Wick Golf Club

Three miles north of Wick, between the coastal road and the North Sea, a flat strip of genuine links ground has been used for golf since 1870. Noss Head lighthouse and cliffs mark the northern horizon. An old fishing harbour sits at the southern end of the property. The course runs along this ground without ceremony — no hotel, no resort infrastructure, no particular concessions to visitors beyond a friendly welcome and an honest green fee. Wick is one of the oldest clubs in the far north of Scotland, older than most of the Highland clubs further south that receive the attention.

Par is 69 across 5,946 yards. The course is flat — no elevation changes of any consequence — and the difficulty comes entirely from the gorse, the tight fairways, and the wind that comes in off the North Sea without meeting anything between the Faroes and this strip of Caithness coast. The 11th hole is the standout: a par 3 played towards a green positioned at the cliff edge, with the sea dropping away behind it. On a calm day it is a routine mid-iron. In a north-easterly it is not.

The North Coast 500 — the tourism driving route around the Highland coast — passes Wick, and the golf club has benefited from the increase in visiting drivers who want an activity beyond photography and distillery visits. For NC500 visitors, Wick is the round to play on the eastern leg of the route; Reay (45 minutes west along the north coast) is the complement on the northern section. Together they make a Caithness-and-Sutherland links day available for well under £100.

Visitor green fees of £35–£45. The clubhouse is functional and friendly. No advance booking required for most days.