The sheer quality of golf in Scotland never ceases to amaze. Every corner of the country is seemingly awash with little golfing gems that make a trip north of the border so memorable. The Inverness area is admittedly a long way from our region - up to five hours by car - but it can be well worth it. Let's face it, you're probably only going to fancy a trip up the Inverness some time between late Spring and mid-Autumn when you might be guaranteed at least a couple of nice golfing days. You could take the train of course. It's quite feasible to get a GNER from Darlington, Newcastle, Alnmouth or Berwick up to Edinburgh and on up to Inverness (hiring a car at the other end) - and you can do the trip in a fraction of the time it's take to drive, even though the route takes you through some of the most spectacular Whatever mode of transport you favour. the golfing options you'll have once up in the northern Highlands will leave you gasping. The area's top course might be Royal Dornoch - and it's definitely worth a visit - but there are many other lovely little courses where you'll be able to play millionaire golf and have all the time in the world to take in the breathtaking scenery. A good place to start a few days in the area would be Inverness Golf Club, situated less than one mile from Inverness town centre. Situated on a rolling plateau overlooking the Beauly Firth, this par 69 parkland course has a number of features. The lay-out is fairly tree-lined these days thanks to considerable planting over the years and with the Millburn adding water to a variety of the holes, he course demands accurate hitting to stay out of trouble. The course's length at 6,226 yards is not long by modern standards, which makes it an enjoyable test of golf. The short holes at Culcabock, however, usually played into the prevailing wind, are well trapped, calling for accurate long iron play. The highlight of the course has to be the dog-leg 14th hole, which at 475 yards, not only demands length and accuracy off the tee, but an extremely narrow entrance into a small green normally requires the steeliest of nerves with a long iron or wood. At 461 yards, the 18th is one of the best finishing holes in the north, and a par to finish makes the following refreshment in the 19th, overlooking the green, all the more enjoyable. Visitors are made very welcome at Inverness, with many off-peak tee times available during weekdays, although Thursday is ladies' day and times are limited. Saturday is the busiest day as most slots are taken up with members' competitions, so try and visit in the week. However, if you are planning a weekend jaunt the bear in mind that the long summer evenings in this part of the world mean you can almost get in a full round even if you tee off after 6pm. A little further north, around 50 miles from Inverness, you'll find a little course called Golspie, which has to rank as one of the most charming of all holiday golf courses in Scotland; an unusual mixture of woodland, parkland and links all in the one layout. There are six holes of each at this incredibly welcoming venue, which also boasts a nice clubhouse with bar and catering facilities. What's more the course is fairly flat though it still features some lovely views. Slightly further north - ten miles or so - you'll find the prestigious Royal Dornoch club sheltering in a remote corner of Sutherland, on a latitude shared with Hudson Bay in ice-bound Canada and northern Russia. The championship course is known to most of us by reputation only, its links lay-out standing as one of the great outposts of world golf and one of the finest of all golf courses. Remoteness is part of its charm and the only reason that this magnificent links remains out of the mainstream of major championship golf. Were it in the central belt of Scotland Royal Dornoch would surely have long since hosted an Open Championship. Today it retains something of a cult following, particularly in the United States, fuelled by the praises sung of it by luminaries such as Tom Watson, an honorary member, and the great American golf writer Herb Warren Wind, neither of whom would be regarded bad judges. Donald Ross, a native of Dornoch, took much of the inspiration for his design of Pinehurst No 2, venue for the 2005 US Open, from his home links at Dornoch. The Dornoch club, with great foresight, constructed a second course in the early part of the twentieth century and although much of it was lost during the war, a nine-hole course was reinstated and the 18-hole course redesigned by eminent architect Donald Steel. The Struie, although shorter than its older neighbour, is a fine test of golf requiring accurate shot-making. As with most links, it is flat and easy to walk around but the narrow fairways and thick whin bushes can cause many problems. The greens are the equal of those on the "big" course but their lesser size may cause some heartache before the round is over. A fine course for beginners or the more experienced, it is a joy to play when you want a relaxing round of golf in a truly awe-inspiring setting. From the course there are excellent views across the Firth to Tin and the Struie Hill. There are plenty of places to stay in Inverness while Dornoch is a lovely place to spend a few days in - and there's a good selection of accommodation there too. --------------------------------------------------------- Name: Inverness Golf Club
Address: The Clubhouse, Culcabock Road, Inverness IV2 3XQ
Tel: 01463 239882;
Fax: 01463 240616;
Email: igc@freeuk.com
Website: www.invernessgolfclub.co.uk
Green fees: Any day: round £35, day ticket £48. Name: Golspie Golf Club
Address: Ferry Road, Golspie, Sutherland KW10 6ST
Tel: 01408 633266;
Fax: 01408 633393;
Email: info@golspie-golf-club.co.uk
Website: www.golspie-golf-club.co.uk
Green fees: Any day: round £25, day ticket £35. Name: Royal Dornoch
Address: Golf Road, Dornoch, Sutherland IV25 3LW
Tel: 01862 810219;
Fax: 01862 810792;
Email: bookings@royaldornoch.com
Website: www.royaldornoch.com
Green fess: Championship course (May-September): weekday round £78, weekend round £88; Struie course: round from £35, day ticket from £45. For more information on golf in the Inverness area as well as throughout Scotland, log on to the website: www.golf.visitscotland.com | 
Golfing Destinations
