A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer
Scottish Islands
Skaw, Whalsay, Shetland
Plate I — Links course — coastal exposure, firm running turf
The most northerly golf course in the British Isles — 18 clifftop holes at Skaw on Whalsay, reached by the ferry from Laxo.
Whalsay's own website states it plainly: the most northerly golf course in the British Isles. The eighteen holes occupy the northernmost point of the island at Skaw, sea on both sides, on latitude with the southern tip of Greenland — getting there means the half-hour ferry from Laxo on the Shetland mainland and a ten-minute drive up from Symbister harbour, and the club, knowing exactly what kind of pilgrim makes that journey, rents out a caravan at the course.
The card runs to around 6,000 yards at par 71, but the real character is in the names: every hole carries Shetland dialect — Da Vung, Da Taing, Ayre of Virda, Muiddy Loch, Heathery Knowe — with one exception, the seventh, named plainly for T. Montgomery. The club's visitor notes ask you to sign the book; the island's two shops and the Auld Manse café are listed on its website with opening hours, because on Whalsay the golf club doubles as the tourist board.
One honesty note on the money: the £40 visitor and £100 weekly rates come from the club's own site as indexed in mid-2026 — they rose recently and the site itself is temperamental to reach, so confirm by email or the club's Facebook page before building a trip around them. Nobody who has made it to Skaw has ever reported regretting it.
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
Skaw, Whalsay, Shetland · ZE2 9AWOpen 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
Glasgow (GLA) or Inverness (INV) is 240 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 Skaw. Tap any property to check rates.
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Frequently Asked
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