2016 Scottish Golf Guide: ALL EYES will be focussed on Scotland this summer as The 145th Open Championship returns to Royal Troon on the Ayrshire coast, scene of so many epic encounters. The Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open heads North again to Castle Stuart, venue for the 2011-2013 championships won by Luke Donald, Jeev Milka Singh and Phil Mickelson, respectively, with Mickelson going on to win The Open at Muirfield the following week in 2013. The Senior Open is back at Carnoustie in July where the legends of the game will battle it out on the famous links. The Paul Lawrie Match Play goes South from Murcar Links, Aberdeen, to Scotland’s Golf Coast and the famed Archerfield Links, which also welcomes the Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open for the second year in succession. The AAM Ladies Scottish Open is hosted by Dundonald Links, Ayrshire, in July. The exclusive Renaissance Club hosts the Scottish Boys Championship, along with Muirfield in August. The SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge takes place at Spey Valley Golf Club in Aviemore in June. Scotland, the Home of Golf, boasts some of the finest courses in golf. Whether you’re watching or playing – or both – here we offer a flavour of the many and varied courses where golfers can be assured a welcome and an experience to remember.
Scotland’s Golf Coast
It was a momentous couple of weeks on Scotland’s Golf Coast recently when the announcements were made that Archerfield will become the new host of the Paul Lawrie Match Play, in addition to hosting the Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open for the second year running. It was also unveiled that the Renaissance Club will be one of the new Final Qualifying venues for The Open in 2018. To match that, Scotland’s Golf Coast launched its new website with its fantastic ‘planning’ facilities, enabling golfers to tailor-make their visit to the East Lothian Coast for these amazing events and a wide variety of golfing memorable trips to the area. www.golfeastlothian.com
With all eyes on Scotland’s Golf Coast last summer and the first Aberdeen Asset Managment Scottish Open at Gullane, won by American Rickie Fowler, it is befitting that the East Lothian Coast continues to attract high profile golfing events, such as the Paul Lawrie Match Play, won by Kiradech Aphibarnrat at Murcar Links, which this year will be played on Archerfield’s Fidra Links (Aug. 4-7) as will the Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open (Aug. 19-21).
These clubs are just two of the 18 golf clubs comprising the 22 courses that make up the alliance of Scotland’s Golf Coast along the spectacular 30 mile coastline from Musselburgh, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, to Dunbar in the East. It’s a collection of of outstanding links and inland courses, incomparable to any golfing destination in the world.
Archerfield Links
The Fidra Links has an atmosphere that makes you feel that it’s just you and the course out there. Its 18 holes present a unique mixture of pine forest and fast -running links. The Dirleton Links is set on coastal land that has hosted golf for over 100 years. European Tour and Senior Tour winner D.J. Russell created the 18 holes of the Dirleton Links. It’s a challenging expression of a traditional Scottish Links with its sweeping fairways, deep, menacing bunkers and undulating dunes. www.archerfieldgolfclub.com
Castle Park Golf Course
This parkland course, built on a site close to the majestic beech and conifer woodlands of the Yester Estate, is an 18-hole, naturally undulating layout, nestled amongst mature woodlands with the Lammermuir Hills providing a spectacular backdrop to the South. The 11th century ruins of Yester Castle proudly overlook the 5th green, adding to the charm of the surroundings situated near Gifford on a site that was formerly the deer park for the Castle. www.castleparkgolfclub.co.uk
Craigielaw Golf Club
The Donald Steel-designed Championship course is one of East Lothian’s newest courses, which certainly meets the challenging standards of its illustrious neighbours. The course, practice facilities and clubhouse are perfect for visitors and corporate golf days. With challenging greens, cavernous bunkers and spectacular views over the Firth of Forth, Gullane Hill and Edinburgh and Fife, it’s an experience not to be missed. Craigielaw is also home to the Eric Grandison Golf School.
Dunbar Golf Club
Famous for its par four 12th hole, 460 yards by the sea with a cross wind, this is one of the best links courses in the country. Opening with two par-5s the course then hugs the coastline along a narrow strip of land within yards of the waves crashing onto the rocky shore. With 14 consecutive holes running along the Firth of Forth, and an internal ‘Out-of-Bounds’ wall at the 18th, this is an outstanding test of golf. An Open qualifying course, Dunbar GC has hosted the PGA Championship, the Scottish PGA and the Scottish Amateur, plus many ladies events. www.dunbargolfclub.com
Gifford Golf Club
Situated beside the picturesque village of Gifford, this is an outstanding 9-hole parkland course with the Lammermuir hills as its backdrop. Its enormous, first-class greens are playable all year round and any putting weaknesses will be exposed here. There are two sets of tees to the 1st/10th green and the 5th/14th with the Speedy Burn running across the course, affecting shots at four holes. www.giffordgolfclub.com
Glen Golf Club
North Berwick’s East Links course combines inland turf with a seaside setting. Every hole offers a different perspective of the Firth of Forth, with spectacular views of the Bass Rock. Elevated tees and greens across the course mean that careful club selection, consistency and confidence in your iron play are vital. Originally laid out as a 9-hole course in 1894 it was extended to an 18-hole course in 1906. www.glengolfclub.co.uk
Gullane Golf Club
Gullane’s three outstanding links courses offer a number of alternatives with No.1 boasting some of the most spectacular views in golf. Last year’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open was played on a composite course of No.1 and No.2. Gullane No.1, an Open qualifying course, has hosted many great championships. www.gullanegolfclub.com
Haddington Golf Club
For a steady enjoyable round on a quiet, country estate Haddington is ideal. Mature trees line most holes and the River Tyne is the course’s north boundary. Accurate, reliable iron-play and alterations to the back nine mean that water hazards are a major obstacle on the home stretch with the ponds at the 12th, 13th and 14th punishing any mistakes. www.haddingtongolf.co.uk
Kilspindie Golf Club
This medium-length course is a good test of golf and a challenge to all golfers. Several holes border the shoreline and each hole enjoys magnificent views. The 8th hole, par three, overlooks Gosford Bay and demands a shot that will carry over the beach – a tough challenge for all golfers on a windy day. www.kilspindiegolfclub.co.uk
Longniddry Golf Club
Among the courses lining the Forth estuary, Longniddry stands out for its mixture of links and parkland. With no par 5s and eight 400 yards par 4s, this is a stiff challenge, particularly in a west wind, leaving no doubt why the course has been an Open qualifying venue. One of its memorable holes is the 5th, a relatively short dog-leg par four of 310 yards to a two-tier green. Trees line both sides of the fairway, as well as the apex of the dog-leg. www.longniddrygolfclub.co.uk
Royal Musselburgh Golf Club
This parkland course designed by James Braid offers rare views of Edinburgh and Arthur’s Seat. The challenge comes on the homeward stretch where a series of par 4s are guarded by trees. The par three 14th, ‘The Gully’, penalises short tee shots with a 50 foot drop just in front of the putting surface. Among the oldest golf clubs in the world, the magnificent clubhouse has a superb collection of golfing memorabilia well worth a visit. www.royalmusselburgh.co.uk
Musselburgh Links
The Old Course is a 9-hole, par 34 links course, located in the heart of town, surrounded by Musselburgh Racecourse. The historic golf course, reputed to be one of the oldest playing golf course in the world, was an original Open venue, hosting the Championship on six occasions between 1874 and1889. For a unique golfing experience, you can hire hickory golf clubs and play the game as it was played in The Old Golf Course’s heyday. Further information is available from the Starter. www.musselburgholdlinks.co.uk
Musselburgh Golf Club
This Open Championship qualifying venue is a challenging parkland course set to test the best golfers. It nestles in a picturesque loop formed by the River Esk, overlooked by the historic village of Inveresk. It is densely populated by trees where long, accurate hitting is essential. The 18th is a tough uphill hole offering a splendid view of the magnificent art deco clubhouse. www.themusselburghgolfclub.com
Muirfield
Host to The Open 16 times, Muirfield is perhaps the fairest test of a golfer’s ability to play links golf. Phil Mickelson followed his victory in the 2013 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open a week later by winning his first Open, at Muirfield. The best players thrive on its numerous great holes, but the looped layout means that the wind differs at every hole. www.muifield.org.uk
North Berwick Golf Club
An Open qualifying venue (6 times) and one of the best and most scenic links in Scotland, with views over the Isle of May, the islands of Fidra and Craigleith, the Bass Rock and across the Firth of Forth to Fife. The course rewards strategy and guile rather than power hitting. The par three 15th, ‘Redan’, copied across the world, is 192 yards long with bunkers and a sloping green protecting the pin. Formed in 1832, North Berwick GC and the West Links is one of the most historic in Scotland. www.northberwickgolfclub.com
The Renaissance Club
One of the world’s most exclusive golf clubs and has been lauded by experts globally as one of golf’s most exquisite venues. Founded on respect for traditions of the game, acclaimed course architect Tom Doak has created a breathtaking, windswept links amidst a stunning landscape, which expertly showcases the natural features of the incredible grounds. The course is recognised as a modern masterpiece of golf course design. www.trcaa.com
Winterfield Golf Course
The coastal location means the wind is a major factor. A sequence of holes takes players out on a windswept headland into the North Sea. There are eight par 3s on the course but many are well over 200 yards long. The 1st is a very tough par three at 238 yards off the back tee, over a ravine with the Firth of Forth on your left. www.winterfieldgolfclub.info
Ayrshire
Turnberry
On the rugged west coast an icon is being reborn. The legendary Turnberry Hotel and its famous links courses are undergoing an impressive renovation, due to be unveiled next month. The host of four Open Championships – including the iconic Duel in the Sun between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in 1977 – Turnberry’s Ailsa course is having five new holes created at the 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 14th , together with alterations to all other holes, including the reshaping and positioning of bunkers, new tees and green positions and the softening of green contours to provide for more options for flag positions. The iconic lighthouse, which has acted as a timeless beacon for golfers from around the world, is also re-emerging as the world’s most impressive half-way house. In addition, the links courses Kintyre and Arran both offer a superb golfing experience. Standing sentinel, overlooking the course, the instantly recognisable Turnberry Hotel is undergoing a renovation that will see a transformation of all the bedrooms, featuring large marble bathrooms with many offering spectacular views across the Irish Sea, plus the Donald J.Trump Ballroom. www.trumpturnberry.com
Kilmarknock Barassie Golf Club
Founded in 1887, there are 27 holes at Kilmarnock Barassie Golf Club, all of which represent a tough test of golf. When Rebecca Hudson won the Ladies British Amateur Championship in 2001, her four-round score was 300. Undulating fairways, gloriously blooming heather and punishing bunkers all feature strongly at Kilmarknock Barassie Golf Club. www.kbgc.co.uk
Troon Links
Troon Links is a collection of three courses on the outskirts of the town of Troon. The Darley course is a traditional links that measures 6,300 yards while the Lochgreen course is mostly links with one small stretch of parkland. At 6,785 yards and a par-74, the Lochgreen is the longest of the three. Completing the trio is the Fullarton course which is a much shorter course at just under 5,000 yards. Eight par-3s and only one hole longer than 400 yards make this a great option for those looking for a quicker round. www.golfsouthayrshire.com
Dundonald Links
Designed by Kyle Phillips and opened in 2003, the 18 holes at Dundonald Links required little to no stone or earth movement in order to make it into one of the most beautiful courses in the region. Generous fairways and greens enhance the natural lie of the land and make for a memorable experience, every time you tee it up. Last year the course hosted the Ladies Scottish Open, with Australia’s Rebecca Artis winning by two shots ahead of Norway’s Suzann Pettersen. www.dundonaldlinks.com
Prestwick Golf Club
The birthplace of The Open Championship in 1860, Prestwick Golf Club is a quintessential Scottish links course. Sandwiched neatly between the coast and a railway line, Prestwick has blind tee shots, deep bunkers (guarding fairways and greens) and firm and fast greens. www.prestwickgc.co.uk
Royal Troon Golf Club
The Old Course at Royal Troon hosts The Open for the ninth time this year and features one of the shortest holes in professional golf – the aptly named ‘Postage Stamp’ par-3 which measures just 125 yards off the tee. The prevailing north-westerly wind makes the back nine a tough prospect, so accuracy and shot-making are at a premium on this heavily bunkered course. www.royaltroon.co.uk
Largs Golf Club
Although situated on the coast, Largs Golf Club has more features in common with an inland course. With lush fairways, wandering burns and tree-lined dog-legs, the course offers a fair but rewarding challenge. www.largsgolfclub.co.uk
Central Fife
Encompassing Fife, Angus and stretching beyond Glasgow towards the west coast through south Perthshire and the Trossachs National Park, the central cross section of Scotland has some of the finest golfing facilities in the world. Towards Fife there is the historic town of St Andrews, while just north of the estuary lies The Open venue Carnoustie. Moving inland there are the classic parkland courses at Gleneagles and Loch Lomond.
St. Andrews
The Home of Golf has seven golf courses, including the historic Old Course, on which golf has been played for 600 years. Host of The Open 29 times, the Old Course is where the game began and anyone can book a tee time to play the old links. The Old Course is ably backed up by the New Course, the Jubilee Course, the Eden Course, the Strathtyrum Course, the Castle Course and the 9-hole Balgove Course. www.standrews.com
Kingsbarns Golf Links
Designed by Kyle Phillips (who created the world-renowned Yas Links course at Abu Dhabi, UAE), Kingsbarns is one of the co-hosts for the European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship every year and also hosts Final Qualifying for The Open when The Championship is played at St Andrews. The North Sea is viewable from nearly every hole and its modern links-style is a hit with golf fans from around the world. www.kingsbarns.com
Fairmont St Andrews
With two championship courses, Fairmont St Andrews offers premium golf with panoramic views of both the town of St Andrews and the Fife coastline. Both courses are widely acclaimed – including one designed by European Tour and European Senior Tour winner and former Ryder Cup player and Captain Sam Torrance – and a composite course featuring holes from both layouts was presented to host the Scottish Senior Open on six occasions. www.fairmont.com/st-andrews-scotland/golf
Crail Golfing Society
Formed in 1786, the Crail Golfing Society is the 7th oldest golf club in the world. It has two superb links courses which offer stunning views along with challenging and always enjoyable golf. The Balcomie course is a gentle par-69 with six par-3s while the Craighead links is a par 72 with the sea visible from every hole. The Craighead is renowned architect Gil Hanse’s first course design outside the USA. www.crailgolfingsociety.co.uk
Central: Aberdeenshire
Trump International Golf Links
Set amidst The Great Dunes of Scotland, Trump International Golf Links embraces mile after mile of spectacular Aberdeenshire coastline and guarantees the experience of a lifetime. The highly acclaimed 7,400 yards championship par 72 course is designed by renowned links golf architect, Dr. Martin Hawtree, and follows a classical pattern of two out-and-back loops of nine. Woven through the majestic dunes, the course rises to find panoramic views of the sea and plunges into secluded valleys. Trump International features the largest practice facilities in the country with its 22-acre driving range. Each hole boasts distinct characteristics and unique features and with six tees on every hole the course is suitable for all levels of golfer. The exclusive 19-bedroom five-star MacLeod House and Lodge, set in a secluded and dramatic location in the heart of the magnificent ancient estate, provides unsurpassed luxury accommodation, comfort and service.www.trumpgolfscotland.com
Royal Aberdeen Golf Links
The Balgownie Links at Royal Aberdeen is one of the truest links layouts in all of Scotland. The opening nine holes wind their way through natural dunes while the back runs along a plateau. This course has an abundance of history, having hosted the Walker Cup in 2011 and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in 2014 when England’s Justin Rose was victorious. Royal Aberdeen is reputed to be the sixth oldest golf club in the world. www.royalaberdeengolf.com
Murcar Links
Established in 1909 and designed by Archie Simpson, Murcar Links is one of the most celebrated public links courses in Scotland. It has hosted both European Tour and Challenge Tour events plus the European Girls Team Championship and the Scottish Amateur Strokeplay. The links has undergone many alterations over the years but retains plenty of character and is a fair test for all. www.murcarlinks.com
Central: Angus
Carnoustie Golf Links
The famous Championship course at Carnoustie has hosted seven Open Championships and is one of the three courses that host the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. A notoriously tough track, Carnoustie is not for the faint-hearted. The two accompanying 18-hole courses – the Burnside and the Buddon Links –may not have the ‘wow’ factor of the Championship course, but they both ooze character and offer welcome respite from the their tougher big brother. This year Carnoustie hosts The Senior Open Championship for the second time. Ireland’s Padraig Harrington was the last winner of The Open when it was played at Carnoustie in 2007.www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk
Gleneagles
With three sumptuous championship courses, Gleneagles offers something for everyone. For those golfers with a sense of history they can follow the footsteps of their 2014 Ryder Cup heroes on the PGA Centenary course, which played host to the biennial event two years ago. The King’s course opened in 1919 and has stood the test of time for almost a century, while the Queen’s course threads its way through the high ridges to the north of the estate and offers some impressive views and plenty of dramatic shot-making potential. www.gleneagles.com/golf
Monifieth Golf Links
Just down the road from Carnoustie, Monifieth Golf Links has 36-holes of classic links golf for players of all levels. Regularly featured in ‘top 100’ lists, Monifieth has hosted the Scottish Boys Championships and the Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship. www.monifiethgolf.co.uk
The Carrick on Loch Lomond
About a half an hour’s drive north of Glasgow Airport lies the stunning Carrick on Loch Lomond. The course is sandwiched between the calm waters of the Loch and stunningly beautiful wooded terrain and was host to the Ladies Scottish Open in 2007. Named after course architect Douglas Carrick, the course straddles the Highland boundary fault line, with the opening 9 played on the Scottish lowland and the inward nine played in the highlands. The ‘Wee Demon’ 9-hole course is a superb place to warm up for the Championship test. www.thecarrickgolf.co.uk
Murrayshall House Hotel
The pair of courses at Murrayshall are two of the finest in Perthshire and both contrast each other in memorable ways. The Murrayshall Championship course is both wider and longer than the Lynedoch, which has tighter shots off the tee and on the approach shots, courtesy of the tall and abundant Scots Pine trees. Both courses have hosted Scottish PGA events and Murrayshall was recently the first Scottish venue to hold a Trilby Tour event. www.murrayshall.co.uk
Highlands & Islands
This year the eyes of the golfing world have an unprecedented focus on the Scottish Highlands. The Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open (AAMSO) returns to Castle Stuart Golf Links in July for the fourth time in six years, bringing some of the world’s leading golfers to the North of Scotland, along with global media coverage, creating a multi-million pound economic bonanza. When last staged at Castle Stuart, near Inverness, in 2013, the event, won by Phil Mickelson, reached a worldwide television audience of more than 500 million. The American became the third successive Open Champion (following Darren Clarke in 2011 and Ernie Els in 2012) who played Castle Stuart in the week prior to lifting the famous claret jug. This year’s AAMSO field will also include World Number 6 Henrik Stenson, 2008 Scottish Open champion Graeme McDowell, and Russell Knox, the Inverness-born winner of last season’s WGC–HSBC Champions in China, who says a victory on his home soil is just as exciting a prospect as making his debut in The Masters.
While the AAMSO is the obvious standout event, there are other highlights in an eventful year for the region’s internationally-renowned links courses. Nearby Nairn Golf Club will stage the 2016 Men’s Home Internationals competition in August and historic Royal Dornoch welcomes the Northern Open in a year marking the 400th anniversary of golf being played in the town. North of Royal Dornoch, Brora Golf Club celebrates its 125th anniversary.
As well as boasting nearly 50 courses, including ‘hidden gems’ such as Golspie GC, Elgin GC, The Akernish, Dragon’s Tooth GC, Strathpeffer Spa GC and Wick GC, the Highlands is blessed with breathtaking scenery, a colourful history, ancient castles, monuments and battle sites – including Culloden. There are whisky trails and distilleries, making some of the best known malts, not to mention beautiful beaches, spectacular mountains and iconic attractions like Loch Ness.
It’s a winning formula that attracts visitors from all around the world to enjoy the Highlands’ famous hospitality. In recent years Highland Golf Links (HGL), a partner organisation that includes the three acclaimed courses at Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch and Nairn, and three leading hotels, has offered golfing breaks and promoted the Highlands in Europe, the US, China and the Middle East.
Demand for ‘Play and Stay’
The promotional work is paying off, with record demand from golfing visitors to the Highlands and HGL’s ‘Play and Stay’ packages currently up 31 per cent on the same time last year. The attraction of the North of Scotland and its golfing treasures, spectacular scenery and lifestyle make this progressive and modern region an ideal place in which to live and work. The Highland’s capital of Inverness is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe. Global organisations such as BT, Fujitsu, Diageo, Atos, Capgemini, and LifeScan Scotland (a Johnson & Johnson company) have located and expanded their operations in the area, alongside worldwide names such as Baxters, Walkers and Johnston’s of Elgin. The Highlands and Islands is also world-leading in marine and offshore wind energy developments, including Atlantis Resources’ MeyGen in Caithness – the world’s first commercial-scale tidal energy project. The new Inverness Campus, created by economic development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), provides a nationally and internationally significant hub for business, research and education. The co-location of industry and academia, including the University of the Highlands and Islands, promotes valuable collaboration and knowledge transfer. The Campus occupies substantial prime development land connected directly to an already thriving life sciences community.
Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HIE said: “As well as being a spectacular place to visit and play golf, the Highlands and Islands has world-class learning and working environments, along with excellent training and development opportunities.
“With the help of massive investment, on which HIE is currently leading, superfast broadband is being rolled out to every part of our region which will make it one of the best connected parts of the world.”
Whether visiting the Highlands for business or leisure, new and improved air services will make it easier to reach the gateway of Inverness and potentially make it the first point of entry to Scotland for international visitors. A new year-round daily service connecting Inverness with Heathrow Airport later this month, and daily flights between Inverness and Amsterdam will offer links to a network of overseas destinations, making the Highlands even more accessible for those seeking to enjoy the region’s spectacular golf courses, beautigful scenery, thriving business ecomomy and famous hospitality.
Castle Stuart Golf Links
The Links at Castle Stuart has garnered worldwide acclaim since it opened in 2009 and work is expected to start this year on the 18-hole Palmer Tribute course at Castle Stuart – Arnold Palmer’s first course design in Scotland. The facility looks set to go from strength to strength as one of the top golfing destinations in Scotland. The gem of the Highlands, Castle Stuart hosts the AAM Scottish Open for the fourth time, having played host in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Championship links overlooks the Moray Firth with spectacular views of the Kessock Bridge, the Chanonry Lighthouse and the Black Isle from many of the holes. When Phil Mickelson won the Championship in 2013 he said: “I’m always excited about coming to Scotland and particularly to Castle Stuart. I believe that my win at Castle Stuart in 2013 was key to my success the following week in The Open at Muirfield.” The American will be hoping to repeat the Scottish double at Castle Stuart in July before heading south-west to Royal Troon for the 145th Open Championship. www.castlestuartgolf.com
Tickets for the AAM Scottish Open can be purchased from www.aamscottishopen.com
Nairn Golf Club
Just a few miles east of Castle Stuart is the wonderful links of Nairn Golf Club, which hosted the Walker Cup in 1999 and the Curtis Cup 2012. In August the club hosts the Men’s Home Internationals competition in August. You can see the shimmering waters of the Moray Firth from every hole, and in addition to the Championship course there is an excellent 9-hole par-29 course which measures 1,634 yards. www.nairngolfclub.co.uk
Hopeman Golf Club
Founded in 1909 as a 9-hole course Hopeman Golf Club added a second 9 in 1985 and its setting on the coast of the Moray Firth is simply picture perfect. The signature 12th hole is a gentle 150-yard par-3 with a 100ft drop from tee to green and offers stunning panoramic views. Honourary President of the club, 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie, describes the hole as “one of the best par-3s I have ever played.” A burn meanders from the 6th tee and comes into play on holes 2, 7 and 18. wwww.hopemangc.co.uk
Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club
Located on the Chanonry Peninsula on the ‘Black Isle’, Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club was established in 1888, and the course was re-designed by the five-time Open Champion James Braid in 1932. Braid’s remarkable achievement in designing 18 challenging holes within the narrow Chanonry Peninsula is instantly obvious. What Fortrose and Rosemarkie may lack in yardage is more than offset by its small, fast, deceptive greens, strategically placed bunkers, its proximity to the sea on eight of the holes and the dense island of gorse that awaits the wayward shot at numerous others. www.fortrosegolfclub.co.uk
Royal Dornoch
Situated around 45 miles north of Inverness on the Dornoch Firth is the impressive links of Royal Dornoch. A tough second-shot course due to the raised greens on many holes (a signature of world renowned designer Donald Ross, who hailed from the town), Royal Dornoch is this year celebrating the 400th anniversary of golf being played in the town by hosting the Northern Open. www.royaldornoch.com
Tain Golf Club
With sea on one side and the backdrop of the mountains behind, Tain Golf Club offers both beginners and experts alike a remarkable golfing experience. Another Old Tom Morris design, this links is widely renowned as one of the more picturesque in the region, with praise coming from past Open Champions Bob Charles and Peter Thomson. www.tain-golfclub.co.uk
Boat of Garten Golf Club
Another superb James Braid design, the 18 holes at Boat of Garten wind majestically through birch trees and heather. Just ten minutes from the village of Aviemore, Boat of Garten is set alongside the River Spey in the heart of the Cairngorns National Park and is one of the finest inland courses in the region. www.boatgolf.com
Brora Golf Club
Not far from Royal Dornoch, the drive from Dornoch to Brora is almost as picturesque as the James Braid-design at the destination. The opening nine holes hug the North Sea coastline and the lack of protection from sand dunes can make the wind a real menace on blustery days. This year the club celebrates its 125th anniversary and was described by 5-times Open Champion Peter Thomson as the “best traditional links course in the world.” www.broragolf.co.uk
