Nairn Golf Club

Nairn Golf Club sits on the Moray Firth coast just outside the town of Nairn, a proper links course that demands respect from the moment you arrive. The Scottish Highlands backdrop is genuine - not postcard cliché - and the sea air carries that particular tang you only get when you're this far north.

It's a championship-standard course with two eighteen-hole layouts, so you're looking at real quality here, not a par-three novelty job. The fairways punish wayward shots with genuine penalty rough, and the greens are quick. If you're a decent golfer, you'll find it challenging. If you're learning, it'll teach you things about wind and strategy you won't forget.

Not for casual knockabout players - this is the sort of place where you book well in advance and expect to pay for the privilege. You'll need a handicap certificate and should assume a full round takes four to five hours with a decent pace. Summer evenings are long enough that you could play quite late without rushing.

The town of Nairn itself is manageable for a couple of days of exploration, and if you're staying at nearby Barrow Campsite, you're close enough for a game without the drive feeling like a chore. Worth the trip if golf is your thing. If you're just tagging along with a keen golfer, there's enough coastline and fish and chips shops in town to keep you occupied while they're on the course.