Castle Stewart Championship Links Course opened in the summer of 2009 and “might be the most perfectly conceived and executed design ever built” - Ron Whitten (Golf Digest USA).
The first three holes on each nine hug the coastline of the Moray Firth – between Inverness and Nairn where the North Sea is protected by dramatic sea walls.
The rest of the layout is mostly on a plateau, with the natural links style creating the impression that every green is hanging over the edge of the water – creating an “infinity greens” effect.
Castle Stewart will host the Barclays Scottish Open in 2011 where two-time Open Champion Padraig Harrington, Phil Mickelson, and Graeme McDowell will compete for the trophy.
Course designer: Archie Simpson, Tom Morris, James Braid
Venue: Walker Cup
Nairn is a traditional Scottish links carved out of the natural landscape along the shores of the Moray Firth. The course is a fine test with three par 5s over 530 yards and a premium on accurate driving and precision second shots. There are humps and hollows lurking in the fairways and the smooth greens are tricky to master.
Beware of the opening holes, as it is all too easy to strike the ball into the sea on each of the first seven!
Eighty years ago, having played the Championship Course, James Braid commented - “The texture of the turf and character of the greens is unrivalled.”
Travel into town as far as the church with a tower on the left hand side of the main road. Turn first left after the church into Seabank Road towards the shore of the Moray Firth, where you will find the clubhouse.
From Aberdeen on A96:
Travel through town until you see a church with a tower on the right hand side of the main road. Turn right into Seabank Road just before the church and keep going until you reach the clubhouse.
Situated on the shores of the Moray Firth, the Nairn Dunbar golf course, founded in 1899, is a highly rated Scottish links championship course representing a formidable challenge with its gorse-lined fairways.
Renowned for its excellent condition and friendly reception to visitors, the club regularly hosts national amateur events. Facilities in the newly reopened clubhouse include comfortable lounge bars, dining room, extensive locker room facilities with visitors room and showers.
Dornoch Golf Club was formed in 1877, became Royal in 1906 courtesy of King Edward VII, and has always been operated as a private members club. However, since the very beginning, the members and the people of Dornoch have realised the joy that their course gives to golfers and the value of the tourism to the area so have welcomed visitors ever since the first ball was struck.
The par 70 course is evenly distributed over the two halves, each featuring two par threes, a par five and six par fours. If the wind blows the course will demand more from the player especially the par four finishing hole where a par can be considered a birdie. Old Tom Morris was the architect responsible for extending the original 9 holes layout to 18 holes in 1866. He introduced the plateau greens which are the soul of the course, their uniqueness lies in their size and their inverted saucer shapes.
