Golf courses come in all shapes and sizes - this is the variety that ensures the game stays forever intriguing - but nine-hole venues are perhaps somewhat overlooked by much of the wider public.
In this digital age where "hidden gem" is pretty much now a redundant phrase, these are the places that are closest to that title, given that they are typically more remote and won't dominant the published rankings that you see promoted everywhere.
However, these courses are often special, they usually offer tremendous value for money, they are regularly scenic, and they provide a form of the game that is accessible to everyone.
With a bundle of golfing joy tucked into a small package, I've got a soft spot for these courses, having spent many formative rounds playing Muthill Golf Club in Perthshire and Bute Golf Club on the Isle of Bute.
Therefore, I wanted to see what golfers out there thought, being keen to discover which locations they recommend, so we put the question out on social media, asking people to name their favourite nine-hole courses, which generated a stupendous response of close to 600 comments.
Dozens of destinations were referenced, but a select few appeared regularly, with a minimum of ten unique mentions to qualify for this list, so we have brought them together for you to see.
Here are ten of the best nine-hole golf courses you simply must play.
1. Cruit Island Golf Club
Boasting one of the most dramatic locations of any golf courses that you are likely to encounter, Cruit Island occupies a rocky peninsula in County Donegal that places you right on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
The views here are simply breathtaking and its strategic layout can become incredibly challenging when the harsh elements inevitably make an appearance.
Undeniably a feast for the senses, this is a rugged and thrilling course that you will simply never forget.
2. Durness Golf Club
Reported to be the most north westerly mainland golf course in Britain, you will find Durness in one of the more remote regions of Scotland, but this stunning design that boasts majestic views of the surrounding landscape is somewhere that is worth the adventure of reaching it.
Featuring nine holes but 18 tees, so you can enjoy a varied full round, the links of Durness feels like it's on the edge of the planet, and that otherworldliness only serves to enhance the experience of a unique layout.
The setting here is truly extraordinary.
3. Anstruther Golf Club
Somewhat closer to regular civilisation, Anstruther shares its name with the small seaside town that is just a short drive from the spiritual home of golf, St Andrews.
Presenting splendid vistas of the Firth of Forth and (on a clear day) East Lothian in the distance, this engaging nine-hole course is famed for its treacherous fifth hole, The Rockies, which is widely considered to be among the most difficult par 3s in the game.
Measuring a stout 245 yards from the back tees, you will have to navigate a steep cliff face, the rocky edge of the land, and numerous slopes to escape here with a respectable score. Challenging!
4. Covesea Links
You will find this marvellous course just a short distance from the celebrated Moray Golf Club and RAF Lossiemouth, while Covesea Links is a perfect bridge between land and the sea, demonstrating that the purest form of the game remains the most rewarding.
The scenery is typically wonderful but the holes themselves are individually memorable, with gorse, rock formations, and all manner of natural obstacles having been placed between you and the flag.
It all adds up to a tremendously fun golf experience.
5. Alnmouth Village Golf Club
Heading to Northumberland, Alnmouth Village is the oldest nine-hole links in England, dating back to 1869, and that rich heritage is obvious throughout your time here.
Looking out across the North Sea, this is a course that oozes history and tradition, but it nonetheless presents a test that should thrill modern golfers who are looking for something imaginative and memorable.
Play it twice to complete a full 18 and leave with a tale to remember.
6. Royal Worlington & Newmarket Golf Club
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Known as the home course of Cambridge University, the great Henry Longhurst once compared Royal Worlington favourably with the legendary Old Course at St Andrews.
The likes of Bernard Darwin and Herbert Warren Wind, two of the game's most venerated writers, were of the view that it was clearly one of the finest courses in the world, with its sandy soil and enduring layout continuing to captivate and enthral golfers of a more contemporary vintage.
Royal Worlington is a gem in every sense of the word.
7. Comrie Golf Club
Returning to Scotland, which is where you will find an unsurpassed collection of nine-hole golf courses, Comrie is truly one of the finest that you must tick off at some point.
Located in the heart of beautiful Perthshire, this is an immaculately presented and tranquil layout that encompasses all that makes courses of this nature special - namely so much quality within a small package.
With views to relish, there is so much to recommend about Comrie.
8. Corrie Golf Club
The Isle of Arran is known as representing Scotland in miniature as it combines both Highland and Lowland characteristics, alongside a vast range of wildlife and natural attractions that make this island unforgettable to visit.
Its golf offering is equally remarkable - it's home to seven courses - with Corrie being a standout that was suggested repeatedly by keen golfers online.
Playing through the spectacular valley of Glen Sannox, you can take in visuals of the mountains around you and enjoy playing golf in a setting that could be unlike anything you've witnessed before.
9. Gifford Golf Club
You will be aware of East Lothian's reputation as being Scotland's Golf Coast and the likes of Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane that you can play along its revered coastline, but have you heard of Gifford?
Unlike those famed links courses, this is a parkland venue that is widely acclaimed for the standard of its conditioning, with the greens in particular being routinely cited as being exceptional.
If you are in this wonderful part of the world and are in search of an alternative course to play, this is one not to miss.
10. St Fillans Golf Club
Tucked away close to the banks of Loch Earn, the St Fillans golf course is surrounded by marvellous peaks and hills, which create a fabulous setting that makes a round here truly a pleasure.
Former Masters and Open champion Sandy Lyle, who resides not far away, considers this to be among his favourite places in Scotland, and if you can't take on the recommendation of a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, then who are you going to listen to!
There is a supreme group of superb nine-holers in Perthshire and St Fillans is right up there with the best of them.
Given the sheer number of responses we received, it's fair to say that there are many other courses worth mentioning that we haven't featured in this article, so if one of your picks hasn't been covered above, keep your eyes peeled on Golfshake as there will be even more to come on this subject in the near future.
If you are someone who appreciates affordable layouts that have undoubted charm, that are an integral part of their communities, and that offer the warmest of welcomes, nine-hole golf is simply unbeatable, with the depth of quality being far greater than you may have once believed.
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