filling an afternoon after your morning round, there are many options regardless of which region you are visiting. The below is intended as a very general guide to sightseeing in the St Andrews and Perthshire area.
As part of a golf trip to this region, it is likely that you will stay in or close to St Andrews. It’s also likely that you will be too busy playing golf to include much sightseeing but there are always options. Recommendations in St Andrews include the British Golf Museum, St Andrews Castle (pictured above), St Andrews Cathedral and St Andrews Botanic Gardens. Venturing further afield, the likes of Kingsbarns Distillery, Inchcolm Abbey and Aberdour Castle are also worth a visit.
Also within range from St Andrews are the many attractions in Perthshire and Stirling. Like the Highlands, Perthshire boasts its fair share of distilleries with two excellent options being the Famous Grouse Experience at Glenturret Distillery in Crieff (pictured above) and Blair Atholl Distillery in Pitlochry, one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. Other locations of interest in Perthshire include Blair Castle, Drummond Castle Gardens near Crieff, Scone Palace in Perth and Loch Leven Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned for a time.
Connecting Perthshire with Greater Glasgow, Stirling offers many attractions, particularly from an historical perspective. The Bannockburn Heritage Centre and impressive Stirling Castle (pictured above) are both must-sees in Stirling, while the National Wallace Monument, through a variety of exhibits and displays tells the story of the legendary William Wallace, Guardian of Scotland.