Scotland Golf Course Renovations to Watch in 2026
The home of golf rarely stands still, and 2026 brings one of its most anticipated openings in years. A new Tom Doak links is set to debut on the Moray Firth, a modern Fife favourite returns sharpened by winter work, and the great old courses keep refining themselves. Here is what is changing and why it matters for your trip.
The headline: Old Petty opens at Cabot Highlands
The biggest Scottish story of the year is the arrival of Old Petty, the second eighteen hole course at Cabot Highlands near Inverness. Designed by Tom Doak with Clyde Johnson, it sits on rugged coastal terrain with panoramic views over the Moray Firth, all strategic bunkering and naturalistic routing in the style that has made Doak the most sought after architect in modern links design. The grand opening is scheduled for 15 May 2026.
This matters because it turns Cabot Highlands, already home to the well regarded Castle Stuart links, into a genuine two course destination in the Highlands. A new Doak course on the Moray Firth is the kind of opening golfers plan trips around, and it gives the north of Scotland a fresh reason to feature on an itinerary that has long pointed to the east coast and St Andrews.
Dumbarnie returns with winter changes
On Fife's south coast, Dumbarnie Links has reopened for the 2026 season after a programme of winter upgrades. The modern links, which first opened in 2020 and quickly climbed the rankings, closed in October so the course team could rework four holes, the fourth, fifth, twelfth and eighteenth, before reopening for the new season.
Dumbarnie is one of the success stories of recent Scottish golf, a big, generous links with sea views from most of the holes, and the willingness to keep refining it so soon after opening is a sign of ambition. For a 2026 trip through Fife it slots neatly alongside the St Andrews courses and the Elie and Crail links nearby.
The old courses keep refining
Even the most historic venues keep working. The Old Course at St Andrews is among the famous courses with renovation and refinement projects of note in 2026, part of the constant, careful tending that keeps the home of golf playing as it should. This is rarely dramatic change, more the patient upkeep of bunkers, turf and detail that protects a course played by hundreds of thousands of visitors.
The lesson for a visitor is that Scotland's greatness is actively maintained rather than frozen. The links you play in 2026 are the product of continual small improvements, which is exactly why they hold up to the modern game without losing their character.
What it means for your trip
The practical takeaways for a 2026 Scottish trip are clear. In the Highlands, the opening of Old Petty makes Cabot Highlands a two course base worth building a northern leg around, paired with the existing Castle Stuart links and the drama of Royal Dornoch further up the coast. In Fife, the refreshed Dumbarnie joins a rotation that already includes the St Andrews courses, Kingsbarns and the Elie and Crail links.
As always, confirm before you commit. A new course in its first season plays differently from its settled form, opening dates can slip, and tee time access at the headline links is tight, especially in summer. Green fees are quoted seasonally, so treat any figure as indicative for the 2026 season and always confirm directly before booking.
Our take
Scotland does not need new courses to justify a trip, which is what makes a project like Old Petty so exciting. A Tom Doak links on the Moray Firth gives the Highlands a genuine second act, the refreshed Dumbarnie keeps Fife's modern roster sharp, and the old courses keep quietly improving underneath it all. Our advice is to give the north of Scotland the extra days it now deserves, anchor a Fife leg on the proven links, and treat the 15 May opening of Old Petty as the headliner of the 2026 calendar.
Plan your Scotland golf trip
From the new Tom Doak links at Cabot Highlands to St Andrews and the Fife coast, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
What is Old Petty at Cabot Highlands?
Old Petty is a new eighteen hole links at Cabot Highlands near Inverness, designed by Tom Doak with Clyde Johnson on coastal terrain overlooking the Moray Firth. Its grand opening is scheduled for 15 May 2026, making Cabot Highlands a two course destination alongside Castle Stuart.
What changed at Dumbarnie Links?
Dumbarnie Links on Fife's south coast closed in October for winter upgrades and reworked four holes, the fourth, fifth, twelfth and eighteenth, before reopening for the 2026 season. The course first opened in 2020.
Is the Old Course at St Andrews being changed?
The Old Course is among the famous Scottish courses with renovation and refinement work of note in 2026. This is the constant, careful upkeep of bunkers and turf rather than dramatic redesign. Confirm current access directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Renovation and opening details verified June 2026 from club, architect and golf media sources; projects and dates change, so always confirm directly. Last reviewed June 2026.