Fortrose & Rosemarkie - North Scotland - Scotland

Fortrose & Rosemarkie ticks 3 of my favourite golf course boxes, links course, on a peninsula and James Braid design, so I headed for a twilight round here straight after playing Castle Stuart with high hopes.

I was not disappointed the course delivered for me on all counts, as you follow the adjacent Moray Firth for hole after hole, the natural surroundings have a wonderful feel and ambience.

The holes require strategic play, and knowing when to hit the big stick here and when to choose a more conservative play is critical to good scoring. Thankfully for us the wind had subsided and we played the course in a gentle 1 club wind, that played predominantly across, which the members said was the most common direction although more commonly a little more severe.

The constant presence of gorse off the tee was always in your mind, but more recently there a programme has started to cut back and redefine areas more in keeping with Braids blueprint.

Right at the peninsula lays close to the lighthouse lays a wee beauty short par 3, unique in location and surrounded with danger, one of my personal favourites before turning and heading for home as you weave back towards the village.

The conditioning was very good and the whole experience was a perfect end to quite a long days golf.

Played the course in a day of strong wind and it was a lot of fun.

The position is great and unique given you are playing in a peninsula which goes straight into the Morey Firth.

It is an enjoyable experience with some great hole (such as the short 5, par 3) and wonderful views from every hole

The Old World used to have 7 Marvels constructed way back in time which we all know and unfortunately only one still stands today. If we speak about locations for Golf Courses then F&R might be one of the 7 dream spots in the world: an amazing peninsula to the Moray Firth with views of Inverness, Castle Stuart and the Town of Fortrose which brings you back in time. I seriously doubt there will be small spots for a course like this one. And if you add as a Manger one of the proudest I have met about his job then you have a perfect combo to explore. It will not host The Open but who cares, it is a jewel I would play one thousand times and not get bored as it has absolutely everything I Like: inverted dishes and false fronted greens, 3 very good par 3s, reachable 4s and long ones, some very tight tee shots but also some easier ones to get your ball in play. And the perfect example that a par 5 has not to be long to be great or tough, being 4th my favorite hole on the course.

This par 5 has a fairway that finishes at 220yds so you need to lay up mandatory, there is no way, then the hole has rough mounds on the left and problems on the right plus a very small severely sloped green from left to righ which demands 3 precise very good shots and that cannot even lead to a par!! And the green is located in the best spot to watch dolphins jump on the bay … stunning!

The course opens really tough as the first 4 holes demand very straight tee shots and well thought approaches. Then after nice short 3 facing the other side of the water, course gives you a break with some open driving holes with good scoring chances and amazing views including the Club House at Castle Stuart (Cabot Highlands!) before uphill 9th where if you are 5mts long grave your axe to get it out of the gorse,

10th to 12th go in the Peninsula direction with the road on the left but there is space on the right, make sure not to hit a car or a walker!!! 14th to 17th are four very good short 4s, all of the drivable for the longest ones and 14th even for the shorter ones, a good chance of getting your birdie unless you push it 70yds right like me! And 18th is a nice finishing 3 with the Club House behind the green, you can land it short and roll it if you are afraid of hitting glass!!

An awesome place, an overall great experience and a Club House with amazing views including a long range telescope to watch dolphins jump in the bay. Absolutely phenomenal.

It's been a few years since I played here, but it is as fresh as if it were yesterday and I'm sure it hasn't changed ! They certainly couldn't build them like this any more - it's on a very narrow strip of land, and with the number of would-be dolphin watchers making their way down the beach or peninsula the number of nearby civilians is only rivalled by the old layout at Nefyn. Superb friendly fun, it's a quick round with lots of trouble if you go offline, the condition is great, you can putt from anywhere, and it's nice to see Castle Stuart and Fort George across the Moray Firth.

Played here as a precursor to Brora and Royal Dornoch and was thoroughly entertained. A lovely drive over the bridge from Inverness through the Black Isle (not sure how it got that name) brings you to to the little village of Fortrose and naturally the course is just down a side street. The gorse was in full bloom and the sun was shining - wow! A very neat and engaging course with plenty of interesting moments. From the opener you are always looking to thread the gorse so be straight. Loved the par 3 5th near a ruin and then across the road and back up the inland side. The 13th was excellent and one of several fun short par 4s. This is a course to really enjoy and you can chat to the people wandering along the beach going up to see the lighthouse and the dolphins. Good quality golf.

This must be where they invented gorse ?!?!

Great layout but take some spare balls OR hit it very very straight.

I have so much time for golf courses like Fortrose & Rosemarkie. A setting as unique and stunning as any I have come across along with some fantastic golf holes and one that is truly world-class.

Often described as a short, tight and fun links this doesn’t quite do the course justice. It is certainly all of those but some big golf is also required and the quality of several holes is extremely high.

Located on the Chanonry Peninsula in the ‘Black Isle’ this Scottish links golf course enjoys breathtaking views over the Moray Firth, very close to the City of Inverness. Now confirmed as being the 15th Oldest Recorded Club in the World in 1793 the course was later re-designed by the five time Open Champion James Braid in 1932. You play four holes out towards the thinnest point of the land-tip, with the sea and beach on your left, before turning and playing another four holes on the other side, again with water on your left.

These are spectacularly located golf holes but they also play so well. Modest in length at 329 yards the first serves as a perfect getaway hole before the second and third raise the bar higher; both have superbly simple and understated green complexes that are so natural in appearance yet difficult to judge.

You are then hit with the fourth; one of the best golf holes I have ever played. Aptly named Lighthouse, for this is what you have been playing towards since your round began. It is a par five from the black tees of just 497 yards. At around 250 yards the fairway ends and broken ground begins and an unbelievable green complex is located at the end of the peninsula. It slopes left-to-right and requires a long carry over rough duneland if you fancy going for the green in two, otherwise a slither of fairway is available down the right. It’s an all-world hole that will live long in the memory.

The course plays longer than its 6,085 yards (par is 71) and is undoubtedly not a venue to miss on your golf trip to The Highlands.

Ed is the founder of Golf Empire – click the link to read his full review.

Played here on my way to RDGC from Castle Stuart(45 min drive)...arrived on a Friday evening and paid our green fees(25 pound pp) in the clubhouse behind the bar...hardly anyone on the course on a lovely summer evening.Very tight course with lots of gorse if you stray from the fairways..excellent par 3 5th over the access road and a really fun and enjoyable detour up North.Short but still a very good test that sits on a magical peninsula opposite Fort George(you can see Castle Stuart Clubhouse across the water)..Great fun..

I loved my visit to Fortrose and Rosemarkie. I am an average player but one of my dreams was to play a true links course in Scotland and to paly seaside. This course fit the bill and exceeded my expectations. Special thanks to Mike for setting up my tee time and assuring me everything would go smoothly. I was staying in Aviemore just south of Inverness and my morning drive to the course started out with rain and cold weather. I was in for a true Scottish golfing experience! Upon arrival the wind picked up and though the rain was spotty the wind increased the challenge and fun with this course. Maybe a little luck but I pared the first hole and was excited and continued to play well even paring the fourth- a spectacular hole! Bu t the wind had its way with me and eventually brought me back to my normal game but I had a wonderful and forever memorable trip. I hope to return some day. Go play this course!

Fortrose lies at Chanonry Point next to the Moray Firth on the Chanonry peninsula. This is one of the most charming locations you will ever chance upon. There is a rather unique feel here with a relaxed atmosphere and a sporty course that will challenge despite its shortness of length. The course is well presented with relatively small greens, ample gorse and well placed pot bunkers. The sea is in close proximity on eight of the holes.

A round can be in disarray early if you hook any shots on the first hole which runs along the water’s edge. The 4th is a standout hole. It is a par five of just 455 yards and yet it is rated the most difficult on the course. Accuracy is essential as you play towards the sloping green in front of Chanonry Lighthouse. The par three 9th is 196 yards in length and can require anything from a short iron to driver but beware of out of bounds which runs all along the left side.

Ten and eleven are par fours that will test your ability to avoid fairway pot bunkers that can spell ruin to any round if you are unlucky enough to finish against a steep revetted face. The 17th fairway has a marker stone which is reputed to also be the location of the last burning of a witch in Scotland. The round concludes with a 212-yard par three and plenty of gorse, particularly left.

This review is an edited extract from Another Journey through the Links, which has been reproduced with David Worley’s kind permission. The author has exclusively rated for us every Scottish course featured in his book. Another Journey through the Links is available for Australian buyers via www.golfbooks.com.au and through Amazon for buyers from other countries.