Grantown on Spey
A charming Highland test in the Spey Valley with the Cairngorms for a backdrop. Laid out by A.C. Brown in 1890, extended by Willie Park Jr and later modified by James Braid, this par 70 of around 5,710 yards is part leafy parkland, part open moorland, and one of the best value rounds in the north of Scotland.
Photograph: Daphne Ritchie, via Google
The verdict
Grantown-on-Spey is the kind of course that makes a Highland golf trip sing. It threads through partly wooded parkland and partly open moorland in the Spey Valley, with glorious views to the Cairngorm and Cromdale hills, and it carries a real design pedigree for a country course: an A.C. Brown nine from 1890, an extension to eighteen by Willie Park Jr in 1911, and a James Braid revision in 1921. The result is a layout of genuine character that punches well above its modest yardage.
For the traveling golfer this is the relaxed, scenic, superb value round that balances a trip built around the great northern links. It will not overpower you at a par 70 of around 5,710 yards, but the pine framed fairways, the heather and the small greens demand accuracy and judgment, and the setting is a joy. Play it on a Speyside and Highlands itinerary alongside the championship courses of the coast, and enjoy a round where the golf, the scenery and the price are all in happy harmony.
Grantown-on-Spey at a glance
- Dates to
- 1890
- Type
- Parkland and moorland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- Around 5,710 yds
- Designer
- Willie Park Jr and James Braid
- Access
- Visitors welcome
Course history, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course directories. The original nine was laid out by A.C. Brown in 1890, extended to eighteen holes by Willie Park Jr in 1911 and modified by James Braid in 1921; it plays as a par 70 of around 5,710 yards. Indicative 2026 visitor green fees are in the region of 45 pounds for eighteen holes in high season, among the best value Highland rounds in Scotland; fees change each season, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Grantown packs a great deal of variety into its modest length. The course opens in leafy, tree lined parkland where straight driving is rewarded, then opens out into a more moorland feel with heather and a sense of Highland space, the Cairngorms filling the horizon. The greens are small and well kept, and on this rolling ground the right club and a controlled flight matter far more than raw power.
The signature stretch comes where the holes turn through the pines and the heather closes in. The downhill par 4 ninth is a local favorite, a short, tempting hole lined with trees and heather where a precise tee shot sets up a birdie chance and a careless one finds trouble. Throughout the round there are clever short holes and well positioned hazards that ask the thinking golfer to plot a way around rather than simply attack, and the closing holes back toward the town keep the interest to the last.
What stays with you is the sheer pleasure of the place. This is Highland golf at its most welcoming, scenic and good humored, a course where the design names of the past have left a layout that rewards skill without ever being a slog. For many visitors it is the round that captures the joy of a Speyside trip, the one they talk about long after the bigger names have blurred.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Visitors warmly welcomed through the season, with tee times booked through the club; one of the friendliest and best value rounds in the Highlands |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 around 45 pounds for eighteen holes in high season, with day and family tickets available; fees change each season, so always confirm directly before booking |
| Handicap | No strict handicap barrier for general play; the course suits golfers of all standards while still rewarding accuracy |
| Walking and trolleys | A walkable parkland and moorland course; trolleys and buggies can be arranged through the club |
| Season | April to October is the main visitor window, with the Spey Valley at its most beautiful in late spring and early autumn |
| Getting there | At Grantown-on-Spey in the Cairngorms National Park, around a forty minute drive south of Inverness and central to a Speyside and Highlands trip |
Access and fees verified June 2026 from club and directory sources; they change by season, so always confirm directly before booking. Ask about a Highlands golf trip.
Where to stay nearby
Grantown-on-Spey is a handsome Highland town with hotels, inns and guest houses on its broad main street, and the wider Spey Valley adds distillery country, the Cairngorms and the resort village of Aviemore nearby. It makes a relaxed and scenic base, and Inverness with its full range of accommodation is well within reach for a coastal links day.
Grantown is best played as the inland gem of a northern circuit. The natural pairings are the heathland delight of Boat of Garten just down the valley, the championship links of Nairn on the Moray Firth, and the classic seaside test of Moray Old at Lossiemouth.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Speyside and the Highlands.
Build a Highlands golf trip
Grantown-on-Spey is one of the great value rounds of the Scottish Highlands, the scenic inland counterpoint to the championship links of the coast. We plan trips through Speyside and the north, secure the tee times across the region, arrange caddies where you want them and handle the lodging and the logistics. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Grantown-on-Spey questions
Can visitors play Grantown-on-Spey?
Yes. The club warmly welcomes visitors through the season, with tee times booked through the club. It is one of the friendliest and best value rounds in the Highlands and an easy addition to a Speyside trip. Always confirm directly before booking.
Who designed Grantown-on-Spey?
The original nine holes were laid out by A.C. Brown in 1890, the course was extended to eighteen by Willie Park Jr in 1911, and James Braid revised it in 1921. It plays as a par 70 of around 5,710 yards through parkland and moorland.
What is the green fee at Grantown-on-Spey?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees are in the region of 45 pounds for eighteen holes in high season, which makes it among the best value Highland golf in Scotland. Fees change each season, so always confirm directly before booking.
Where is Grantown-on-Spey golf course?
The course sits at Grantown-on-Spey in the Cairngorms National Park, around a forty minute drive south of Inverness, central to a Speyside and Highlands golf trip with the Cairngorm hills as a backdrop.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course history, par, yardage and fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.