Machrihanish Golf Club, located in western Scotland on the very tip of Mull of Kintyre, may be one Scotland's most remote courses. The majority of today's golfers take a short 25-minute flight from Glasgow to Campbeltown, or in the summer months a ferry. Earlier golfers came to Machrihanish by rail. In fact, Scotland's only narrow gauge railway was built to take golfers from the train station out to the golf club.The reason? – Machrihanish is more than worth the effort required to reach its remote location. This is true linksland golf, virtually untouched by modern greenskeeping practices, where you can play the game as it originated, among some of the most undulating fairways in Scotland, and the devilishly contoured greens will test your short game ability.

One of the greatest opening salvos in golf is the tee shot required off the first tee at Machrihanish Golf Club. In George Peper's new book, The 500 Greatest Golf Holes, Machrihanish's opening hole is singled out as the best No. 1 hole in all of golf. The hole measures 423 yards, and the only hope you have of reaching the green in two is to bravely take your drive over Machrihanish Bay. Beach walkers below are properly warned by a sign which reads "Danger, first tee above, please move farther along the beach."

The original layout was designed by 'Old' Tom Morris, and opened as the Kintyre Golf Club in 1876, and the great English golfer, J. H. Taylor, is credited with many of the revisions. The fields where the championship game is now played were earlier the home of a golf precursor known as 'shinty'. Shinty clubs were large sticks with a curve at one end – not unlike modern hockey sticks. It has been said that Willie Park, in the early years when he could not afford true golf clubs, used a shinty stick to beat his fellow caddies who used more traditional equipment. The name Machrihanish actually comes from Machair-an-lomain – 'field of the shinty'. In The Games of Argylshire, by Dr. Maclagan, he describes a New Year's Day match of shinty, with upwards of one thousand spectators on the land now occupied by the first hole.

After the first hole along the water's edge, the course turns inland amidst the dunes and shows the true character of the course. The layout is characterized by numerous blind shots, which, without a caddy, may cause frustration the first time around the course. But one never tires of playing Machrihanish, as the ever prevalent sea breezes bring new challenges each round. Back-to-back short holes – The Hut at 167 yards and Rorke's Drift at 233 yards bring you out of the dunes, but be careful not to relax too much. While the 17th and 18th offer excellent scoring opportunities to finish out your round, a lack of concentration can cause an out -of-bounds shot on 17 and a missed chance on the short, 315-yard 18th for a closing birdie.

Is there anything more frustrating than trying to secure a tee time? The popularity of golf has brought many advantages, but it has also brought more golfers and hence, less available tee times. On the tranquil island of Islay, of the west Coast of Scotland, at the Machrie Golf Club, more often than not, tee times are arranged the previous evening in the bar of the Machrie Hotel and Golf Course, affectionately known as 'The Machrie'.

The course was built over a hundred years ago, by Willie Campbell, mostly without the aid of even the primitive machinery available in that era. It is truly a course laid out by nature that has stood the test of time. In fact, on Machrie, time seems to stand still, you can even rent a set of hickories for your round and discover first-hand just how skilled and talented the golfers of the past were!

It was customary around the turn of the century for the local gentry to raise monies for the purses in competition. An annual tournament held on Machrie was funded by local gentlemen to the tune of £100, an unheard of amount in that day, and a larger purse than even The Open offered. All the name players of the era, including the original "Big Three" – Vardon, Taylor & Braid, made the long journey to the island, not only to compete for the £100, but also to caddy and give lessons to the aristocrats that summered on Machrie, making the trip very profitable and worth the effort.

Of course, there is more to do in the bar at The Machrie than just deciding on tomorrow's tee time. The Island of Islay is home to some of Scotland's finest single malts, including the world renown Laphraoig. You might want to schedule a later tee time if you decide to sample a 'wee dram' from each of the island's six whisky distilleries; Laphraoig, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Lagavullin, Bowmore and Ardbeg.

One of Scotland's more obscure hidden gems is Boat of Garten, in the Scottish Highlands. This is probably because it is an inland course, rather than a links layout. However, this lovely course maintains the reputation, for those who have played it, as the most scenic of any Scottish course - including the classic and more famous links.

It has a magical setting on the edge of the Abernathy Forest, with the Cairngorm Mountains serving as a backdrop and overlooks the River Spey. A sense of history and timelessness is evoked by the Strathspey Steam Railway which runs along the western edge of the course.

The original nine holes were laid out in 1898 and in 1931 James Braid laid out the additional nine. The 403-yard, Par 4, 6th at 'The Boat', is considered by most to be one of the finest in Scotland and a lasting legacy of Braid's genius.

The course is known for its many wild undulations which bisect fairways and can play havoc with even well-struck rolling balls. Although short, a 5,866-yard Par 69, it is an intimidating and challenging test of golf. Besides the fairway undulations and hanging lies, more common on seaside links, there is the ever present heather which lines the fairways and Braid's magnificent bunkering which make accurate driving and approach shots a necessity.

Up until the 20th century many Scottish courses, including St Andrews, were maintained the old-fashioned way – by sheep. At Brora Golf Club, in The Highlands, sheep and cows still share grazing rights with golfers, and the result is charming. And the usual brisk and chilly wind off the North Sea make for challenging golf and a speedy rate of play.

'Old' Tom Morris laid out the original holes in 1891, then in the 1920's James Braid worked his special brand of architectural magic to create one of Scotland's most enjoyable links experiences. For his time he received the princely sum of £25, the cost of a round today. Both are two of the greatest values in golf! There are few man-made hazards here or undo rough, Braid preferred instead to let the natural contours of the land provide the challenges.

The greens, which are some of the best conditioned in the British Isles, are protected by rings of electrified fencing which serves to keep the sheep and cow hoofs off the fragile surfaces. Brora and the Royal Marine Golf Hotel are the perfect location to serve as the headquarters of the James Braid Society, an international association dedicated to preserving the principles and memories of the great player and architect.

Just down the road from Brora is another course of quiet charm, Golspie. Many look only at Golspie's score card which shows it to be a short 5,800-yard Par 68 layout and think it not worth the visit , but ,unlike most courses, which can be characterized as either links, heathland or parkland, Golspie has holes which resemble all three and makes for a unique round of golf. The winds blow frequently here, making accurate shot making, not length, the test of golf, and the scenery is spectacular.

The opening two holes traverse rather flat uninteresting land to get to the heart of the course. At the 3rd, the course reaches the beach and a taste of linksland golf for a few holes. At the 6th, you turn inland and to the heathland section of the course towards Ferry Wood. This section was laid out in 1926 by James Braid and is characterized by pine trees and heather rough. There is another stretch of pastureland from the 11th until the 14th, before the closing linksland holes take place.

The course closes with a memorable set of back-to-back par 3's. The famous 177-yard 16th, features a tee shot over a depression to a sharply sloped two-tier green. Bogie is a good score here, should you miss the correct tier on your tee shot. An accurate shot is also required on the 217-yard 17th, to a well-protected raised green.

Further down the scenic northeast coast is Tain, where many come to sample the Glenmorgangie whisky and then stay to discover the charming and challenging course of the town. It is the longest course in Rossshire, but with intimidating (and painful to pull balls out of) gorse and whin lining much of the course – think twice before automatically pulling driver.

The Aldie Burn runs through the course, most notably bisecting the 2nd and winding around the Par 3, 16th. The hardest hole on the course is the 3rd, measuring 435 yards off the tee, it is a dog-leg left, which, with out-of bounds on the right and ball-eating gorse on the left, is perhaps better reached in three well-placed shots to ensure no worse than bogie. The 11th, aptly named 'The Alps' is only 380 yards, but features a hidden-green tucked behind two 30 foot mountains.

Another course off the beaten path is Nairn, which, especially over the past decade culminating in hosting the 1999 Walker Cup, is emerging from the ranks of 'hidden gems'. It has long been known to many of the game's greats. Colin Montgomerie is so fond of the course, site of his 1987 Scottish Amateur Championship victory, that his business and estate carry the same name

Archie Simpson laid out the course in 1887, which was then modified in 1889 by 'Old' Tom Morris. But it is the genius of James Braid that today gives the course much of its championship character. The opening seven holes hug the beach, and a prevalent slicer may lose several balls into the sea. Holes 12, 13 & 14 provide the most testing stretch of golf – three pars here is an excellent score. After the round, enjoy a pint or a Highland single malt in the beautifully renovated and expanded clubhouse finished in 1999 for the Walker Cup.

The main reason many of these superb courses are relatively unknown is their remote locations. A perfect itinerary to visit some of Scotland's finest 'off the beaten path' courses is onboard the Lord of the Glens Golf Cruise, May 25-June 2, 2001. The itinerary takes in Machrie, Machrihanish, Boat of Garten, Nairn and Royal Dornoch as it traverses Scotland via the scenic Caledonian canal. You can visit five of Scotland's more difficult to reach courses from the convenience of your luxurious floating hotel. Extend your stay after you disembark at Inverness to take in some additional gems such as Tain, Moray (Lossiemouth), Brora, Golspie and Cruden Bay.

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