Not One But Two New Courses In The Last Decade Near The Capital Of The Highlands

My most recent golfing trip to Inverness followed hot on the heels of a visit to Royal Dornoch. My base was Lochardil House, a late 19th-century Victorian mansion on the southern outskirts that is one of seven excellent Highland Coast Hotels properties.

Before availing myself of my good-sized room (and a cracking breakfast) there, I’d organised a game at Alness, halfway between Dornoch and the hotel and one of a few courses in the area I’d not previously played.

The scorecard fails to hit 5,000 yards by a tiny margin, but this should not deter you. Far from it. I enjoyed every minute of my peaceful round on a gloriously sunny day, savouring the views and several fine holes, and often playing from the kind of springy moorland turf that can flatter one’s striking a tad.

The 9th is a stunning par 4 that would be a worthy addition to any course, playing down past a drystone wall before rising to the green. I was particularly pleased to make par after a collision with a tree left me an unexpectedly long approach.

The 12th is another magnificent par 4 that drops markedly before climbing to a splendid green complex, while the 14th tee is one of the scariest you’ll ever stand on.

As you plunge down to the lower level by a fast-flowing river for the final stretch, there is no good miss on a nerve-jangling drive where many a reload must be required.