The Best Scottish Golf Courses to Play in Autumn

Autumn is a time of year when many golfers in Scotland pursue warmth and sunshine by visiting reliable destinations like Spain and Portugal, but for those of us who stick around when the leaves begin to fall, there are many joys to be experienced somewhere closer to home.

Looking at the thousands of reviews submitted into the Golfshake Course Section, we have specifically collated those entered during the months of September, October and November, to offer up a selection of places that come Highly Recommended for this season.

There should be something here for everyone, so whether you live in Scotland or fancy journeying to the Home of Golf from afar, then meet just some venues that you should be flocking to during the coming weeks!

Mar Hall Golf Club

Location: Renfrewshire

Autumn Rating: 5.00

Review Comment: "Great course. Some tough holes and others that were easier. Course in great condition and staff very friendly."

Southerness Golf Club

Location: Dumfries & Galloway

Autumn Rating: 4.94

Review Comment: "Played Southerness on a very windy day, what a challenge! However, what a great links course, all aspects of the course were excellent and very well maintained, rewarded a good shot with lots of trouble for a wayward one. All members of staff were very welcoming making a fantastic day out."

Castle Stuart Golf Links

Location: Highlands

Autumn Rating: 4.80

Review Comment: "Course was in great condition. Superb layout. Great facilities and welcome."

Turnberry Resort

Location: Ayrshire

Autumn Rating: 4.75

Review Comment: "Stunning course in excellent condition. Well worth a visit if within your budget, was on my bucket list. Lives up to hype."

Gullane Golf Club

Location: East Lothian

Autumn Rating: 4.75

Review Comment: "Brilliant design with lovely fairways, views and greens all kept very well. The clubhouse, well stocked shop and facilities were excellent as was the welcome by the staff. One venue not to be missed in this part of Scotland."

Dunbar Golf Club

Location: East Lothian

Autumn Rating: 4.71

Review Comment: "Lovely seaside surroundings make for a windy round. Big greens, tight approaches, too many blind shots for myself but on the whole another Scottish enjoyable round of golf. Pity the waterproofs took a hammering. Would love to play again on a nice day."

Gleneagles

Location: Perthshire

Autumn Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "The King's is a pure moorland masterpiece, exquisite conditioning and attention to detail plus the overall resort is first class."

Edzell Golf Club

Location: Angus

Autumn Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "Well manicured, interesting selection of holes and a challenge for all levels. Set in a beautiful village, the walk home on the 18th back to the village is one of the best, to hospitality second to none."

Elgin Golf Club

Location: Highlands

Autumn Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "Thoroughly enjoy playing Elgin every time. Greens are always in great condition. Fabulous mix of holes. Certainly tests the long game."

Kilspindie Golf Club

Location: East Lothian

Autumn Rating: 4.67

Review Comment: "Kilspindie is simply a beautiful course, with stunning views over the Firth of Fourth and beyond. A proper links course, it has history on its side as well, it's the 35th oldest golf course in the world. Only one blind tee shot on the front nine, which is the tougher nine, the second gives you some real opportunities, but not without risk. The staff and members are fabulously friendly, the whole place is a proper golf venue. You simply have got to play here."

Aboyne Golf Club

Location: Royal Deeside

Autumn Rating: 4.64

Review Comment: "Played 5th September while on holiday. We have played Aboyne for the last seven years. The course is a pleasure to play. It really is a good test of golf. The course is a must to play."

Royal Musselburgh Golf Club

Location: East Lothian

Autumn Rating: 4.61

Review Comment: "All the facilities are first class. The course can be testy with tight shots and trees to avoid but very enjoyable. Well kept and designed and a real joy to play and for once the weather was kind so we had the best of this Scottish venue. Very welcoming and friendly staff."

Crail Golfing Society

Location: Fife

Autumn Rating: 4.60

Review Comment: "Found the course to be in unbelievable condition and value for money."

The Roxburghe Golf Club

Location: Borders

Autumn Rating: 4.60

Review Comment: "Superb course, lots of challenges for a rookie golfer like me. Quite a walk some holes but all part of it. Course was in fantastic condition with some stunning views."

St Andrews Links

Location: Fife

Autumn Rating: 4.57

Review Comment: "Took the opportunity of a gift to play the New Course. A wonderful day and experience. The course was, as expected, fantastic. Greens were lightning and superb (pity my putting wasn't)."

Trump International Golf Links

Location: Aberdeenshire

Autumn Rating: 4.57

Review Comment: "A lovely golf course with great practice facilities and good caddies. Would recommend to play."

Kemnay Golf Club

Location: Aberdeenshire

Autumn Rating: 4.56

Review Comment: "Great little parkland course. Lovely first hole to open with and get your swing ready. Lots of unique holes to play with a great mixture of 3s, 4s and 5s. Well worth the trip out from Aberdeen."

Monifieth Golf Links

Location: Angus

Autumn Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Monifieth is a great links course and greens amazing."

Powfoot Golf Club

Location: Dumfries & Galloway

Autumn Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Great course with fantastic views and a good variety of holes. The practice facilities were great covering putting, short game and driving range."

Craigielaw Golf Club

Location: East Lothian

Autumn Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "A very tough course with very unforgiving bunkers. Nice layout, super holes and very picturesque on the coast. A true links club that pulls no punches, you need to keep it on the fairway and out of that sand. Great condition and great facilities, very welcoming too."

Aberdour Golf Club

Location: Fife

Autumn Rating: 4.50

Review Comment: "Aberdour Golf Club is just a delight to play. The stunning views from the minute you arrive, from the clubhouse, from the first tee, are all just breathtaking. Two very interesting par 3s to start, and a very well presented and manicured golf course. Definition, tees, greens, fairways, this course is just immaculate. An absolute must play."

Drumoig Golf Hotel

Location: Fife

Autumn Rating: 4.43

Review Comment: "Had a great day out, if you are in the area it's a must play golf course, great condition considering the time of year."

Moray Golf Club

Location: Highlands

Autumn Rating: 4.43

Review Comment: "Moray New, probably not your first choice if playing Moray, but what an interesting, difficult little track. With the wind blowing, mostly against, then across, this course will test all your shot making abilities. Old style links, very fast greens, worth a play."

Royal Dornoch Golf Club

Location: Highlands

Autumn Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "Played a few times, great course, super greens, and stunning views of a classic links course."

Grantown-on-Spey Golf Club

Location: Highlands

Autumn Rating: 4.40

Review Comment: "A very well presented course with nicely cut fairways and good greens. There is a good mix of long and short par 4s, with just the one par 5. It pays to drive straight with punishing rough causing me to take four three-off-the-tees in my round, painful for the score! The bunkers also seemed well placed to catch out the visiting golfer! So, a challenging course but worth the effort with the well maintained layout matching the beautiful surroundings of the Cairngorm hills and Speyside forests."

Pitreavie Golf Club

Location: Fife

Autumn Rating: 4.33

Review Comment: "Great course in good condition for time of the year. Everyone I met on the course were very friendly."

The Duke's St Andrews

Location: Fife

Autumn Rating: 4.33

Review Comment: "Great course, long with lots of bunkers. Greens in excellent condition. Good course management is essential."

Balnagask (Nigg Bay) Golf Club

Location: Aberdeenshire

Autumn Rating: 4.30

Review Comment: "Balnagask is a great course, which provides a different challenge every day, depending on the weather. Always in good condition, with greens in good condition. Love playing the course."

Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club

Location: Edinburgh

Autumn Rating: 4.30

Review Comment: "The West Course at Dalmahoy may not be as long as The East, but, it is a little tighter to get round. Some lovely holes, and a great mixture of par 3s, which all leads to a good round of golf."

Burntisland Golf House Club

Location: Fife

Autumn Rating: 4.27

Review Comment: "Burntisland is a fantastic course to play. Firstly, the views around the course are incredible. Lots of very interesting holes, some quirky par 3s, make it a challenge. Well worth a visit."

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