Scotscraig
Course
Scotscraig Golf Club, Tayport, Fife
Founded 1817. Heathland Course
Scotscraig is the 13th oldest golf club in the world and retains many trademark features left by James Braid in 1923, namely large rolling greens and strategic bunkering. Located 30 minutes from St Andrews, Scotscraig is another of those lesser known courses that illustrate the strength in depth of Scottish golf. Offering a unique mix of links and heathland terrain, there are some great holes throughout but one that leaves a lasting impression is the 366-yard fourth, where the fairway proves an elusive target, protected by revetted bunkers and heathery terrain. Scotscraig has regularly hosted final qualifying for the Open Championship when held at St Andrews.
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.