The Ryder Cup might currently be tearing through the Perthshire countryside, but there's no reason you shouldn't get in on the action - even if your handicap's a far way off professional standards.

And, as this round-up of courses proves, location is no barrier to great beauty. Who'd have thought that St Albans had a course to rival the Californian coast, or that Northern Ireland could equal France for excellent golfing?

So, whether or not you're going to don your diamond-patterned jumper this weekend, planning a far-flung holiday or just looking for a bit of welcome lunchtime escapism, here are the pictures to whet your appetite.