The last event played on the NCG Top 100s Tour in 2024 came at Golspie Golf Club, and like the rest of the week, the sun shone up in the Highlands!
It is a course that has three distinct areas – there are six links holes, six parkland holes and six heathland holes, making it a true test of any golfer that visits the north of Scotland.
There are just the three sets of tees at Golspie for the par 70 layout. It is not the longest course, with the back tees only pushing the course to 6,000 yards. The Course Rating comes in at 69.6, meaning you should get round under your handicap…
From the Yellows, the Course Rating is down to 68.6, with the yardage dropping to just shy of 5,700 yards. For the Ladies, the Red tees play with a Course Rating of 71.3, which is less than the Ladies par of 72. The 9th and 15th play as par 5s for the Ladies, with the course yardage from the Red tees coming in at 5,235 yards.
- RELATED: NCG Top 100s – Golspie
What is the course like and what are the best holes?
Like many great courses in this part of the world, Golspie Golf Club offers players a view of the North Sea throughout the majority of a round. With good weather, there is nowhere else you would want to be in the world, but Golspie has a few tricks up its sleeve as well.
The course is split into three parts, all of which provide different challenges. The opening five holes are of the links variety, with 3, 4 and 5 all played along the coastline. The beach comes into play on all three holes, with the par 5 4th hole being the pick of the bunch. It is a hole that requires three well-struck shots, all while avoiding the North Sea which looms on your left. Mounds, hollows and swales are just part of the character of the 4th hole at Golspie.
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Following the links section of the course, Golspie treats you to something that you won’t often see in the north of Scotland – heathland golf. The par 3 10th encapsulates the sort of golf that you would expect to see in Surrey or Hampshire, a stunning par 3 played amongst the trees. It is less than 150 yards long, but the tee shot is played over both water and heather to find a small putting surface – one guarded with a pair of bunkers. Three shot par 3s at 11, 12 and 13 bring you to the end of the heathland section of the course, the latter featuring a ditch running around 60 yards from the green to make you choose whether to lay up or take it on.
After some parkland holes, you then get to the back-to-back par 3s which you have to tackle towards the end of a round at Golspie. The 16th and 17th are very different holes, with the former having a gorgeous view of the North Sea as its backdrop (as you can see above). The penultimate hole at Golspie is a very testing short hole, and one that is not exactly short. It plays more than 200 yards, and with a false front around 10 yard short of the green, you have to make sure you carry your tee shot all the way to the green for it to have a chance of finishing on the putting surface!
What did our competitors think of Golspie?
Looking for other opinions on Golspie? Check out what some of our players had to say about this stunning venue here:
“You wouldn’t think it was November with the way the weather was and how the course played! I would love to come back here in the summer to see whether it is much different at all!” – Peter Burns
“A cracking end to a wonderful week. I will be back up in this part of the world, for sure!” – Eric Buckle
What about the off-course facilities?
Due to its locality to the coastline, there is not the space at Golspie for a driving range. However, the club does have a practice net, along with a putting green and short game area, all with the view of the North Sea to aid your warm up before a round.
The clubhouse offers those views as well, with the bar and lounge area on the top floor of the building. The bottom floor features the pro shop, bag drop and the locker rooms, with the former having all the branded merchandise you might want to take home as a souvenir from your Highlands trip.
How can you play at Golspie?
Tee times are available every day of the week for visitors at Golspie, apart from on Saturdays – due to it being the members’ competition day.
You can check out the green fees for a game at Golspie here, and you can book yourself in for a round by visiting the club’s booking site here.
Golspie is one of the northernmost golfing venues in the United Kingdom, around 90 minutes north of Inverness along the A9. Brora and Royal Dornoch, the other venues on the Highlands Winter Swing on the NCG Top 100s Tour for 2025, are in close order.
- Keep up to date with the ever-expanding 2025 NCG Top 100s Tour schedule here.
Get in touch with Golspie
For more information about the club and course, visit the club’s website.
To get in touch with Golspie, you can call them on 01408 633266, or you can send them an email via this link. You can also get in touch the club via the contact form on their website, which can be found here.
Now have your say
Have you ever played at Golspie before, or played on the NCG Top 100s Tour before? Let us know with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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