Region: Sutherland, Scottish Highlands | Best Time: June–August | Nearest Airport: Inverness (INV) — 1 hour drive north
Editor’s Note: The far north of Scotland offers the most remote and elemental golf on earth. Royal Dornoch is regularly rated the world’s 5th or 6th greatest course; Brora’s grazing cattle and electric fences are unique in championship golf; the journey itself — past Loch Ness and into the Highlands — is part of the experience. These courses have barely changed in a century. That is their extraordinary power.
The 5 Courses to Play
1. Royal Dornoch Golf Club — Championship Course ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Donald Ross’s formative ground (1877), extended John Sutherland
- Par / Yardage: 70 / 6,722 yards | Rating: 74.4 / 138
- Why Play It: Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw and Tiger Woods have all made the pilgrimage — Watson called it the most fun he’s ever had on a golf course. The raised plateau greens with their canted surfaces invented a design language adopted by every architect since. The course sits on a ridge above Dornoch Firth with views to the hills of Caithness.
- Book: royaldornoch.com
2. Brora Golf Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: James Braid (1924)
- Par / Yardage: 69 / 6,110 yards
- Why Play It: Electric fences keep the cattle off the fairways during the season — genuine Highland links golf shared with grazing livestock. Braid’s design has barely changed since 1924. This is what golf was before the golf industry existed. Extraordinary, strange and deeply satisfying.
- Book: broragolf.co.uk
3. Golspie Golf Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: James Braid
- Par / Yardage: 70 / 5,890 yards
- Why Play It: A hidden gem on the Sutherland coast with Dunrobin Castle visible from the fairways. Combines heathland, links and woodland in a single round. Exceptional value; rarely busy.
4. Tain Golf Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Tom Morris Sr. (1890)
- Par / Yardage: 70 / 6,222 yards
- Why Play It: Old Tom’s most northerly design — a pure links on the south shore of Dornoch Firth. A warm-up before or a wind-down after Royal Dornoch; excellent value and consistently good condition.
5. Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Par / Yardage: 71 / 5,858 yards
- Why Play It: On the Black Isle peninsula with views of Chanonry Point (famous for dolphin watching) — a traditional Scottish links of enormous charm. The finish along the Moray Firth is one of Scotland’s most peaceful golf experiences. Dolphin sightings from the fairway are common in summer.
Where to Stay
- Royal Dornoch Castle Hotel (Boutique 4★): Small, exquisite hotel in Dornoch town centre — 5 minutes’ walk to the first tee. Check availability on Expedia →
- Skibo Castle (Carnegie Club): The most exclusive private resort in the Highlands — accessible via the Carnegie Club membership. Golf, falconry and one of Scotland’s great country houses.
- Getting There: Fly to Inverness (INV); 1-hour drive north on the A9. Alternatively, train from Edinburgh to Inverness (3h 30m) then hire car.