GOLF tourism in the Highlands is going from strength to strength.
Some of the high-profile clubs seized the opportunity to promote the region as a stay and play destination at the golfing world’s biggest trade show.
The recent PGA Show in Orlando attracted more than 30,000 industry professionals from nearly 100 countries. Royal Dornoch, Cabot Highlands and Nairn Golf Club were flying the flag under a VisitScotland banner.Paul Mills, general manager at Nairn Golf Club, has high hopes for building on growing visitor numbers. “We have a capacity membership here and strong visitor numbers,” he said. “We are keen to maintain our profile and promote the Nairn brand internationally. The annual PGA Show provides the perfect platform, and it is also a great stage for highlighting all that the Highlands have to offer. “We want visitors to make this their base and tour operators are becoming more aware of the fantastic range of golf courses we are blessed with. “It’s been good to see major investment in the hotel infrastructure. The Highlands are a first-class destination. “Having Scottish Golf Tourism Week in Inverness last year also helped raise awareness among tour operators of just how good our courses are. For those that had not been before, their eyes have been opened. “There’s lots going on with the new season on the horizon, with Nairn hosting the 2025 Women’s Amateur Championships.”
Since taking up the reins at Nairn, Paul has been impressed with the tight-knit golfing community in the region. “To a certain extent we are in a privileged position at Nairn, Cabot Highlands and Royal Dornoch. But we recognise it is important that golf throughout the region is in a good place, including the various volunteer-led nine-hole courses which are well worth a visit. “Nairn has joined the High9s group because we have a nine-hole course here as well as the celebrated Championship Course. “Hopefully, in future many of our 1600 members will take advantage of reciprocal arrangements we have with various Highland clubs. “On a personal level, I am delighted to be involved with enthusiastic volunteers from clubs involved with Golf Highland, as well as experienced managers from the likes of Royal Dornoch, Nairn Dunbar and King’s in Inverness. There is a good mix. “We are seeing real momentum building in terms of the Highlands as a golfing destination. “Golf Highland has been playing a critical role in that, and I have been impressed with the way all the different clubs have come together. There is a great support network. “I love the fact that the people involved in Golf Highland are so passionate about golf in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. “We encourage golfers from home and abroad to make the area a destination and not just a stop on a tour. ”
One of the many clubs to benefit from the co-operative approach is Durness in the north-west, which is blessed with a breathtaking scenic combination of mountains, sea and dunes.
Greenkeeper Ali Morrison, who has been selected by the British and International Golf Greenkeeping Association and John Deere to join the agronomy team working at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, has seen visiting numbers at Durness rise year on year post-pandemic. “We have a real mix of visitors, with many from the continent, and we are seeing a bit more of the American traffic now,” he explained. “Visitors might play a couple of rounds or have a quick nine holes while partners are sightseeing or on the beach with the kids. “Our profile has certainly been raised by a combination of Golf Highland and a sustained social media drive following the pandemic. “I had a bit of time on my hands during lockdown and if you remember back then the weather was lovely. “I’m grateful to Brora pro Malcolm Murray. He gave me a nudge and got me moving on the various social media channels. “Photographs have proved very popular in building up our following. Between myself, golf photographer Matthew Harris and our late president Ian Morrison, we got our name out there and we have featured online and in various golf publications. “Being hailed as Scotland’s 9-hole Course of the Year at the Scottish Golf Awards last year has also encouraged golfers to make the trip. “For some, it is the first time they have ever been on single file roads with passing places. It becomes a bit of an adventure for them. “In the past some golfers might have been reluctant to play nine-hole courses but thankfully there has been a change in attitudes in recent years. “The well-known Highland clubs are very good at encouraging visitors to make the journey further north, and we get great feedback on the scenery, condition and lay-out here at Durness.”
Nairn Golf Club will host the Women’s Amateur Championship this summer
More and more golfers are making the journey to spectacular Durness
