Best clubs in the Northern Highlands (Scotland)

[Hoffsticks]

I am keen to join one of the clubs in Sutherland on the NE coast of Scotland and I have played them all (Brora, Golspie, Tain, Royal Dornoch, Rosemarkie). They are all fabulous courses and each is special in its own way. My question is: as a sassenach who would play for one or at most two weeks in the year, which club is the friendliest, has the most active membership and is the most welcoming to incomers? In the future I may well retire to this part of Scotland.

The criteria I am looking for are:

1. Active men and women's sections
2. Welcoming to juniors
3. Plenty of open competitions throughout the year
4. Weekend and mid-week roll-ups
5. In a village which has an active social life and a decent pub

 

[The Lion]

Tain might be your best bet, especially as it’s a bigger town. That said, Dornoch would be ideal, however there’s now a waiting list. It is however a club full of activity so would meet your needs.

Fortrose is a good shout too, a pleasant little town and close to Inverness too. It’s a busy club with a lot going on.

Brora and Golspie are located in much smaller settlements, though would no doubt offer pleasant village living.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

1. Active men and women's sections
2. Welcoming to juniors
3. Plenty of open competitions throughout the year
4. Weekend and mid-week roll-ups
5. In a village which has an active social life and a decent pub

I'm not sure why this is an issue for joining a club? Surely lack of Opens is better as there will be more club comps instead? Regardless, that area, and Scotland as a whole tbf run masses of Opens, and not English type where every "gents open" is actually a 4BBB, but tons of actual singles opens, whether that be gents or seniors, you'll easily find an open every weekend, check out golf empire for the Highlands and also North East areas for the selection on offer.

They are all good shouts, personally I love Tain but the clubhouse is a fair walk out of the village if you're having a pint. Brora might be a better bet as it's in the town itself and even though I'm a Tain lover, it's a better course than there. RD overhwelmed with tourists, but if that doesn't bother you then of course a good option.

 

[abjectplop]

Is it common in Scotland for clubs to have roll ups? I'm in the North East of Scotland and been a member of 3 clubs here......none have had roll ups to my knowledge. My experience is more of fixed medal days, e.g. Wednesday/Saturday where you book in advance rather than just turning up and getting out at any time.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Is it common in Scotland for clubs to have roll ups? I'm in the North East of Scotland and been a member of 3 clubs here......none have had roll ups to my knowledge. My experience is more of fixed medal days, e.g. Wednesday/Saturday where you book in advance rather than just turning up and getting out at any time.

Correct, almost unheard of, every club I know has set medal times only

I do seem to recall one club having a walk on Open, think it may have been Oban, which is very risky as you could end up with no partner

 

[Hoffsticks]

When I talk about roll-ups I just mean a set time when the tee is not reserved and people can turn up and play with whoever else is looking for a game.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

When I talk about roll-ups I just mean a set time when the tee is not reserved and people can turn up and play with whoever else is looking for a game.

In a medal? Yeah that's not a thing in Scotland as per my earlier response.

Pretty sure post COVID there's very few clubs don't have a tee sheet anyway, even for casual tee times

 

[KenL]

When I talk about roll-ups I just mean a set time when the tee is not reserved and people can turn up and play with whoever else is looking for a game.

Most busy clubs up here (East Lothian) don't have that. Everywhere I know has a booking system.
Never heard of a roll up either unless you are part of a group that has booked tee times.
Perhaps Scotland golf clubs aren't all that friendly/welcoming?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Or by roll-up do you mean times during the week and at weekends when any member can turn up and put their name in the hat with all others who have turned up to be part of the draw - or however groups are organised when numbers are known and however the club might wish to manage the tee times for the 'roll-up'. I am surprised to learn that clubs in Scotland don't have such casual ad-hoc gatherings of members getting together to play with members other than their usual small group of buddies.

 

[Rlburnside]

I am keen to join one of the clubs in Sutherland on the NE coast of Scotland and I have played them all (Brora, Golspie, Tain, Royal Dornoch, Rosemarkie). They are all fabulous courses and each is special in its own way. My question is: as a sassenach who would play for one or at most two weeks in the year, which club is the friendliest, has the most active membership and is the most welcoming to incomers? In the future I may well retire to this part of Scotland.

The criteria I am looking for are:

1. Active men and women's sections
2. Welcoming to juniors
3. Plenty of open competitions throughout the year
4. Weekend and mid-week roll-ups
5. In a village which has an active social life and a decent pub

I’ve played all those courses and Tain would definitely be my choice to be a member off.

 

[IanM]

I think you get some excellent reciprocal from Tain too

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Most busy clubs up here (East Lothian) don't have that. Everywhere I know has a booking system.
Never heard of a roll up either unless you are part of a group that has booked tee times.
Perhaps Scotland golf clubs aren't all that friendly/welcoming?

I'd say the opposite, from what I read of "roll-ups" in England, it's cliquey bunches of mates going out together, here you book a medal tee time with whoever is on the booking sheet, meaning you mix with other members, and don;t just go off yourselves when you please

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Or by roll-up do you mean times during the week and at weekends when any member can turn up and put their name in the hat with all others who have turned up to be part of the draw - or however groups are organised when numbers are known and however the club might wish to manage the tee times for the 'roll-up'. I am surprised to learn that clubs in Scotland don't have such casual ad-hoc gatherings of members getting together to play with members other than their usual small group of buddies.

most clubs are village clubs, everyone knows everyone, you put your name on the sheet wherever there is a blank, generally speaking you're not going out with your buddies every week, I never do.

Since covid I'm not aware of any club that's dropped their booking sheets because they've been a real boon to the clubs who were technology averse (my wee 9 hole home club included), so the opportunity for balls i9n a hat no longer exists, and that's a plus

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

most clubs are village clubs, everyone knows everyone, you put your name on the sheet wherever there is a blank, generally speaking you're not going out with your buddies every week, I never do.

Since covid I'm not aware of any club that's dropped their booking sheets because they've been a real boon to the clubs who were technology averse (my wee 9 hole home club included), so the opportunity for balls i9n a hat no longer exists, and that's a plus

Sounds good and the sort of thing I would have expected

 

[IanM]

I'd say the opposite, from what I read of "roll-ups" in England, it's cliquey bunches of mates going out together, here you book a medal tee time with whoever is on the booking sheet, meaning you mix with other members, and don;t just go off yourselves when you please

I'd say there are certainly some places like that, and some that are nothing like it

 

[Banchory Buddha]

I'd say there are certainly some places like that, and some that are nothing like it

Indeed, big shout out to my old club in Warrington (Poulton Park), don't know how they operate now, but used to be balls in a hat on a Thursday night for the Saturday medal, when your name was called you went and put *your name only* on the draw sheet. As a new member it was fantastic, within a couple months I knew most of the regulars.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'd say there are certainly some places like that, and some that are nothing like it

…and even within a club there a cliquey ‘invitation-only’ roll-ups - at my place at least one prefers to be called a gathering to differentiate it from the true ‘anyone can join in’ roll-ups. ‘Twas always the case but closed ‘roll-ups’ have become a little more common since the advent of our use of a tee booking system (pandemic initiated).

Groups of members who used to simply gather before splitting into playing groups heading off to the tee now have to organise themselves to book tee times as soon as bookings for the day are open. And so they have to fix their numbers. I have sympathy.

I play in a true ‘roll-up’ and the club accommodates our varying tee time requirements as we are the first ‘go to’ group for new members integrating.

 

[Rlburnside]

I'd say the opposite, from what I read of "roll-ups" in England, it's cliquey bunches of mates going out together, here you book a medal tee time with whoever is on the booking sheet, meaning you mix with other members, and don;t just go off yourselves when you please

Yes I would agree I’ve played a lot in both countries and if you turn up as a visitor at a course I would say Scots are more friendly.

When I played at Tain as a single there was a medal and on the 16th tee I waited to let a 3 ball playing in the competition through, they quite happily asked me to join them for the last few holes.

I loved playing at Tain and would gladly go back

 

[Rlburnside]

On the other extreme I once played Dale Hill in Sussex with my brother the pro told us the women were out playing a competition.

After one of the ladies drove while we were walking up the second fairway landing the ball near us we decided to skip to the back nine.

So we walked back down off the first fairway waited for ladies to hit their second shots with the intention of asking where the 10th tee was.

All I got from the lady was ‘ can you get off our fairway’ that’s it get off our fairway what a bloody cheek I thought

 

[patricks148]

As others have said Tain would be my suggestion too. I'm rejoining next year. Comps every Saturday all through the year course is, I think a better 18 holes that Brora and gosplie. Dornoch is now at least a 5 year waiting list unless you live in the town, it's also rammed with visitors from May to Oct, so much so you have to now book your morning times for the year months I advance. The only Roll ups I can think of are seniors, Tain has the toffs, who I think play 3 times a week. Pro and staff are brilliant, and the club has practice facilities right next to the first tee, which none one of the others do. Reciprocal are better than anywhere else, which includes 3 games on the championship. If you want any further info drop me a line