Inverness & Surrounding Areas

stokie_93

stokie_93

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My closest friend has recently moved to Inverness to start working at Spey Valley Golf Club.

Another friend and myself are going to go up next year around March/April time to go and play a few rounds with him.
We'll obviously play Spey Valley but are unsure where else to play up that way, I've looked at Nairn which is a possibility.

Would love to play Castle Stuart but it might be a bit of a push budget wise.

Has anyone got any good course recommendations?

Cheers, Jord
 
Patrick is the Inverness golf expert but I reckon boat of garten must be worth a shout. Nairn, castle Stuart, Dornoch is a bit further but well worth it.
 
Patrick is the man but if you are on a budget i think Tain is excellent value and Brora is a cracking track although quite a trek from Inverness. Personally would not be too disappointed to miss out on Castle Stuart.

My 4 would be Nairn, Tain, Brora and Dornoch. Maybe Fortrose&Rosemarkie if you have the time.
 
March/April .... the earlier you go you may find that it will still be winter up there. Spring can come quite late up there. Fine if you're playing coastal/links golf, but Spey Valley takes a lot longer to waken up, I'd put The Boat in that category as well.

A lot will depend on how the winter goes.
 
DCB said:
March/April .... the earlier you go you may find that it will still be winter up there. Spring can come quite late up there. Fine if you're playing coastal/links golf, but Spey Valley takes a lot longer to waken up, I'd put The Boat in that category as well.

A lot will depend on how the winter goes.
Click to expand...

In the last hour or so DCB we've decided on May for said friend's birthday so all should be fine :thup:
 
I've done a couple of trips up there and can echo what others are saying about the likes of Brora, Fortrose, Grantown, Golspie, Boat of Garten. If I played Spey again I would stay away from the whites on the par 3s and just play from the boxes as some of them are just long for the sake of being long.
 
Albanach said:
I've done a couple of trips up there and can echo what others are saying about the likes of Brora, Fortrose, Grantown, Golspie, Boat of Garten. If I played Spey again I would stay away from the whites on the par 3s and just play from the boxes as some of them are just long for the sake of being long.
Click to expand...

whats Spey Valley like as a course mate?
 
DCB said:
March/April .... the earlier you go you may find that it will still be winter up there. Spring can come quite late up there. Fine if you're playing coastal/links golf, but Spey Valley takes a lot longer to waken up, I'd put The Boat in that category as well.

A lot will depend on how the winter goes.
Click to expand...

I agree. I played both Spey and Boat when we had the forum meet up there a few years ago.
I think it was toward the end of April, and Boat had literally only just cleared from snow about a week or so before our arrival.
It was in bad condition, especially the greens and the beauty of the course was missing as the place looked so bare.
I'd love to go back and play it again during the Summer months.
Also, the day we played at Spey was one of the most miserable days spent on a golf course.
I was about 1 degree, maybe 2 all day and sleeted the whole way round.
I have never been so cold and wet and miserable on a golf course in my life.
I'm not saying they're bad courses, far from it. But I would NEVER venture that far North again that early in the year.
We also played at Nairn and Castle Stuart, and the conditions were much better at both of those, despite steady rain (albeit light) at Nairn.
Links courses you see
;)
 
Ive played it a few times L though it was a good few years ago 6 or 7 years ago I think (!?) and I did enjoy it. At that time there was no clubhouse and we checked in at a fancy ish portacabin and got a lift up in a people carrier. I seem to remember that there is a bit of a walk between green and tee and as others have mentioned early season condition can depend on how late spring is to kick in. I've mentioned the par 3s and aside from that I enjoyed it. My memory for courses is pretty brutal so I can't give much more detail-it was good enough for us to go back a second and third time.
 
stokie_93 said:
In the last hour or so DCB we've decided on May for said friend's birthday so all should be fine :thup:
Click to expand...


Things will be far better by then. Used to go on a boys weekend at the end of April and we played at courses along the Moray coast. Always in good nick by late April, whereas as Smiffy has said, Aviemore is way behind.
 
Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart are must's in my opinion, both superb courses.
As others have said you have Tain, Brora and Fortrose.
A few pro's play Nairn West before playing the Scottish open as well.
Your pal will have a good idea in the next few months as well if he's getting out and about.
Enjoy your trip and remember to sample the malt's 👍🏻😀
 
May you will be fine, but as someone else said The Cairngorms courses are at least 2/3 months behind condition wise.

my choices in order, would be
Royal Dornoch
Nairn
Castle Stuart
Moray Old
Tain
Fortrose
Brora
Hopeman
Spey Valley / Boat of Garten

Spey Valley is prob one of Dave Thomas's best courses, it has some great holes, but there are a few treks between green and tee. I'm not a buggy fan, but here is the one place i would take one.

Nairn do a deal after 1pm, though i don't think Dornoch do that time of year and if they do it will be late.

I would steer clear of Strath, the views are great, but the gold course is not all that.
 
For me it would be:-

1. Castle Stuart (a unique course) watch the website videos. Fair from the tee, but mad and challenging around all the greens.

2. Great history and great course. They do twilight deals also.

3. Nairn, best greens out of the 3.

The rest........
 
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