Nine holes · Worth the Detour

Great Nine-Hole Courses Worth the Detour

By Scott Mabin, Founder · Updated 26 Sep 2026

At a glance

Birdied's nine-hole courses worth the detour are Royal Worlington and Newmarket, Musselburgh Old Links, Anstruther, Durness, Traigh, Covesea, Tobermory, Sweetens Cove, Whitinsville and the Old Nine at Sandy Lane: ten short courses in three countries that a collector plans a day around. A great nine is not half a course. It is the one you play twice, and the one you talk about on the drive home.

  1. Royal Worlington and Newmarket Golf Club Suffolk, United Kingdom
  2. Musselburgh Links, The Old Golf Course Musselburgh, East Lothian, United Kingdom history under every step
  3. Anstruther Golf Club Anstruther, Fife, United Kingdom the cliff hole is the whole trip
  4. Durness Golf Club Durness, Highland, United Kingdom the far north
  5. Traigh Golf Course Arisaig, Highland, United Kingdom
  6. Covesea Links Moray, United Kingdom under the lighthouse
  7. Tobermory Golf Club Argyll and Bute, United Kingdom above the harbour
  8. Sweetens Cove Golf Club South Pittsburg, Tennessee, United States
  9. Whitinsville Golf Club Whitinsville, Massachusetts, United States quiet, private, perfect
  10. Sandy Lane – Old Nine Golf Course Sandy Lane, Saint James, Barbados play it twice

Planning a detour? Put these ten on a list, then log the rounds when you play them.

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