Cabot Highlands (the course many of us still slip and call Castle Stuart) is a cracking modern links in the Highlands and well worth a place on any serious Scotland itinerary. Consistently ranked among the world's best courses, this Gil Hanse design has hosted the Scottish Open, with past winners including Luke Donald and Phil Mickelson.
What makes Cabot Highlands special is how it blends contemporary design thinking with the raw, traditional links experience you'd expect from Scotland's best coastal courses. Course developer Mark Parsinen, the man behind Kingsbarns Golf Links, worked with Hanse to create a layout that feels entirely at home among its golfing neighbours, even though it's one of the newer names on the Scottish links list. The routing makes the most of the Moray Firth edge, with exposed holes where the wind quickly becomes part of the strategy and raised greens that demand proper links shots.
Location is another huge draw. Cabot Highlands sits just minutes from Inverness and its airport, making it one of the most accessible championship links in Scotland. You're also within easy striking distance of Nairn Golf Club and Royal Dornoch, two of the finest links courses anywhere. String those three together and you've got a Highland golf break that's genuinely hard to beat.
Looking to build a Highlands tour around it? You can pair Cabot Highlands with Royal Dornoch and Nairn for a brilliant 3-course break.
Who is this for?
Golfers who want a Top 100-calibre Highlands links that's easy to reach from Inverness and pairs perfectly with Royal Dornoch and Nairn.
Who is it best for?
Players who enjoy thinking their way round in the wind, love big coastal views and want a modern links that still feels unmistakably Scottish.
