Castle Stuart
Nairn
Machrihanish
EAST COAST
Carnoustie Golf Links. There’s nothing to match the
experience of playing one of the most famous and
challenging courses in world golf and the finishing hole
with the clubhouse in the background is a highlight. A
scene of major drama in the 99 and 07 British Opens,
this 510-yard par-4 will play as a par-5 for the majority
of golfers even from the front markers. Faced with a tee
shot most likely into the wind, you must negotiate the
notorious Barry Burn that winds across the fairway like
an agitated snake. A five is good here and a six would
have won Jean Van de Velde the 1999 Open. Originally
laid out in 1840 by Allan Robertson, with major changes
being introduced later by Old Tom Morris and James
Braid.
Other golfing options: Royal Aberdeen, Murcar Links,
Cruden Bay.
Muirfield, credit A.Brown
HIGHLANDS
Royal Dornoch: Golf was first played here at least as far
back as 1616 when the Earl of Sutherland ordered clubs
and balls to take up the game that was becoming so
popular further south. This makes Royal Dornoch the
third oldest golfing community in Scotland.
“After the second hole, you round a corner, pass a
hedge and golfing heaven breaks loose.” These words
on the club’s website are temptation enough, but once
you go around the said corner, everything about this
world top 20 course is right in front of you. Framed
between the hills and mountains to the left and the
wild North Sea is a rich tapestry of undulating fairways
and plateau greens interspersed with flowering yellow
gorse. Magical stuff.
Castle Stuart Golf Links: The brainchild of Mark
Parsinen, the American who gifted the world
Kingsbarns, this new championship links course
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