The Scottish Highlands -- A golf connoisseur's dream  Golf International, Inc. Any trip to the Home of Golf that excludes the Scottish Highlands is missing one of the most spectacularly good-looking regions of the country. The Highlands are the very essence of everything that makes Scotland so special - including golf.  Royal Dornoch is ranked among the world's Top Ten Courses .
There's an intrigue to this region that captivates all who visit. It's a land of dramatically beautiful countryside made up of magnificent mountains, stunning glens, shimmering lochs and ancient castles. The handsomely rugged coastline and lonely isles, constantly pounded by an unrelenting sea, provide vivid seascapes, which artists have tried to capture for centuries. This is home to the Loch Ness Monster, folk-hero Rob Roy and Shakespeare's Macbeth. This is where the kilt and Scottish bagpipes were born, whisky distilleries abound and much of Scotland's often bloody history was written. It was close to Nairn Golf Club where Bonnie Prince Charlie and his small Jacobite army were crushingly defeated in 1746 in their effort to regain the Scottish throne from the British at the Battle of Culloden. For the visiting golfer, the picture-postcard scenery, history and fascinating sightseeing are all a bonus because the Highlands is also where you will find an impressive collection of truly memorable golf courses. Some of the names may not be as familiar as those located further south in the more heavily populated lowlands and they may not be as numerous, but they are pure quality, through and through. Royal Dornoch is undoubtedly the jewel in the Highland golfing crown and among the top ranked, dozen courses in the world. Secluded, stunningly beautiful, as tough as nails and packed with history, there is probably no course more deserving of being a British Open venue. Unfortunately it's the isolation of this stunning links that guarantees this will never be. But don't make the mistake of just floating up to the Highlands to play the number one course, then running back down to the lowlands to pick up a few more big names. Linger a while in this special part of Scotland and there will be plenty of rewards; you'll just need a few days to soak it all up.  Brora Golf Club where sheep and cattle still roam.  Durness - the 9th - 18th requires an Atlantic Crossing.  Fortrose & Rosemarkie an undiscovered links gem dating from 1888.  Tain is an Old Tom Morris design dating from 1890. The true wealth of Highlands golf lies in the array of little known courses, each providing a golf experience seldom found elsewhere. Less than a 15-minute drive along the coast north of Royal Dornoch is Golspie Golf Club, a fascinating layout that combines parkland, pure links, woods and heather into a creative cocktail that is pure fun from beginning to end. The often testy design, set amid breathtaking scenery, is from the great James Braid. While you are in Golspie, take an hour or two to visit Dunrobin Castle, one of the great stately homes of the Highlands that has been seat to the Earls of Sutherland since the 13th century. Magnificently situated in a great park with formal gardens overlooking the sea, the castle is open to visitors and gives an intriguing look at how the wealthy land barons of old once lived. A further 10 minutes driving along the coast brings you to Brora, and a gem of a traditional links that has been here since 1891. Sheep are still used to keep the fairways cropped and the feeling for most visitors is that this is the way golf was played a hundred years ago. Be sure to stop by the little Clynelish Whisky Distillery, located just across the road from the golf club and sample one of the most unique single malts to be found in the country. Feeling more adventurous? Take a day excursion some 80 miles northwest of Golspie and Brora to Durness and play the most northerly course on the British mainland. Don't be deterred by the fact there are only 9 greens, the two distinctly different sets of tees present an ominous challenge for most. The 9th and 18th holes, requiring tee shots across the crashing waves of the North Atlantic, are certainly among the most exciting in the entire country. Drive 15 minutes south of Dornoch and experience yet another jewel of an historic links with a whisky connection at Tain. This was the administrative center for the notorious Highland Clearances of 1792 and many with Scottish ancestry can trace their roots back to this, now peaceful small town. Tain's golf course is a comparatively lengthy combination of links and heathland from the drawing board of Old Tom Morris. It's a superb, very quiet site with some of the best greens you will find anywhere. The variety filled challenge demands an ability to use every club in your bag and is best suited to the thinking golfer with talent. When you tire of thinking, the Glenmorangie Whisky Distillery is just down the road. Continuing southward, drive a few miles away from the motorway and discover one of Scotland's true hidden gems at Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club. Unknown to even many Scots, this is a traditional links with an extra bite and a spunky character, tough enough to challenge anyone. And so the list goes on -- the championship links at Nairn, ranked among the top 10 courses in the British Isles is a must play, but don't overlook nearby Nairn Dunbar Golf Club. Another rough and tumble links layout -- Nairn Dunbar may lack some of the fame of its next door neighbor, but that is more then made up for by the sheer delight of discovering yet another golfing jewel. The Highlands hold a very special attraction for the visiting golfer and remain a less discovered corner of Scotland. Spend some time here, away from the hustle and bustle of the lowlands and you can only be impressed -- this is golf the way it was supposed to be. For a few pointers on how best you can discover the Scottish Highlands, click here. © 2007 David Brice / Golf International Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
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