The Highlands club came out on top in Bunkered magazine's 'Secret 18' competition which was launched earlier this year in conjunction with VisitScotland, the national tourist board.

Readers were asked to pick their 18 favourite 'hidden gems' with the winner being the course receiving most votes. Over 5,000 people submitted their nominations resulting in The Boat of Garten taking the top spot, narrowly pipping Open Championship qualifying course Ladybank. The Fife course were second ahead of another Open qualifying venue, Downfield.

Other courses to make the list included the likes of Lundin Links, Gleneagles Queen's Course and two from St Andrews, the New and Dukes Courses. However, there was no place on the list for other strong contenders such as Nairn Dunbar, Dundonald and The Glen at North Berwick.

The editor of bunkered, Martin Dempster, hailed the competition as a massive success, not only for The Boat of Garten course, but also for golf in Scotland.

"This competition was intended to give some of Scotland's lesser-known courses their place in the spotlight," said Dempster, "and it most certainly delivered. "Boat of Garten is a worthy winner and our warmest congratulations go out to the club and all of its members. "However, it is not the only winner in this competition ? Scottish golf is, too. The strength of this list clearly demonstrates the strength and variety of the courses we have here in the 'Home of Golf' and that is something that every Scot should be proud of."

All of the courses that made up the overall 'Secret 18' will receive commemorative plaques from bunkered to acknowledge their place in the list. Meanwhile, lucky reader Lee Strachan can look forward to a fourball at all 18 of the courses as a prize for his list most closely matching the final, overall list.