Nairn (Championship)

Nairn Golf Club, founded in 1887 by Robert B Finlay, is one of the finest golfing venues in the Scottish Highlands.

A number of big names in golf course design have had a hand in the design of the Championship Course over the years, including Old Tom Morris, James Braid and, Mackenzie and Ebert.

The club is one of just nine in the United Kingdom to have played host the four major amateur events - the Walker Cup, the Curtis Cup and both the men's and women's Amateur Championships.

 

 

Visit Nairn's website here.
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The club was founded in 1887, with the club now having more than 135 years of history. Andrew Simpson, the Keeper of the Green at Aberdeen, was the man brought in for the original design of the Championship Course. 

Only three years later, Old Tom Morris revised the course, and extended it from its original design. Five time Open Champion James Braid made the biggest impact on the Championship lay-out. He altered tees, bunkers and greens shortly prior to the First World War.

In 1920, Ben Sayers came in and created some new holes to add to the Championship Course, with Braid then returning to add another signature touch. Renowned architects Mackenzie and Ebert were brought in to renovate the course in 2018.

Nairn is just one of nine clubs in the United Kingdom that can say they have hosted the four major amateur tournaments in the country. The Women's Amateur Championship (1979) and Amateur Championship (1994) were both held at Nairn, with the Walker Cup and Curtis Cup following. Both the Amateur Championship and Women's Amateur Championship were hosted at Nairn in the 2020s as well.

 

Thanks to all those renovations over the years, the Championship Course at Nairn is a beautiful 18-hole layout, with several holes playing alongside the beach and the sea. The Par-71 course measures in at more than 6,800 yards for a tricky sea-side test. Six of the opening seven holes are on the coastline, with just the par 3 4th hole playing slightly inland. However, it does play back towards the sea to allow the 5th, 6th and 7th holes to run down the coastline.

The opening trio of holes are all par 4s that measure more than 400 yards from the back tees. With the tide out, there is always the opportunity to find any drives that are flailed out to the right, with many having played from the beach in the past. The 4th is the shortest hole on the course at 167 yards, with stunning views of the North Sea in the background. The 5th tee shot is played over the 4th green, and it is the first par 4 on the course that is less than 400 yards long. Despite that, it is the hardest hole on the Championship Course.

6 is the second par 3 on the front nine, before you come to the longest hole on the course. The name 'Long' does it justice, with the 7th measuring more than 600 yards from the back tees. It is a true three-shotter that winds its way along the coastline, with the rocks to the back right of the green. 8 and 9 are both less than 360 yards, and offer birdie opportunities to end the front side of the course, as the layout makes its way inland. The 9th has the backdrop of the world famous 'Bothy'.

The back nine begins with a par 5, one that is reachable for the bigger hitters at 532 yards. 11 plays the opposite way, and is a 180-yard par 3 with four bunkers guarding the front and left of the green. 12 and 13 are par 4s that measure more than 400, with the 12th a whopping 463 yards long. 13 plays south to its most inland point, and rises up the hill with a dropoff in front of the green, so make sure you take enough club to find the putting surface.

 

Arguably the best view on the property comes from the 14th tee, as you look down over 14 and 15, and out to the Moray Firth. The 14th is the longest par 3 on the course, measuring more than 220 yards from the tips, but it does play slightly downhill. 15 offers up a birdie chance as a driveable par 4 for the longer hitters. At just 306 yards, it provides some respite before the tough closing stretch. 

 

The 16th is more than 420 yards and features four bunkers short of the green, and while 17 might be shorter, there are five bunkers on route to catch errant shots. There is also a burn running across the fairway on the penultimate hole, around 20 yards short of the putting surface. The Championship Course at Nairn ends with the par 5 18th, at 553 yards long. It is a straight away par 5, but there is plenty of trouble to catch you out, with bunkers and even out of bounds down the right side, courtesy of the club's practice facilities. The 18th green is right in front of the clubhouse, so making a birdie here feels like a big achievement.
 

Where is Nairn Golf Club located?
Nairn Golf Club is located in Nairn, a town situated along the Moray Firth, with the course running parallel to the coastline. The A96, which runs from Inverness to Aberdeen across the northeastern corner of Scotland, is just a couple of miles from the club. The city of Inverness is 15 miles to the west of Nairn.

The nearest airport to Nairn Golf Club is Inverness Airport. It's around 8 miles west of Nairn and provides domestic and limited international flight services. Edinburgh Airport, the country's busiest airport, is 155 miles to the south down the A9. The town of Nairn has its own train station and it is well-connected to the Scottish rail network, with services to and from various cities, including Inverness, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?
Nairn is not alone when it comes to golfing venues along the Moray Firth, with Nairn Dunbar just a couple of miles away. Cabot Highlands, with its Castle Stuart Course and Old Petty Course, is also within ten miles to the west. Moray (Old and New), Elgin, Spey Valley, Grantown-on-Spey and Boat of Garten are all within 35 miles of Nairn.

What golf facilities does Nairn offer?  
Along with the Championship Course, Nairn Golf Club is also home to the 9-hole Cameron Course, which is a great place to warm up ahead of a round and dial in your game. There is also a full-length driving range, along with a short game area and a large putting green which sits between the clubhouse and the opening hole.
  

What are the green fees at Nairn?
The price of a green fee at Nairn 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 Nairn, visit their website here. 

 
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Visit Nairn's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.