Golf in the sort of Inverness area

[Evesdad]

My father in law retired at the end of July and has upped sticks and moved north of the border. While they are still looking for a permanent place to live they are renting for six months in a place called Gorthleck near Inverness. We are so far planning to go up in half term which is middle of Octoberish so wondering if anyone can recommend any courses not too far away for a knock as Ive now convinced the wife to take my clubs, especially as its a bloody long drive!

Over to you more wisened folk!

 

[chrisg]

Fortrose has always looked nice to me - I've never played it, but have driven down past/through it numerous times to get to channonry point lighthouse on the end of the peninsula for dolphin watching - it's the best land based dolphin site in the uk...

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Clever FIL.

 

[patricks148]

My father in law retired at the end of July and has upped sticks and moved north of the border. While they are still looking for a permanent place to live they are renting for six months in a place called Gorthleck near Inverness. We are so far planning to go up in half term which is middle of Octoberish so wondering if anyone can recommend any courses not too far away for a knock as Ive now convinced the wife to take my clubs, especially as its a bloody long drive!

Over to you more wisened folk!

Gorthleck is out the back or Dores , ness side. It's about half hour away from Inverness .

There's nothing out that way, but you can play;
Inverness and Torvean (parkland) in Inverness.

Fortrose and Rosemarkie ( links)
Muir of Ord ( heathland)
Nairn and Nairn Dunbar (links)
Castle Stuart (links)

All these are only half hour of Inverness

 

[Fitz]

My folks live in Ullapool (60 miles northwst of Inverness) and i always take my clubs up there and play around Inverness. As im the same handicap as you and not made of money i ignore your Castle Stuarts and the Royal Dornochs etc as i think they'd rip my game to shreds and wouldn't be enjoyble. I can recommend Boat of Garten which i played on my last visit a month ago. about 30 mins south of Ness just off the A9. Lovely setting and in immaculate condition.
Strathpeffer (just west of Dingwall) is also pictureseque but i'd advise on having a trolley as its very hilly. Also put on insect repellnt as the flies up on the higher holes are really really irritating. Plus on a Monday it was only £20. i lost quite a few balls though, thick rough.
Muir of Ord is between Inverness and Dingwall and is a parkland, quite flat, forgiving for the higher handicapper and is only about £25 a round. It won't feature on any top 100 Scottish under £50 parklands Colt/Braid designed scenic friendly best bunkers etc type of list but even i got a reasonable score (for my standards) there.
There's 3 courses in Inverness itself but i haven't played any of them yet. Fortrose is close by but quite pricey and further along the Moray coast there's several renowned courses.
If you want to venture further afield (and brave the atlantic coastal weather) then i can recommend Ullapool course, a 9 hole (with ifferent tees to mke 18 holes) which is right on the edge of Loch Broom. Its an honesty box course (£15 for a day) but worth it fr hole 2's tee off position on top of a cliff aiming for a green far below, avoiding the river to the left. 3 wood into the wind, 9 or wedge wth the wind)
For the really brave, head up the west coast to Durness to their 9 holer. Remote isn't the word.

 

[Evesdad]

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

The castle Stuart's etc are on my list for one day as my game wouldn't do it justice at the moment! Would really like to have a round on links course as living as far from the coast as you can get in the uk I've never done it! Some good food for thought!

He's been planning it for years but the retirement came a year or so earlier than planned. I think eventually he plans on being further north maybe even one of the islands but this is his base for a while at least. Not looking forward to the drive I must admit, especially with two kids in the back!

 

[Fitz]

Once you get past Carlisle when the M6 becomes M74 you can really put your foot down all the way to Glasgow on an empty wide good surface motorway. I read somewhere a while back the average speed on there is 74mph, thats the AVERAGE!!!
Then the A9 between Perth and Inverness is the frustrating part when you get stuck behind caravans and lorrys going about 40. You can play spot the idiot in a high performance car trying to overtake long queues by ducking in and out and playing chicken with oncoming traffic all for that important 1 car forward position. My record is still 1 car and 2 HGV's in 1 overtaking manouevre in a battered Clio.
I fly up now as the missus doesn't 'do' long car journeys, but i miss the 11- 12 hour drive.

 

[Evesdad]

I did think about flying but the prices are ridiculous at the moment! £583 from Manchester which means I've still got 1.5 hrs drive to and back from the airport, maybe done deals nearer the time.

 

[patricks148]

I would not make a 3 hour round tip to Ullapool unless you really wante to go there jt for the drive. Strathpeffer, s poss te worst course up her without the views.

If your not that confident with your game just stick with Torvean, Muir of ord, you might want to try Fort Augustus there is little 9 hole , but 've never played it.
As for Expensive, most of the courses Are about £40 midweek, but if you coming all i way you might as well the best the area has to offer .

Castle Stuart is as easy a you want to make it with fairways pretty wide and at the moment the rough i non existant.

 

[backwoodsman]

Looks like Gorthleck is in the middle of nowhere? Nearest course may be Fort Augustus. 9 holer but supposed to be nice. Boat of Garten not so far away as the crow flies. But I think its the wrong side of some big mountains with no quick route to it. Pity cos its really nice

 

[Evesdad]

Definitely looks like the middle of nowhere! I can't even find the house where he is living on the satalite picture on google maps!

 

[the smiling assassin]

Castle Stuart, Nairn and Fortrose are all around 15-30 mins from Inverness. Probably your best bet. Steer clear of the Inverness courses - worth paying a little extra for one of the above. Make sure you pick a nice day. Fortrose is a joy, and not anywhere near as pricey as the other two.

 

[patricks148]

Definitely looks like the middle of nowhere! I can't even find the house where he is living on the satalite picture on google maps!

I think the term is "back of beyond":thup:

I also just noticed that you are planning to come Mid Oct.

Most of the courses will have started winter Maint by then, but that also means the green fee's will be down in cost.

The Last open comp is the 2nd Sat in Oct at Brora so some of the courses may also move onto winter tee's after that date.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Once you get past Carlisle when the M6 becomes M74 you can really put your foot down all the way to Glasgow on an empty wide good surface motorway.

No you can't, I've been caught twice on that road. Dumfries and Galloway cops are sneaky, they hide at the top of slip roads where you can't see them till it's too late.

 

[Evesdad]

No you can't, I've been caught twice on that road. Dumfries and Galloway cops are sneaky, they hide at the top of slip roads where you can't see them till it's too late.

Thanks for the heads up! The last points I got were when the copper jumped out from behind a hedge! He was usually behind the church!