Castle Stuart Golf Links Course Review

Tom Clarke

A visual feast both internally and externally over the Moray Firth to the Black Isle

Castle Stuart Golf Links Course Review

Green Fee Range: £140-£210

Medal Tee: Par 72 – 6,553 Yards

Visitor Times: Every day

Website: www.castlestuartgolf.com

Castle Stuart Golf Links Course Review

The work of entrepreneurial golf designer Mark Parsinen and renowned course architect Gil Hanse, this beauty of a modern links on the Moray Firth has achieved much in under ten years, hosting the Scottish Open four times.

Related: Top 100 golf courses UK and Ireland

On the Moray Firth with views eastwards towards Chanonry Point, north to the Black Isle and west towards the Kessock Bridge and the mountains beyond, this is an exhilarating setting for golf.

The 1st hole. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

The early holes on both nines play along a lower shelf right by the Firth before you climb on to higher ground with cracking views across to the Black Isle.

Generous fairways allow a little freedom off the tee, with much of the emphasis on accurate approach play.

A new nine-hole par-3 course is planned for 2019 to further enhance the Castle Stuart experience.

The par-3 17th. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

The course has been designed to be playable by golfers of all standards.

As such, it’s relatively generous from the tees. However, there’s an emphasis on placement with the drive.

The green complexes are sloping and it’s important to approach these from the correct angle in order to get near the pins.

Castle Stuart Golf Links Course Review

This is a layout where strategy is to the fore. The short par-4 3rd provides a good example of this.

It’s driveable with a favourable wind but anything narrowly missing the putting surface will leave a fiendishly difficult pitch.

The correct way to play the hole is to lay up and approach with a full wedge shot.

Golfers must be aware of the areas of ‘rumple’ – small hillocks and hollows – as well as the partially revetted bunkers.

The course is set over a fabulous stretch of coastline with a number of the most striking holes played right along the water’s edge.

Castle Stuart’s eye-catching, art deco-inspired clubhouse offers panoramic views of the course and surrounding countryside from all three floors.

Course changes since previous ranking

None

Proposed course changes

Opening of 9-hole par 3 course in summer of 2019

Castle Stuart Golf Links Course Review – Golf Monthly Verdict

A cleverly designed, visually appealing links that is playable by all