Caddie Golf Tours Highland Golf Course Review

Highland Links golf courses:

Brora Golf Course | Cruden Bay Golf Course | Fraserburgh Golf Club | Moray Golf Club | Nairn Golf Course | Royal Aberdeen Golf Course | Royal Dornoch Golf Club | Tain Golf Course |

Brora Golf Course

James Braid arrived at Brora in 1924 and gave the existing course a makeover leaving his indelible stamp of several testing par 4's, requiring good medium-long irons into the greens, four tricky par 3's and a solitary par 5. Being around the 6,000 yard mark it may not be of a torturous length but I would warn against complacency, especially on a Braid course.

This is a classic links layout (nine out and nine in) set between a pristine beach, running parallel to the course, and the great rolling hills of Sutherland. It is quite easy to transport oneself back to the early half of the 20th Century as the round unfolds, surrounded by the Highland quiet, with only the uninterested glances of the cows and sheep, who have seen it all before, intruding on the serenity.

Cruden Bay Golf Course

Unique. Incomparable. Nothing can quite prepare you for Cruden Bay, it is astonishing. A 6,395 yard par 70 with blind drives and approaches to hidden greens, gullies and dramatic dunes it is consistently placed near the top of any list of links courses in the World.

Laid out over an awkward piece of links land during 1889 by Old Tom Morris, without the aid of modern machinery, many of the hole's devilish designs are down to his ingenuity in working with what he had. Though redeveloped in 1926 by Tom Simpson much of the original route remains and can still leave us, 115 years later, scratching our collective heads and looking around for answers to the questions posed: "How? Where? Why?". Laughter, fun and golf, Cruden Bay will supply more than just a score on a card.

Fraserburgh Golf Club

An historic natural Scottish Links, located close to Cruden Bay in the north east of Scotland, that originates from 1777 and is officially recognised by the British Golf Museum, in St. Andrews, as the 7th oldest golf club in the World. The design of the course was reworked in 1922 by the ubiquitos James Braid, x5 time Open Champion, and that design remains to this day.

This is natural Scottish links golf at its best on a golf course that is shamefully overlooked by Scottish golfers and visitors to Scotland. A delightful respite from the serious Championship links courses that are close by it will test the best of players over it's 6,300 yards on a truly, lovely links setting.

Moray Golf Club

The 1st & 18th of the Old at Moray start and finish within the town, which will bring memories of the Old Course at St. Andrews. Not surprising then to learn that the grandfather of golf, Old Tom Morris, was the architect in 1889. Always very proud of his 18th at St. Andrews it is felt that the 423 yard final hole here surpasses it as his best finish in Scottish golf.

There is nothing hidden from view on this honest open links measuring 6,617 yards to a par of 71. Good fairways that have to be hit due to bunkers, rough and dunes with approaches to lovely greens that have gentle subtle breaks. A great location for a round of links golf.

Royal Aberdeen Golf Course

Founded in 1780 by the Society of Aberdeen Golfers giving it the accolade of being the 6th oldest in the World, these are also the chaps to harangue or perhaps applaud for introducing the '5 minute rule' when searching for your ball. The course moved to the present location in 1887-8 when Robert Simpson created this links beauty, alongside a stunning beach, to the north of Aberdeen.

The first nine follow the beach out to the furthest point of the course and they have the reputation of being the stiffest test of any outward nine in links golf. Some high tee positions, offering drives to rolling fairways between sand dunes and tough rough, it is demanding but also perversely rewarding. The inward nine, shorter by some 372 yards, come running back over a gentler terrain to the 18th green, in front of the grand old clubhouse, via the landward side.

6,372 yards do not make Royal Aberdeen a long course but you do feel that it plays longer. There are many who advocate that it would be an Open course if it were increased by 500-700 yards, we shall wait and see if that ever comes to fruition.

Royal Dornoch Golf Club

This is rightly regarded as the pinnacle of Old Tom Morris's golf course design. He came to Dornoch in 1886 and along with John Sutherland redeveloped the nine existing holes and planned nine more. John Sutherland, the Club Secretary for 50 odd years, worked on these designs and there then followed the Morris devotees, Donald Ross (Pinehurst No2) and George Duncan, to assist in the development of the course to what we know now.

Remote, certainly, but for the modern golfer with the comforts of 21st Century travel at their disposal no great hardship in lieu of the delights that await at Royal Dornoch. The classic out & in layout contains the Morris hallmarks of wide fairways, countless bunkers positioned just right, a few blind shots and enormous plateau greens that are completely in tune with the setting. A true test and a joy to be able to play whether low or high handicapped, especially when the gorse is in full golden bloom during the months of April and May.

The quotes from Ben Crenshaw and Tom Watson are well known but they withstand repeating because of the genuine affection in their words:

On returning to Muirfield for the 1980 Open Crenshaw was asked what he thought of Dornoch, "Let me put it this way, I nearly didn't come back"

Tom Watson, 5 times Open Champion, described it thus, "The most fun I have ever had playing golf".

see also: Map Page | Kingdom of Golf | Southeast Golf Courses | Southwest Golf Courses

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