Can visitors play Castle Stuart?

Yes. Visitor tee times are available seven days a week and can be booked online with Cabot Highlands or through its reservations team by phone or email.

Can I hire a buggy at Castle Stuart?

No. Cabot Highlands operates as a walking facility. Caddies can be booked in advance, subject to availability.

Has Castle Stuart hosted professional events?

Yes. It hosted the Scottish Open in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016.

Is there a second course at Castle Stuart?

Yes. Old Petty, a Tom Doak design, opened to the public at Cabot Highlands on 15 May 2026.

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Castle Stuart Golf Links at Cabot Highlands

Castle Stuart is a modern links on the Moray Firth just east of Inverness, now part of Cabot Highlands. Designed by Gil Hanse and the late Mark Parsinen and opened in 2009, it hosted the Scottish Open four times and takes visitor tee times seven days a week.

Photo: Geo. Paterson · CC BY 3.0 · Display cropped to fit

The course and its character

Castle Stuart sits on coastal bluffs above the Moray Firth. The opening holes run along a lower shelf beside the water before the layout climbs to a plateau with views across to the Black Isle. Fairways are generous, but approaches and greens are demanding, with bunkers and run-offs waiting for loose shots. The course hosted the Scottish Open in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016, with winners including Luke Donald and Phil Mickelson. The art deco-style clubhouse, with its curved wall of windows, overlooks the firth near the 18th.

Booking and visitor practicalities

Tee times are booked online through Cabot Highlands or by contacting reservations by phone or email, and full payment secures the booking. Groups of fewer than four may be paired with other players. Cabot Highlands is a walking-only facility, so there are no buggies. Caddies can be requested in advance, subject to availability, and hire clubs are available. Handicap certificates may be checked, and smart casual dress is expected in the clubhouse, where golf caps and metal spikes are not permitted.

Getting there and nearby

The course is at Dalcross, between Inverness and Nairn, close to Inverness Airport. Cabot Highlands also has a second course, Old Petty, designed by Tom Doak, so it is easy to plan two rounds on one site. Nairn's two championship links are a short drive further east along the coast.