Designed by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse, Castle Stuart opened in July 2009 and has become one of the finest links courses in Scotland. Located 6 miles east of Inverness and 1 hour south of Royal Dornoch, this championship links course overlooks the Moray Firth and well-known landmarks of Kessock Bridge, Chanonry Lighthouse and the Black Isle. At 7,007 yards from the back tees, the course's distinctive features include 'rumple', bunkers, infinity edges, generous fairways and contoured greens. Castle Stuart is also now a Scottish Open venue, cementing its place as one of the top Scottish golf courses.
As Turnberry is to Ayrshire and Gleneagles is to Perthshire, Castle Stuart has been conceived to be for the Highlands – a beacon reaching out to golfers throughout the world. The centerpiece for this Scottish destination golf resort is Castle Stuart Golf Links. The resort will include a bespoke Golf Hotel, a small luxury Hotel & Spa, ‘resort-ownership’ Lodges & Apartments, plus a second Seaside Course. Castle Stuart’s goal is to add to the rich fabric of golf in the Scottish Highlands – a fabric made rich by Royal Dornoch, Nairn, Brora, and many other fine Scottish golf clubs.
Like many of the great holes in golf, first impressions of “Redan” can be deceptive, and it is only by playing the hole a number of times that it reveals its hidden subtleties. The mounds, ridges and depressions left after the sea receded gives the course its natural contours, and the 15th hole was part of that evolution. For the player on the tee, the green is blind and the shaped shot, which must battle with the prevailing wind, can be struck with anything from a driver to a nine iron.
