- Best Highlands Golf Courses, North Scotland
Highlands
About Golf in the Highlands?
Golf in the Highlands is an experience like no other. With nine courses to choose from, including the world's finest in Royal Dornoch, to an encounter with sheep and Highland Coos at Brora.
The views in every direction are stunning and a stay in the beautiful self catering apartments at Royal Golf Gardens is the perfect spot to experience all that there is to offer.
— Golf Courses
Golf Courses You Can Play in the Highlands
Brora
James Braid
Style: Links
Par: 70
Brora Golf Club is the most northerly golf memorial to James Braid in his native Scotland.
Brora is also the headquarters of the James Braid Golfing Society, and while its President, Peter Thomson, and fellow member Ronan Rafferty annually enthuse, the club golfer, the bedrock of the game, will derive equal pleasure and satisfaction from Brora's 6211 yards.
Given 194 acres of Scottish links land to work on, what in 1923 was entitled "Braid's Plan" is hardly altered. Here the visitor will enjoy the mixture of bent grass and beach sand, burn water and gorse in glorious yellow May bloom. There is even a railway which comes into play from the tenth tee.
Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart)
Mark Parsinen & Gil Hanse
Style: Links
Par: 72
One of Scotland's newest golf courses in the Highlands of Scotland but looks like it may have been there for over 100 years.
From infinity edged greens, partially re-vetted natural bunkers, uneven ‘rumpled’ fairway contours, and the rich texture of a ruggedly natural links landscape Castle Stuart is a golf course like no other.
A recent Scottish Open venue boasting winners such as Phil Mickelson.
Forres
James Braid & Willie Park Jnr
Style: Parklands
Par: 70
This delightful Par 70 course is just less than 6300 yards from the tips providing a good test for golfers of all abilities. It is beautifully maintained and picturesque with an interesting layout that will satisfy all who play it.
The course is full of memorable holes; none more so than the 16th, aptly named ‘Pond’. This is a spectacular hole where a watery grave awaits errant tee shots.
Forres Golf Course has hosted the Scottish Professional Championship, the Northern Open and the Scottish Young Professionals Championships – a testimony to its quality.
Fortrose & Rosemarkie
James Braid
Style: Links
Par: 71
The 15th Oldest course in the world Fortose & Rosemarkie sits beautifully on the Chanonry Peninsula.
A championship links course with stunning views all around with a great test of golf.
Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club attended at the Scottish Golf Tourism Week and Awards night held at the Turnberry Golf Resort in 2017 and also at the Fairmont Hotel in St. Andrews in 2018.
They were presented (as voted for by the public) with the award of Scotland’s Best Golfing Experience (value for money). The Club were also shortlisted (in the top 4) for the Best Golf Course of 2019.
The International Golf Tour Operators Association have also honoured us with an 'Outstanding Service Award for 2021' where only eight clubs in Scotland were in receipt of this accolade.
The course ranks amongst the Top 30 in GB & Ireland's Favourite 'Fun' Golf Courses, which are guaranteed to entertain and captivate (there are over 2,000 courses in Great Britain & Ireland).
Golspie
James Braid
Style: Links, Parkland, Heathland
Par: 70
Golspie Golf Course designed by James Braid is situated on the Dornoch Firth with a beguiling mix of classic links, heath and parkland holes.
The course has stunning views from all holes of the Dornoch Firth on one side and the backdrop of Ben Bhraggie on the other.
The Par 70 course offers an excellent golfing experience whether you are a plus 1 handicapper or an enthusiastic beginner.
Nairn
Archie Simpson, Old Tom Morris, James Braid & Tom Mackenzie
Style: Links
Par: 71
Ranked number 11 in the list of Top 100 Courses in Scotland 2015 (Golf World Magazine), this Traditional Scottish Golf Links Course was created from a Highland wilderness of gorse and heather, tests the talents of professional and amateur alike.
Founded in 1887, it is now one of the best courses in Scotland, has hosted a large number of important championships.
Nairn Dunbar
Old Tom Morris & James Braid
Style: Links
Par: 72
Situated behind the rugged sand dunes of Nairn’s East Beach, Nairn Dunbar Golf Links offers an unrivalled experience for golfers of all levels.
With views across the Moray Firth to the Black Isle and beyond to the mountains of Sutherland as well as inland to the neighbouring Cawdor Hills, the course is a treat for the senses.
Measuring over 6800 yards off the medal tees, it requires both guile and skill to negotiate its hugely varied challenges presented from first tee to final green.
Royal Dornoch
John Sutherland, Old Tom Morris & George Duncan
Style: Links
Par: 70
Championship Course - As you play over the classic links land that borders the Dornoch Firth, you will be awed by the wild magnificence of the sea, sky, mountains and ancient grass covered dunes while having every shot in your bag tested.
The golfer on the Championship Course is presented with 18 holes each of character and challenge that can be recalled to mind long after the round is completed.
The first 8 holes are played along the upper level of ancient dune land, before the golfer retraces his route at beach level. The whins which line the fairways, and which blooms in late Spring, punishes wayward shots.
Raised or sloping greens are characteristic, as well as elevated tees so the target is well presented although rarely easy to reach.
Tain
Old Tom Morris
Style: Links
Par: 70
Tain Golf Club in Ross-Shire, is a traditional Scottish Highland links course designed by Old Tom Morris situated 9 miles south of Dornoch and 31 miles north of Inverness.
The Championship length links overlooking the Dornoch Firth arguably offers one of the best settings imaginable in the highlands for a round of golf.
With sea on one side and the backdrop of the mountains behind, every day brings a different aspect to this challenging and beautiful course and the layout of the holes guarantees an interesting round for beginners or experts.
The sheltered location of the course ensures favourable weather for most of the year.
—Where To Stay
Accommodation in the Highlands
- Royal Golf Gardens Apartments, Dornoch
- Royal Golf Hotel, Dornoch
- Royal Golf Gardens, Dornoch
- Links House, Dornoch
- Embo House, Dornoch
- Town and Country Lettings Dornoch
- Kingsmill Hotel, Inverness
- Drumossie Hotel, Inverness
- Dornoch Station Hotel, Dornoch
- Town and Country Lettings Dornoch
- Kingsmill Hotel, Inverness
- Drumossie Hotel, Inverness
- Chieftain Hotel, Inverness
- Ness Walks, Inverness
- Golf View Hotel, Nairn
- Ard Na Mara, Nairn
—Where To Golf