
1562
Montrose Golf Links



About this course
Montrose Golf Links occupies a classic stretch of linksland along the North Sea coast in Angus, approximately five miles south of the more famous links at Carnoustie. The club traces its origins to 1562, making it one of the oldest verifiable golfing sites in Scotland, though the modern layout reflects significant input from Old Tom Morris in the late nineteenth century. The links sits on a narrow peninsula between the sea and the tidal Basin, creating a distinctive out-and-back routing where the wind direction fundamentally shapes the day's challenge. The course plays across traditional duneland with moderate elevation changes and the firm, fast-running conditions characteristic of Scottish seaside golf. Several holes run directly along the shoreline, while others weave through the interior dunes and hollows. The turf drains quickly, and the layout rewards ground game strategy and creative shot-making over aerial assault. Natural hazards—pot bunkers, gorse, and the ever-present wind—provide the primary defenses rather than artificial length or water features. Montrose maintains a straightforward, unpretentious character typical of Scotland's municipal and members' links. The clubhouse offers simple amenities, and the course remains accessible to visitors throughout much of the year. While it lacks the championship pedigree of nearby Carnoustie, Montrose provides an authentic links experience on historic ground, representing the kind of honest, strategic golf that defined the game's development along Scotland's east coast.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in UK
Best in Scotland
Quick facts
- Location
- Montrose, Angus, Scotland
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1905
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Old Tom Morris
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 6,457 yards
- Difficulty
- 78.2/135
- Course Vaults score
- 7.8
Getting there
The journey to Montrose Golf Links begins at either Edinburgh or Aberdeen airports, each roughly an hour's drive from this ancient Angus coast town. The route north from Edinburgh traces the Firth of Forth before cutting inland through Fife and into Angus, while the Aberdeen approach follows the A90 south along a dramatic stretch of North Sea coastline. As you enter Montrose itself, the landscape flattens and opens to reveal the broad tidal basin of Montrose Basin, and within moments the linksland unfolds along the shore - a windswept, unadorned expanse where golf has been played since the sixteenth century, arriving with the quiet authority of something that has simply always been there.

FAQ
Common questions about 1562 at Montrose Golf Links
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
1562 at Montrose Golf Links has a Course Vaults score of 7.8 out of 10 based on 13 logged golfers.
1562 was designed by Old Tom Morris.
Yes. 1562 at Montrose Golf Links is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at 1562 is 71.
1562 plays 6,457 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at 1562 is 135.




