Balnaglack Farmhouse, Dalcross,
nr Inverness, Inverness-shire IV2 7JL
Office
+44 (0)1463 796 111 (bookings)Pro shop
+44 (0)1463 795 440Fax
+44 (0)1463 796 127Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Gillian Stewart (multiple Ladies European Tour winner).The Course:
18 holes. Coastal links-style. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb
Surroundings:
Seaside and rural countryside.
Designer:
Mark Parsinen & Gil Hanse
57.529096
-4.098758
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.
Castle Stuart
Castle Stuart Golf Links has given the Scottish Highlands another world-class coastal treasure, joining an impressive list of golf courses that includes the likes of Royal Dornoch, Nairn and the private Skibo Castle. Just a stone's throw from the infamous battlefield of Culloden, Castle Stuart 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!
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends during golf season (April thru' mid-Nov).
Must book in advance. Proof of handicap may be requested.
Credit cards accepted. Contact club for full details, discounts, day tickets, Stay&Play packages, etc. [Last updated: 2019].
Castle Stuart is a walking-only course; golf carts are not available. Caddies available if pre-booked.
Excellent
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.
World: 66th best course in the world (GOLF magazine, 2020/21).
GB&I: 33rd best course in Britain & Ireland (Golf World, 2020/21).
Scotland: 16th best course in Scotland (Golf World, 2021).
Balnaglack Farmhouse, Dalcross, nr Inverness IV2 7JL.
+44 1463 796 111
Visit websiteCastle Stuart 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.
Castle Stuart
No
Inverness; Nairn; Nairn Dunbar
Culloden, Inverness IV2 7BZ
+44 (0)1463 790 461
Visit websiteCulloden 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.
No
Castle Stuart; Inverness
Nairn; Nairn Dunbar
Tournaments:
European Tour: 2021 marks the 50th and last season of the world renowned European Tour, launched in April 1972 at the Spanish Open. From 2022 the Tour will be sponsored by Dubai-based global supply chain and ports operator DP World, and will be known as the DP World Tour.
South African Open: December 2021 events in South Africa have again been impacted by the Covid pandemic. The South African Open (Dec 2-5) will no longer be played as a DP World Tour event, and the Alfred Dunhill Championship (Dec 9-12) has been cancelled.
Who's Who:
Bernhard Langer: at age 64, Langer collected a record sixth Charles Schwab Cup, the only player to have won the season-long points chase more than twice. He also topped the PGA Tour Champions money-list for the 11th time out of a possible 13 since 2008.
Carlota Ciganda: the five-time Solheim Cup star was delighted to record a fourth Ladies European Tour win in her home national championship, the Ladies Spanish Open.
Lee Elder: Trailblazer, Ryder Cup player, four-time PGA Tour winner and eight-time Senior PGA Tour winner, Lee Elder died on November 28, aged 87. In 1975 he became the first African American golfer to play in the Masters tournament, and in so doing provided one of the pivotal moments in the history of professional golf.
Golf World Top 100: Best Golf Courses in Europe. From France to Spain to the Netherlands and Norway, the Golf World Top 100 panel reveals the places you have to play (published 20 October 2021).
New 27-hole golf complex to be built in southern Belgium
A new golf complex in southern Belgium, close to the border with Luxembourg, will start construction in June 2021.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club "makes its tournament debut with the hosting of the Italian Open on the European Tour" by Richard Humphreys
Gamble Sands opens short course:
David McLay Kidd’s 14-hole QuickSands short course has opened for play at Gamble Sands in Brewster, Washington.
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