7 days · 5 links courses · 2 hotels
The Highlands offer some of the finest golf in Scotland, and this journey brings five very different courses together in one compact route.
The trip begins around the Moray Firth, with three outstanding courses within easy reach of Inverness. Old Petty at Cabot Highlands brings the newest interpretation of Highland links golf, while Castle Stuart has already established itself as one of Scotland’s modern classics. Nairn provides the historic counterpoint, a traditional championship links shaped over a century of golf.
From Inverness, the journey heads north to Dornoch. Brora provides a wonderfully traditional stop further up the coast before the journey reaches its centrepiece: Royal Dornoch’s Championship Course.
There is little need to look beyond the golf on this journey.
Day 1
Welcome to the Highlands
Inverness Airport is the natural gateway to the Highlands and makes the beginning of this journey particularly easy. From the airport, it is only a short drive to Culloden House, your first base.
There is no reason to start playing golf immediately. The Highlands deserve a little time to settle in. Take a walk through the grounds, enjoy a drink in the house or make the short journey into Inverness.
For golfers arriving from overseas, this is also a useful way to ease into Highland time before the first round.
One visit is a must: the battlefield of the famous Battle of Culloden is right on your doorstep. The battlefield and the visitor centre are well worth your time, and not just for fans of Outlander. Because it is only a few minutes from the hotel, it makes a perfect first outing on the day you arrive.
For dinner, there is no need to go far. The elegant dining room at Culloden House is a fine place to end your first day.
Stay
Culloden House is a Georgian country house hotel in its own grounds, within easy reach of both the airport and the battlefield that gave it its name. The present house dates from the 1770s, but its predecessor on the same site was the headquarters of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the days before the Battle of Culloden in April 1746. Your night here will almost certainly be calmer than his.
Day 2
A new chapter in Highland links golf
The first round takes you to Cabot Highlands and its newest course, Old Petty.
Officially opened in May 2026, the course was designed by Tom Doak with his associate Clyde Johnson. It lies beside the historic Old Petty Church, close to Castle Stuart, and from 13 of its 18 holes the 400-year-old castle is in view. The routing moves through open Highland terrain and towards the Moray Firth.
Old Petty is interesting precisely because it is new. It does not have decades of championship history behind it. Instead, it offers a contemporary interpretation of what a Highland links course can be, while working with a landscape that has been here for centuries.
The course forms part of Cabot Highlands alongside Castle Stuart, which you will play on Day 4. I played Old Petty in October 2026, a few months after it opened, on a bitterly cold but almost windless day. I liked it a lot. The fairways are wider and the whole course is more open than Castle Stuart. The greens are already in excellent condition. My highlights are the short par 4 at the 13th and the gently rising 10th fairway. Without wind, the course is very playable. When the wind picks up, it gets much harder.
After the round, you can return to Culloden House or, if the weather plays along, make an excursion to Loch Ness. The northern end of the famous Loch Ness is not far from your hotel. Take a detour to the picturesque Urquhart Castle on the western shore, about 15 miles (25 km) from Inverness, and see if you can spot Nessie.
One of the pleasures of staying here is having somewhere special to come back to. Have another dinner at Culloden House or, if you fancy a change, grab some food at Fig & Thistle Bistro in nearby Inverness.
Day 3
A Highland classic
Today takes you to Nairn’s Championship Course, one of the established names of Scottish links golf.
The course was founded in 1887 and has evolved through the work of architects including Archie Simpson, Old Tom Morris and James Braid. It occupies a spectacular stretch of coastline beside the Moray Firth, with views of the sea from every hole.
There is a wonderful sense of continuity at Nairn. The course feels firmly rooted in its surroundings, yet it remains a serious championship test. The greens and pot bunkers demand precision, while the exposed coastal setting ensures that the wind is always part of the equation.
Nairn also has an impressive competitive history. The Walker Cup was played here in 1999 and the Curtis Cup in 2012, and the course continues to appear prominently in British rankings.
It is a fitting example of the kind of golf that has made the Highlands such a compelling destination.
It’s worth arriving at the club a little early. The team at the pro shop is exceptionally friendly, and from the clubhouse—which green fee players are welcome to use—you have a beautiful view of what lies ahead of you.
The course has virtually no weak points; hole number 14, “Kopjes”—a downhill par 3 with a picturesque view of the Moray Firth—is simply outstanding. Enjoy your round!
Back at the hotel, celebrate your last night in Culloden in style: a final dinner at Culloden House, followed by a wee dram in the hotel’s whisky bar.
Day 4
Modern links, then north to Dornoch
Castle Stuart is the second Cabot Highlands course on this journey, and a very different proposition from Old Petty.
Castle Stuart opened in 2009 and was designed by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse. The course runs along the Moray Firth, combining broad coastal views with rumpled fairways, gorse, heather and natural sandy ground.
The architecture is modern, yet the course has a distinctly traditional feel. Its setting does much of the work. The Moray Firth remains close throughout the round, while the surrounding landscape gives the course a sense of space that is characteristic of Highland golf.
Playing both on the same journey makes the contrast particularly interesting. One is a brand-new Tom Doak design, the other a modern classic that has had time to establish its own identity.
I still remember my first visit to Cabot Highlands very well. Back then, there was only one course, and it was simply called Castle Stuart.
I also remember the numerous photos I took during my round. It was a relatively warm October day, and the course was quite busy. Normally, I get annoyed when play slows down, but on that day—and on that gorgeous golf course—I was perfectly fine with it. Much better, in fact, than dealing with the numerous extra strokes I racked up around the greens.
Today is also the day you change hotels. Check out of Culloden House in the morning and take your luggage with you. After the round, the road leads north to Dornoch, your base for the rest of the journey.
The drive crosses the Cromarty Firth and the Dornoch Firth, and the landscape opens up with every mile. Because you travel straight after Castle Stuart, you arrive in Dornoch with the evening still ahead of you. That gives you time to check in, stroll through the town and get used to its special atmosphere before the golf continues.
For a first drink in town, there are two good options. The award-winning whisky bar at the Dornoch Castle Hotel is a treat for anyone who likes a dram. For something more down to earth, try The Eagle, a pub that is popular with locals and visitors alike.
Stay
Marine & Lawn Dornoch, Dornoch
Marine & Lawn Dornoch, the former Dornoch Station hotel, opened in 2023 after extensive renovations and belongs to the Marine & Lawn group, which also owns Marine & Lawn Rusacks in St Andrews. It sits at the upper end of the price range in Dornoch, but it is a place I return to at least twice a year. Dinner is served in The Golden Gorse, and Bar Ross is named after Donald Ross, the golf course architect who was born in Dornoch. The Royal Dornoch clubhouse is only a few minutes’ walk away.
Day 5
Traditional Highland links
Today the road leads from Dornoch further north along the coast to Brora. The drive is short, but it is worth taking your time. The route passes Loch Fleet, where seals are often seen, and the landscape becomes increasingly open as you move into Sutherland.
Brora Golf Club was established in 1891 and is recognised as one of James Braid’s finest pieces of work. The course runs alongside the sea, with the railway and surrounding hills adding to its distinctive character.
Brora feels a world away from the polished experience of Castle Stuart or the modern design of Old Petty. It is traditional, slightly eccentric and deeply connected to the landscape. When I first played there in 2017, cattle and sheep were grazing the links, with electric fences protecting the greens.
After three highly regarded courses around the Moray Firth, Brora brings the journey back to the simpler roots of links golf: a piece of coastal land, a golf course and the wind coming in from the sea.
There is no need for this round to compete with what is still to come. Brora has its own character, and that is precisely why it belongs here.
The golf course in Brora has steadily climbed the rankings in recent years. This may be due in part to better visibility, but also to the fact that more and more people are making their way up here and aren’t heading straight back south from Dornoch.
The course certainly deserves it. And the staff there, of course. I have fond memories of a round there with my brother. He sliced what should have been an easy shot into the deep rough, and a greenkeeper was immediately on the scene to ask how much we’d had to drink the night before. Cheeky, yes, but entirely good-natured: proof that golf is just a game and that you shouldn’t take yourself or your game too seriously.
Best hole: Number 9, a par 3 called Sea Hole. It marks the furthest outward point of the out-and-back links layout, sitting right on the edge of Kintradwell Bay and the Moray Firth. Stunning.
On the way back to Dornoch, make time for Dunrobin Castle, just north of Golspie. With its turrets and its position high above the sea, it is one of the most striking castles in the Highlands. Even if you skip the interior, the formal gardens are worth a visit in their own right. They are laid out in the style of Versailles and slope gently down towards the water, and an hour spent wandering through them is time well spent.
Back in Dornoch, there is no need to go far for dinner. The Golden Gorse, the restaurant at Marine & Lawn Dornoch, serves seasonal food built around Highland ingredients, with seafood and Highland lamb often on the menu. It is a restaurant I like very much, and a fine way to end a day on the coast.
Day 6
The great name of the Highlands
Today is the day around which the whole journey has been built: Royal Dornoch’s Championship Course.
To get you in the mood, I recommend the episode about Dornoch in the golf travel series “Tourist Sauce” by the guys from “No Laying Up.” You can find it on YouTube.
The course lies along the north shore of the Dornoch Firth and is one of the world’s great links. At 6,799 yards and par 70, it is not exceptionally long by modern standards. Its challenge comes from the contours, the greens, the angles and the ever-present influence of the wind.
Royal Dornoch has a reputation that is almost impossible to live up to, yet the course still manages to make an immediate impression. From the opening holes to the final approach, the landscape and the golf remain inseparable.
Take your time.
And take a caddie.
The caddies at Royal Dornoch know the course inside out: the lines, the bounces, the speed of the greens and the way the wind behaves on each hole. Just as valuable is their company. Many of them are real local characters, and a round with one of them is rarely a quiet one.
One practical point: caddies are not available on demand. Request one when you book your tee time, or at least 14 days before you play. The club allocates caddies the day before, based on the bookings in its system, so turning up at the clubhouse and hoping for the best will not work.
After yesterday’s traditional round at Brora, the contrast is striking. You have seen how links golf can survive and thrive in the landscape further north. Now you are playing the course that has made this stretch of the Highlands famous around the world.
The Championship Course in Dornoch is the crowning finale of what is sure to be a very eventful golf trip with countless highlights.
Enjoy the day, which should begin with some extensive shopping in the pro shop and, after your round, absolutely must end in the new, breathtaking clubhouse. The views from up here are just as spectacular as what you’ll experience on the course. With the exception of the 16th hole—which I’m not particularly fond of—the Championship Course is a succession of incredible holes and views that you’ll never forget for the rest of your golfing life. And that’s a promise.
Marine & Lawn Dornoch is only a few minutes’ walk from the course, so you will not need the car today.
For the evening, I suggest dinner at Mara, the restaurant of the luxurious Links House hotel and the only fine-dining option in Dornoch. I have been there several times, and the food has been excellent every time. After a round on the Championship Course, it is a fitting way to end the journey.
Day 7
One last look at the Highlands
After breakfast, the journey comes to an end.
From Dornoch, Inverness Airport is the obvious departure point. Aberdeen and Edinburgh remain alternatives for travellers building the Highlands into a longer Scottish trip.
If you have a little extra time, I recommend taking a detour to the remote northern west coast. There, for example, you can drive across the Kylesku Bridge, which I chose as the featured image for my itineraries. You shouldn’t be afraid of single-track roads, though—there are plenty of them up here.
Five rounds have taken you from the newest links at Old Petty to the historic fairways of Nairn, from the modern design of Castle Stuart to the traditional character of Brora, and finally to the legendary landscape of Royal Dornoch.
A fairly compact itinerary.
But a remarkable amount of golf.
WHY THIS ROUTE
This journey is built around the best-known courses rather than the lesser-known corners of the Highlands.
Three of the rounds are concentrated around the Moray Firth, making Inverness an ideal first base. Old Petty and Castle Stuart offer two very different approaches to modern Highland links golf, while Nairn provides a direct connection to the region’s long golfing tradition.
Then the route moves north to Dornoch.
You change hotels on Day 4, straight after Castle Stuart. That way you arrive in Dornoch with a free evening and have time to settle in before Brora and Royal Dornoch.
Royal Dornoch is the centrepiece, while Brora provides a contrasting experience just before the final round. Together, the five courses offer a useful cross-section of Highland golf without turning the journey into a race between tee times.
There is also a certain logic to the order.
You start with something new.
Then play a classic.
Then another modern classic.
Then Brora.
And finally Royal Dornoch.
It is a progression that builds steadily towards Royal Dornoch.
The itinerary is designed to offer as much variety as possible and ensures short travel times between the individual golf courses and hotels.
Best time: The north-east can have long spells of frost, and courses may close for days at a time. The best time to go is from mid-April to mid-November.
Tee times: Book the Championship Course at Royal Dornoch as early as possible – up to a year in advance – and plan the rest of the trip around it. Old Petty, Castle Stuart and Nairn are also best booked early.
Caddies: At Royal Dornoch, a caddie adds a great deal to the round. Request one when you book your tee time, or at least 14 days before you play.
Rental car: Pick up your car at Inverness Airport. I always follow two rules. First, book an automatic. It costs more, but when you are driving on the left, you will be glad not to change gear with your left hand. Second, choose a smaller car. On the narrower roads, you will be glad it isn’t too wide.
Weather: Pack waterproofs and warm layers, even in summer. The wind is part of every round.
Eating and drinking: In Dornoch, The Golden Gorse at Marine & Lawn Dornoch (Day 5) and Mara at Links House (Day 6) are my tips for dinner. For a drink, try the whisky bar at the Dornoch Castle Hotel or The Eagle (Day 4).
Beyond golf: Culloden Battlefield (Day 1), Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness (Day 2), Dunrobin Castle (Day 5) and Dornoch Cathedral are all within easy reach.
