Perthshire, often considered the heart of Scotland, may surprisingly be the country’s most overlooked golfing region, despite being home to one of the world’s most prestigious resorts.
The magnificent Gleneagles Resort not only stands as Scotland’s premier all-round golfing destination—thanks to its superb collection of courses and amenities—but is also recognized globally as one of the finest venues available.
This raises a crucial question: why does Perthshire remain so understated in the world of golf? Could its central geographical position, which means it lacks the iconic links golf archetypal to Scotland’s coastal areas, be a contributing factor?
Indeed, regions such as Ayrshire, Fife, East Lothian, and the Scottish Highlands are highly celebrated for their abundance of sublime championship links courses.
While Perthshire cannot boast links courses, it more than makes up for it by offering some of Scotland’s best inland courses, featuring a rich variety of heathland and parkland layouts.
Why Perthshire is a Must-Visit for Golfers
For most golf enthusiasts, the thought of golfing in Scotland’s Perthshire region immediately brings the distinguished Gleneagles Resort to mind, and for good reason.
This venue, consistently ranked among top resorts, truly offers everything a visiting guest could desire, including four distinct golf courses and a total of 63 holes. The original two layouts, the King’s Course and the Queen’s Course, both masterfully designed by James Braid, debuted simultaneously in 1919.
These two remarkable courses were later joined by what would become known as the PGA Centenary Course. This youngest of Gleneagles’ three 18-hole tracks has since achieved the unique distinction of being the only European venue to host both the Ryder Cup (in 2014) and the Solheim Cup (in 2019), accomplishing this feat within a five-year period.
However, Gleneagles is not the sole venue in the region to feature multiple layouts. Blairgowrie Golf Club also boasts two fantastic 18-hole courses, both of which easily earn a place on esteemed Scottish golf lists. The club includes the Lansdowne Course and the Rosemount Course, supplemented by the 9-hole Wee Course, totaling 45 holes.
Adjacent to Gleneagles lies another excellent venue deserving of recognition: Auchterarder. Part of its course runs alongside the PGA Centenary Course of its famous neighbor, and while they share a somewhat similar turf feel, a round at Auchterarder offers a distinctly different experience, partly due to its engaging collection of sporty par-3s.
The region of Perthshire also hosts other notable inland courses such as Alyth, Pitlochry, and the Ferntower Course at Crieff, all of which are superb in their own right.
Considering its world-class resort and impressive array of high-quality inland courses, Perthshire undeniably presents a compelling case as a truly underrated Scottish golfing destination, ripe for discovery by golf aficionados.