Royal Dornoch golf course along the shore of the Dornoch Firth

Unofficial golf trip guide · Scottish Highlands

Where to stay for a Scottish Highlands golf trip

Independent guide · Last checked: 7 Nov 2026

In short

For a Highlands golf trip, split the week between two bases: Dornoch, where you can walk from the town square to Royal Dornoch, and the Nairn and Inverness side for Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart and Old Petty), Nairn and Nairn Dunbar. Brora and Tain are short drives from Dornoch. The two bases are about an hour to an hour and 20 minutes apart by car, so move once rather than driving back and forth. May to September is the main season, and 2027 visitor fees are already out at every club on this page.

Where to stay in the Scottish Highlands

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Live map · DornochHotels and rentals at live prices, Sun 6 Jun to Sat 12 Jun

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ABCDEF Dornoch1 Brora2 Nairn3 Inverness4 Cabot Highlands lodges5

ACourse to play

Plan ahead Email Royal Dornoch first, since its 2027 diary is already open, then book Cabot Highlands and Nairn, whose 2027 fees and booking are already live.

Courses you can play in the Scottish Highlands

  1. A fairway on Royal Dornoch golf course Open to the public

    Royal Dornoch, Championship Course

    One of the great old links, laid along the shore of the Dornoch Firth and shaped in part by Old Tom Morris. Visitors play every day from March to November; the club's second course, the Struie, is cheaper and gentler.

    Visitors play seven days a week, subject to availability. Online booking is offline while the club changes software (November 2026), so you phone to check times and email the bookings team to request one. The club is taking bookings to the end of March 2028, and takes no visitor bookings from December to the end of February. Ask for caddies when you book.

    Green fee: £390 (2027) · Course site ↗

  2. The 8th hole at Castle Stuart beside the Moray Firth Open to the public

    Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart and Old Petty)

    Castle Stuart is a modern links on the Moray Firth with big views, and Old Petty, a Tom Doak design, opened next door in May 2026. Visitors book through the resort's reservations team between late March and mid November.

    Send an enquiry through the resort's reservations page, or email or phone the reservations team; the resort says it is taking bookings through 2027. The 2027 season runs from 26 March to 13 November. Cancel more than 8 weeks out for a full refund; between 4 and 8 weeks you pay half or move the date for a 50 fee; inside 4 weeks nothing is refunded.

    Green fee: £395 (2027) · Course site ↗

  3. A fairway on Nairn golf course by the sea Open to the public

    Nairn

    A classic seaside links on the Moray Firth at the west end of town. Visitors book online, and a two course ticket pairs it with Nairn Dunbar.

    Book online through the club's visitor booking page, or by email or phone. Cancel at least 8 weeks out for a full refund less a small fee; between 8 and 4 weeks you get half back; inside 4 weeks nothing. The club may pair smaller groups with others.

    Green fee: £375 (2027) · Course site ↗

  4. A fairway at Nairn Dunbar Golf Club Open to the public

    Nairn Dunbar

    Nairn's other links, on the east side of town, at well under half the price of its neighbour in summer. Online booking with cheaper afternoon rates.

    Book and pay online, or phone the office (weekdays) or the pro shop (weekends). Shared tickets with Nairn, Moray and Inverness golf clubs are sold for summer 2027.

    Green fee: £160 (2027) · Course site ↗

  5. The links at Brora Golf Club with hills behind Open to the public

    Brora

    A James Braid links where livestock roam the course, so dogs must stay on a lead. Relaxed and good value, and jeans are allowed.

    Book online up to 182 days ahead, or email the club for dates further out and for groups. Pay within 14 days of booking (at once if play is inside 14 days). Full refund up to the 8th day before play; after that you get a voucher valid for 12 months. Bookings may be paired with other visitors.

    Green fee: £195 (2027) · Course site ↗

  6. Open to the public

    Tain

    An Old Tom Morris links on the Dornoch Firth, about 20 minutes south of Dornoch. One of the best value rounds of the week.

    Book online through the club's visitor booking system, or phone or email the club.

    Green fee: £130 (2027) · Course site ↗

How tee times work

Start with Royal Dornoch: email the bookings team (online booking is down while the club changes software), since it is the hardest time to find in summer, then build the rest of the week around it. Cabot Highlands books through its reservations team, and Nairn, Nairn Dunbar, Brora and Tain all take online bookings for 2027 at published rates; Brora's online window opens 182 days ahead. Cabot and Nairn keep the whole fee if you cancel inside 4 weeks, so get travel insurance.

Closures to know about

Royal Dornoch takes no visitor bookings from December to the end of February. Cabot Highlands is open from 26 March to 13 November 2027. Brora is for members and reciprocal clubs only from 16 November 2026 to 28 February 2027, and does its yearly greens work from mid to late September. Nairn, Nairn Dunbar and Tain stay open in winter at lower rates, and Tain may use mats. In its 150th anniversary year Royal Dornoch is members only on 29 May and 1 July 2027, with anniversary celebrations from 28 June to 4 July, and the Carnegie Shield runs from 8 to 14 August; check the club's 2027 fixture list before picking dates.

A sensible plan

Six nights from a Sunday works well. Fly into Inverness and drive to Dornoch for three nights: Royal Dornoch on Monday, Brora on Tuesday, and Tain on Wednesday morning before driving south to Nairn. Play Cabot Highlands on Thursday, Nairn Dunbar in the morning and Nairn in the afternoon on Friday (the Nairn Ticket covers both), then fly home from Inverness on Saturday.

Getting there

Fly into Inverness (INV): Cabot Highlands is about 10 minutes away, Nairn about 20, and Dornoch about 70 minutes up the A9 outside rush hour. Trains from Edinburgh reach Inverness in about 3 hours 45 minutes (up to 11 a day), then run on to Nairn in about 20 minutes, or north to Brora in about 2 hours 20 (up to 4 a day). Dornoch has no station, so a hire car makes the week much easier.

Practical notes

Walking
These are walking courses. Royal Dornoch has buggies only for medical reasons (55 a round from April 2027, with a medical certificate and driving licence), free pull trolleys and power trolleys at 30. Cabot Highlands is walking only, with a few medical buggies (50) and electric trolleys (25). Nairn's buggies need a doctor's note and are driven by a caddie (2026). Brora has ride-on buggies (45), with priority for medical needs. Nairn Dunbar hires buggies at 30 (2027).
Caddies
Book caddies with your tee time. Royal Dornoch (to March 2027): 75 plus tip for one bag, forecaddies 110 to 150 for two to four golfers; caddies are allocated the day before, so do not count on one on the day, and an unneeded caddie costs the full fee. Cabot Highlands: 70 plus tip, paid in cash to the caddie, forecaddies 80 to 100, 40 if cancelled late. Nairn (2026): 70 plus tip, forecaddies 90 to 110. Brora (2026): 75 plus tip in cash, forecaddie 140. Nairn Dunbar (2027): 65 plus tip, forecaddie 100 a group.
Dress code
Nairn wants golf clothing and golf shoes on the course, with no blue denim, tracksuits or cargo trousers or shorts. Cabot Highlands asks for smart casual. Brora has no strict code and allows jeans. Royal Dornoch's last published visitor sheet (2022) asked for smart casual in the clubhouse, with no golf caps or metal spikes inside.
Handicap
Cabot Highlands has no minimum handicap and five sets of tees. Royal Dornoch, Nairn, Nairn Dunbar, Brora and Tain publish no handicap limit for visitors. Royal Dornoch's 2022 visitor sheet asked less experienced golfers to think about the Struie instead of the Championship Course.
Stay rules
Cabot Highlands and Nairn keep half your green fee if you cancel 4 to 8 weeks out and all of it inside 4 weeks; neither refunds for travel problems. Brora refunds in full up to the 8th day before play. Cabot's FAQ also calls golf and accommodation bookings non-refundable, so check the lodge terms before you book. Travel insurance is worth having.
Winter
Royal Dornoch takes no visitors from December to the end of February, and Cabot Highlands is closed from mid November to late March. Winter rates in 2027: Nairn 100 (December to February), Tain 50, Nairn Dunbar 40 (to March 2027).

When to book

  1. NowBook a room with free cancellation as close to the course as you can.
  2. Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
  3. 6 to 12 June 2027Your trip.

Free guide

The Unofficial Scottish Highlands Golf Trip Guide

Every area, every course, how tee times work and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.

Scottish Highlands golf trip questions

Where should I stay for a golf trip in the Scottish Highlands?

Split the week. Stay in Dornoch for Royal Dornoch, Brora and Tain, then move to Nairn, Inverness or the Cabot Highlands lodges for Castle Stuart, Old Petty and the two Nairn courses. Dornoch to Nairn is about 80 minutes by car, so a single base means long daily drives.

How do I book a tee time at Royal Dornoch?

Email the club's bookings team or phone to check availability; online booking is offline while the club changes software. Visitors can play any day of the week, the club is taking bookings to the end of March 2028, and it takes no visitor bookings from December to February.

How much does Royal Dornoch cost in 2027?

From April to October 2027 a round on the Championship Course costs 390 GBP, two rounds the same day 625 GBP, and a twilight round 235 GBP. From November 2027 to March 2028 it is 215 GBP. The Struie Course is 130 GBP.

Can visitors play Castle Stuart at Cabot Highlands?

Yes. Anyone can book through the resort's reservations team between 26 March and 13 November 2027. A round costs 395 GBP in the main season (14 May to 10 October), 290 GBP in spring and 340 GBP in the autumn, and there is no minimum handicap.

How far is Dornoch from Inverness Airport?

About 50 miles, or about 70 minutes up the A9 outside rush hour. Tain is about an hour from the airport, Brora about an hour and a half, and Cabot Highlands about 10 minutes.

When is the best time for golf in the Highlands?

May to September. The Met Office says May or June is usually the sunniest time in northern Scotland and July or August the warmest, and the Moray Firth coast is one of its drier, sunnier corners. Long June evenings make late tee times easy.

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