Special Places - Castle Stuart Golf Links

The European Tour touches down in Scotland for the final warm-up before next week’s Open Championship. Castle Stuart Golf Links takes over the hosting of the Barclays Scottish Open just two years after opening for play. Located on the south shore of the Moray Firth on the outskirts of Inverness, the UK’s northernmost city, Castle Stuart has a commanding position overlooking well-known local landmarks like the Black Isle and Chanonry Lighthouse. The course is the realisation of the vision of Mark Parsinen, the American developer responsible for Kingsbarns, the glorious layout near St Andrews that opened in 2000. Celebrated golf course architect Gil Hanse was Golf Magazine’s Architect of the Year in 2009 largely in recognition for his achievement with Castle Stuart that was the 2009 New Course of the Year. Mark Parsinen is credited as co-designer.

Although Castle Stuart is not actually on links land the movement and flow of the terrain was quite dynamic even before the earthmoving equipment came in to sculpt the land. What Hanse and Parsinen have created is a true homage to links heritage that emphasises the distinctive characteristics that separate links golf from other forms of the game. There are twists and turns as the topography flows around and through a wide array of landforms that brings a unique feel to each hole. There are wide fairways and play areas, but the visual asymmetry, blind shots, contours and slopes combine to provide a stern test of perceptual ability, judgement and shot-making. The greens and surrounds, often with severe contouring, are a test of perceptual ability and emotional poise, and range from manageable to troublesome and confounding. Tthis wonderfully natural-looking layout is also accompanied with the visually imposing Moray Firth as a backdrop.

The first three holes on the outward and inward halves run in opposite directions from the clubhouse along the cliff edge offering spectacular views out over the water, and the elevated tees on 1 and 10 present a thrilling drive to start each nine. The pick of the inland holes is probably the 515m par 5 6th where the approach shot from the fairway gives the optical illusion that the long narrow green flanked by enormous bunkers is perched right on the sea.

It remains to be seen if this highly-acclaimed addition to the golfing tapestry of the Scottish Highlands can realise its owner’s dream of one day hosting an Open Championship.

Golfweather Editorial