This is the travelling golfer’s guide to the premier 2026 golf tournaments in Scotland.
From Fife to Ayrshire, East Lothian, Aberdeenshire, and the Highlands, we’ve handpicked must-see events to inspire your next golfing getaway.
Because, ultimately, nothing quite compares to the championship links experience that awaits you across the hallowed birthplace of the game.
Let’s tee off on what might just be the perfect Scottish golf tour itinerary.
Wait until you see the incredible courses…
Royal Troon Golf Club | April 17-19
What an auspicious place to kickstart our most anticipated 2026 golf tournaments in Scotland.
Welcome to Royal Troon in majestic Ayrshire.
Unquestionably, its legendary Old Course is best known for staging 10 Open Championships, including the classic 2016 edition.
Meanwhile, since 1973, the club has hosted an event named after a trailblazing local.
The Helen Holm Women’s Open Championship is a 54-hole, strokeplay tournament for amateurs of all nationalities.
Starting from a field of 120, competitors complete the first two rounds at the Portland Course.
Then, on the final day, the top 60 battle for glory on the Old.
Phew!
Royal Dornoch Golf Club | May 13-15
Like North Berwick and Royal County Down, your next venue ranks among the greatest links courses that have never hosted The Open.
That said, across the centuries, the near-mythical Championship Course at Royal Dornoch has seen plenty of competitive action.
In May, this joyous natural links welcomes the PGA Senior Professional Championship to the soul-stirring Highlands.
What’s at stake?
Beyond the £50,000 prize fund, the best 15 finishers qualify for the PGA Staysure Senior Championship – a launchpad to the European Senior Tour.
First, they must navigate two rounds of strokeplay at the always challenging and utterly mesmerising Royal Dornoch.
Glasgow Golf Club | May 29-31
Already, you’re back in Ayrshire, the birthplace of Robert Burns, Johnnie Walker, and The Open.
Naturally, we recommend this scenic seaside region for your 2026 Scotland golf tour.
Now, let’s look at the next event.
After two consecutive years in East Lothian, the Scottish Men’s Open Championship comes to the historic Glasgow Golf Club.
The immaculate course, known as Gailes Links, will demand pinpoint precision from amateur contestants across 72 holes of strokeplay.
Unforgiving bunkers, gorse and heather abound.
Plus, it will take a flawless performance to top Eliot Baker, who blew away the field at North Berwick in 2025.
St Andrews Links | June 5-7
Can you feel the Home of Golf stirring your wanderlust?
Every golfer dreams of playing at St Andrews – on the very turf where the game began.
And those dreams often come true. But only a select few leave as champions.
This June, 144 amateurs will compete for that rare privilege in the prestigious St Andrews Links Trophy.
First, they have three gruelling days (72 holes) of strokeplay.
Rounds 1 and 2 will be played on the New Course and the sacred Old Course.
Then the leading 40 players progress to the 36-hole final day at the latter. Hectic stuff.
Craigielaw Golf Club | June 22
Strictly speaking, this is not one of the 2026 golf tournaments in Scotland.
However, given the course, region, and occasion, it warranted inclusion.
Craigielaw Golf Club. East Lothian. Regional Qualifying for The Open.
For local players, it’s a precious opportunity to progress to the Final Qualifying at Dundonald Links.
In Craigielaw, they face a crafty modern layout.
Strategic bunkers, around the fairways and greens, stalk your approach to equally perilous putting surfaces.
Not to mention the snaking burns, stone walls, and deceptive rough.
And yet, you can expect an endlessly charming golfing experience with unforgettable vistas across the North Sea.
The Renaissance Club | July 9-12
Did we mention East Lothian boasts the highest concentration of championship links courses on earth?
Known as Scotland’s Golf Coast, you’ve got 21 top-class layouts dotted along 30 picture-perfect miles of lush landscapes and golden beaches. Heaven.
Unsurprisingly, it’s also the home of the Scottish Open.
In July, just before The Open, The Renaissance Club will host this premier DP World Tour event for the 8th successive season.
Tom Doak, who also crafted Old Petty, designed the beautiful links-like track.
Chris Gotterup, in a classic underdog story, edged Rory McIlroy to the record-breaking 2025 edition.
Let’s hope for another barnburner.
Dondonald Links | July 23-26
Your third tournament on the sparkling Southwest coast.
Ayrshire, as you’ve probably noticed, is a bounty of world-class links courses.
Alongside Royal Troon, this bucket-list Scottish golf tour features two more Open Championship icons, Prestwick and Turnberry.
Then you have the stay-and-play paradise set to stage its 6th consecutive Women’s Scottish Open.
Despite opening in 2003, Dundonald Links already has a stellar championship history.
Notably, in 2017, Kyle Phillips’ modern-day marvel hosted both Scottish Opens.
At the 2025 women’s event, Lottie Wood followed up her Irish Open win with a superlative three-shot victory.
Will the prodigy prevail again at Dundonald?
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club & Murcar Links | July 28-August 1
Finally, a date in Aberdeenshire, the 165-mile mecca for travelling golfers.
Tip: Northeast Scotland delivers big-city thrills, jaw-dropping landscapes, must-visit beaches, and bucket-list links.
As such, the region is ideal for the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship, a 5-day, 90-hole marathon of strokeplay and matchplay.
Let’s look at the sensational host venues.
Prepare for two thrilling tests with showstopping scenery.
Murcar Links is a classic coastal course with colossal dunes, rippling fairways, heavy rough, and tricky burns.
For the championship rounds, it’s Royal Aberdeen.
This dramatic out-and-back traditional links rumbles through soaring sandhills along the immense North Sea.
See for yourself…
Dumbarnie Links | August 17
This is what makes your IGT travel experience so special.
Our final two 2026 golf tournaments in Scotland feature four world-renowned championship courses on your Fife tour itinerary.
First, we visit the newest addition to the Ancient Kingdom.
Dumbarnie Links, nestled within the rustic Balcarres Estate, is a breathtaking contemporary cracker that should charm, challenge and confound the 12 contestants in the Scottish Open Series Grand Final.
Certainly, with its eccentric routing, eclectic holes, extreme elevations, and exquisite vistas, Dumbarnie never ceases to amaze you.
In the 2025 showpiece, Subodh Soam triumphed at the equally entrancing King Robert the Bruce.
St Andrews Links, Carnoustie Golf Links & Kingsbarns Golf Links | October 1-4
Imagine a Major and the Oscars rolled into one star-studded event.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, arguably the greatest annual showcase of the unparalleled golf in Fife, always provides a memorable season finale.
Its unique format combines a DP World Tour professional competition with the Pro-Am Team Championship over four action-packed rounds.
And what about those mouthwatering links…
You’ve got the Old Course at St Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie, and the modern masterpiece at Kingsbarns.
Yes, please!
Last year, hometown hero Robert McIntyre prevailed in biblical conditions.
Meanwhile, celebrity players included Michael Douglas, Wayne Gretzky, and Bill Murray.
Play otherworldly courses. Immerse yourself in the history of the game. Explore quaint towns and vibrant cities. Stay in palatial, award-winning hotels. Witness savage beauty, ancient landmarks, and iconic attractions.
Ready to secure your dream golf trip to Scotland for 2026?
Our expert Travel Planners will craft your ultimate group itinerary with top tee times, luxury accommodations and tailored transportation.
Get in touch to start planning your next links adventure.
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Author: Tom Rooney
