Top areas for a weekend golf break

Friday, 2 March 2012 11:09 AM

The UK is one of the best places in the world for a golf holiday, particularly as the sport is believed by many to have originated on its shores, in Scotland. As a result, if you're looking for cottages to rent near golf courses, you'll be spoilt for choice.

So, where are some of the best places for golfers to book cottages for short breaks dedicated to the sport?

Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands are not only a premier location for sporting holidays, they are also ideal for fans of the great outdoors. Here, you can spend your mornings hiking around lochs and over foothills, before spending the afternoon teeing off at one of the best clubs in the country.

Moray Golf Club is among the most popular, with its old course boasting views over the Moray Firth. Don't be worried about catching a chill if you're not visiting during the summer either, as the course is in a particularly warm spot, meaning it is possible for the sport to be played here almost every day of the year.

The 18-hole links course features revetted bunkers, grass-covered dunes and fairways bordered with gorse, so expect your time here to be something of a challenge.

Central Scotland

There is nowhere better for golf fans to holiday than Fife, as this is the home of the oldest course in the world. St Andrews Links Trust manages seven courses in the area, one of which is the world-renowned Old Course.

This is a legendary site at which to play the game, with the sport first played here 600 years ago.

It still continues to challenge some of the world's leading champions to this day, so it is sure to be a real test for your skills.

Wales

This country is a great choice, not only for golfers, but also for holidaymakers in general, thanks to its wealth of beautiful scenery, charming towns and tourist attractions.

However, if you want to do little more than practise your swing, rent a cottage near Royal St David's Golf Club.

Set up in 1894, this is another important site in the game's history, as it is one of the best examples of a traditional links course in the world.

Yorkshire

Of course, there are many great golf courses in England too. If you're staying in the Yorkshire Dales you can expect to enjoy a particularly large choice.

Skipton Golf Club is a good option as it is nestled within the Dales between Airedale and Wharfdale.