JB James BraidHighland Golf Trail
Scotland • The Highlands

Follow the
master’s line.

Nine historic courses. One legendary architect. A golf journey through pine forests, mountain glens, Moray Firth links and the wild edge of Scotland’s far north.

Explore the nine courses → See the trail route
9historic
Highland courses
9 CoursesFrom Speyside to Caithness
1 ArchitectThe legacy of James Braid
One TrailLinks • Heathland • Parkland
A Highland golf pilgrimage

Nine very different ways to see Braid’s genius.

The James Braid Highland Golf Trail connects a remarkable collection of courses shaped, redesigned or influenced by five-time Open Champion James Braid. The route moves from the sheltered golf of the Spey Valley to exposed coastal links where sea, wind and firm turf become part of every shot.

This is not a trail of identical “signature” courses. It is a journey through Braid’s ability to read land: using contours, angles, bunkering and natural features to make a course memorable without overwhelming the landscape.

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South to north

Build your own Highland line.

Play all nine in one road trip or create a shorter loop. Start among the mountains and pine forests, pass the Moray Firth and Black Isle, then follow the coast north to Sutherland and the Atlantic-facing edge of Caithness.

Choose your courses →
01
NewtonmoreSpey Valley • Meadowland & heathland
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02
Boat of GartenCairngorms • Heathland
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03
Grantown-on-SpeySpey Valley • Parkland & heathland
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04
NairnMoray Firth • Championship links
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05
Fortrose & RosemarkieBlack Isle • Peninsula links
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06
Muir of OrdInverness-shire • Heathland
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07
GolspieSutherland • Links, heathland & parkland
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08
BroraSutherland • Traditional links
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09
ReayFar north • Wild links
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The nine courses

Choose your next stop.

From strategic inland golf beneath the Cairngorms to raw links beside the North Atlantic, every stop changes the rhythm of the journey.

Spey Valley • Parkland & Heathland

Grantown-on-Spey

Pine-framed Highland golf with Braid influence and Cairngorm scenery.

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Cairngorms • Heathland

Boat of Garten

Birch, heather, railway and River Spey scenery in one of Braid’s classic inland settings.

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Spey Valley • Meadowland

Newtonmore

Welcoming, strategic golf beside the River Spey with mountain views in every direction.

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Moray Firth • Championship Links

Nairn

A celebrated coastal test where Braid helped shape a classic out-and-back links.

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Inverness-shire • Heathland

Muir of Ord

Rolling Highland terrain, strategic shaping and a historic connection to Braid.

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Sutherland • Hybrid

Golspie

A rare blend of links, heathland and parkland that changes character across the round.

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Sutherland • Traditional Links

Brora

Firm turf, natural contours and an enduring Braid layout beside the sea.

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Caithness • Wild Links

Reay

Remote, elemental links golf at Sandside Bay with the far north as your backdrop.

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Black Isle • Peninsula Links

Fortrose & Rosemarkie

A compact, strategic links wrapped around Chanonry Point and the Moray Firth.

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Five-time Open Champion

A golfer who designed for golfers.

James Braid was one of the defining players of the early 20th century and became one of Britain’s most prolific course architects. Across the Highlands, his work ranges from complete designs to thoughtful remodels and strategic improvements.

The common thread is not a visual formula — it is strategy, variety and a respect for the ground already there.

That makes this trail more than a checklist. It is a chance to compare how one design mind responded to woodland, heath, river valley, dune and open coast.

Plan your Highland golf trip

Nine stamps. One story.

Use the individual course pages to explore each stop and head to the clubs directly for visitor information and tee-time booking.

Start with a course →