Royal Dornoch Golf Club

Overview

Royal Dornoch is the gem of Northern Scotland and would surely have hosted the Open Championship on several occasions were it not for it’s remote location.

The first eight holes follow the ridge and the remaining ten holes played in the opposite direction are bounded, except the 17th and 18th on the left by the sandy beaches of the firth. The par of 70 is evenly distributed over the two halves each having two par threes, a par five and six par fours. If the wind blows the course will demand more from the player especially the par four finishing hole where a par can be considered a birdie.

Old Tom Morris was the architect responsible for extending the original 9 holes layout to 18 holes in 1866. He introduced the plateau greens which are the soul of the course - their uniqueness lies in their size and their inverted saucer shapes. This design has been copied on many of the world’s most notable courses, most famously at Pinehurst.

Tom Watson has been a popular ambassador for the club since he first fell in love with the course in 1981- after winning the third of his five Open Championships at Muirfield. He described that trip as “the most fun I’ve ever had on a golf course”.