When looking into the origins of golf, the better questions are where did golf take root and how did it spread to other locations? The answer emphatically to these questions is Scotland. The game of golf evolved here in Scotland, and it is to Scotland that golf owes its legacy of continuity. A trip to the British Golf museum, appropriately placed in golf mecca St Andrews on the Fife coast, explains more on the history of not just Scottish golf but golf the game, now as internationally popular as football.

Scottish golf courses are all over (see the Scotland Golf weblink right for complete listings). Particular Scottish areas doing well for golf include Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries & Galloway, the Scottish Borders, Perthshire and pockets of the Highlands. The supreme Scottish golf hotspots, containing golf courses which frequently host the Open Championships, are to be found on the Ayrshire Coast, The Angus Coast, the Fife Coast and in the heart of Perthshire. Scotland golf location meccas include Troon, Turnberry and Prestwick on the Ayrshire Coast, Montrose and Carnoustie on the Angus Coast, St Andrews on the Fife coast and finally Gleneagles luxury golf resort in Perthshire. International golf visitors are well served by airports near these Scotland golf hotspots. For the Ayrshire golf coast head to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, for the Angus golf coast look to Aberdeen Dyce Airport and both St Andrews and Gleneagles are just a reasonably short drive from Edinburgh Airport.
Troon on the Ayrshire coast, alongside Prestwick and Turnberry, is renowned for its place within the history of Scottish Golf. The Royal Troon golf course plays host to numerous world class golf competitions including the Open. Golf lovers will want to take a turn on the Old Course at Royal Troon, touching golf history and admiring the splendid views from the course across the Firth of Clyde.

You could certainly describe Prestwick as a Scottish centre for golf. The famous Prestwick Golf Club is home to the Open Championships - the first Open was held here in 1860. Situated off the A79 and just one mile to the north of Prestwick Airport, you can be literally straight off the plane and playing golf here on this historic Scotland Course.

Turnberry on the Ayrshire Golf Coast boasts two splendid luxury golf courses, both part of the luxury golf resort and golf hotel complex Westin Turnberry. The two on-site Turberry golf courses here include Turnberry Kintyre, with a Par 72 and Ailsa golf course, one of the world's best golf links course. Ailsa is remembered particularly for the Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson showdown in the 1977 Open Championships.

St Andrews on the Fife Coast of Scotland is a pilgrimage for golf fans looking to play golf in the footsteps of golf champions. The famous six golf links St Andrews courses are open to the public so you can touch golf history on the Old Course (Handicaps required). Cottages in Scotland are a great idea for accommodation.

The British Golf Museum is well placed here at St Andrews, a location at the heart of British Golf. Winning the Open Championships on the St Andrews Links is to be remembered indeed and there are many hotels Scotland to stay in.

Carnoustie's famous Scottish Golf Links have played host to the Open Championships frequently (most recently in 2007). Carnoustie is one of Scotland's top luxury golf holiday resorts. The three famous Carnoustie Golf Courses - The Championship Course, The Burnside and the Buddon Links - have a long history dating as far back as the 1500s.

More recently through the latter half of the 19th century and early 20th, the Championship course at Carnoustie evolved into its present form. When local man James Wright put the finishing touches to the final 3 holes at Carnoustie, the Championship course here was henceforth seen as a golf course with one of the toughest final stretches in the game. Although champion golfers frequently play and compete here at Carnoustie, the links is an open public links so all are welcome.

Home to the world's 5th oldest golf course, Montrose is just one of the centres for Scotland golf along the Angus golf coast. The golf links of Montrose have been played for over 400 years. Montrose Golf Links consist of two historic courses - The Medal Course right on the coast, which has played host to the Scottish Professional Championships in 1967 and 1970. This course is particularly popular today with younger golf players looking to improve. The course has served as Final Qualifying Course for the Open Championships. The second golf course is Broomfield, another 18 hole golf course. Three, no less, golf clubs exist in Montrose - Royal Montrose Golf Club, Montrose Mercantile Golf Club and Montrose Caledonia Golf Club.