The Roxburghe

Few Scottish courses carry the weight of aristocratic legacy quite like The Roxburghe. Designed by Dave Thomas and opened in 1997, it sits within the Duke of Roxburghe's estate on the banks of the River Teviot in the Scottish Borders — one of the most quietly beautiful stretches of countryside in Britain. The routing moves through ancient woodland and open parkland, with mature oaks and beeches framing fairways and the Teviot adding both scenery and genuine peril on several holes. It hosted the Scottish Seniors Open for a number of years, lending it a competitive pedigree unusual for a hotel course.

The Borders region around Kelso is better known for rugby and abbeys than for golf, which makes The Roxburghe feel like a genuine discovery. The town itself is one of the most handsome in southern Scotland, and the surrounding estate landscape is deeply characteristic of the region.

The course plays as an upscale resort destination, attached to Floors Castle — one of Scotland's largest inhabited houses — and the overall experience leans heavily into that sense of occasion.