Much is afoot on the golfing front in the north of Scotland. The second Trump course at Aberdeen is under construction; the prospect of a course at Coul Links just north of Dornoch rumbles on, with the Highland Council voting in favour of a revised planning application in December 2023; and Royal Dornoch broke ground on its ambitious £13.9 clubhouse project the same month.
The Moray Firth midway between Aberdeen and Dornoch has been busy, too, with Cabot Highlands (née Castle Stuart), Nairn, Spey Bay and Fortrose and Rosemarkie all catching my eye for various reasons. Some queried my wisdom when I decided to head up there in January 2024 but not Golf Monthly photographer, Kevin Murray, who was very much up for it when I found an unbelievable BA flight and car hire deal.
Nevertheless, when Fortrose and Rosemarkie posted photos of the links under snow with ten days to go, I anxiously emailed manager, Mike MacDonald. “No problem,” he replied. “I just played 18 holes with some mates. Round in 63 in two hours 35 minutes.” I’m not sure what was more incredible – the disappearing snow, his score or that round time!
Suitably reassured, we flew up on January 29 and made straight for Nairn Golf Club. It had been a while since my last visit and I was keen to see the Mackenzie and Ebert changes for myself, including the repositioning and remodelling of the 1st, 7th and 14th greens, with those first two now closer to the shore as the links forges out west along the Firth. Green surrounds have been redesigned to allow more scope for my favoured chip-and-run, while bunkers have also been redesigned and natural open sand areas introduced in places.
Looking down on the 5th green at Nairn with the Moray Firth beyond
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)
I was suitably impressed on a bitterly cold day that saw the 397-yard 13th, as the links deviates briefly inland, demand a Sunday best hybrid to just scrape home. After a scrappy front nine, I steadied the ship coming home, perhaps fortified by our midway stop at The Bothy to warm the outer man by the stove and the inner via a Tomatin single malt miniature! Surely one of golf’s finest halfway huts.
The Bothy: Nairn’s superb halfway hut
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)
I knew big things were happening 35 miles east at Spey Bay, which I’ve not played, but had no idea of the scale. The place was a hive of activity despite torrential rain and 65mph winds that almost ripped the car door off its hinges as we stopped for a chat with…
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