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Castle Stuart, Scotland |
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Castle Stuart Golf
Balnaglack Farmhouse
Inverness
IV2 7JL
Scotland |  | Gil Hanse |  | TBD |
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 | +44 (0) 1463 796111 |  | 7 miles E of Inverness, off the A96 |
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Golf Club Website
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 | Contact in advance |  | Fraser Cromarty |
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Only one course of action was open to American developer Mark Parsinen once he’d overseen the triumphant opening of Kingsbarns – scour the coastline of Scotland to find a suitable place to develop another world class layout that might even outshine its illustrious predecessor.
Parsinen feels he has discovered just such a special site on the southern shores of the Moray Firth, between Inverness and Nairn at Castle Stuart and from what we’ve seen previewing the course in the Autumn of 2008 (and, it must be added, with absolutely no fear of sensationalising the issue) it may well make as massive an impact on the golfing scene when it opens in the summer of 2009 as Kingsbarns did in 2000 – yes, you read that right first time – it IS that good!
The opening three holes on each nine run away from the clubhouse along the edge of a raised beach by the side of the Moray Firth, offering spectacular views across the water to the Black Isle. In order to reach shore level from the escarpment above, a thrilling drive must be struck from tees cut into the cliff side down to the fairways below on holes 1 and 10 – a heart-pumping way to start both the outward and inward half.
As with so many modern designs, clever mounding ensures most holes are played in isolation to the rest, with the next hole only revealed after the current one has been played. Another eye-catching feature throughout the entire layout is the use of expansive, wild-looking waste bunker areas to fringe the sand capped-fairways and green sites, adding a wonderfully natural feel to the course.
Holes 4 to 9 and 13 to 18 are played more inland, with each loop ending on either side of a clubhouse that sits on the edge of the cliffs. One of the best holes on a sensational front nine is the 552-yard, par five, 6th which is played to a long, narrow green that sits between a pair of beautiful waste bunkers. On the more elevated back nine, the testing 220-yard 17th on top of the cliffs is a really daunting prospect to play so late in the round.
Castle Stuart will offer some serious competition to both Royal Dornoch and Nairn when it comes to attracting visiting golfers in the future but that can only be a good thing for the Highlands where they seem determined to raise the golfing bar of excellence as high as possible.
In January 2011, Castle Stuart was confirmed as the venue for the 2011 Barclays Scottish Open, which had previously been hosted at Loch Lomond for the last 15 years. Click here to read more. Unfortunately the 2011 event was hit by unprecedented summer storms that forced a foreshortened 54-hole tournament. The rain delays, however, did not dampen Luke Donald’s form. The world number one cruised comfortably to victory claiming his first Scottish Open title by four shots. India’s Jeev Milkha Singh won the 2012 event, beating Italy’s Francesco Molinari in a play-off. | |
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If the above course review article is not accurate, let us know by clicking here |
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 |  | | Average Reviewers Score: |   | | | I played this course twice a few weeks ago and Castle Stuart scored very highly on a number of aspects: First the views are outstanding, not just over the Moray Firth but also to the coast on the other side, to Fort George, to Inverness, to the highlands in the distance etc. Second the overall design of the facilities including the practice facilities and the club house is second to none. Third the green complexes are very well done, with lots of humps and hollows and smart bunkering which provides great short game challenges. The one area where Castle Stuart did not excel in our view was the design of the fairways which in our view were too wide and too forgiving, particularly if you compare the course to Royal Dornoch or Royal Aberdeen which we played during the same week and which my partners and I would rate a touch ahead of Castle Stuart. Nevertheless, Castle Stuart is a great course. Unsurprisingly, it reminded me quite a bit of Kingsbarns and is definitely in the same league, you will definitely love this course if you like Kingsbarns. |
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| 09 June 2013
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| | Fourth year straight visiting on the excellent value Highlands Stay and Play with the peerless Royal Dornoch. Am prompted to upgrade Castle Stuart to 6 ball. The staff, views, design and facilities were already top quality, but the course has matured beautifully. The links nature of the turf and greens continues to get even better, adding up to a superbly enjoyable place to play golf. |
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| 09 April 2013
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| Castle Stuart, I cannot have had a better experience on the 2012 Scottish Open Venue. After playing at East Lothian, Turnberry and St Andrews; the trip continued North to meet the courses everyone spoke about but which I had never visited: Royal Aberdeen, Royal Dornoch, Nairn (which I could not play due to Curtis Cup), Cruden Bay and Castle Stuart. I arrived to the course 7am and in a nice summer day I played the Course on my own before having my interview with Fraser Cromarty, the Director of Golf. PLaying on your own on links is tough because your are the only one to watch your ball and sometimes it is not that easy to find it, and putting is also difficult because you have no refferences and usually you do not take the enough time.  Said this, all the same walking this stunning piece of land was really great and I recommend every golfer who can afford it to go and play at Inverness, it is unbeatable. The Course cannot be said to be a true classical links, but has a lot of that. The piece of land has some dramatical level changes and not all the holes are close to the sea. It is really playable (I would not say easy) for golfers of all levels and in a good day and from the correct set of tees you can really score low, and makes you love it even more!! It starts on a tough par 4, but then 2 and 3 are good birdie chances. Then on 4 you have a nice par 3 with the Castle named after Mr Stuart behind the green, a really nice picture to take. From 5 to 9 you have good holes but nothing too nice as you are apart from the sea. Then 10-11-12 towards the Ocean and with a dramatic level change on 10th from the tee, you have maybe the nicest part of the course. After this you get inland from 13 to 15, to finish the round with 3 great holes: short drivable par 4 16th, long par 3 17th and breathtaking par 5 18th where the green watched from fairway is another great picture to take. a great round, a nice experience and great staff make it an outstanding golf experience. A warm soup and lunch at the club house is mandatory and ends a perfect golfer's day. If you visit The Saltire, don't miss Castle Stuart! |
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| 12 July 2012
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| Before teeing off I had a quick chat with one of the staff about what changes are made to the course before the upcoming Scottish Open to test the professionals. He informed me the course would close only two days before the tournament for some last minute pruning. That means the course you play is essentially the same as some of the world’s best. I imagine the greatest difference is the speed of the greens. The pro said they were running at 9.3-9.5 on the stimpmeter: a little optimistic. It made for some difficult putting on longer putts but at least low running chips were made easier. And that is a great thing considering the imperative on playing the running game into the greens. Downwind there was rarely any temptation to fly a ball all the way. When you see a pro fly a high-spinning approach into a green here you get an even better appreciation of just how gifted are those guys.
 One word of warning about the course would be in order in my view, and not through any desire to create controversy or spark debate. Those expecting a genuine links course throughout may be a touch disappointed. Few golf courses can have genuine links holes quite so high up from the sea where it would be harder for the wind to blow and redeposit sand to the higher plateau to make genuine links sub-soil. The uniformity of the turf conditions in the wide fairways also makes them look more like the modern inland layouts at Bowood or the London Club.
Holes 1-4 and 10-12 are the only ones found by the water. None of this is a complaint about the quality of the holes or the design ethos employed throughout. I struggle to think of a course that gives more options in gameplan while also promoting the lost art of the ground running ball. You can’t help but think that the designers of the Castle Course at St Andrew’s had something like Castle Stuart in mind but didn’t quite get there. Of course that Fife visitor attraction could still be improved yet. If you want to enjoy Castle Stuart and put down genuine scores, play the course from the tees recommended, though not mandated by the starter.
It was interesting to catch up with visiting American golfers (a key target market one assumes) and see their approach to the game. The first of the threeball to tee off the 10th (white tees) was a fifty something gentleman who took out a smallish headed driver and proceeded to shape an elegant low draw to the middle of the fairway. Precise and nothing fancy. The next thrashed a large headed driver of a certain head colour into the long golden hay on the left, which is actually not a bad place to be. The third whacked his ball straight into the gorse 30 yards right of the fairway and took a drop from nowhere near there. This was all done from the furthest back white tees in the name of vanity. It serves as the perfect illustration of the value of listening to the starter. By not playing from the tips I somehow played the same ball for 18 holes: a rare feat for me.
Away from the course itself, the lunch menu is more competitively priced than one might imagine but is not much more than honest pub grub, which is not a bad thing. The service is professional (as in straight from the manual) and contrasts starkly from the natural warm welcome you receive everywhere in the highlands. While there I overheard a conversation between a manager at Castle Stuart and a visiting golfer (an architect by profession) who enthused greatly about the clubhouse design. How hard did I have to stifle the guffaw that wanted to erupt out of me? Who, out of us golfers would design a clubhouse so that the bar is on the ground floor giving views of the putting green, while the locker rooms enjoy stunning views of the range, the 9th and 18th? Where would you rather have a warming pot of tea or a long cooling drink? In the locker rooms, or the bar? And the top floor private bar proves that while everyone is a member for the day at Castle Stuart, some of the animals are more equal than others.
It is a great course but the club is totally out of kilter with the rest of the highlands. It should be added to a Highlands golf trip rather than the foundation of such an itinerary. I have tried it once but I suspect that might be enough for me. |
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| 28 June 2012
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| | Just returned from a trip to Inverness where we played Castle Stuart, Royal Dorncoch and Nairn. This is a great golf destination with three amazing courses. We loved Royal Dornoch and Nairn as the layout, design, scenery, setting and condition at these courses are top drawer. At Castle Stuart the setting and layout are great but unfortunately the condition of the course, and particularly the greens, left a lot to be desired. They only have a few weeks to get ready for the Scottish Open. Good luck! CS was a disappointing third after RD and Nairn for us and far more expensive.... |
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| 17 May 2012
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| | I played this course last weekend and it was everything I had hoped it would be. Castle Stuart is great from the get go with one fun hole after another. I may be wrong, but I don't think there is a dud in there. My favourites were 8,9,12,14 and 17, but there are plenty more. I will definately come back, from Sweden, this course is destined for greatness! |
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| 04 May 2012
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| | We played this course in July 30th as a two ball after one dropped out of the trip. We booked 36 here on Tuesday before we flew over. The staff was incredible. We took slightly wrong directions from Cruden Bay, and got there with 3 minutes to spare from our first tee time. Not to worry, we were told we weren't the first, wouldn't be the last, relax, go to the range and warm up for your rounds. They sent us off the back, we were next to last to finish, and then they even recommended, and called to reserve, a spot for us in Nairn on our way back. The course is very well done. They learnt what works at Kingsbarns, and have improved on that with (in my opinion) a better design here. Ample room off the tees with some forced carries from the tips make driving important, but will not ruin the round for the higher handicapper provided they play from the proper set of tees. One feature with multiple uses is the knack of setting the green complex such that it is framed by the blue water of the Moray Firth - starting with the practice green when you first walk out of the clubhouse. The holes route generally NE/SW, so if you have wind, you will have short par 5's downwind to offset the brutal long par 4's into the wind. There is plenty of room to play. So, you can certainly take the wide area and the fat part of the green and shoot your handicap. The course guide refers to chance and nuance as the defining measures of the lowest scores – there are opportunities to be had, but you have got to hit it on a dime to take advantage of them. Here's hoping that the Scottish open enjoys a long residence here. We thoroughly enjoyed our loops and will head back to Inverness to play here again as well as Dornoch, and Nairn and others. |
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| 16 January 2012
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| | Played it on extended weekend where conditions varied from murderous on the first day and benign on the second. Playing with hi-handicap partners with a lo/mid handicap I found that they benefited enormously from the lack of punishment for wayward tee shots. However, this is a minor cavil set against the course's numerous plus points; great condition even late in the season, jaw dropping scenery, excellent staff and fine course architecture. A memorable experience in every respect. Did not really compare to Dornoch which was our next port of call but then what does? |
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| 24 October 2011
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| | We played Castle Stuart on a calm day at the beginning of the month.My friend, who is a lover of the old school felt it was a bit artificial for his taste and having reflected for a while I can sort of understand what he means.
It is wide open from the tee and I think thats part of the problem but it does give you a really good chance of a decent score on a calm day and I suppose that is part of the fun for us amateurs.It is set up to be enjoyable,not to completly beat you up . The green complexes are the main defence although I can understand why the pros ripped it to shreds in calm soft conditions earlier in the year.
The holes down by the waters edge are the best 1-3 and 10-12 with the 11th being an absolutely gorgeous little par 3 with an infinity green which is one of the features of the course.
Personally I really enjoyed it.Was it worth £200 for the day??-marginal,probably not but playing my golf on a parkland course you can't beat being next to the sea. |
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| 13 September 2011
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| | Playing Castle Stuart and Royal Dornoch back to back over two days was sheer bliss. Despite being new, Castle Stuart still offered that good old friendly Scottish welcome when arriving. The facilities in and around the clubhouse are 5 star. The course itself was stunning. I cannot think of a better view standing on the 1st tee of any hole. The holes along the Dornoch Firth are so natural you could be mistaken for thinking they were created over 100 years ago or more. The owners have done a magnificent job creating this facility and clearly put a Highlands golfing tour on many golfers to do lists. |
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| 15 August 2011
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| This is an absolute must for ALL types and standards of golfers. I first played the course when it was a month old and then again last October and I plan to visit their again for the Scottish Open. The scenery is spectacular to say the least. The welcome is exactly what you would expect from a course in this part of the country, friendly, casual and completely unpretentious.
The course is truly amazing! I agree with most of the comments made regarding the fairways but I do not feel that this detracts from the course at all – after all, Augusta and St Andrews are pretty wide open? In fact, the fairways are pretty similar to the Old course; play safe and you have a more difficult line into the pin, play to the correct part of the fairway and you will be rewarded. The 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th, 14th, 15th holes are classic examples of this. I'm a plus handicapper and played it in benign conditions for the first time and was disappointed to shoot 72, next time I played it in a 20 mph wind and had one of my best ball-striking rounds in ages and shot 75. So I would suggest that the course is fair rather than too easy.
It's worth visiting their website before you play to understand the thinking behind the course design – I promise this will enhance the experience. Everything is done to take account of the sight lines, severity of punishment and the risk and rewards. Yet it still looks very mature for its age. It's remarkable that they have managed to incorporate so many infinity greens into 18 holes (13 at my count). These make approach shots so much fun.
The course is from the same guys who brought us Kingsbarns. The best compliment I can give them is that this place blows Kingsbarns out of the water because they have taken everything that was good from their design there and implemented it at Castle Stuart. The main weakness of Kingsbarns was that it had too severe greens – links greens don't need to be full of hillocks!! Castle Stuart's are large and undulating but in general have gentle slopes which can shoot an approach shot off in the wrong direction if played carelessly but that gives you an opportunity to 1 putt from inside 20 ft, to 2 putt from 40 ft and provides an almighty challenge to 2 putt from outside that range. Also, Kingsbarns has a couple of non-holes such including the par three 8th, and the impossibly difficult 15th which, although spectacular is an all or nothing 220 yrd carry to a stupid shallow green over the North Sea. The best comparison to Castle Stuart is the 4th hole which by itself is nondescript but is made better by some intelligent contouring and the Castle as a backdrop. The 17th at Castle Stuart is a brute into the prevailing wind much like the 15th at KB but at least here they give you a bail out to the left which will mean a safe shot is possible but a very difficult chip is left to set up a par.
You can tell that I am a massive fan but don't let that sway you, you must see this for yourself. In my Scottish top 3 behind Muirfield and only just behind Dornoch. |
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| 20 May 2011
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| | A very good course in excellent condition with a superb clubhouse and service, but please make it more demanding off the tee as unlike most great links courses there was very little intimidation with the big stick in hand. A great start but more work to do. |
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| 11 October 2010
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| | As a member in East Lothian, I personally enjoyed the relative freedom this course afforded off the tee (no waste high rough here - yet!) and throughly enjoyed the layout and conditioning of the course. The setting is as good as people say whilst the clubhouse and service are absolutely first class. It is astonishing to think this course is only a year or so old - it will only get better - and I would agree with the comments already posted regarding the first 4 holes - all terrific - with 6, 10, 11, 17 and 18 also deserving of special praise. A great day all round - I look forward to playing it again ideally on a three day tour to include Nairn and Royal Dornoch - some trio! |
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| 22 September 2010
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| | Played the course last week, and it shoots straight into my top 5 alongside Turnberry, Saunton, Ganton and Dornoch (i think thats my top 5 anyway!). Had read the predominantly good reviews, and was expecting something special, but had a niggling feeling the newness of the course may hold the course back... Not a chance...sometimes its hard to put into words why you have enjoyed something so much, and thats kind of how i feel about Castle Stuart...but I do know I have never played a course quite like it before, I loved it and would go back to play it again in a shot. So I will just try to add to the previous comments. I think the previous reviews cover all the strong points very well - but I would add that the greens are now coming on very nicely, and are among the best I have played on. Subtle contours, smooth roll, gave me lots of confidence on the greens. In terms of negative comments, I also think they are generally fair where they refer to the fact that the fairways are too wide. But I think thats partly an illusion and they will feel much narrower once the rough has fully grown in! My main concern is that not enough people will get to play and appreciate this place. The green fee is considerably more than Dornoch and Nairn, both of which are 6-ball courses (in my view), and I think those two courses would probably be on a tour itinerary in preference to the newer Castle Stuart. If accessibility is opened up, with green fees more in line with the local competition, then i agree with other comments that this will be recognised as one of the top few courses in Scotland. For now, if you are in the area, i would urge you to think about splashing out on this place. It is a bit special. |
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| 06 August 2010
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| | An excellent addition to scottish golf, Had the pleasure of playing this with the reduced local rate and was thoroughly impressed. The reception is excellent and the practice facilities are in great nick. In fact on the drive up to the course you just know that there is a special course round the corner. This is just reinforced when you step into the clubhouse and have a great vista over the infinity putting green onto the Moray firth.
The course is beautiful to look at and great fun to play, probably because it doesnt really punish you too much at the moment. The greens were slick but receptive and there are some stunning holes notably the first few on the back nine, but each is memorable in its own way. The waste bunkers make it feel a bit different from the other links courses but don’t detract from the natural look in my view.
I hadnt played in over a month but the wide fairways and lack of trouble off the tee allowed me to wield my driver with confidence and despite a number of hooky shots I barely strayed off the short stuff. In fact I was putting my opponents to the sword with some early birdies and nearly and ace on the short par 3 up to the castle.
I am a great fan of the greens and the thought that has obviously gone into every contour that does alter difficulty of approaches considerably. My only criticism is that it is maybe too playable at the moment for pure ball strikers. Off the backs Im sure it is a very stern test but I feel they need to add a few fairway bunkers to make players think about position off the tee, especially as the fairways are about 50 yards wide and you can grip it and rip it on most holes.
All in all a top class track.
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| 23 June 2010
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| | Just wanted to add to the previous review with a little video of the waterside 10th tee. I am sure that Castle Stuart will become a famous course to play, a golfing Munro! Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOzdulRvxos |
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| 09 May 2010
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| | I can't compete with the preceding review for comprehensive coverage, so just my impressions from playing Castle Stuart twice over the opening weekend. We played off the whites which were manageable for our 12-14 handicaps. The facilities are fantastic and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. A truly beautiful clubhouse, I don't think that I had smelt money before taking in the aroma of dark wood and leather in the men's locker room ! But to the golf...we really enjoyed it, and the setting is truly fantastic. Everyone there is emphatic that they are trying to create a fun links experience for all levels of golfers, and I can empathise somewhat with the preceding review who felt it wasn't challenging enough for him. The fairways are indeed wider for the most part (there is still gorse waiting for bad shots !) than most classic links, and the greens whilst hard and true didn't punish bad putts as severely as for instance Dornoch the following day, but that doesnt feel like what Castle Stuart is for. The pace of play was excellent, the food delicious and very reasonable, and together with a fun course and breathtaking setting I think that everyone who makes the trip will find Castle Stuart a truly memorable and enjoyable golfing experience. dan |
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| 05 April 2010
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| One visit to the new Castle Stuart course was all it took to send it rocketing into the top couple of courses in Scotland that have disappointed me most. The philosophy behind the course is outlined in the course guide and I could spend hours writing a dissertation about why the course fails to live up to this philosophy, or why much of the philosophy is, in my view, flawed anyway. I am not saying this is a bad course, I'm still giving it 4 balls, but at this price it must be judged against the best, and I think it falls short.
Things I really liked. Great service and atmosphere. You WILL feel relaxed. The condition. For a new course, it's excellent. The fairways are consistent, and though the greens are not yet perfect, they are more than adequate for a place that charges such high fees. Only some areas of rough still need to knit. There has also clearly been much planting of mature heather and bushes that has aged the course more quickly than other recent developments I've seen. The setting. Ultimately, this saves the course for me. It's up there with the best. You can't help but overlook most of the bad points when you're in a location like this. The green surrounds. While I like tightly bunkered greens, The philosophy here of using slopes, tight lies and run-offs ensures much fun for shots finishing just off the putting areas. The first 4 holes. I want to finish on a high, so I'll discuss them later.
Things I'm indifferent about. Bunkers and sleepers. I like the look of the large waste areas, however, there is a reason that most courses made a transition from this rough look to a more clean-cut approach to bunkers in the early 20th century. I wonder if the hazards here will look the same in 50 years time. The 'filled-in' bunkers and the ubiquitous distressed sleepers are clearly features influenced by nearby Nairn. No bad thing that, but on such an expensive development, and on such a scale, it all feels a bit contrived and twee. Incidentally, the obvious desire to create as many infinity greens as possible, and the annoying habit of the course guide to point this out and ask you to enjoy the view got slightly irritating. The greens. Not the condition, but their size. I liked the fact that they were not as universally sloped as, say, Kingsbarns, a surprise after the practice green, but the fact that they are so large and flat tends to remove any advantage that a particular point on the fairway might bring, so the much heralded "strategic choices" are basically negated. Any advantage on shot angle is minimal, so you just find as much length as you can and don't worry too much about which side of the fairway it's on. On par 3's the large greens allied to the lack of close trouble means there is no fear involved in the shot. Take the much vaunted, and aesthetically impressive, 11th. Every course should have a short par 3, but with a green this size it takes a truly bad shot to miss it. It's no Postage Stamp. In fact, for such a visual delight, it's a let-down to play.
Things I didn't like. The width of the fairways, and the lack of trouble off the tee. I understand that Mr Parsinen wanted to create a playable course, but this is, and I mean this in all seriousness, the dullest course from the tee I have ever played. Even lower ability golfers like to be pushed occasionally. Throw in a couple of tighter tee-shots during the round and all would be forgiven, but it's relentlessly open. Aside from 2, 3, and possibly 10, at no point is there any real hazard close to where you might want to place your tee-shot. The result? Strategy goes out the window and you just grip it and rip it. It's dull. In a great location. The 'dunes'. Again they look artificial. The ones at lower level by the water actually look 'real' and believable, but you would never find such angulated dunes above a sea-cliff as you do here. And certainly not ones that miraculously follow the lines of the holes. Maybe most people don't see it, but to me they are obviously man-made, and fit into the landscape as seamlessly as the factory a few hundred yards inland. Or Cumbernauld town centre. They look like scars. Should it annoy me? Possibly not. Does it annoy me? Greatly.
Don't want to finish on a low, so I'll just say that after four holes I was sure this was going to be a 6-ball course. The 1st is open and playable, a good thing on a first hole, and all in a dream location. The 2nd is a fun short par 5 with some mounds of rough in the fairway to make you think on the tee, while the 4th is a decent par-3, (if the pin is back), whose glorious location only improves as you approach the green. Before that is the 3rd. And here, surely, is a hole where Mr Parsinen's golfing philosophy is actually achieved. It is one of the best short par 4's I've played, and it has the width, playability and strategy that he espouses. Why does it work here, (and on 2), but not elsewhere? In a word, trouble. Bunkers must be taken on, and a lateral hazard on the right avoided to be rewarded with a straightforward approach, (doesn't that sound so very Old Course). Or, go wide left where there's plenty room, (Old course again).As it's a short par-4 the 2nd shot will be short, so the width really can make a vast difference to the angle of approach into this narrow green. Pure risk/reward at it's best. It's not a tough hole, but the whole thing works because the trouble is there to be considered.
More of this and I'd have been raving about this course yet. As it is the setting drags it up to a comfortable 4-ball, otherwise it would be 3 for the course, and a bare 2 if you consider how expensive it is. I'm also well aware that most people will not share my views. |
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| 29 March 2010
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| Response: | | | Ally McIntosh | 31 March 2010 | | This is an excellent, informed review.... I look forward to visiting for the first time in the summer to see if I agree with all, some or none of it... |
| | | At Castle Stuart, Mark Parsinen and his team believe they’ve improved on Kingsbarns. I think they’re right, but only in the tiniest details, which is of course what it gets down to when you start talking about courses as wonderful as these two. I guess Castle Stuart is more spectacular, just, to look at I mean, with carefully considered views, or rather their revealing is carefully considered. And I guess Castle Stuart is just a jot more fascinating to play. I say that because the differences between a good shot and a bad shot here are incredibly subtle. And the bad shot won’t result in a lost ball. The fairways are massive. In fact, you won’t even know you’ve hit a bad shot until you play again and reconsider the hole very very carefully. It’s like Augusta, before the Tiger-proofing (Parsinen loves Alastair Mackenzie). And with the changes in elevation it’s like Dornoch (Parsinen often plays there). I adored the third hole, a 300 yard par four played to an infinity green. There’s bunkering at layup range, none at greenside, but there are brilliant swales and hollows short and left which did for me this time but which I’ll be ready for the next. I loved five, the simple sweeping dogleg with a hidden bunker behind the green. I loved nine (the green especially). And I loved 17 and 18. Hey, I loved them all. I’d originally visited in winter but returned on September 10, 2009, and the course looked excellent. Some rough, but not much, is still to grow in. The greens will be better in their second (full) year, the fairways too. I believe this might soon be the best course on the British isles. It’s worth mentioning that all the staff we met there, from top to bottom, were professional and charming. It’s quite an experience: California comes to Inverness. ANGLOSCOT |
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| 16 September 2009
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| Response: | | | Simon Light | 03 December 2009 | | Great Course with super fast greens. Infinity greens with the most stunning views. Clubhouse art deco design & 5 star service. |
| | | Played Castle Stuart on a perfectly calm day in August and was thoroughly looking forward to pitting my wits (and surgeon like wedge skills) against the 2nd of Mark Parsinen’s Scottish masterpieces. Having played Kingsbarns last year is was not surprised by the extremely warm geeting and first class facilities - both practice and clubhouse.
I was expecting a Kingsbarns esque experience out on the course and although there are some similarities there are also significant differences. The main similarity is that Parsinen has gone into inordinate detail in almost every respect – the location is second to none with stunning views that somehow feel as much part of the course as the beautifully landscaped waste bunkers and meandering tee boxes. The waste bunkers themselves are things of beauty – you feel that Old Tom Morris himself has had a hand in deciding where a nice wee rivetted face should be put in for maximum effect.
The main difference I noticed between this and Kingsbarns is that there is significantly less trouble off the tee. In fact, for the better player you could almost say it was too easy as the fairways are expansive, usually roll in from both sides and feature very few bunkers. This may however be due to the relative youthfulness of the course and hopefully in time as the rough grows in the fairways themselves will narrow. The main difficulties with this course lie around the greens as anything off the short stuff will be rewarded with numerous hollows and swails to overcome.
Although holes 7 and 15 are far too similar there is good variety to the holes and the par 3’s (the 11th especially) are excellent. This is a golf course that anyone interested in the game has to play and it will only get better over time. The only reason that it doesn’t get 6 stars from me (unlike Kingsbarns) is that it does not provide the same challenge off the tee although visually it is superior to anything else that I have played. The only thing I forgot to check was if there was a healthy supply of Kummel behind the bar – will need to check on that next time…..
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| 11 August 2009
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The experience of playing here inspired me to write my first post on this site , although I have always enjoyed reading others insights.
This place is special; for those of us who love the game we owe it to ourselves and the world to recognise what is going on here; others have eloquently described the playing experience and I can’t wait until the greenkeeping team have those subtle undulation running like glass to really provide a proper test of skill; , but there is more; Castle Stuart represents [I hope] a bright future for golf, if those that come into contact with it reflect how it achieves the following in an extravagantly beautiful way:
The environment is enhanced, indeed celebrated. There is a real love for its location, not so unsurprising, given the natural and historic beauty, but how many other sporting and/or leisure developments around the world have genuine regard for their location. Look how the design opens up the views, exposes the visitor to the scenery and its rich heritage, all while focusing on the next shot.? The combination of trying to concentrate on the golf challenge, while being in awe of my precise place on Planet Earth at the time was my most abiding personal memory.
Its design is connected with what locally precedes it. I know the design team have the utmost respect for the unique character of Scottish golf, and this respect is fundamental to the playing experience; its not a development that tries to impose concepts and fleeting fashions from the other side of the world, but one which happily encourages the visitor to seek more of the traditional game that exists in region.
For such reasons alone, golf players, developers, and investors, need to recognise why Castle Stuart is receiving such plaudits even at this stage of inclusion on the worldwide discussion boards!. My humble advice to the curious; Of course play it; but then consider, in the 19th , for the health of the game in your part of the world, why this place resonates so much with the spirit of the game.
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| 24 October 2008
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| Response: | | | Jim Leisenring | 28 October 2008 | | I am a PGA Professional in the US and I have had a chance to play Castle Stuart and believe that it will be one of the highest regarded golf courses not just of its type, but across the ranks. It is truly fantastic aesthetically and from a players standpoint it offers constant engagement, variety and interest. |
| | | Johnny Logan, Irelands Eurovision giant once opined “What do you say when words are not enough?” Well, that is the predicament that faces me here as it doesn’t matter what I write here. I could discover eloquence that hitherto has escaped me; it still wouldn’t accurately portray the true majesty that is Castle Stuart. It is a master piece which, if it were a painting would hang centre stage, in the Louvre or the Uffizi. It is a masterpiece which may, just may, surpass Mark Parsinen’s other masterpiece at Kingsbarns. Praise does not come any higher than that.
Castle Stuart’s magic comes down to its design, which attempts to ensure that you feel that there is nothing else on the face of the earth, except the hole that you are playing at that time, and location, beside the Moray Firth with the Black Isle, Fort George and the Kessock Bridge constantly on the horizon. It is simply sublime.
The course does not open until next summer but when it does, it will go off the golfing Richter scale especially, when overseas visitors discover it during their annual pilgrimages to Dornoch and Nairn. When they report back, expect to be crushed in the stampede, such will be the clamour to play this course. There are so many fantastic holes here where meandering fairways cosy up with gigantic waste bunkers and water. You will struggle to isolate a particular favourite as they all great holes, but I loved the short 4th, which plays towards Castle Stuart itself, and the 10th, which, from the Tiger tee is like the famous 14th at The Roxburghe, only a hundred times better.
I can only reiterate what Jim says in his review and add my own WOW!! A feeling I haven’t had since I played the back 9 at Hillside. If I could give it more than 6 balls I would because Castle Stuart will captivate you like no other course and will remind you why you took up this wonderful game in the first place. MPPJ
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| 23 October 2008
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| Wow, wow and triple wow – did Castle Stuart EVER live up to my (already very high)  expectations when I played here in early October 2008!!! When I had popped in for a look around a couple of months ago, I recognised I was looking at something really special and couldn’t wait to get back to play to preview the course. Where to start with reviewing Castle Stuart? The fantastic elevated tee shot to begin the round, the clever split fairway on the 2nd hole, the lovely shallow grass bunkers on hole 3, the Castle in the background at the par three 4th, the brilliant greenside waste bunkers on holes 6 and 9, the breathtaking tee shot down to the water side from the 10th tee, the beautiful short par three 11th, the wonderful offset putting surface on 14, the precariously positioned green (like hole 7) on the cliff top at the 15th and the demanding long par three 17th… each and every one of these an abiding memory of a day that will live long in the memory. I’m glad I played with two other golfers whose opinions I respect otherwise I might have thought twice before raving about this place – as it was, they felt the same as me so I know it fully deserves to be loudly lauded. When the clubhouse is finished and the course officially opens in July 2009, expect a stampede of golfers who want to sample some more of the Parsinen golfing magic. Jim McCann |
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| 10 October 2008
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| Response: | | | Alan Strachan | 10 October 2008 | | Oh my god, this place is unbelievable. It’s so good, I have no doubt that it’s going straight to the top 10. Stunning location, stunning views, a course that is not even open but already looks that it’s been there for ever, the use of heather, marram, gorse just oozes class and superb attention to detail, the bunkering reminds me of early pictures of many of the great links. With sea views on every hole, throw in a few infinity greens and quite simply the finest Par 3 I’ve ever seen (11th) this place is not only a superb golfing destination for the Highlands, but for the world, because everyone will want to play it. |
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