Secondly, the scenery is unparalleled and provides the perfect backdrop to a round of golf. Scotland&’s rugged mountains, lush green valleys, thundering waterfalls and ethereal mists all help to create an experience you can really savour. Thirdly, Scotland always is easy to get to, either by road, train or air travel.

Anyone who plans a golf break in Scotland is also probably influenced by knowledge of the country&’s long-standing affiliation with the game. It is widely accepted that golf originated in Scotland in the 1100s, with the first recorded game played at Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1456.

Even the word &’golf&’ comes from Scotland – it is thought to have come from the Scots word &’goulf&’, meaning &’to strike or cuff&’. When the game was in its early days and, in fact, right up until the mid-20th century, it was usually played with clubs made from hickory wood, which is why golf played with old-fashioned wooden clubs is now called &’hickory golf&’.

Traditional hickory golf is catching on in a big way. You see, there&’s a big secret haunting the manufacturers of modern golf clubs – despite all the &’improvements&’ in golf club technology, you can hit nearly as far with clubs made the original way &’ with hickory – as you can with the latest club being promoted on the US PGA Tour. What&’s more, with hickory golf clubs you can play the game the way it was designed to be played – playing around the bunkers, through the gaps and really thinking about the challenge of the hole.

There are tournaments all over the world for modern-day hickory golf players, and for the last three years one particular tournament has been held in Scotland – golf&’s birthplace. The 2007 World Hickory Open took place last month at Craigielaw golf course in East Lothian. As a golf course, Craigielaw is scenically located on the shores of the Firth of Forth with the hills of Fife framing its magnificent backdrop.

Craigielaw golf course presents a challenge for both short and long handicap players. As a result, the course is a popular for golf breaks in Scotland for players at every level. The layout at Craigielaw is such that the wind is nearly always part of the course&’s natural defence. The consensus among both pro and amateur golf players is that the organisers picked a course almost perfectly suited to hickory golf.

There is a special physical sensation that hickory golf clubs give you. You know if you&’ve hit a good one just by the lovely feeling coming through your hands and you also know if you&’ve hit a bad one (especially in a cold Scottish wind) as it feels like a cricket ball has landed on your knuckles!

I managed to come third in the Amateur section, no disgrace but I&’m coming back for more. And at last I know what I want from Father Christmas &’ All the best hickory golf clubs: Persimmon woods with True Temper shafts, a set of matching hickory irons pre-1935, a Cleveland wedge and sand wedge and a Scotty Cameron putter.

Western Algarve golf breaks
Besides bustling Albufeira, there is the charming old town of Lagos, set on one of the largest bays in the Algarve. Its 17th-century fort stands at the harbour entrance and a new marina with rows of excellent restaurants and bars draws the crowds. Alvor, an old port at the mouth of the Rio Alvor, has many traditional restaurants by the quay and a maze of cobbled streets lined with whitewashed houses, shops and a few bars.

Golf holidaymakers should check out the renowned Pinta, one of the best courses in the Algarve, designed to retain natural valleys and undulations. Neighbouring Gramacho is also excellent and both courses are free of green fees for those lucky enough to be staying at the Pestana Hotels.

Central Algarve offers golf and more
Quinta do Lago is a premier golfing destination. Two of its four excellent 18-hole courses are listed among the Europe&’s top 25 golf courses, and half of the 2000-acre resort comprises a residential and recreational estate, surrounded by pine forests. This beautiful area is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Ria Formosa nature reserve. Nearby is a large shopping centre with a health club, nightclubs and restaurants, and scenic countryside runs along miles of secluded beaches.

Just 20 minutes&’ drive from Faro International Airport, Vilamoura is one of Europe&’s largest sport and leisure complexes. There are five golf courses, championship tennis courts, an acclaimed riding school, and fishing and shooting facilities. The resort&’s large marina has many fine restaurants, cafes and shops.

Vale do Lobo, Portugal&’s biggest luxury golf and beach resort, also 20 minutes from the airport at Faro, is one of Europe&’s finest. Its two golf courses, the Royal and Ocean, provide stunning views of the coast, and its 5 km-long sandy beach, with dramatic red sandstone cliffs, provides non-golfers with seriously good beach and swimming options. The resort also offers tennis courts, a gymnasium and health and beauty centre, as well as restaurants and shops.

Eastern Algarve; golf tours without the crowds
For a less frenetic golfing experience and a chance to enjoy nature, head east from Faro towards the Spanish border. There are many hotels not far from the airport, close to some well-designed courses. Tavira, at the mouth of the River Gilao, is a fishing port dating from Moorish times. Nearby you&’ll find Reserva do Sapal, one of Portugal&’s most important nature reserves. And just across the border, on the Costa de la Luz, are many more great golf courses.