Cabot Highlands

Balnaglack Farmhouse, Dalcross,

nr Inverness, Inverness-shire IV2 7JL

  • Office

    +44 (0)1463 796 111 (bookings)
  • Pro shop

    +44 (0)1463 795 440
  • Fax

    +44 (0)1463 796 127
  • Golf pro

    Gillian Stewart (multiple Ladies European Tour winner).

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Coastal links-style. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb

  • Surroundings:

    Seaside and rural countryside.

  • Designer:

    Mark Parsinen & Gil Hanse

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
7009
6183
5179
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
74.7
70.9
71.2

Location

Latitude:

57.529096

Longitude:

-4.098758

How to get there:

6 miles NE of Inverness

From Inverness follow the A96 east, direction Nairn. After 4 miles turn left onto the B9039, direction Castle Stuart. After 1.5 mls golf entrance is on your left.

Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart Links)

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.

Est. 2009

Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart Links): in 2009 the Scottish Highlands acquired another world-class coastal golfing treasure. It joined an already impressive list of courses that includes the likes of Royal Dornoch, Nairn and the private Skibo Castle. Now part of Cabot Golf (see Did You Know section), and just a stone's throw from the infamous battlefield of Culloden, Castle Stuart Links commands spectacular views from all its wonderfully crafted holes.

Whether at the sea's edge, as on the first three holes of each nine-hole loop, or up on the course's higher elevations, the views here are stunning beyond compare. The ever-present spectacular vistas take in the Moray Firth, Chanonry Peninsula (and lighthouse), Black Isle, Highland mountain ranges and the Kessock Bridge, which crosses the Beauly Firth at Inverness. As you play round Castle Stuart you are never without a spectacular view to admire.

The layout itself combines the smooth lines of a modern-day design with the rugged character and features of a much older layout. Several "infinity" greens provide spectacular tee and approach shots, with the Firth, the mountains or Castle Stuart itself providing scenic backdrops to several greens. "Ease of play" considerations and the layout's exposed position directly alongside the Firth, encouraged designers Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse to incorporate wide fairways into the layout. Some of the fairways are so generous, you'd be seriously embarrassed to miss them.

Large and extravagantly undulating greens are matched by the exuberance of some of the bunkering. A mix of revetted pot bunkers and more expansive rustic bunkering reaches epic proportions with an elaborate sand hazard separating the long par-4 5th and par-5 6th fairways. There's also a dramatic sand cliff flanking the tee-boxes of the fabulous par-4 13th. Castle Stuart is as scenic as any golf course in Scotland, and right up there with the best. This might explain the fairly hefty green fee, making it one of the most expensive courses to play among its esteemed Highland peers!

List of courses: Scotland - North

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends during golf season (April thru' mid-Nov).

Must book in advance. Proof of handicap may be requested.

Green fees

Visitor fee, 18-holes in high season (May thru' Oct) (all days): £270.

Contact club for full details, discounts, day tickets, Stay&Play packages, etc. [Last updated: 2023].

Other information

Castle Stuart is a walking-only course; golf carts are not available. Caddies available if pre-booked.

Practice facilities

Excellent

Did you know?

Castle Stuart Golf Links (which, as an 18-hole course, retains its original name) is now part of Cabot Highlands, itself a part of the growing Cabot Golf brand. Co-founded by Canadian businessman Ben Cowan-Dewar and American entrepreneur Mike Keiser (of Bandon Dunes fame), Cabot started out with two superb coastal courses (Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs) on the island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. The brand's expansion now includes Cabot St Lucia in the Carribean, Cabot Revelstoke (opens 2024) in central British Columbia, and Cabot Highlands.

The construction of the Castle Stuart (the castle) was started by Mary Queen of Scots' half-brother, James Stuart, the 1st Earl of Moray. He was unfortunately murdered, as was the 2nd Earl, so the castle was eventually finished in 1625 by James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray. The castle fell into decline later in the 1600s, and for 300 years remained a derelict ruin. Its wonderful recent restoration is the inspiration of two current day members of this noble Scottish lineage, Charles and Elizabeth Stuart.

Castle Stuart Golf Links opened for play in July 2009, and now offers its own onsite accommodation. The original Castle Stuart, which is adjacent to the golf course, offers 8 historic guest-rooms.

Published ranking

Scotland's 16th best course (Golf World, 2022).
Britain & Ireland's 28th best course (Golf World, 2022).
World's 89th best course (GOLF Magazine, 2023/24) 33rd best public access course (Golf World, 2023).

Where2Stay

  • Cabot Highlands (onsite lodging)

    Balnaglack Farmhouse, Dalcross, nr Inverness IV2 7JL.

    +44 1463 796 111

    Visit website

    Cabot Highlands offers a range of onsite accommodation, including the Farmhouse (sleeps 8), Golf Lodge (sleeps 6) and Castle Cottage (sleeps 8). All have been recently refurbished and offer comfortable onsite accommodation. The actual castle itself (Castle Stuart) is a classic Scottish baronial castle, currently being refurbished. In future it will offer 5-star luxury boutique-style hotel accommodation.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart)

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      No

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Inverness; Nairn; Nairn Dunbar

  • Culloden House Hotel4-star

    Culloden, Inverness IV2 7BZ

    +44 (0)1463 790 461

    Visit website

    Culloden House Hotel is one of the finest luxury hotels in Scotland, and the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for its accommodations and fine cuisine. The house is a fine Georgian mansion incorporating much of the original fortified house/castle within its structure.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart); Inverness

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Nairn; Nairn Dunbar

Find a course

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Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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