Scottish courses ranked highly

We regularly hear of Scottish golf courses being amongst the best in the world and that claim has been shown true yet again, as 14 Scottish layouts were voted into Golf Digest’s top 100 courses in the world.

Royal Dornoch was the highest ranking Scottish course, in sixth position, with its Championship Course finishing one place ahead of St Andrews, and two ahead of Muirfield in the poll.

Royal County Down in Northern Ireland was in fourth place and was the only course in Great Britain to finish higher than Royal Dornoch. Neil Hampton, Royal Dornoch’s general manager, was delighted by the ranking, which was the club’s highest ever.

“This is a fantastic accolade for the course and for Dornoch as a whole,” said Hampton. “Royal Dornoch is a name known around the globe and has always been regarded as one of top courses in world terms.”

“This is the highest we have ever been placed and it can only enhance our reputation and the reputation of the Scottish Highalnds as a leading golf destination.”

Golf Digest’s ranking order is decided by a panel made up of golfers from 27 international editions of the magazine, who completed a survey, rating courses they were familiar with on a 10-point scale.

Pine Valley in New Jersey was voted top of the list, followed by Cypress Point in Pebble Beach and Augusta National in Georgia. Shinnecock Hills in New York finished in fifth place.

Castle Stuart, which hosted the Scottish Open for the past three years, was voted 87^th on the list and is a member of the Highland Golf Links partnership organisation, alongside Royal Dornoch.

Fraser Cromarty, chairman of the Highland Golf Links, said: “We are blessed with some wonderful courses in this part of the world and this all-time high ranking for Royal Dornoch demonstrates how golfers around the world enjoy our famous links venues.”

Scottish courses in the Golf Digest Top 100 Courses in the World

6 – Royal Dornoch

7 – St Andrews

8 – Muirfield

19 – Turnberry

31 – Carnoustie

50 – Kingsbarns

56 – Trump International

57 – Machrihanish

65 – North Berwick

70 – Cruden Bay

73 – Royal Aberdeen

76 – Royal Troon

87 – Castle Stuart

90 – Loch Lomond