They call golf the sport of kings for a reason. It’s an incredibly dynamic, skilful game that can be played by almost anyone with the patience and determination to learn the game. But besides getting the right golf clubs and learning how to drive and put, the variable that arguably makes the most differ-ence to your game is the course you play on.

For most of us, we’ll be joining a regular golf club and playing the same 18 holes every week so en-suring that the course is up to scratch is imperative. But what makes a good golf course and what makes a great golf course? Here are some of the things you might want to look out for when shopping around for your next golf home.

The architecture of a golf course is how the banks and hills shave been placed to make the game as creative and enjoyable as possible. There is a definite art to golf architecture that is difficult to boil down to one specific factor but there are 3 that definitely have a part to play.

1. Fairway

The fairway refers to the part of the course where the ball is designed to land and is made up of the fringe linking the green and the landing zone when the ball is designed to land. A substantial fairway should offer plenty of landing space and opportunities for strategy though it is always going to be governed by the surroundings. That’s why wide-open spaces typically make for the best golf courses and the best fairways.

2. Routing

This refers to the direction in which the holes are played. Routing is often designed to take wind direc-tion into account and the course architect will likely spend dozens of hours measuring wind speed and direction before settling on a final route. The length of the holes and their difficulty will also, of course, be taken into consideration.

3. Diversity

A course that has multiple different types of golf course obstacles and shots (long and short holes, sandpits, hazards etc) is always going to be more interesting and unique than one that sticks to the tried and tested. Variety is the spice of life, after all. We’re not saying you have to look for a large scale crazy golf course as gimmicks rarely make for good golf. But a course that’s eclectic enough to provide a completely different experience at every hole is always going to mean more enjoyable repeat visits.

Golfing on the go

Of course, when you’re on holiday you’re going to want to savour the very best courses from around the world. Before you go, check out some local courses online and see what kind of courses are around. The Dundonald Links in Scotland, for example, offers luxury stay and play lodges alongside a famous par 72 golf course. Located at the very heart of Ayrshire it’s an ideal home away from home for the golfers of all levels.