Gleneagles Golf Resort

Three championship courses sprawl across 850 acres of manicured Scottish landscape near Auchterarder, and you'll either love the scale of it or find it slightly soulless depending on what you want from golf. The King's and Queen's courses are the real draws - proper challenging layouts with views across Perthshire that genuinely distract from your swing. The PGA Centenary is newer and plays tighter, more compact.

Unless you're a serious golfer, this is aspirational viewing rather than a casual stop-by. Green fees are steep - expect £200 plus per round on the championship courses, though the resort does offer reduced rates for guests staying at the attached hotel. A round takes a solid four and a half hours. If you're not playing, the clubhouse and pro shop are accessible but there's limited reason to hang around.

Golfers will spend a full day here without question. It's worth it if you're competent and want to tick off a proper Scottish course, though it lacks the quirky charm of older links layouts. The manicured perfection feels corporate - which is fair enough, since it's part of the Gleneagles Hotel machine.

Staying at Craighead Howf near Auchterarder gives you easy access if golf is part of your Perthshire break rather than the whole point. Non-golfers in your party will find better use of their time elsewhere in the region.