The Kings Course at the Gleneagles Hotel is a charming golf course set in the mountainous terrain of Auchterarder. (Click here to read the article in full)

Course: Kingsbarns Golf Links, St. Andrews

Kingsbarns Golf Links located just off the coast of the North Sea and a mere six kilometers from St. Andrews is one of the most captivating links courses in Scotland. Although the course opened for play only in July 200, there is evidence of the game having been played here as far back as 1793 and even before the Second World War. The links remained remarkably golf less till the end of the 20th century when Kyle Phillips was commissioned to create one of the best looking courses in the country.

A lot of earth moving, landscaping and research ended in the Kingsbarns links in 2000 and the course was lapped up by enthusiasts just as soon. Interestingly, all the earth hauling revealed not only a visually impactful course but also a surprise burn on the links The Cambo which comes into play on a round.

One of the biggest delights of playing golf on this modern links course is the availability of stunning vistas of the North Sea on most holes. Adding to the experience are the immaculately maintained greens, lush, undulating fairways and all the bumps and hollows that the terrain naturally affords the track. However, dont go to Kingsbarns expecting an easy game. The course hosts the Dunhill Links Championship and is a tough track meant to test a golfers best skills.

The layout runs to 7,126 yards from the championship tees requiring stamina and the accompanying scenic beauty demands concentration. Playing for a par of 72, Kingsbarns poses an easy, soothing yet challenging game for players of all levels. The rolling dunes, ridges and hollows leave little room for big shooters and reward the thinking player. Although not too easy on the pocket, Kingsbarns is a must play for its beauty and the promise of greater things to come in future.

Course: Carnoustie Golf Links, Carnoustie

Monster water hazards, formidable bunkers, three of the worlds most acclaimed closing holes and a course that is hard to find Carnoustie is definitely one for the dogged golfer. Ranked 27th in the world for its demanding layout, Carnoustie is considered as one of the most difficult natural sea side links courses. Although there is little by way of dramatic scenery or a game-upstaging sea view, the beauty of the layout makes up for it.

Golf has been played on these links since as far back as 1527 and there is evidence of a 10-hole course laid out in 1842. But the Carnoustie as we know it today was born of the labors of Old Tom Morris in 1857 with additions in 1926 by James Braid. The Beast hosted the British Open for the first time in 1931 and the championship has returned on five subsequent occasions since then.

The Championship course runs 6,941 yards par 72 and locks horns with Carnousties famous Burns the Jockey Burn and the Barry Burn several times. The water hazards have ruined the day for one player a many and if it doesnt go too well imagine Jean Van de Velde mulling over a shot, standing knee-deep in Barry Burn! If water is not on your mind at Carnoustie, the bunkering certainly will be. Most holes are guarded fiercely by bunkers making it a thinkers game all throughout. Cases in point are the par five - 6th called the Long and Hogans Alley.

Carnoustie offers a memorable round with holes like the 15th, 16th and the 17th some of the toughest closing holes in the world. However, despite the tough layout and the fiendish weather Carnoustie stays in the top ten list of every golfers wish list and is a true test of skills.

Course: North Berwick Golf Club - North Berwick

Scotland is home to some of the most natural links courses in the world and the west course at the North Berwick Golf Club in the Royal burgh of North Berwick is a prime example. Located on the Firth of Forth, North Berwick is the 13th oldest golf club in the world. It is second only after St. Andrews to have the game played continuously on its original fairways.

Founded in 1832 and designed by an architect whose name is lost in the annals of time, North Berwick is a quirky little layout that is neither too long nor very demanding. It started out life as a 6-hole course and was extended to 18-holes in 1877. Measuring just 6,420 yards and playing for a par of 71, North Berwick is short but engaging and requires every shot making skill a golfer has. The course has a world class collection of oft-replicated holes with its 7th, 9th and 15th finding a place in The 500 Worlds Greatest Golf Holes. Its signature hole, the 15th, called Redan has inspired similar construction at both Pebble Beach and Shinnecock Hills.

With the entire course carved out of land raised 300 ft. above the sea level, North Berwick offers a panoramic view of the sea across to Craigleith Island and Bass Rock. Largely untouched by human interference, the layout has evolved naturally over the years and makes a round at North Berwick a stimulating experience. The receding sea that once covered the land has left behind its indelible impressions in the form of mounds, ridges and depressions, adding to the beauty of the layout.

Whether it is due to the short, lenient rough or its deep bunkers, its many burns, hollows and humps, North Berwick offers a very pleasurable round of golf. Incoming winds from the sea ask for a battle, but the spectacular view of their origin make it worth the while.

One of the lesser known gems of Scottish golf, the Nairn Golf Club is located on prime linksland on the Moray Firth coastline in the Highlands. With contributions from several architects like Old Tom Morris, James Braid and Ben Sayers, the original design created by Archie Simpson opened to play in 1887 and represents Scottish links golf at its best. The claim is verified by the fact that the Nairn golf club has been host to several amateur and professional championships ever since its inception. Probably most remembered for hosting the Walker Cup in 1999, the Nairn golf club is one for the purists.

Measuring a total of 6,705 yards and playing for a par of 72, Nairn GC has been hailed as one of the most visually pleasing golf courses in Scotland. With pretty comes tough at Nairn mainly due to its heavy bunkering over 100 of them placed right where you dont want them its subtle greens and narrow fairways lined with gorse. Every hole in this setting would and does demand extreme accuracy in shots and the wayward stroke is heavily penalized.

Natural hazards arise from the tracks proximity to the coast and are coupled with fast, tricky greens, an abundance of heather, whins and burns. Lost balls are a regular feature on this fiercely undulating layout featuring a superb collection of holes. One of the most noteworthy holes at Nairn GC is the 390-yard par four 5th better known as Nets located on the beach.

The front nine is also famous for its 2nd and 7th holes and as you navigate the layout further, the level of difficulty increases. The back nine is an equally tough test of a golfers skills with the most remarkable holes being the 12th, 13th, 14th and the 16th. The Nairn Golf Club is a fine example of Highlands Golf and suits a skilled golfer better.