2026 Scottish Golf Tourism Week
In March of 2026, I attended my fourth consecutive Scottish Golf Tourism Week event. This event has become one of the highlights of my golf year and has been instrumental in my continued education of the Scottish golf market. My trip was broken up into three segments. The first part of SGTW was a FAM (familiarization) trip up in the Highlands of Scotland. I was with 7 other golf tour operators visiting numerous vendors in the area. The highlight of the Highlands FAM Trip was our day being transported from course to course via helicopter! We then made our way down to Edinburgh where our two days of intensive meetings took place. Before we got down to business, the group was hosted at North Berwick for a great afternoon of golf. Once the official event was complete, my industry counterpart, Brian Weis of GolfTrips.com, came into Scotland for a long week of “golf exploration”. Our journey saw us play golf on 16 courses over the next 8 days and visit many more along the way. Our adventure included rounds on Royal Dornoch, Machrihanish Dunes and Machrihanish Golf Club, Prestwick and Trump Turnberry. Please enjoy this diary of another amazing trip!
Arrival, FAM Day 1
After a great overnight flight on British Airways, I hooked up with my FAM Trip group in Edinburgh and we started north towards the Highlands. One of the huge benefits to me on this year’s FAM trip was having an industry veteran in charge of our little group. Stuart French of Platinum Golf Scotland volunteered to host our FAM because he believes the Highlands is the best overall golf destination that you can choose from in Scotland. I knew Stuart from previous events, but had never had a chance to really get to know him. Not only did we make a great friendship, but I picked his brain like there was no tomorrow. I am shameless in my endeavor to know what I need to know in all parts of Scotland! We stopped in the town of Pitlochry so Stuart could show us the golf course there that is a true gem! Then we made it to the Aviemore area where we checked into the Macdonald Aviemore Resort and a few of us had time to sneak out on Spey Valley Golf Course before meeting up with the rest of the crew for dinner that night.
FAM Day 2
The first full day of our FAM Trip was truly unforgettable. One of the main vendors who comes to Scottish Golf Toursim Week every year is PDG Helicopters. To spread the word on the aircraft and options available to us tour operators, PDG transported our crew around the entire day, visiting most of the top courses in the Scottish Highlands along the way. I will be honest and say that I thought we would get one 5-minute ride as a sample. I had no idea we would take off and land that many times during the day. It was absolutely exhilirating! And it was so special to see some courses I know well from above like that. We first stopped at Cabot Highlands to get a tour of their new Old Petty course. Next was an amazing trip over the Moray Firth to Fortrose & Rosemarkie, one of the most unique golf course layouts in the world. We then stopped at Tain before landing at Brora to have lunch with the fine staff there. We stopped at Golspie and then took for our final flight to Royal Dornoch to get a tour of their new clubhouse. We finished off the day with a tour of Embo House, a great exclusive-use option near Dornoch, and added a stop at Dornoch Station Hotel. Our final stop was the Links House at Dornoch for a great dinner and amazing night stay after a long day.
FAM Day 3
Another packed day for our band of tour operators. First came a tour of the Singleton Distillery in Muir of Ord, one of the top distillery experiences in the world. We then took a tour of nearby Kings Golf Club in Inverness before heading east for a stop at Moray Golf Club in Lossiemouth. An amazing lunch was served and those unfamiliar with the course were given a quick driving tour. We then stopped in Elgin for the Johnstons of Elgin cashmere factory tour before heading back for a stop at Nairn Dunbar Golf Course. During our next stop at Nairn Golf Club, the group had the pleasure of meeting the club’s archivist, Hugh Sutherland. Hugh gave a tour of Nairn’s Archive Room before taking us all out on their Par 3 course to try some hickory clubs. I am proud to say I represented the hickory world well! Next came a quick stop at the Glen Mhor Hotel & Apartments in Inverness and a tour of their on-site distillery and brewery. Lastly we stopped in the Ness Walk Hotel, before checking in to the Kingsmills Hotel for a great dinner together.
SGTW Day 1
I always find the “transition” day from the FAM Trips to the SGTW Meetings to be rather taxing. This year was no exception. After making the 3-1/2 hour drive down from Inverness, we arrived at the Intercontinental Hotel – The George where we had just enough time to dump our luggage in their meeting room and grab our clubs to board the shuttle heading out for those playing golf. I was lucky enough to get the chance to play North Berwick Golf Club, one of the few top courses I had yet to actually play. Not only did I get to play with 3 friends I had made on the FAM Trip, but we had pretty amazing weather and I played some excellent hickory golf. After everyone finished up, we then drove back into Edinburgh and had very little time to get ready for the SGTW Kick Off Mixer held at the hotel. Long day.
SGTW Days 2 and 3
The next couple of days are NOT for the faint at heart. 41 separate 12-minute meetings with golf courses, lodging providers, shuttle companies, distilleries, and a handful of other golf-industry vendors. The ultimate in business networking/speed dating. I am proud to say that I knew most of the people I sat down with on some level, making the strain on my brain a little easier this year. The first day of meetings was the entire day, with a great dinner hosted by the Intercontinental that night. The second day was meetings up until lunch, and then 9 holes at nearby Brunstfield Links, one of the oldest golf clubs in the world. After playing Bruntsfield, I went out to the airport to pick up my rental car for the rest of my trip. I got back to the hotel with just enough time to shower and change into my tuxedo to make it to the Awards Dinner gala, this year hosted at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Weis Day 1 – Royal Dornoch
After the conclusion of Scottish Golf Tourism Week, Royal Dornoch and the Dornoch Station Hotel hosted any tour operators who could make it back up to Dornoch. After a nice lunch in the clubhouse, we were given the opportunity to play Royal Dornoch in all of its glory. The only time I had been able to play the course was in a steady downpour, so this time I was really able to pay attention to the variety and playability of the course. I definitely learned a ton, and the experience at Royal Dornoch moved up on my recommendation list even further. Unfortunately, I had to bow out from that evening’s festivities due to a fever and nasty cold which took me down!
Weis Day 2 – Golspie, Tain, Portmahomack
This was the first full day for Brian Weis and I to get to some courses which have eluded us up to this point. I had been to Golspie and Tain a couple times before, but had not had the chance to play either. At Golspie we were paired up with a couple of members which really made for an enjoyable round. I was really charmed by Golspie with its combination of links, heathland and parkland holes. I would play there every day. The staff at Tain has always been incredibly gracious and friendly, so I was thrilled to finally see the layout of the course. Their signature hole, the par-4 11th,is something to behold with its giant mounds protecting the green on your approach. And 36 holes probably should have been enough, but we snuck over to Portmahomak for the 9-hole Tarbet Course. A nice firm bed was welcome after such a long day! We spent the night at the Lochardil House in Inverness.
Weis Day 3 – Kings, Strathpeffer, Muir of Ord
We had left our second day in the Inverness area pretty open to see what might come about. After meeting the guys from Kings Golf Club on our FAM Trip, I wanted to get some of the course played while we were in the area again. A good, fun course for anyone staying in Inverness looking for an extra round. At the end of the day, we also stopped in at Muir of Ord which we had heard good things about. We didn’t get any golf in late in the day, but it was good to see the facility. The real highlight was Stuart French’s recommendation to visit Strathpeffer. This course, about 30 minutes west of Inverness, was on my radar, but very, very far down the list. OH MY GOODNESS. Like my favorite hidden gem on the east coast (Stonehaven), Strathpeffer might not be for everyone. But my heart was racing from the minute we pulled into the parking lot. Standing by the clubhouse, you saw two things right away. The first tee box was in front of you, pointing STRAIGHT DOWN the mountain to a sunken, short par 4 green. Then when you turned around, the 18th green was behind you at the bottom of another huge slope. In between were 16 other crazy holes that did not quit, most going either straight up or straight down. Trust me when I tell you that none of these videos or photos do this place justice. Completely amazing!
Weis Day 4 – Boat of Garten, Grantown-on-Spey
One of the areas I had not spent much time in was the Aviemore area on the way down from the Highlands. I saw Spey Valley during our FAM trip, but wanted to see the other courses in that area as well. We first stopped at Carrbridge, a 9-hole course right off the highway. But our first main target was Boat of Garten. There aren’t too many Scots who don’t speak highly of Boat of Garten. Now I get it. Granted, seeing a tree lined course in March takes a little imagination to picture the course in full bloom, but you can see what it is so high on many lists. We then finished our day with a special trip to Grantown-on-Spey Golf Course where the Bobby Cruickshank Hickory Golf Experience resides. The volunteers who are working to keep the legend of Bobby Cruickshank alive have attended the last couple of SGTW events and I wanted to see them on their home turf. We got to play some holes with the guys and learn more about this Scottish legend.
Weis Day 5 – Machrihanish Dunes
The main target for this post-SGTW excursion was getting down to the Machrihanish area of Scotland for the first time. We made the long drive down and started with a round at Machrihanish Dunes. Mach Dunes is a modern take on classic links golf, designed by Scottish native David McLay-Kidd. We were greeted by a very consistent and heavy wind. The course is a long walk with lots of distance between holes at times. The other challenge of Mach Dunes is an above-average number of blind tee and approach shots. Someday I would like to see this course under optimum conditions. We checked in to the Royal Hotel in downtown Campbeltown for a couple of nights.
Weis Day 6 – Machrihanish Golf Club, Dunaverty
The golf gods must have felt sorry for us after our afternoon at Mach Dunes, becuase we found completely benign conditions upon our arrival at Machrihanish Golf Club the next morning. The staff at Machrihanish made us feel extremely welcome and we were very excited to be there as the course recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. Machrihanish Golf Club has one of the most famous 1st tee shots in all of Scotland, shooting over a little inlet to a fairway angling away from you. We had a great round, a nice bowl of soup, and then headed south to a local gem that not everyone gets to. Dunaverty could be considered the “poor man’s” version of it’s more famous neighbors. But with it’s tremendous views, unique square greens, and amazing variety of holes, this course should not be missed. Adding to the amazing afternoon of golf was the pod of dolphins off the coast who put on quite a show for us!
Weis Day 7 – Isle of Arran
We caught the ferry over to the Isle of Arran in the morning, with the intention of getting as much golf played as we could. I at least wanted to see all SEVEN courses on the island in some fashion and we came awfully close. Landing on the northwest corner of the island, we headed south for a counter-clockwise tour of this great tourist spot. First came 9 holes at Machrie Bay, with the 9th green situated across the road on the last hole! Next was probably the most famous course there, Shiskine. One of the few 12-hole courses around, Shiskine certainly did not disappoint. I didn’t know much about our next two courses, Whiting Bay and Lamlash. I knew both were shorter 18 hole courses, but not much else. After seeing both, they are both on my MUST PLAY at some point list. They look so fun! At the end of the day we made it up to Corrie, a very popular 9-hole course. Any honesty box that has a credit card reader attached to it means they take their tourists seriously! We absolutely loved the place. We did not get to see the 9-holer at Lochranza and only drove by the 18-hole Brodick Course. Long day.
Weis Day 8 – Prestwick
Brian Weis and I had been looking forward to this day for quite some time. We played Prestwick under “duress” a few years ago in the World Hickory Open. To get back for a casual round has been something we have been pining for! After taking the ferry over from Arran, we got a quick tour of the upgrades Prestwick has made recently to its amazing clubhouse, and also got a look a their new lodging option across the street that could come into play for potential groups. Getting out on Prestwick again re-solidified its position on my personal “You have to see it to believe it” list for golf in Scotland. The place is just too cool. We then headed south to check in at Trump Turnberry. After dinner in the golf clubhouse, we broke out the glow balls to have some fun on their Wee Course!
Weis Day 9 – Trump Turnberry
Our final day of the trip started with a great site visit of Trump Turnberry with one of my contacts there. I get asked about Turnberry quite often, so it was great to learn more about how their stay-and-play packages work in detail. We then headed out on Turnberry’s King Robert The Bruce course which opened in 2017. I think it is a great complement to its big sister, the Ailsa Course. KRTB doesn’t have the overall power of the Ailsa, but it is a solid course with a few UNBELIEVABLE holes stuck in the middle. The par-4 9th hole on KRTB is one of the most impressive holes in all of Scotland, with a carry over the gorge reminiscent of #8 at Pebble Beach. The only negative was the fog started to roll in pretty hard towards the end of our KRTB round. This would probably scare off the normal golfer from going back out right away on the Ailsa Course, but we would not be detered! We got our second round done in about 2 hours and without being able to see more than 50 yards in front of us pretty much the whole day.
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Copyright 2026
ScottishGolfTrips.com
All Rights Reserved