Inverness And The Highlands Golf: 2026 Season Outlook
The far north of Scotland enters its 2026 links season with real news: a new Tom Doak course at Cabot Highlands joining Royal Dornoch, Nairn and Castle Stuart in one of the deepest golf clusters anywhere. Here is the outlook, the courses and the timing.
The headline: a strong links season, plus a new course
The Highlands run on a summer links calendar, and the 2026 season carries a genuine talking point. The prime window stretches from May to September, with the long northern daylight of June and July allowing late evening rounds and the firmest, fastest turf often arriving in late summer. The shoulder weeks in May and early September are the quiet sweet spot, with lighter tee sheets and softer pricing, though the far north weather always asks you to pack for four seasons in a day.
What sets 2026 apart is that the area gains a marquee new course just as the season opens. The cluster was already among the best in the world for its size; now it has a fresh reason to visit on top of the classics, which makes this a stronger year than most to point a Highlands trip at.
The courses that anchor a trip
The headline remains Royal Dornoch, the Championship links regularly rated among the very best courses on earth, a glorious natural routing along the Dornoch Firth that rewards the long drive north. Close by, Nairn is the polished championship test on the Moray Firth, and Castle Stuart at Cabot Highlands is the modern links by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse that has hosted the Scottish Open.
For character beyond the headliners, Brora is the James Braid classic where sheep and cattle still graze the links, and Fortrose and Rosemarkie sits on a slender peninsula where dolphins surface offshore. Between them these courses give a trip a rare blend of world top tier golf and quirky, affordable links within a short drive.
The 2026 news: Old Petty opens at Cabot Highlands
The fixed point of the 2026 calendar is the opening of Old Petty, a new 18-hole Tom Doak design at Cabot Highlands, which celebrated its grand opening in May 2026 and welcomed the public as the resort's second course alongside Castle Stuart. Doak, working with lead associate Clyde Johnson, threaded the routing along a tidal estuary, and from most of its holes golfers can see the four hundred year old Castle Stuart, with the 1839 Old Petty Church framing the land.
Feedback from a well received preview run in late summer 2025 was strong, praising the natural routing and the way the course settles into the Highlands landscape. The practical upshot for travelers is significant: the area now has a true 36-hole resort anchor, so you can base at Cabot for two days of championship golf before touring out to Dornoch, Nairn and Brora.
How to plan it for 2026
The Highlands reward a touring trip built around Inverness. Base in or near the city, or split nights between Cabot Highlands and Dornoch, and you can reach the whole cluster within an hour to ninety minutes of driving. A classic week pairs the two Cabot courses with Royal Dornoch, Nairn and one of the gems like Brora or Fortrose, with time to drive the coast between rounds.
The practical notes are simple. Aim for the May to September window, book Royal Dornoch and the new Old Petty well ahead given the extra 2026 demand, and build in a buffer day for weather on the exposed links. Green fees at the marquee courses are premium and rise in peak summer, so treat any quoted figure as indicative for the 2026 season and always confirm directly before booking.
What it means for your trip, and our take
For a 2026 Highlands golf trip, time it for the summer links season, base around Inverness or Cabot Highlands, and build a loop that combines Royal Dornoch and Nairn with the new pairing at Cabot and a couple of characterful gems. It is a longer journey than the central belt, and the reward is golf and scenery that few destinations can match.
Our take is that the Old Petty opening makes 2026 the year the Highlands graduate from a Dornoch pilgrimage into a complete, multi day golf destination in their own right. The classics were always worth the drive north; now a genuine 36-hole resort anchors the trip. Plan for the summer window, book the big rounds early, and let the far north do the rest.
Plan your Highlands golf trip
From Royal Dornoch and Nairn to the new pairing at Cabot Highlands, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
When is the best time to play golf in the Scottish Highlands?
The Highlands links season runs from May to September, with long northern daylight in June and July and the firmest turf often arriving in late summer. Shoulder weeks in May and September offer quieter tee sheets and good value.
What is new in the Highlands for 2026?
Old Petty, a new 18-hole Tom Doak design at Cabot Highlands near Inverness, opened to the public in May 2026 as a second course alongside Castle Stuart, giving the area a genuine 36-hole resort anchor.
Which are the best golf courses near Inverness?
Royal Dornoch is the headline, regularly rated among the best courses in the world, with Nairn, Castle Stuart at Cabot Highlands, Brora and Fortrose and Rosemarkie completing a deep cluster within a short drive of Inverness.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Season, course and access details verified June 2026 from club, tour and golf travel sources; conditions and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.