Welcome to Scottish Golf Links: Our Mission to Save Scotland's Public Courses
Scotland is the birthplace of golf. The ancient links of St Andrews, the dramatic dunes of Royal Dornoch, the quirky seaside charms of Elie—these courses aren't just sporting venues. They're living museums, community gathering places, and a vital part of Scotland's cultural heritage. But there's a crisis: over 40 courses have closed since 2010. We're building the definitive resource and fighting to save what's left.
Scotland is the birthplace of golf. The ancient links of St Andrews, the dramatic dunes of Royal Dornoch, the quirky seaside charms of Elie—these courses aren't just sporting venues. They're living museums, community gathering places, and a vital part of Scotland's cultural heritage.
But there's a crisis happening that most golfers don't know about.
The Public Course Crisis
Over 40 golf courses have closed in Scotland since 2010. The majority of these were public courses—affordable, accessible venues where locals learned to play, where families spent weekends, where communities gathered.
Only 51 public courses remain in all of Scotland. That's a 10% decline just since 2020.
These aren't just statistics. Every closed course represents:
What We Lose When a Course Closes
✗ Community Access: Many Scots can't afford £150+ rounds at private courses
✗ Junior Development: Future generations lose accessible places to learn
✗ Local Heritage: Courses designed by Old Tom Morris and James Braid disappear forever
✗ Green Spaces: Public golf courses are often the only large green spaces in small towns
✗ Economic Impact: Tourism, jobs, and local businesses suffer
This isn't just about golf. It's about preserving access to Scotland's national sport for everyone, not just those who can afford exclusive memberships.
Why We're Building Scottish Golf Links
When we started researching Scottish golf courses, we discovered something shocking: there was no comprehensive, accurate resource documenting all 550+ courses in Scotland.
Championship courses like St Andrews and Carnoustie had plenty of coverage. But what about the quirky 9-hole links in the Outer Hebrides? The hidden gems in the Highlands where you can play for £30? The public courses fighting for survival?
They were invisible.
So we decided to change that. Scottish Golf Links is being built as:
Our Phased Approach
Scottish Golf Links will start by updating Scotland's links courses—the true birthplace of the game, from St Andrews to Royal Dornoch, North Berwick to Carnoustie. Once our links coverage is complete and verified, we'll expand to cover all 550+ courses across Scotland, including parkland, heathland, and moorland venues. Quality over speed: we're building the most accurate resource possible, one course at a time.
🏴 The Definitive Scottish Golf Resource
Every single golf course in Scotland—from St Andrews to the smallest 9-hole public course—will be catalogued with accurate information, facilities data, pricing, and honest reviews. Championship venues AND hidden gems. Luxury experiences AND budget-friendly rounds.
❤️ An Advocacy Platform
Bunkered.co.uk has long highlighted the plight of Scotland's public courses. We advocate the same message. We're using this platform to highlight courses at risk, share their stories, and rally support before it's too late. When a public course is threatened, we'll make sure people know about it.
📚 A Cultural Archive
We're documenting the unique character of Scottish golf—courses with sheep on fairways, submarine periscope starts, blind par-3s over sand dunes. The quirky, the historic, the unforgettable.
What Makes Us Different
Quality Over Speed: We're not scraping data from other sites. We're researching each course individually—checking official websites, cross-referencing facilities, verifying restaurant hours. If we don't know something for certain, we say so.
Comprehensive Coverage: Not just the famous courses everyone knows. We're covering ALL 550+ courses, giving equal attention to the £200 championship venues and the £25 municipal courses that need our support.
Advocacy First: This isn't just a directory. It's a platform to save Scotland's golf heritage. Every endangered course will get its story told.
Community-Driven: We want to hear from YOU—the greenkeepers, the locals, the members who know these courses better than anyone. This is Scotland's golf resource, built BY golf lovers FOR golf lovers.
Join the Mission
Whether you've played St Andrews a hundred times or you've never swung a club in Scotland, this project needs your support.
How You Can Help
🔗 Share This Site: The more visibility we get, the more we can help endangered courses
⛳ Play Public Courses: Every round supports these vital community resources
📧 Subscribe: Get updates on courses at risk and how to help
💬 Spread the Word: Tell other golfers about the public course crisis
📝 Share Your Stories: Know a special course? Tell us about it
Scotland gave golf to the world. Now it's time to give back—to preserve the public courses that keep the sport accessible to everyone.
Explore All 550+ Scottish Golf Courses
From championship links to hidden gems, discover every course in Scotland
Browse All Courses →Plan Your Scottish Golf Adventure
Discover Scotland's legendary golf courses and start planning your trip today.