My Top 10 Courses: Tommy Fleetwood

He may have been born in Southport, at the heart of England’s Golf Coast, but Tour star Tommy Fleetwood has a passion for everything Scottish when it comes to golf courses. He really feels at home in the Home of Golf, where he has celebrated notable victories that include amateur glory in the Scottish Strokeplay at Murcar in 2009 then his maiden European Tour win four years later at Gleneagles in the Johnnie Walker. He told us: “I love playing in Scotland and whenever I have visited, it has been good to me! I always seem to feel comfortable.” Not surprisingly then, four Scottish courses are included in Fleetwood’s top 10 UK venues…

● Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa, Merseyside
This may be a surprise inclusion but for me this is where it all began: it’s my home course where I grew up playing and is a great test, very picturesque and full of memories for me, the majority good ones. Green fees: From £30.

● St Andrews, Fife
This is probably not so surprising: the Old Course is the most unique course I’ve ever played – I’ve never played it the same way twice – and obviously it took centre stage for last month’s Open. I just love all the history surrounding both the course and the town itself. Green fees: £80-£170.

● Machynys Peninsula, South Wales
This is arguably the best man-made links in the world. It’s that good. It was created by Nicklaus Design and it blew me away visually straight away. Plus I won six out of six at the Boys Home Internationals there too! Green fees: £40. 

● Hillside, Merseyside
Another, I am proud to say, of my home courses and it boasts one of the best back nines in world golf with some truly stunning holes. It’s as difficult a test as you’ll find. Stand on the 11th tee and take a moment to appreciate it. Green fees: £80-£140.

● Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire
For me, this epitomises what English heathland golf is all about – it makes me feel very English just teeing it up there whenever I play it. It can play hard and fast in the summer and you have to carefully negotiate some of the deepest bunkers I’ve ever seen. Green fees: £75.

● Sunningdale Old Course, Surrey
Another legendary heathland layout and a stunning course that is so difficult to master but always plays very fairly. Whatever you score around here is what you deserve. Green fees: £105-£205.

● Turnberry, Ayrshire
Links courses don’t come much better or more spectacular than this. It’s a pure links and brilliant from start to finish although I’m not sure what it will be like when Donald Trump has finished with it. Green fees: £230.

● Gleneagles (PGA), Perthshire
Famously staged last year’s wonderful Ryder Cup and is a beautiful course with a great variety of holes. It’s also the scene of my first European Tour win so it will always be in my top 10. Green fees: £90-£220.

● Kingsbarns, Fife
A modern masterpiece of a links down the coast from St Andrews, Kingsbarns is another course which leaves you breathless. I could play here every day and never get bored. Green fees: £226.

● Royal St David’s, North Wales
Even though you don’t get to see much of the sea, this is a proper links test. There’s not a bad hole on the course and another plus is the stunning location by Harlech Castle. Green fees: £65-£75.

Tommy Fleetwood – Golf CV

• Turned pro in 2010 with a plus 5 handicap.

• An illustrious amateur career ended with him being ranked at the top of the World Amateur Rankings.

• The youngest player to win the Challenge Tour Rankings in 2011, aged 20.

• Celebrated his first European Tour success in the 2013 Johnnie Walker at Gleneagles.

• Enjoyed a solid European Tour season in 2014, finishing a careerbest 19th in The Race to Dubai.

• Currently 11th in the Race to Dubai (after The Open).