A free day in Inverness....where to play

[vallygolf]

Heading with the family on a non golfing (or so they thought) trip to Scotland in July. Itinerary gives me a day in Inverness where I could squeeze in some golf. As it stands I am planning to make the hour or so trek to Royal Dornoch. I’m not averse to traveling, but if there is a better option closer I’d be interested. Any thoughts on my plan?

 

 

***Yes I have already contemplated the mistake of taking a non golfing trip to Scotland. :)

[Chanceman]

I have the same "problem" except I am definitely going on to Royal Dornoch but still looking around Inverness. The choices appear to be Castle Stuart (top 100 course) followed by Old Moray, Nairn and Fortrose & Rosemarkie. Nearer Dornoch you have Brora, Tain and Golspie. I plan to do Brora and Fortrose.

[Clambake]

You may find closer options, but you won't find a better one than Dornoch. There are a number of good courses closer to Inverness, but even those take a little driving. You're only hour drive away from a course that is in the top ten of everyone's best courses in the world - just play Dornoch and love it.

[Hawkeye77]

So many options . . . but, if you decide to make Royal Dornoch the course you play, get a caddie and enjoy the walk and soak it in (don't need to be fussing about worrying where your ball went, where it should go, etc.). If you go and if you decide to use a caddie there let me know as the time approaches, I can give you three very good recommendations (pretty sure the fourth won't be there this summer).

[scott_Donald]

Dornoch. easy answer.

[vallygolf]

Dornoch booked. I cant believe how easy it was to get a tee time. I wish ANGC was that accomodating..... A few logistics: My late teen son will be playing and I booked a twosome. My wife would like to walk with us, I cant find any info on how appropriate that would be. Any thoughts? Also I dont see a handicap requirement. My son doesnt carry a handicap so I am curious if we need to get him one established before play. Thanks in advance.

[Clambake]

Good choice. They are nice people there and pretty accommodating. Regarding your wife walking along, I don't think it's a problem but I'd suggest just contacting them. As you found they are quite accommodating, and by asking your politeness beforehand is likely to be rewarded. Regarding your son, they've never asked my index, and I don't think they require proof like St. Andrews, so I wouldn't worry about your son, but again just asking them is the right thing to do. I'm sure you will love the course - it's probably the best place I've ever played, and that includes Pebble, Spyglass, the Bandon Dunes courses, and more.

 

 

[davep043]

I'll echo everyone else, and congratulate you on your choice. Royal Dornoch is my favorite golf course, of all the places I've played in the world. I don't believe they have a handicap requirement, and I believe your wife will be just fine walking with you, but as @Clambake says, its never a bad thing to ask in advance. If you're thinking of staying overnight, I can highly recommend 2 Quail, a nice small B&B right in the middle of town.

[Hawkeye77]

No handicap requirement, anyone can walk along. Enjoy! And get caddies!

[duffer987]

@Hawkeye77 What % of visitors on the day you reckon had caddies?

Reckon I'll ping the club a few weeks out to check if anyone booked in with me for the morning round has a caddie and if so I'll get one too for the morning round.

[Hawkeye77]

> @duffer987 said:

> @Hawkeye77 What % of visitors on the day you reckon had caddies?

> Reckon I'll ping the club a few weeks out to check if anyone booked in with me for the morning round has a caddie and if so I'll get one too for the morning round.

Tough question. On Father's Day when I walked up to the course early in the day, seemed to be a lot of members going out and really not any, but as the day went on (we played mid-afternoon) I saw more and more being used. Group in front of us had 4. Seemed like there were always caddies ready to go and the guys I talked with didn't seem to have any trouble getting in a loop in the morning and one later. During the week it seemed like quite a few, but you'd see big buses in the parking lot quite often of golfers being driven up to the course from wherever. Thursday night again, the group in front of us had caddies (3 out of 4). I just looked at the webcam and looks like small groups and trolleys going off - that would be an interesting thing to check out in another month or more when it's a lot busier, and during the busy times of the day - you can see the groups heading off of one and could probably survey that way. My sense of it was not as many as on The Old Course in terms of %, but enough that seems like you always saw caddies near the caddie "shack" off the first tee waiting and/or ready to go. I contrast it with Brora and Crail (just limited examples from my limited experience) where I saw maybe 4 - 6 caddies out period in 54 holes of limited observation (and as you know, lots of places you'd have to make arrangements because caddies just aren't hanging about). Royal Dornoch has a thriving group, but seems like the out-of-towners make use.

Full disclosure, having used them twice at Royal Dornoch, I think if I'm ever lucky enough to go back I may do it again if one of the guys we had is still around (I like the familiarity factor), but after playing the course twice I have a lot better idea of where things should be headed off the tee, etc. and wouldn't have second thoughts walking and pushing my own bag, lots of memories of holes and shots there! We only used them on the Old and New, otherwise not on the other courses we played and I'm about to start a thread, lol, on opinions on caddies in general over there (thinking of doing without in the areas we are playing this summer). But, for a first round at Royal Dornoch I found the reads a huge aid, getting lines off the tee and where to plan to land approach shots a big help and mostly, for our family, knowing off the tee which patch of gorse you couldn't see the ball may have landed in. Obviously, others may hit it straighter, read greens fine and love the challenge of working it out with the course guide. I'm kind of pushing it on the OP because it would be a no brainer for me on this course if I'd never played over there before, likely only had one round to play and was taking on a challenging and one of a kind course.

Happy to help with suggestions if and when you go that route!

[vallygolf]

I booked caddies with the tee time. Caddies are a plus at a new course for sure, even though Im not likely to take on many pins in this round. With the wind and severe greens Ill take center cut and putt.