Is it sacrilegious to call a links course in the birthplace of golf the Bandon Dunes of Scotland? In many ways, that's exactly what Machrihanish Dunes is. Both are on hard-to-get-to sections of coastline that attract golfers to play neoclassic links golf. The big difference is that in pre-Kidd Bandon, Oregon there was nothing, but the pre-Kidd Kintyre Peninsula was already home to fabled Machrihanish Golf Club. That is where the story gets interesting.
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Famed golf writer Bernard Darwin once described the view from Gullane No. 1's seventh tee as among the best in golf. It's high enough to see the Bass Rock to the east, Muirfield next door and the city of Edinburgh. That view, of course, varies depending on the weather, but at least one thing is constant about Gullane No. 1: it's East Lothian's top championship test not called "Muirfield."
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Yes, it's home to Muirfield. But East Lothian locals adore a more understated, classic links in Aberlady: charming Kilspindie Golf Club. The club stakes its claim as the world's 35th oldest, having been founded in 1867. The opening stretch of holes at Kilspindie is as good as it gets in East Lothian.
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After buying the Duke's Course in 2005, Herb Kohler ordered an extensive overhaul. The renovation included remodeling every bunker from a links-style sod pot to more rugged shapes. They also added a more exciting closing stretch, redoing holes 15-18. Today, the Duke's is one of the finest golf courses in Scotland.
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The first nine holes of Aberfeldy Golf Club were laid out in the level floodplain of the River Tay in 1895, making it one of the oldest courses in the Scottish highlands. In 1993, plans were adopted to extend the course by nine holes. In 1995, almost 100 years to the day after the christening of the original nine holes, the 5,283-yard, par-68, 18-hole course opened to members and the public.
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There are more than a dozen noteworthy holes at Taymouth Castle Golf Club. Conditions are excellent, and the scenery is some of the most unique you will find in the highlands, Kiel Christianson writes. Despite the odd quirk here and there - which is part of the very charm of highland golf - Taymouth Castle is a profound joy to play.
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The Dunkeld and Birnam Golf Club sits high over the fairytale town from which it takes its (first) name, home to a soaring cathedral, ancient castles and a town center anyone in his or her right mind would associate with words like "charming" and "quaint."
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Every golf course in Scotland can't be 200 years old and designed by Old Tom Morris. They do build some new ones here occasionally, designed by living architects, like the Inchmarlo Golf Club in Banchory. The 18-hole Laird's course at Inchmarlo opened in 2001, built on the slopes to the north of the existing nine-hole course.
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Some petty critics scoff at the in-your-face nature of the Cruden Bay Golf Club's Wild Ride. But the only thing keeping these links from having an even wider reknown is the location up the eastern coast of Scotland. The fact is, travelers willing to make the trek are rewarded handsomely.
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A lot of so-called aficionados of golf in Scotland will tell you that Murcar Links Golf Club just north of Aberdeen is one of the country's "hidden gems." They're right about the gem part. Hardcore golfers will not want to miss this place. As to the hidden, however, well, if you want to beat the crowds, you might want to book your tee times now.
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