Inverness

Inverness Golf Club is one of several stunning layouts in the Scottish Highlands, but compared to most, it is a parkland layout at the heart of the city. 

Founded in 1883, the golf club moved around to several locations in Inverness before finally settling in Culcabock shortly before the turn of the 20th Century. 

It is a cracking parkland layout, with blind shots, tree-lined fairways, plenty of bunkers and some water to avoid as well. 

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The Inverness Golf Club dates back to 1883, with the original venue being at the Muir of Ord for the first few years of the club’s history. 

The club would go through a further two locations, in Culcabock and Longman, before settling back in Culcabock again in the mid 1890s.

Despite being at the heart of Inverness city centre, the golf course at Inverness Golf Club is a parkland layout. It is a short course, though, measuring just over 6,000 yards even from the back tees. However, don’t think it will be too easy, as there are plenty of elevation changes and hidden challenges. There are tree-lined fairways, plenty of bunkers and the Mill Burn all to watch out for throughout a round. 

It is a gentle start at Inverness, with a 305-yard par 4 to get you on your way. Bunkers sit on either side of the fairway, so work out the distance off the tee to give yourself the best chance of a birdie on the first. The par 3s start early, at the 2nd. Four bunkers guard the large putting surface on this 180-yard hole. Off the back tees, the 3rd is a 480-yard par 5, but off the yellows, it is a 440-yard par 4. Tree-lined on either side, an accurate drive is required, but if you’re off the back tees and you find the fairway, then the 3rd is a great scoring chance early on in your round. 

If you’ve played the 3rd off the yellows, then the 4th makes it back-to-back long par 4s. It can push to 460 yards from the tips and requires a lengthy drive that misses the two fairway bunkers on the right side. If you can get through 4, then you are gifted with a short par 5 at the 5th. At just 475 yards, a solid drive will give you a chance of reaching the green with your second shot. The birdie chances keep on coming with the 305-yard par 4 6th. Driving the green is not the play here, with a burn running across the hole in front of the green. Instead, lay back to a good distance and give yourself a full shot into this putting surface. Water is also in play on the 7th, but it would require a flail out to the right on this 180-yard par 3. With a long green, make sure you work out where the flag sits in terms of its depth, as that might change which club you hit. 

The 8th is a dog-leg left par 4, and the longer hitters may well try and take the corner on if driver comes out of the bag. A trio of bunkers sit to the right of the putting surface for anything slightly awry. The front nine comes to a close with a 200-yard par 3. Played over a burn that shouldn’t come into play, the three bunkers in front of the green may well do so with a slightly mishit tee shot. Water is back in play on the par 4 10th, with a burn running down the left side all the way to the side of the green. The hole contours from right to left, towards the water hazard, so make sure your tee shot and approach are favouring the right side. 11 plays back up the hill, making it feel longer than its carded 420 yards. It moves slightly from left to right, with no fewer than six bunkers in play across the first and second shots. 

12 also moves slightly to the right, but there are no bunkers in play off the tee on this 395-yard par 4. Two traps sit in front of the green, so make sure the approach is long enough to cover those. Another lengthy par 3 follows at the 13th. It is 186 yards, and plays its full yardage thanks to the quartet of bunkers that guard the hole. 14 is one of the signature holes at Inverness, playing as a 460-yard dog-leg right par 4. Water and OOB run all the way down the right side, while the bunker on the outside left corner is the viewpoint off the tee. Avoid all that, and you might just come away from 14 with a par. It is followed by the shortest hole on the property. The 15th is only 130 yards, but it has a narrow landing zone with bunkers on either side of the putting surface. 

A trio of very different par 4s bring you home at Inverness. 16 is 375 yards and begins with a blind tee shot, and the green is elevated from the fairway with a steep drop off at the front. Make sure you take enough club with your approach to get the ball to the putting surface. 17 is shorter, at just 320 yards, but the fairway is one of the tightest on the golf course. The hole plays uphill, and you might not be able to see the bottom of the flag from where you hit your approach. The final hole at Inverness is also the longest of the par 4s, coming in at a whopping 475 yards from the tips. Bunkers sit on either side of the fairway to make it a tighter landing zone for the tee shot. There are also three more traps located by the green, just to make that final approach shot that bit more tricky. 

Where is Inverness Golf Club located?

Inverness Golf Club, as you might well think, is situated in the city of Inverness. The city centre is just a mile to the north of the golf club, with the Mill Burn running down the western side of the venue. The A9, A96 and A82 all run from the city in different directions, providing great road links to the club.

Thanks to its location, Inverness is also home to the nearest train station and airport. For international visitors, Inverness Airport is less than ten miles to the east. Meanwhile, the city’s train station is only a couple of miles away by road. Trains run from the station towards Aberdeen, Elgin and Glasgow Queen Street on a regular basis.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?

There are several stunning golf courses in and around Inverness, with many of those on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list. The Castle Stuart Course at Cabot Highlands is five miles east, with both Nairn Dunbar and Nairn’s Championship Course within 15 miles. Fortrose & Rosemarkie is around the same distance to the north.

What golf facilities does Inverness Golf Club offer?

The club has its own driving range to the west of the clubhouse, with play from grass tees throughout the summer. There is also a great short game area, with a chipping green, practice bunker and pitching area. The putting green sits between the clubhouse and the opening tee box.

What are the green fees at Inverness Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Inverness Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Inverness, visit their website here.