The Nairn Golf Club
On the shore of the Moray Firth a short drive east of Inverness, Nairn is one of the great traditional links of the Scottish Highlands. Laid out in 1887 and shaped into a championship test by James Braid, it has hosted the Walker Cup and the Curtis Cup, and its opening holes, running hard along a shingle beach with the sea in play to the right, are among the most memorable starts in golf.
Photograph: The Nairn Golf Club, via Google
The verdict
Nairn is the championship links of the Inverness coast, a course that sits comfortably among the finest in the north of Scotland and rewards anyone who makes the trip up the Moray Firth. The town of Nairn is a genteel old resort with one of the driest, sunniest climates in Scotland, and the golf club, founded in 1887, has been part of its life ever since. Andrew Simpson drew the first lines, Old Tom Morris revised them soon after, and James Braid, the five time Open champion, gave the course the shape it holds today, leaving the bunkering and strategy that still define a round here.
What sets Nairn apart is its setting and its honesty. The front nine runs out along the very edge of the firth, with the beach and the sea a constant presence to the right and gorse closing in to the left, so the opening holes ask for control and nerve from the first swing. The course then turns inland for a back nine of heather, whins and clever green sites, before a strong finish. It has staged the 1999 Walker Cup and the 2012 Curtis Cup, proof of its championship pedigree, yet it remains a welcoming members club and a joy to play. For the travelling golfer building a Highlands links trip, Nairn is an essential round and a worthy companion to Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart nearby.
Nairn at a glance
- Opened
- 1887
- Designers
- Simpson, Morris, Braid
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- Around 6,774 yds
- Green fee
- Around £230 high season
Designers, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from The Nairn Golf Club and course databases. The Championship Course is a par 72 of around 6,774 yards. The indicative 2026 high season green fee, roughly May to September, is around 230 pounds per round, with lower rates in the shoulder months and winter. Fees are set by the club and change each season, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Nairn announces itself immediately. The opening five holes run out along the shore of the Moray Firth, with the shingle beach tight to the right the whole way, so a pushed or sliced drive finds the sea and the firm, fast turf gives nothing back. It is one of the most exhilarating and nerve testing starts in links golf, the kind of stretch where a steady par feels hard won and the views across the water to the Black Isle reward you between shots. Keep the ball left of the beach and you set up a good round; flirt with the right and the firth will punish you.
As the course turns for home it moves away from the water and into a landscape of gorse, heather and whins, where James Braid's strategic mind comes to the fore. The green sites become the defence, subtly raised and contoured, and the bunkering asks you to think your way around rather than overpower the course. The par 3s are excellent throughout, and the closing holes climb back toward the clubhouse with a strong, testing finish that has decided many a championship and matchplay tie. Braid's routing means the wind, which is rarely absent on this coast, hits you from every direction over eighteen holes.
None of it relies on raw length. At around 6,774 yards off the back tees, Nairn defends par with contour, gorse, firm turf and the ever present sea breeze rather than yardage, so it rewards accuracy, a deft short game and good course management far more than power. Play it well and you have tamed one of the genuine classics of Highland links golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors with a booking; weekday tee times are the most open, and demand is high in the summer season |
| Green fee | Around 230 pounds per round on the Championship Course in 2026 high season, with lower shoulder and winter rates, all indicative |
| Booking | Book a visitor tee time directly with the club or through your trip planner, well ahead for peak summer dates |
| On the day | A walking links; caddies, trolleys and buggies can usually be arranged in advance, and the clubhouse is comfortable and welcoming |
| Second course | The club also has the shorter Newton course, a good warm up or relaxed extra nine alongside the Championship links |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and longest daylight; spring and autumn are quieter and cheaper |
Access rules and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from The Nairn Golf Club; they change without notice, so always confirm current details directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The town of Nairn sits right beside the course, a pleasant old seaside resort with hotels, guesthouses and good restaurants within easy reach of the first tee, an ideal base for a links round or two. For a wider trip, Inverness is around twenty five minutes west and offers full service hotels, an airport with direct flights and a hub from which to explore the Highlands, the whisky trail and Loch Ness.
Most visiting golfers build Nairn into a Highlands links tour, pairing it with the excellent Castle Stuart and the Nairn Dunbar course on the town's other side, then pushing north to the great Royal Dornoch and the links of the far north, or east to Cruden Bay and Royal Aberdeen. A few days based around Inverness and Nairn turns this single round into one of the best links trips in Scotland.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Nairn.
Build a Highlands links golf trip
We pair Nairn with Royal Dornoch, Castle Stuart, Cruden Bay and the best of the northern links, secure the tee times, and handle hotels, caddies and the order of play. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Nairn questions
How much does it cost to play Nairn?
For the 2026 season the club publishes an indicative high season green fee of around 230 pounds per round on the Championship Course, from roughly May to September, with lower rates in the shoulder months and winter. These figures are set by the club and change each season, so always confirm the current rate directly with The Nairn Golf Club before booking.
Who designed Nairn golf course?
The links was laid out in 1887 by Andrew Simpson, revised soon after by Old Tom Morris, and given its modern championship shape by the five time Open champion James Braid in the 1920s. Braid had the biggest single influence on the course played today, and Nairn is regarded as one of his finest links works.
What championships has Nairn hosted?
Nairn hosted the Walker Cup in 1999 and the Curtis Cup in 2012, along with many editions of the Scottish Amateur and other leading amateur championships. It is one of the most respected championship links in the north of Scotland and a regular on the great Scottish course rankings.
Is Nairn a hard golf course?
Nairn is a fair but demanding traditional links. It is not especially long at around 6,774 yards, but the opening holes run hard along the Moray Firth shore where a push or slice finds the beach, gorse lines the inland back nine, and the wind, firm turf and Braid's bunkering defend par. Played from a sensible tee in calm conditions it is very enjoyable; in a stiff breeze it is a stern test.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, history, par, yardage and indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.