On the Green 78 Teeing off in Scotland St Andrews is the spiritual epicentre of the sport, and in 2020, its last remaining great piece of sandy coastline became Dumbarnie Links, the year’s highest-profile course opening on the planet. The unusually wide 140ha site (dumbarnielinks.com) stretches a mile-and-a-half along the beach, with half the holes on a higher plateau overlooking the lower coastal ones and the Firth of Forth. Unlike many oceanfront courses that play down to – and then away – from the sea, most holes play along the coast, with water views everywhere. The landowners are nature lovers who wanted to preserve a nesting site for birds, so this stunning new public links course has a clubhouse but no hotel or members’ club. Perhaps even rarer than a new course in Scotland is an entirely new golf resort, and that’s exactly what Dundonald (dundonaldlinks.com) delivered in 2021. The original Dundonald course was built in 1911 and then shuttered during World War One. In 2003, Southern Gailes was built on the site by acclaimed architect Kyle Phillips, of Kingsbarns fame, as part of the private luxury club Loch Lomond. In 2019, Loch Lomond sold it to a local developer who used the downtime to invest £25 million in a major Phillips course redesign, adding a new clubhouse and all-suite luxury boutique hotel. The stunning clubhouse includes instantly acclaimed gourmet farm-to-table restaurant The Canny Crow, focused on fresh Ayrshire produce. The bar has a Scotch whisky theme, with tasting flights and over 100 labels. The revamped links course earned rave reviews, hosting the 2022 and 2023 Women’s Scottish Open and the final qualifier for the 2023 British Open. Given its extremely close proximity to World Top 100 courses Royal Troon and Prestwick, and the lack of upscale area lodging, Dundonald also woos travelling golfers by partnering with its famous neighbours on turnkey stay-and-play packages. Most recently, Dundonald joined forces with another famed World Top 100 Scottish links, The Machrie (themachrie.com), for a new luxury The verdant links at The Machrie, on the Isle of Islay, and the crisp Atlantic beyond PHOTO PHIL INGLIS CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
EXPERIENCE THE ULTIMATE LIFESTYLE IN A TIMELESS DESTINATION Set in 2000 acres of pine woodlands, inserted in the stunning Ria Formosa Natural Park with a pristine golden beach, Quinta do Lago is without a doubt the most prestigious area of the Algarve. Surrounded by three immaculate golf courses, world class sports and fitness hub The Campus, sublime gastronomic experiences, Quinta do Lago is world-renowned for providing the ultimate luxurious lifestyle set in one of the most sought-after locations in Europe, conveniently situated only 15 minutes from Faro's International Airport. For the most recent exclusive and spectacular properties available on the market, look no further, contact Quinta do Lago Real Estate, the official experts of the resort. +351 289 392 754 realestate@quintadolago.com www.quintadolago.com
