The Nairn Golf Club’s truly remarkable feature is that from every hole you can see the Moray Firth and the golden coloring and changing lights of the Black Isle.  What delights the visitor and member alike is the Scottish-ness of the links.  Other than in a strong westerly, it leads you in gently before demanding accurate driving and precision second shots.  Gorse is a hazard.  The par 4 holes tease and confound and all four short holes are cunningly angled, with the 4th a little gem and the 14th simply spectacular.  As three of the par 5 holes are over 530 yards long, it is a test for all.  Yet, even more challenging than the humps and hollows that lurk in the fairways, is the trickery of the greens.  Eighty years ago, having played the Championship Course, James Braid commented on their quality – “The texture of the turf and the character of the greens is unrivalled”.

Website: www.nairngolfclub.co.uk

Voted Best New Course in 2009 by Golf magazine, and home to four Scottish Open’s since then, Castle Stuart has quickly become a centerpiece amongst the other great Highlands courses.  The course enjoys a setting and topography that combine to make the golf experience visually memorable. The golf holes are 18 compositions that place the notable landmarks of the Moray Firth directly into the player’s perspective. 

All in all Castle Stuart can be described as a throwback to golf as it once was – a simple walk through pleasing natural surrounds with some companionable and competitive rules attached to it.

Website: www.castlestuartgolf.com