The Highlands
The rugged North of Scotland
For 15+ years this story would have been told in reverse: how Royal Dornoch (1616) inspired the American greeting card magnate Mike Keiser to take a big risk and build a links golf resort three hours from anywhere on the Oregon coast and call it Bandon Dunes. Now with Bandon’s five 18-hole courses and two short courses firmly entrenched in the imagination of the North American golf nerdom, for many the story has become how Bandon was inspired by some course up in the Scottish highlands because of how much Keiser loves it.
Dornoch is one of many courses, the Old Course included, that cannot point to one architect carving it from the links land. Golf has been played on this site for more than 400 years, and countless hands have touched and influenced the current layout. It is one of the most elegant courses on earth, a 4-hour walk looking out at the Dornoch Firth and the North Sea in a microclimate that means you’ll often have a day that is disconcertingly temperate given its relatively northern latitude. These days it’s very well known (and therefore busy), so the forthcoming neighbouring course in Embo will be warmly welcomed by golf tourists looking to secure tee times.
Dornoch itself is one of the most fun towns in Scotland, with a very good restaurant and café scene for a population of just 1,430(!)
You may encounter a traditional tattoo on your way to dinner, and the town in general has a great sense of place. Peyton Manning’s investment group recently brought the Dornoch Railway Hotel back to life, creating another destination in town worth seeking out for at least a drink—and in the summer, a spin around their new artificial putting green.
The Highlands are a great region because your itinerary can be so flexible. Many people combine a couple of days in Aberdeenshire with some great Highlands golf at memorable courses like Castle Stuart (2008)—which was acquired by Cabot in 2022 and has a second course by Tom Doak underway, Nairn, and the aforementioned Dornoch. On top of world-class golf, the Highlands boast some of the best distilleries in the country, with classics like Glenmorangie in Tain, and slightly less well-known spots like Balblair within a short drive. Word to the wise: these world-famous distilleries do not have the same kind of extensive hours that a touristy spot in North America would have. If a distillery visit is high on your list, be sure to prioritize it between 10am–5pm, Monday to Friday.
Last but not least, the Highlands are a great launch pad to Loch Ness (about 30 minutes by car from Inverness) if you’re on the lookout for Scotland’s world famous sea monster.
