Brora: A northerly links haven by the sea

Matt Coles

Why we would rather be playing this rugged Highlands beauty

Brora: A northerly links haven with marvellous holes aplenty

Brora Golf C l ub is one of the most northerly courses in Britain and represents all the attributes of a traditional Scottish Highland links.

A rugged links that is as natural as they come, the front nine hugs the coastline before you turn and head back to the clubhouse.

Add in the views of the sea and nearby beaches, burn water and vast amounts of gorse and it becomes quick to see why Brora is something of a links haven. There is even a railway which must be negotiated from the 10th tee!

NOW READ: Want winter golf? Look towards the Scottish Highlands

History

The golf course was originally nine holes until around 1900, when it was extended to 18 holes. In 1923 James Braid, five times Open Champion and a prolific designer of golf courses, was invited to visit by the club committee.

This he did in 1924, and for the princely sum of £25 plus travelling expenses, submitted plans for a redesigned 18 hole layout

Officially established by the man himself, the design which came to be known as ‘Braid’s Plan’ has hardly been altered to this day.

What makes Brora Golf Club special?

We can think of no other course in Scotland which has so many holes playing so close to the sea.

There are no dunes to obscure the magnificent seascape, which is an added bonus to the already marvellous panorama.

There are so many great holes, but the sixth and especially the 9th, a 162-yard par 3 called Sea Hole, is the standout. Exactly what it says it is: almost on the beach and known to have been covered in seaweed after a storm.

Where does it rank?

92nd in GB&I, 30th in Scotla n d, 5th in the Highlands

Where is it?

Brora is located in the Scottish Highlands, with Inverness the nearest city. You can get to John O’Groats, the most northern point of the United Kingdom, within an hour. Inverness Airport is the largest airport in the region and about 90 minutes away.

Get in touch with Brora

For more information about the club and course, visit its website or call them on 01408 621417.

You can play at Brora on the NCG Top 100s Tour in the 2026 season!

Book your spot to play at Brora on the NCG Top 100s Tour on November 5th, 2025 here.
You can also play on both the Championship Course and the Struie Course at Royal Dornoch in our Highlands Winter Swing – check that out here.

Now have your say

Have you ever had the pleasure of playing at Brora? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!

About the author

Matt Coles

Mention a European country, and Matt will tell you which resorts make the National Club Golfer Top 100s: European Resorts list. He might even throw in who designed the golf course and how many rooms the hotel has got at each one…

Matt got into the game of golf from a young age, following his old man to the local golf club. He fell for the sport, and now can’t seem to go a day without thinking about how to improve his game (Thanks Dad!). Matt has been a member of Howley Hall GC in Leeds since 2020, and is just about managing to maintain a single-figure handicap. He likes to remind people that he once broke 75, but won’t tell people that it was on a shortened course during the winter.

He moved to Leeds after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours degree in Sports Journalism. Matt joined NCG after almost five years travelling the world with the Professional Squash Association, working on events in all four corners of the globe.

Matt currently plays a Cobra King LTDx driver and RadSpeed 3-wood. TaylorMade monopolise the rest of his bag, with a SIM UDI, M5 irons and both Milled Grind and HI-TOE wedges, along with a Monza Redline putter. He uses a Vice Pro Plus golf ball, because he’s a bit different…

Away from golf, Matt is a Manchester United fan, and a keen runner, having ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon (his first and possibly last), in May 2023.

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