Four golf courses across Scotland, Ireland and the United States have earned special recognition from Fried Egg Golf’s editorial team, with the publication highlighting memorable experiences ranging from the historic Old Course at St Andrews to the renovated Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Kansas.
In an October 23, 2026 feature, writers Andy Johnson, Garrett Morrison, Cameron Hurdus and Matt Rouches each selected a course that had a particularly strong impact on them during the year.
Their choices included the Old Course at St Andrews played in reverse, Cruit Island Golf Club in County Donegal, Brora Golf Club in the Scottish Highlands and Buffalo Dunes in Garden City.
Rather than ranking courses by prestige or difficulty, the feature explored how architectural design, natural landscapes, affordability and unusual playing experiences can shape a golfer’s lasting memories.
Old Course at St Andrews Reversed Leaves Lasting Impression
Andy Johnson selected the Old Course at St Andrews after experiencing its rarely played reverse routing during a trip to Scotland.
Although the Old Course is among the world’s oldest and most celebrated golf venues, playing the historic layout in the opposite direction provides a substantially different experience.
The reversed configuration follows a clockwise routing instead of the familiar anticlockwise direction used in modern play.
It also changes the strategic importance of bunkers, fairways and greens, allowing golfers to experience architectural features from unfamiliar angles.
Johnson played the reversed course with traditional hickory clubs alongside golf historian Scott Macpherson.
The experience provided an opportunity to examine how the Old Course evolved and why its original routing remains relevant to modern golf architecture.
The unusual format is also difficult to access.
According to St Andrews Links Trust, more than 7,900 golfers from 63 countries applied for public packages for the 2026 Old Course Reversed event.
More than 670 golfers participated across the special playing dates in April.
The demand highlights the attraction of experiencing a historic golf course in a way that differs from its regular setup.
Cruit Island Golf Club Highlights Natural Irish Links Golf
Garrett Morrison’s selection took him to a considerably smaller and less internationally famous venue.
Cruit Island Golf Club, located off the coast of County Donegal in northwest Ireland, is a nine-hole course known for its dramatic setting above the Atlantic Ocean.
The layout was designed by Michael Doherty and opened in 1986.
Unlike courses created through extensive modern construction, Cruit Island was developed largely through local effort, with relatively limited earthmoving.
The result is an unconventional layout that follows the natural landscape rather than attempting to completely reshape it.
Several holes play close to coastal cliffs, while others travel through uneven duneland.
The terrain creates unusual lies, blind shots and unpredictable playing angles.
Morrison’s reflections focused on the character of the land and the course’s relatively simple construction.
His selection demonstrates how a smaller golf facility can create a memorable experience without the resources or reputation of a major resort development.
For golfers interested in natural links landscapes, Cruit Island offers an alternative to Ireland’s more internationally recognized championship courses.
Brora Golf Club Represents Traditional Scottish Golf
Cameron Hurdus selected Brora Golf Club, a historic links course in the Scottish Highlands.
Established in 1891, Brora is particularly associated with the work of five-time Open champion and golf architect James Braid, who redesigned the course in 1924.
The layout follows traditional links terrain, featuring natural contours, blind shots and exposed playing conditions.
Brora also has an unusual relationship with its surrounding agricultural landscape.
Sheep and cattle have historically grazed on the course, while protective electric fences surround the putting greens.
Those features contribute to an experience that differs significantly from the carefully landscaped environments of many modern golf resorts.
Hurdus visited Brora during a September trip to the Scottish Highlands.
His selection reflected the appeal of a traditional golf course where playing conditions, natural terrain and local history remain closely connected.
The design requires golfers to adapt to changes in elevation, uneven ground and the influence of coastal weather.
Brora’s continuing popularity demonstrates that historic links courses can remain relevant without abandoning the features that give them their original character.
Buffalo Dunes Golf Course Stands Out for Value and Renovation
Matt Rouches selected Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Garden City, Kansas, highlighting its recent transformation and unusually accessible green fees.
The municipal course opened in 1976 and features an 18-hole, par-72 layout measuring 6,806 yards from the longest tees.
It has undergone a multi-year renovation led by superintendent Clay Payne, with architectural involvement from Zach Varty and Todd Clark.
The project has focused on improving playing surfaces, reshaping features and restoring the course’s natural character.
Renovation work included removing unnecessary trees, improving bunkers and greens, and reconsidering how the sandy terrain could be used to create more interesting golf.
The project is particularly notable because it was carried out over several years using a comparatively modest budget.
The course remains publicly accessible.
Its published green fees list an 18-hole round at $37 on weekdays and $42 on weekends and holidays, excluding optional cart rental.
That pricing provides a contrast with premium golf resorts where a single round can cost several hundred dollars.
Rouches’ selection emphasizes the importance of high-quality municipal golf and the potential for thoughtful renovations to improve existing public facilities.
What These Four Courses Reveal About Golf Architecture
Although the four courses are separated by geography, history and playing style, they illustrate several different approaches to memorable golf.
St Andrews demonstrates how routing decisions can transform the strategy of a familiar course.
Cruit Island highlights the appeal of natural landforms and limited construction.
Brora reflects the enduring character of traditional links golf.
Buffalo Dunes shows how a municipal facility can benefit from investment in course design while remaining affordable.
Their inclusion also challenges the assumption that memorable golf experiences require expensive resorts, recently built championship layouts or internationally recognized designers.
A course’s relationship with the land, the decisions it asks golfers to make and its accessibility can all contribute to its appeal.
Are These the Best Golf Courses of 2026?
The Fried Egg’s selections should not be confused with an official ranking of the world’s best golf courses.
The feature identifies the individual courses that most affected four writers during their travels in 2026.
It does not establish that those courses are objectively superior to other venues, nor does it suggest that all four opened during the year.
In fact, the selections range from centuries-old Scottish golf to a Kansas municipal course celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The comparison illustrates the variety of experiences that can influence how golfers evaluate a course.
Final Thoughts
The Fried Egg’s 2026 course reflections offer a different perspective on what makes a golf destination worth remembering.
Andy Johnson’s rare experience at St Andrews, Garrett Morrison’s visit to Cruit Island, Cameron Hurdus’ round at Brora and Matt Rouches’ exploration of Buffalo Dunes all demonstrate the value of distinctive landscapes and thoughtful design.
The selections also draw attention to golf’s accessibility, history and architectural diversity.
For golfers planning future trips, the broader lesson is that memorable courses exist well beyond the most famous championship venues.
Sometimes, an unfamiliar nine-hole course or an affordable municipal layout can leave an impression just as meaningful as a round at one of the game’s historic destinations.