SCHLOSS Roxburghe Championship Golf Course

More than just a spa, Schloss Roxburghe in the Scottish borders is increasingly stepping into the spotlight as a bucket list golf course, and after a round here it’s easy to see why.

This is a championship inland course with enough variety, strategy, and scenic Scottish views to test professionals while still offering an enjoyable day out for travelling golfers. This is why it has been chosen to host the HotelPlanner Tour’s Farmfoods Scottish Challenge.

Designed by Dave Thomas, the par-72 course stretches beyond 7,000 yards from the back tees, though sensible tee options keep it playable for most visitors. The routing is expertly laid out so the length of the course isn’t felt as you walk it. It’s a course that rewards thoughtful positioning with big payoffs for brute strength risk taking, all while the surrounding estate helps it feel self-contained without ever feeling repetitive.

The early part of the round has a relaxed rhythm, with generous fairways that run alongside the cottages and subtle elevation changes helping you settle in. That changes at the 5th (Par 5, si 2, 537 yards from yellow tees), a long par 5 that begins wide and welcoming but becomes more strategic with each shot. Bunkers pinch the lay-up areas, and steep runoffs on the approach mean you need to choose your landing spot carefully. It feels similar in style to classic inland par 5s, where the challenge builds as you move closer to the hole.

The 8th (par 3, si 16, 171 yards from yellow tees) is one of the prettiest holes on the front nine. A downhill par 3 to a small, well-protected green. It’s the sort of hole you’d happily replay just for the view. Deep bunkers frame the putting surface, and the green sits exposed to crosswinds, making club selection a lively discussion on the tee. There’s nothing like seeing the ball spend what seems like an eternity in the air before landing perfectly on the green. As a less than average golfer it’s the closest feeling to playing the 16th at the Waste Management Open as I will get.

The back nine begins with the toughest stretch of the course. The 10th (par 4, si 1, 439 yards from yellow tees), the hardest hole, is a downhill dogleg right that initially appears manageable. There’s a wide bailout area to the left, but the approach is where the hole earns its reputation. The green is reached by a narrow strip of fairway, guarded by steep bunkers, and anything long risks running down the slope toward the river. Our best player Ben was caught out by this and that was on winter greens, we can only imagine the challenge it would be in the summer months. It is truly deserving of its hardest hole rating.

There’s no break at the 11th (par 5, si 7, 504 yards from yellow tees), an uphill par 5 that plays longer than the card suggests. The drive must find a narrowing half-pipe between woodland and thick-rough. Miss the green right and you are in a steep embankment with thick fescue, requiring a hacked out shot which you better hope doesn’t roll out, because left of the green is a mammoth bunker with a cliff face wall. It is a pick-your poison hole and very reminiscent of the kind you’ll find at Royal Liverpool, Brandon Dunes or even our own Royal Dornoch (and a fraction of the cost as well).

The round’s signature moment comes at the 14th (par 5, si15, 511 yards from yellow tees). This par 5 runs alongside the River Teviot, with the towering arches of the Viaduct framing the green in the distance. It’s a striking view and a hole that demands your full attention. Standing on the tee box with a decent round going you will likely be aiming away from the beckoning river and surrendering your ball to the waiting rough and bushes on the right of the hole. The river is very much in play for the entire hole thanks to the narrow fairway, creating a fantastic hole where the scenery is beautiful but the penalty for a wayward shot is immediate.

Across the round, the course fits together neatly, like a well-designed puzzle, where challenge and enjoyment are perfectly balance. Yes it plays long but it is playable for most players with no forced carries, few blind tee shots, and a very walkable course for the change of elevation throughout. This has set the bar high as part of the 2026 Co-founders cup and will take some beating.