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Royal Dornoch – Championship Course

Ranking
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These rankings are based solely on post-trip surveys received from clients. Although the surveys are not accessible via our website, you can click on "testimonials" above to read the actual comments in their original format.
Founded: 1877
Designer: Tom Morris, John Sutherland, Donald Ross
Length: 5,359-6,748 yards
PAR: 70
SSS (Course Rating): 72
Type: Links
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Who this course is best for:

Any golf aficionado looking for perhaps the purest links course on earth, because Royal Dornoch is quite possibly the best overall Scotland golf course on any Scottish golf tour. 

History:

Golf in Dornoch dates back to 1616. This town was home to Donald Ross showing the clear characteristics of his design tendencies. The aura and mystique of this beautiful little village in the far north Highlands is as good as it gets. Old Tom Morris also had a hand in designing much of the Championship course in 1886. It was in 1906 that King Edward VII decreed it as Royal Dornoch Golf Club.

Course Overview:

Royal Dornoch GC is currently ranked #10 in Golf Magazine’s World Top 100. The course would most likely rank higher if more panelists made the drive north into the scenic Scottish Highlands. There are several links courses in Scotland that are considered superb, Royal Dornoch is regularly ranked as the best. Visiting gents normally play the 6267-6626 yard tees (ladies from 5359-5940). The Championship Course can stretch to 6748 yards and par 70, creating a beast of a links for anybody! It’s the fantastic design elements of the crowned greens and penal bunkers that makes scoring at Dornoch so difficult, especially when the wind is up which is so often the case in the north of Scotland. 

Pioneer Golf visitors are encouraged to possibly play more than one round here. After your round spend some time in the lovely Royal Dornoch clubhouse with views over the first tee while enjoying a pint with the locals. It just doesn’t get any better than a day in Dornoch!

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Testimonials

“While the Old Course was definitely on my bucket list and the most revered place in golf history, we really enjoyed the two courses in the Highlands, Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart, as they are a very different style of links courses from Carnoustie and St Andrews courses.”

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Tours that include this Course

Castle Stuart

Highest Ranked Top 100 – Scotland

Seven rounds of golf:

  • St Andrews-Old Course
  • Carnoustie-Championship Course
  • Kingsbarns
  • Royal Troon-Old Course
  • Turnberry-Ailsa Course
  • Royal Dornoch-Championship Course
  • Castle Stuart
Trump International Golf Links

Trump International Golf Links

Hottest Trending Courses

Combine the charm of the Highlands with the rich history of Fife and these six rounds of golf:

  • St Andrews-Old Course
  • St Andrews-Castle Course
  • Kingsbarns
  • Castle Stuart
  • Royal Dornoch-Championship Course
  • Trump International Golf Links – GOLF Magazine World #100 in 2020/21
Royal Dornoch

Royal Dornoch

St Andrews Area & The Highlands

The best combination of new and old links golf in Scotland combining The Highlands with St Andrews and six rounds of golf:

  • St Andrews-Old Course
  • St Andrews-New Course
  • Carnoustie-Championship Course
  • Kingsbarns
  • Castle Stuart – GOLF Magazine World #66 in 2020/21
  • Royal Dornoch Championship Course – GOLF Magazine World #10 in 2020/21
Nairn Golf

Nairn-Championship Cours

Ultimate Highlands and Whisky

Five rounds of golf:

  • Castle Stuart
  • Royal Dornoch-Championship Course
  • Tain
  • Nairn-Championship Course
  • Moray-Old Course