Aim for the fairways of the Highlands

The golfing spotlight has been firmly on the Highlands this year, with Castle Stuart near Inverness hosting the Scottish Open for the first time.

 

This gorgeous links venue only opened its doors a couple of years ago and has already been hailed as a masterpiece by the golfing experts.

 

Not far from Castle Stuart, the seaside town of Nairn boasts two superb links courses, both of them boasting championship status. Nairn Golf Club is a classic out-and-back links affair, while Nairn Dunbar is another coastal gem.

 

The Fortrose & Rosemarkie course over on the Black Isle was created by the legendary James Braid (of Gleneagles and Carnoustie fame) and lies within the narrow Chanonry Peninsula, a prime spot for dolphin watching.

 

You can do a tour of Braid’s courses in the Highlands. Boat of Garten is a breathtaking course in the heart of Cairngorms National Park and has been dubbed ‘the Gleneagles of the north’.

 

Golspie enjoys stunning views over the Dornoch Firth, while Brora is Braid’s most northerly creation and is indeed the headquarters of the James Braid Golfing Society.

 

‘Old’ Tom Morris is another illustrious course designer who left his mark on the Highlands. Strathpeffer Spa was laid out by Morris and has been described as ‘a jewel in the Highlands’ by the BBC’s Peter Alliss.

 

Royal Dornoch is as spellbinding a links layout as you’ll find in Scotland. Five-time Open champion Tom Watson is a huge fan of a course that was ranked fourth by Golf Digest UK & Ireland 2011.

 

Durness is the most northerly course on the Scottish mainland and at the end of this spectacular nine-hole course you get to hit your final tee shot 'over the Atlantic Ocean'! Worth

the journey for that shot alone.