Nairn Dunbar
The other links at Nairn, and a serious one. Founded in 1899 on the east side of town and grown into a full eighteen through the 1920s, Nairn Dunbar is a par 72 of about 6,700 yards that runs out along the Moray Firth through gorse and whin. It is the longer, more exposed driving test of the town's two clubs, a fixture in Scotland's top 100, and open to visitors every day.
Photo: Patryk Stewart via Google.
The verdict
Nairn has two links clubs, and the visiting golfer who only books the famous one is missing half the town. Nairn Dunbar, founded in 1899 on land given by Sir Alexander Dunbar of Boath, sits on the east side of Nairn along Lochloy Road, where the more celebrated Nairn Golf Club lies to the west. It started as nine holes, grew into a full eighteen through the 1920s, and has been lengthened and toughened in the decades since into the par 72 of about 6,700 yards that plays today.
What you get is a proper Highland links with a harder edge than its neighbour. The fairways thread between thick gorse and whin that turns a loose tee shot into a lost ball, the turf runs firm and fast, and the closing stretch into the prevailing wind off the Moray Firth is among the sterner finishes in the north. It is a top 100 course in Scotland that you can simply book online, which makes it one of the better value rounds on any Highland itinerary built around Royal Dornoch, the Championship links next door and Castle Stuart.
Nairn Dunbar at a glance
- Founded
- 1899
- Design
- Club layout, extended 1920s
- Type
- Highland links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,700 yds
- Green fee
- From about 140 pounds
Founding year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Nairn Dunbar Golf Club and leading course databases. The club was founded in 1899 and grew to eighteen holes through the 1920s; no single architect is credited, with the layout maturing under successive club professionals and later lengthened. Par is 72 over about 6,700 yards. The summer 2026 visitor green fee was from around 140 pounds in the morning and 105 pounds in the afternoon for the May to September season, with lower shoulder and winter rates; figures are indicative and change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Nairn Dunbar opens gently enough near the clubhouse and the town, then works its way out toward the firth where the character hardens. The early holes ask you to find fairways squeezed by gorse, and the reward for a straight, well shaped tee shot is a clear angle into greens that are firm and true. Miss into the whin and the day becomes a scramble.
The stretch through the turn is where the round is won or lost. The par 5s give a chance to make ground when the wind is helping, but they bite back into a breeze, and the long par 4s coming home are unrelenting. This is a driver's course in the best sense, a place where controlling the ball off the tee matters more than raw length, and where the gorse keeps you honest on every swing.
The finish is the signature of the place. The closing holes run back into the prevailing wind off the Moray Firth, a true test of nerve and ball striking when the medal is on the line, and the reason Nairn Dunbar is rated by those who play it as the harder driving examination of the town's two links. Save something for the last few holes; the course rarely lets you coast in.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Visitor friendly members club; tee times open to the public seven days a week with online booking through the club |
| Green fee | Summer (May to September) from around 140 pounds before 2pm and 105 pounds after; shoulder season (April, October) and winter rates are lower (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Book online or call the pro shop; advance booking is wise in the high summer season and around the town's open events |
| On the day | Walking links golf; trolleys, electric trolleys, buggies and club hire are available to pre book, and caddies can be arranged through the pro shop |
| Getting there | Lochloy Road on the east side of Nairn, about 25 minutes east of Inverness and its airport along the A96 |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and longest daylight; spring and autumn offer value and quieter tee sheets |
Access and fees verified June 2026 from the Nairn Dunbar Golf Club green fees page; policies and prices change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Nairn itself is a comfortable seaside base with hotels and guesthouses within minutes of both links, which makes it an easy headquarters for a Highland golf trip. Many visiting golfers prefer to stay in or just outside the town so they can play both Nairn courses without moving, then drive out for the day to the bigger names up and down the coast.
Inverness, 25 minutes west, opens up more hotels, dining and onward travel, and sits in the middle of the great northern links. From a Nairn or Inverness base you can build a multi day run that pairs Nairn Dunbar with the Championship links at Nairn, the modern drama of Cabot Highlands, Castle Stuart and the revered Royal Dornoch further north.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Nairn Dunbar.
Build a Highland golf trip
We book the Nairn Dunbar tee times, pair them with the best of the northern links and arrange the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Nairn Dunbar questions
When did Nairn Dunbar open and who laid it out?
Nairn Dunbar Golf Club was founded in 1899 as a nine hole course on land made available by Sir Alexander Dunbar of Boath, and grew into a full eighteen through the 1920s. No single architect is credited; the layout matured under successive club professionals and was lengthened and modernized over the decades that followed.
What is the par and length of Nairn Dunbar?
Nairn Dunbar is a par 72 of about 6,700 yards from the back tees, a Highland links that plays longer and more exposed than its yardage suggests when the wind comes off the Moray Firth.
Can visitors play Nairn Dunbar?
Yes. Nairn Dunbar welcomes visitors seven days a week with online tee time booking. Summer 2026 visitor rounds were from around 140 pounds in the morning and 105 pounds in the afternoon during the May to September season; always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
How is Nairn Dunbar different from Nairn Golf Club?
They are two separate clubs in the same town. Nairn Golf Club, the famous Championship links, sits on the west side of Nairn, while Nairn Dunbar lies to the east along Lochloy Road. Nairn Dunbar is the longer and, many feel, the more exposed driving test of the two.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club. Last reviewed June 2026.