Opened in 2009 as Castle Stuart and designed by Gil Hanse and the late Mark Parsinen, the course hosted the Scottish Open four times between 2011 and 2016 – Phil Mickelson won here in 2013, the week before he claimed the Claret Jug at Muirfield. The Cabot group acquired the course in 2022 and renamed it Cabot Highlands the following year. It plays to a par of 72, and in 2026 gained a sister course on the same site, Old Petty, designed by Tom Doak.
This stunning modern links is highly ranked in all the relevant rankings and also in my own! The clubhouse is amazing and the views over the Moray Firth on almost all the holes are simply breathtaking. Play around the greens is crucial for a good scoring, because the layout punishes all bad approach shots immediately. What else? You might want to have a look at the weather forecast before your round. Good luck if you have to play on a breezy day.
