Weekly Spotlight: Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart Golf Links)
Big year at Castle Stuart. The modern links that hosted four Scottish Opens between 2011 and 2016 has just doubled in size, with a brand new Tom Doak course called Old Petty officially opening alongside it on 15th May 2026. The whole property is now operating as Cabot Highlands, and it has quietly become one of the biggest stories in Scottish golf.
**The Basics**
Cabot Highlands sits on the southern shore of the Moray Firth, between Inverness and Nairn. Inverness Airport is five minutes away and the city itself is about 10 minutes down the road. From Edinburgh you're looking at three and a half hours by car.
Castle Stuart Golf Links opened in 2009. The course was the brainchild of American developer Mark Parsinen, the same man behind Kingsbarns, who teamed up with architect Gil Hanse to build something that felt timeless on a stretch of land overlooking the Moray Firth. They named it after the 400 year old tower house that sits in the middle of the property, originally granted by Mary, Queen of Scots to her half brother James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray.
In 2022, Cabot, the Canadian group behind Cabot Cape Breton, Cabot Saint Lucia and Cabot Citrus Farms, bought the entire 420 acre estate. They renamed it Cabot Highlands and immediately announced plans for a second course. Mark Parsinen had dreamed of building two courses here before he passed away in 2019. Cabot picked up that vision and ran with it. Tom Doak got the commission.
**The Golf**
Castle Stuart is par 72 at 7,009 yards from the championship tees. The layout sits on two natural terraces above the firth, with infinity edge greens that vanish into the water behind them. According to the course, 10 of the 18 flags have either sky or water as a backdrop. Wide fairways, big greens, dramatic bunkering, and every hole in front of you. The yardage book describes the philosophy as being "more about error and recovery than perfection," and that captures it perfectly.
The 4th is the signature hole, a 191 yard par 3 with the actual Castle Stuart framed perfectly behind the green. Hanse cleared out the trees on purpose to make sure you'd see it. The 10th, a 405 yard par 4, kicks off the back nine right along the cliff edge with the firth dropping away below you. The 17th is the kind of par 3 architects save for last, 224 yards along the cliff with the Moray Firth running the entire length of the right side. Then the 18th, a 595 yard par 5 with a partially blind tee shot, a dogleg right and the largest green on the course waiting to receive your approach.
The new course, Old Petty, is a Tom Doak design that opens officially on 15th May 2026. It's only Doak's second course in Scotland, joining The Renaissance Club at North Berwick, and it's been getting serious praise during preview play. The routing weaves around the historic 400 year old castle, plays alongside the Old Petty Church which dates from 1839, and features the firth itself on several holes. The 17th is reportedly destined to become an iconic par 3.
**The Legends**
Castle Stuart announced itself by hosting the Scottish Open four times: 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016. The 2011 event was rain shortened to 54 holes, and Luke Donald, then world number one, won by four shots. Both the 2012 and 2013 editions ended in playoffs, with Jeev Milkha Singh beating Francesco Molinari, then Phil Mickelson edging Branden Grace. Mickelson then went straight to Muirfield the following week and won the Open. That fortnight is one of the best ever played by anyone, and Castle Stuart was the launchpad. Alex Noren won the 2016 edition by one shot over Tyrrell Hatton.
The course is currently ranked 72nd on the Golf Digest World 100 Greatest list. It's been described by Cabot's own CEO Ben Cowan Dewar as one of his favourite modern courses anywhere, and Castle Stuart was reportedly one of the inspirations behind Cabot Links itself in Nova Scotia.
**Should You Play It?**
Castle Stuart is open from late March through mid November. Old Petty runs from 15th May through 14th November. The whole property is walking only, with buggies for medical exemptions only. Caddies are available but must be pre booked.
Green fees in 2026 go up to £385 for Castle Stuart in peak season, with separate rates for Scottish Golf members and 36 hole tickets that let you play both courses within seven days. A 36 hole package is genuinely good value if you're making the trip. The clubhouse is art deco inspired and sits at the centre of the property with views across the firth.
The location is the real ace. You can play Royal Dornoch, Nairn, Brora, and Tain all within an hour. Combine Cabot Highlands with two or three of those and you've got one of the best Highland golf trips money can buy.
**Bottom Line**
Castle Stuart has always been one of Scotland's finest modern courses. With Old Petty arriving in May 2026 and Cabot pumping serious money into the wider resort, Cabot Highlands is now a 36 hole destination on the same scale as anything in the country. The infinity edge greens, the firth views, and the playable but characterful design make Castle Stuart unforgettable on its own. Add Doak's new course and you've got something special.
Has anyone played Old Petty during the preview window? How does it stack up against the original? And is the 17th at Castle Stuart the best closing par 3 in Scotland?