Castle Stuart

Castle Stuart sits on a headland above the Moray Firth, a few miles east of Inverness, and is one of the most acclaimed links built anywhere this century. It was shaped by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse, who hand-built the course themselves rather than working from heavy machinery, drawing on Alister MacKenzie's design ideas to route the holes through the natural contours of the site. The 7th green — an "infinity" green that appears to run straight off the cliff edge into the firth below — has become one of the most photographed holes in Scottish golf. Opened in 2009, the course established its reputation quickly, hosting the Scottish Open on four occasions and drawing some of the game's best players to a layout still barely into its second decade. The views take in the Black Isle, the Kessock Bridge and the Moray Firth shipping lanes, giving it a sense of place as strong as its golf.