Scotland gave golf to the world, and it shows no sign of slowing down. Across 544 courses in our database, the country hosts nearly 2,000 open events this year — a staggering depth of competitive amateur golf that few nations can match. Whether you’re a scratch player hunting ranking points or a mid-handicapper looking for a new challenge, the fixture list here is relentless.
But not all courses are created equal. While the average Scottish club runs three or four open events annually, a handful of venues have made welcoming visiting golfers central to what they do — stacking their calendars with competitions that draw players from across the country and beyond.
The five courses listed below lead the field with over 16 open competitions each this golfing season, and there are many more just behind them. To find more courses and competitions this summer in Scotland, click here.
One advantage of playing in Open Competitions rather than just visiting and playing on your own is the green fees are often significantly lower, as shown by the excellent value provided by the courses listed below!
1= Lochmaben Golf Club (17)
Lochmaben Golf Club is a parkland course located in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, situated just 4 miles from the M74. The course is renowned for its picturesque setting overlooking Kirk Loch, with abundant wildlife and scenic vistas characterizing the experience throughout the round.
Visitors green fees: £15
1= Tain Golf Club (17)
Tain Golf Club is an 18-hole championship-length course spanning 6,404 yards in Ross-Shire, Scottish Highlands, designed by the legendary Old Tom Morris in 1889. Located beside the River Tain with views over the Dornoch Firth, the course combines links and heathland terrain, featuring natural Scottish landscape elements including gorse, heather, burns, and deep rough.
Visitors green fees: £20-£30
1= Portpatrick Dunskey Golf Club (17)
Portpatrick Dunskey Golf Club is situated on the southwest Scottish coast near the village of Portpatrick, overlooking the North Channel to Ireland. The club features two courses: an 18-hole Dunskey course and a 9-hole Dinvin course. Both courses are set approximately 150 feet above sea level on rolling moorland and seaside heath terrain, offering spectacular views extending to the Isle of Man, Mourne Mountains, and Mull of Kintyre on clear days.
Visitors green fees: £15
4= Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club (16)
Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club is the 15th oldest recorded golf club in the world, established in 1793 on the Chanonry Peninsula in the Black Isle, approximately 20 minutes from Inverness. This Scottish links championship course was redesigned by five-time Open Champion James Braid in 1932. The course enjoys a dramatic setting with breathtaking views over the Moray Firth and is situated adjacent to a dolphin colony. The layout exemplifies traditional links golf characteristics across its championship course design.
Visitors green fees: £20-£35
4= Alloa Golf Club (16)
Alloa Golf Club is a championship-length course designed by James Braid in 1935, situated on the historic estate of Schawpark House. The 6,200-yard, par-71 layout features mature tree-lined fairways that provide privacy and create a picturesque landscape throughout the course. The terrain is characterized by challenging finishing holes from 15 to 18, which include two long par-3s, a demanding par-4, and a par-5, with a notable ditch fronting the seventeenth green.
Visitors green fees: £20
