Shotts Golf Club

Shotts Golf Club sits on the high moorland plateau of central Lanarkshire at around 800 feet above sea level — the same elevated ground that made Shotts an industrial ironworks centre in the nineteenth century and now makes it a windy, exposed stretch of heathland between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Founded 1895, the course takes full advantage of the moorland terrain: heather rough, open fairways, and a wind that crosses the plateau without shelter in almost any direction.

Par 70, 18 holes. The layout uses the natural contours of the plateau, with several holes playing across the high ground and others dropping into the sheltered folds of the moorland. The back nine takes the most exposed ground; the 15th, played into the prevailing westerly across a heather ridge, is the signature challenge. The course is well-maintained by a club that takes its moorland stewardship seriously.

Green fee £20–30. Shotts is on the M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh — the junction is approximately equidistant between both cities, making it one of the most accessible moorland/heathland courses in Scotland for golfers from either direction. It represents good heathland golf at a price that reflects its location rather than its quality.