A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer
Highlands
Dalcross, Inverness
Plate I — Links course — coastal exposure, firm running turf
Tom Doak's new course on the Castle Stuart estate, officially opened 15 May 2026. Par 71, 7,080 yards from the tips.
Old Petty is the second act at Cabot Highlands — Tom Doak's first Scottish course, routed around the 400-year-old Castle Stuart and the old Petty church on the same Moray Firth estate as the course that made the resort's name. It officially opened on 15 May 2026, which makes it the newest major course in Scotland, and the scorecard reads 7,080 yards, par 71 from the black tees, easing to 6,580 from the whites.
Doak's routing has one flourish flagged by Cabot itself as a rarity in modern design: the first and eighteenth holes cross over each other. The rest is his usual philosophy applied to Highland coast — natural contours left alone, greens that reward ground approaches, and the firth in view along a run of waterside holes. Inverness Airport is five minutes away, which for transatlantic golfers makes this the easiest serious new course in Scotland to actually reach.
The 2026 fee is £385 in the main season, £285 late, and the ticket to know about is the £695 36-hole pass covering Old Petty and Castle Stuart within any seven consecutive days. The junior rate — £50 for anyone seventeen and under — is quietly one of the most generous at any premium Scottish venue.
The Full Scorecard
Fields marked “Contact club” aren’t public-facing in a way we’ve been able to verify. Call the club directly for these — we’ll update the entry when we have it from source.
Conditions This Week
Scored 0–10 for golf — wind, rain, conditions · Full 7-region forecast →
Location
Dalcross, Inverness · IV2 7JLOpen in OpenStreetMap →
Plan This Round
Where to Stay
Hotels, lodges and self-catering near the first tee. Map-style search via Stay22 covering Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and Vrbo.
How to Get There
Inverness (INV) is 60 minutes away by car. Train + onward taxi works for the carless visitor.
Insure Your Round
Most home contents policies don't cover golf clubs in transit. The picker matches you to the right kind of cover in two minutes.
Played here? Consider
Picked for links rounds on the Scottish coast.
Outerwear
Wind off the firth changes club selection two irons. A breathable, fully-waterproof shell that's light enough not to swing in is the single biggest upgrade for Scottish links golf.
Layer
Scottish-made merino — the locals' choice for shoulder-season rounds. Warm enough for a 7am tee time in October, light enough for the back nine when the sun comes out.
Tech
Handles blind tee shots and exposed-coastal yardage cleanly. Battery lasts a 36-hole day; the wind-direction overlay justifies the price on its own.
Stays Nearby
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of Dalcross. Tap any property to check rates.
Rates and availability via Stay22. We may earn a small commission if you book — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work.
Frequently Asked
Nearby courses
Highlands golf hub
Browse all Highlands courses →
Royal Dornoch and the long drive north. Six hours from London, three from Edinburgh — and the most consistently brilliant links country in Scotland once you get there.
While they golf — Inverness
For the non-golfer in Inverness →
Culloden Battlefield is 6 miles from Inverness — NTS visitor centre, clan graves, and moorland. Fort George's Georgian artillery ramparts are 11 miles east.
Read more about Highlands
Spotted a wrong fee, a closed course, or a typo on this page?
Email us a correction →