Overview:

Golspie Golf Club, though not a world-renowned golf course, is certainly worth a visit when playing golf in the Highlands of Scotland. Situated approximately 20 minutes from Royal Dornoch and Brora and about an hour from Nairn, Golspie is certainly worth including in your itinerary.

Little different than other Scottish links courses, the history of Golspie is long and colorful. The fact that golf was played on this links course prior to the foundation of the club is, again, no great surprise. Golspie Golf Club grew from the activities of the local Sutherland Golfing Society and was founded in 1889. The published description of the course in The Golfer’s Guide for the United Kingdom in 1895 perfectly reflects the subsequent course of history at the links:”There is an excellent course of nine holes and with a little time, care and money, will be made still more worthy of its charming Highland location.”

Development of the links has been constant over the years, and an 18-hole layout was opened in 1905. Following further extensions, the club sought the advice of the renowned architect and golfer James Braid. The development work proposed by Braid was agreed upon, and by 1927, the most significant alterations to Golspie Golf Links had been completed.

Golspie shot to prominence in 1985, when the links played host to the 36 hole qualifying event for the British Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch. Given that fewer than ten players returned sub-par rounds and the excellent condition of the course, Golspie Links finally commanded the recognition it richly deserved.

Though classified as a links course, Golspie is somewhat unique as far as what one expects from a traditional links. Offering a mixture of links, heath and parkland combined with stunning views, golf at Golspie Links is truly a unique experience. The course layout is such that shot-making skills are tested to the limit, while the par of 68 is not often matched. Some of the finest holes at Golspie include the par 4, 14th, back-to-back par 3,s at 16 and 17, and of course, as with many great courses, the 18th, a testing 445-yard par 4.

Course review content courtesy of Golf Publisher Syndications