Scotland is very simply The Home of Golf. And as much there is to explore in this beautiful part of the world, there is little competition for the golf and its quality as it is found here. Accentuated by glorious game history and tradition, golf owes the allegiance of several of its roots to this land – the oldest golf club, the initial game rules and the oldest major championship amongst several others.

Interestingly, while almost everyone knows that this is where Golf was born, very few may actually know, this is also where it was first banned. Just as the game ‘gowf’ had just started to gain in popularity after its birth in the early 15th century, it was banned in 1457 by the then ruling king, James II as he feared that it would interfere with military training for the war between England and Scotland. But, while the ban lasted close to fifty years, it did not prove to be very successful as the people always seemed to be able to steal their moments of golf.  Appreciating the futility of the exercise James IV finally called off the ban, as the war also ended following the treaty of Glasgow in 1502.

Apart from all the history, tradition and of course St. Andrews that is associated with Scotland, there is also the style of golf. Links golf, considered by the traditionalists as the purest form of the game doesn’t get much better than in Scotland. The Scots word ‘links’ which is actually a singular word, refers to the coastal waste land between the sea and land. It was really the wastenature of this land, unfit for agriculture that led to the beginnings of this game and in more currently relevant terms –“links golf”.

Some of the greatest links courses are in Scotland. Many of these courses have hosted the Open on multiple occasions, including the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Muirfield,  RoyalTroon and Turnberry with several moments of great golfing history attached to them.