▁many ▁golf ers , ▁the ▁Old ▁Cour se ▁at ▁St ▁Andrew s , ▁an ▁ancient ▁links ▁course ▁d ating ▁to ▁before ▁ 1 5 7 4 , ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁site ▁of ▁pil gr image . ▁There ▁are ▁many ▁other ▁famous ▁golf ▁courses ▁in ▁Scotland , ▁including ▁Car n oust ie , ▁Gl ene ag les , ▁Mu ir field , ▁Bal com ie ▁and ▁Royal ▁Tro on . ▁The ▁world ' s ▁first ▁Open ▁Championship ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁Pr est wick ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁and ▁Sc ots ▁golf ers ▁have ▁the ▁most ▁vict ories ▁at ▁the ▁Open ▁at ▁ 4 2 ▁wins , ▁one ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Although ▁golf ▁is ▁often ▁seen ▁as ▁an ▁el it ist ▁sport ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁in ▁the ▁land ▁of ▁its ▁birth ▁it ▁enjo ys ▁w ides p read ▁appeal ▁across ▁the ▁social ▁spectrum , ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁the ▁country ' s ▁eg al itar ian ▁tradition . ▁For ▁example , ▁the ▁Old ▁Cour se ▁at ▁St ▁Andrew s ▁is ▁a ▁char itable ▁trust ▁and ▁M uss el burgh ▁Link s ▁is ▁public ▁courses . ▁Council - owned ▁courses , ▁with ▁low ▁fe es ▁and ▁easy ▁access , ▁are ▁common ▁throughout ▁the ▁country ▁wherever ▁dem ography ▁and ▁ge ography ▁allow . ▁Therefore , ▁golf ▁courses , ▁whether ▁public ▁or ▁private , ▁are ▁far ▁more ▁common ▁in ▁the ▁Low lands ▁than ▁in ▁the ▁High lands ▁and ▁Islands , ▁where ▁sh int y ▁( a ▁game ▁which