Durness Golf Club

Balnakiel,

Durness, Sutherland IV27 4PX

  • Office

    +44 (0)7739 797 312

About the course

  • The Course:

    9 holes. Clifftop links. Undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.

  • Surroundings:

    Clifftop seaside setting on shoreline of Balnakiel Bay.

  • Designer:

    Designed by three local golfers: Lachie Ross, Ian Morrison and Francis Keith.

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
2753
2458
Par
34
35
SSS or slope
34
36

At the same location:

This nine-hole layout has two sets of tees for each hole, making for a varied 18-hole experience.

Location

Latitude:

58.576297

Longitude:

-4.774214

How to get there:

1.5 mi W of Durness / 106 mi NW of Inverness.

Durness Golf Club

Unrated: Well regarded course not yet visited by the Where2Golf team.

Est. 1988

Durness Golf Club: this stunningly scenic nine-hole course is located in the far northwestern tip of Scotland, overlooking Balnakiel Beach. It's the UK's most northerly mainland course, and one where the backdrops will surely stir your golfing soul.

If you do make the three-hour drive from Inverness to get here, you'll pass through some of the most remote and rugged areas of the Highlands. And then arrive at one of Scotland's most remote, rugged and immensely scenic golf courses.

Pick of the holes: in this wonderfully natural setting, the 6th (15th) hole plays as a right-to-left dogleg alongside Loch Lanlish. But the best "water hole" comes at the end. The par-3 9th (18th) plays across a rocky inlet, with stunning Balnakiel Beach and Bay framing the hole.

List of courses: Scotland - North

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.

Worth booking in advance; alternatively golfers can pay at the clubhouse when its staffed, or use the honesty box.

Green fees

Visitor fee, 9-holes in high season £30; 18-holes £55.

Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2025].

Other information

Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire (if booked in advance).

Practice facilities

Limited

Did you know?

The small village of Durness, one of the most northwesterly on mainland Britain, lies in the historic county of Sutherland. It is the largest village in the northwest corner of Scotland with a population of around 400. The Scottish clans most closely associated with the area are Mackay, Morrison, MacLeay and McLeod.

Published ranking

Scotland's 81st best course (Golf World, 2025).

Where2Stay

  • Mackay's Rooms

    Durness, Sutherland IV27 4PN.

    +44 (0)1971 511 202

    Visit website

    A collection of seven individually designed luxury rooms, as well as a house and cottages in the centre of Durness village, on the rugged edge of the Scottish Highlands.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      Durness

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      No

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      No

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Tournaments

Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.

Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.

Recently visited

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Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.

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

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