Beyond North Uist , on the dramatic and rugged island of Harris is another far-flung gem – the Scarista Links at the Isle of Harris Golf Club - a gorgeous 9-hole course bordered on one side by the Sound of Taransay , leading onto the Atlantic Ocean , and all down the west side of the course stretch the white sands and turquoise waters typical of this part of the Hebrides . When Nick Faldo first visited the course in the early nineties prior to flying out to the Masters , he described it as “ one of the most beautiful settings for golf .” Back then , the green fee for a day ’ s golf was £ 5 ( today it ’ s still only £ 15 for 9 holes ), paid into an ‘ honesty box ’, a quirky arrangement that adds to the magic of the place . Faldo signed his £ 5 note , and ever since , the club members have competed annually for the ‘ Faldo Fiver ’. Alas , on this trip we don ’ t have time to drop our £ 15 into the honesty box at the Scarista Links . After spending a comfortable night at the Langass Lodge in Locheport on North Uist , the following morning we trundle aboard the M . V Hebrides vehicle ferry at Lochmaddy , dine on hearty Scottish breakfasts during the crossing and roll off the ramp at Uig on the Isle of Skye a few of hours later . Once voted the ‘’ The 4th best island in the world by National Geographic magazine ’, Skye is a 50-mile-long smorgasbord of velvet moors , jagged mountain ranges , sparkling lochs and towering sea cliffs . The stunning scenery is the main drawcard , but when the mist closes in there ’ s plenty of other attractions including picturesque villages , castles , cosy pubs , crofting museums , fine local produce and a 9-hole seaside course at Sconser with spectacular views of the Isle of Raasay and North Skye . Castles , Lochs & Highland Golf After travelling over the Skye Bridge we are back on the mainland and soon head past Eilean Donan Castle , standing bold and upright on the shores of Loch Duich , on a site that that has been fortified for well over 800 years . The castle is somewhat of a film star and has been used in many productions over the years including the James Bond movie The World is Not Enough and Highlander starring Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert . An hour or so later we experience another iconic Scottish image , driving alongside the mysterious waters of Loch Ness where more ancient castles perch on heather-clad hillsides , home of golden eagle and red deer . At 22 miles long and up to 1.5 miles wide , no one knows for certain if monsters inhabit the near 1000-ft depths , but certainly its peat-darkened waters would be the perfect place for such a legend to hide . We joke to ourselves that there ’ s probably a better chance of spotting ‘ Nessie ’ than shooting under our handicaps at the final course of our Islands & Highlands trip - the testing Castle Stuart Golf Links just east of Inverness . The brainchild of Mark Parsinen , the American who gifted the world Kingsbarns , this championship links course overlooks the Moray Firth and well-known landmarks that are synonymous with Inverness – the Kessock Bridge , Chanonry Lighthouse , Fort George and Castle Stuart itself - and enjoys similar topography to Royal Dornoch further north , with an old sea cliff creating two tiered plateaus with six holes running alongside the inner Moray Firth . The course has been designed with wide fairways to offer plenty of lines of play on ground that is perfect for links golf . The great thing about Castle Stuart is that you get a real sense of seclusion and most of the time you are not aware of other golfers out on the course . The views all around are fabulous , and from some tees and greens , the 1930s style white ’ Art Deco ’ clubhouse can be seen sitting prominently atop its viewing perch . As Turnberry is to Ayrshire , Gleneagles is to Perthshire , and St Andrews is to Fife , Castle Stuart , the new home of the Scottish Open , has been conceived to be for the Highlands region and destined to be a future classic . The addition of new courses such as Castle Stuart , Machrihanish Dunes and the unearthed gem of Askernish Old along with the other over 550 members of the Scottish golfing arena give visitors a fantastic platform to design their own perfect Islands & Highlands golf break in Scotland .