Links ClassicHidden GemGreat Value

Brora Golf Club

Brora, Sutherland · Designed by James Braid (1923) · Est. 1923

Far up the coast of Sutherland, an hour north of Royal Dornoch, Brora is a beloved James Braid links and a kind of living museum of golf as it used to be. Braid laid out the course in 1923 and it has barely changed since — so much so that it is the home of the James Braid Golfing Society. Its most charming feature is that the links is still common grazing land: sheep and cattle roam the fairways, and little electric fences ring each green to keep them off, giving Brora a gentle, timeless character found almost nowhere else.

At around 6,200 yards and par 69 it is not long, but the firm turf, the sea breeze and Braid's clever green sites make it a genuine test and an utter delight. Enthusiasts the world over speak of Brora with real affection. Remote, inexpensive and unforgettable, it is the jewel of the far north for the golfer willing to make the drive.

The course Braid shaped in 1923 has been preserved so faithfully that a round feels like stepping back a century — the livestock, the little burns, the humpy fairways and the fast, true greens all belong to an older age of golf, and the members and the James Braid Golfing Society based here guard that spirit jealously. It is a long way north, but ask anyone who has made the trip: Brora gets under your skin.

Holes worth knowing

19th "the Sea Hole" (par-3, ~150 yards) — you play almost off the beach itself, the sand running down the entire right side and a bunker or hollow waiting left; a little gem made fierce by the sea breeze.

Highlights

A James Braid links (1923), barely changed since
Sheep and cattle graze the fairways — fences ring the greens
Home of the James Braid Golfing Society

Good to know

→The livestock are the real thing: the crofting community holds historic grazing rights, so sheep and cattle wander the fairways and the single-strand electric fences protect the greens. Shut the gates and play on.
→It is about an hour and 15 minutes north of Inverness and an hour past Royal Dornoch — pair the two (with Golspie and Tain between) for a magical far-north links run.
→Green fees are a genuine bargain for golf of this quality; book direct, and if you love it, ask about the James Braid Golfing Society, which is based here.
→Brora is a James Braid links in the far north where sheep and cattle still graze the fairways, kept off the greens by little electric fences — utterly natural, old-fashioned golf.
→The Clynelish distillery is in Brora itself, and the drive up the Sutherland coast past Dornoch and Golspie is one of the loveliest golf journeys in Britain.

Visitor Information

Getting There

1h 15min drive

Common questions

Is it true there are sheep and cattle on the course at Brora?

Yes — and it is part of the charm. Brora's links is still common grazing land, so sheep and cattle roam the fairways and little electric fences ring each green to keep them off. It gives the course a gentle, timeless character found almost nowhere else in golf.

Who designed Brora and how good is it?

James Braid laid out the course in 1923 and it has barely changed since, which is why it is the home of the James Braid Golfing Society. At around 6,200 yards and par 69 it is not long, but the firm turf, sea breeze and Braid's clever green sites make it a genuine and much-loved test that enthusiasts travel a long way to play.

How do I get to Brora?

Brora is on the Sutherland coast in the far north, about an hour north of Royal Dornoch and around 1 hour 15 from Inverness. It is remote and inexpensive, and pairs naturally with Royal Dornoch, Golspie and Tain for a Highlands links trip.