Loch Lomond

Past Scottish Open Champions at Loch Lomond:

Loch Lomond Golf Club is set in more than 600 acres of sheltered seclusion, sandwiched between the mountains and the historic lochside. The golf course contains two Sites of Special Scientific Interest – protecting rare plants and unusual woodland – and the site is designated as a National Scenic Area. Dozens of bat boxes nestle amongst the branches of some of the 46 different types of trees and there's even an inhabited owl box. It's a heaven for wildlife and conservationists, and apart from Valderrama, Loch Lomond was at one time the only other European golf club to be awarded full Audubon status (Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems).

The course, designed by the successful Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf partnership, opened for play in 1993 to a fanfare. Weiskopf regards Loch Lomond as his "lasting memorial to golf" and who could argue with him? Loch Lomond is already a classic course and the former home of the Scottish Open. According to Colin Montgomerie, "wherever Loch Lomond is ranked, it ought to be higher".

In such a beautiful area it would have been easy to allow the views to do the talking, but here at Loch Lomond, Morrish and Weiskopf have designed a spectacular course, which would stand proud without the stunning scenery. Each hole – except for the linked 2nd and 4th greens – is isolated from the next. None of the hazards are hidden from view – either from the tee or from approach shots – and there are no tricks up Loch Lomond's sleeve.

Measuring 7,100 yards from the back tees, this is a tough and long course for the average club golfer but it's sad that not everyone can share the experience. If you are lucky enough to get a game, don't expect to threaten Retief Goosen's course record of 62, but do expect to use every club in the bag.

For a course that is so young, the property has so much architectural history. The Colquhoun Clan built Rossdhu House in 1773 (now the clubhouse) and Mary Queen of Scots wrote her love letters in Rossdhu Castle – the remains of which overlook the 18th green. The whole Loch Lomond experience is truly remarkable and if you are lucky enough to receive an invitation, do not pass it by.

Starting in the winter of 2017/18, Loch Lomond embarked on an ambitious 3-year renovation project with contractor Esie O’Mahony of GolfLink Evolve which involved rebuilding all eighteen holes on the course, installing a new irrigation system, renewing the drainage infrastructure, re-turfing the newly sand capped fairways and re-building all the bunkers with a capillary concrete liner.

Golfers' terror as speedboat bunkered at Loch Lomond