Cabot Highlands Dual Links
The Evolution of Links Golf—From Castle Stuart’s Genius to the Promise of Old Petty
The Scottish Highlands have long been synonymous with the timeless, rugged purity of links golf, a tradition defined by the ancient footsteps of Old Tom Morris and the wild landscapes of Royal Dornoch and Nairn. Yet, nestled along the breathtaking shores of the Moray Firth, a new chapter is being written—one that fuses this historical reverence with bold, contemporary vision.
This evolution is defined by Cabot Highlands, the luxury golf resort built around the celebrated Castle Stuart Golf Links. Now, with the ambitious addition of the developing second course, Old Petty, Cabot is creating a dual-links destination that promises not just a round of golf, but a comprehensive, world-class resort experience unlike anything else in Scotland. This is the Cabot Highland Dual Links offering.
At Meridian Golf Tours, we recognize that Cabot Highlands is the future of aspirational golf travel. Our exclusive packages are designed to give you seamless access to both the established genius of Castle Stuart and the highly anticipated thrill of Old Petty in our Highland Golf Tour. This is the definitive look at the rise of Cabot Highlands and why this destination represents the necessary pilgrimage for the modern links enthusiast.
Cabot Highlands Dual Links
1. The Modern Masterpiece: Castle Stuart Golf Links
Castle Stuart, before its rebrand under the prestigious Cabot banner, burst onto the global scene in 2009. It was not content to merely replicate history; it sought to reinterpret it. The course was the brainchild of the visionary Mark Parsinen and renowned American architect Gil Hanse, and its immediate acclaim was deafening.
Hanse’s Highland Genius
Gil Hanse, famous for his minimalist approach and his restoration work at The Olympic Club, brought a profound respect for the Scottish landscape. He and Parsinen created a course that feels simultaneously grand and natural, utilizing the dramatic shoreline to its absolute maximum effect.
Castle Stuart’s architecture is defined by two signature features:
- Terraced Fairways: The course is built on a series of dramatic, sweeping terraces that step down toward the sea. This unique topography means that nearly every hole offers panoramic, elevated views of the water, the Kessock Bridge, and the Black Isle. The fairways provide wide landing areas, but the terracing demands thoughtful placement to ensure a clean second shot.
- The Infinity-Edged Greens: This is the visual element that catapulted the course into global fame. Greens like the iconic par-3 4th and the stunning 18th appear to drop away seamlessly into the Moray Firth. This optical illusion creates a constant sense of drama and scale that is rarely matched in links golf.
The course is challenging, yet playable. Hanse’s design allows the wind—the true architect of any links—to be the ultimate defence, ensuring the course plays differently every single day.
The Championship Pedigree
Castle Stuart cemented its place in the Scottish golfing hierarchy by hosting the European Tour’s Scottish Open four times (2011, 2012, 2013, 2016). Hosting a major tour event proves the course’s capacity for severe competitive scrutiny, earning it the respect of the world’s best professionals. Playing here means walking the fairways once trod by golf titans like Phil Mickelson, who won the 2013 Scottish Open here.
2. Architectural Analysis: Why Castle Stuart Works
The success of Castle Stuart lies in its successful blend of Old World aesthetics and New World functionality. While Dornoch and Nairn represent classic, ground-game links built on centuries of natural drainage, Castle Stuart is a deliberate creation that optimizes the player’s visual and strategic experience.
Contrasting the ‘Big Three’
In the context of the “Big Three” Highland courses, Castle Stuart plays a distinct role:
- Royal Dornoch: Represents the spiritual, internal, strategic game (subtle slopes, historical reverence).
- The Nairn Golf Club: Represents the championship test of ball-striking and pristine turf conditioning (coastal challenge, unrelenting difficulty).
- Castle Stuart: Represents the epic, visual, and architectural journey (grand scale, dramatic vistas, strategic width).
The genius of Hanse and Parsinen was in making a modern design feel timeless. By exposing the natural sand base and minimizing heavy bunkering, they ensured that the course plays firm, fast, and reliant on the bounce and roll—the hallmark of true links golf. It is a bold, expansive design that manages to respect Scottish tradition while firmly securing its position in the 21st century.
3. The Next Frontier: The Promise of Old Petty
Cabot Highlands Dual Links
The acquisition of Castle Stuart by Cabot—the developers behind the highly successful Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs in Nova Scotia—signaled a massive commitment to the Highlands. The expansion of the property under the Cabot Highlands brand brings with it the most exciting promise in European golf: a second 18-hole links course, Old Petty.
The Vision of Contrasting Genius
While Castle Stuart is a modern classic defined by the Hanse/Parsinen signature, Old Petty is envisioned as a complementary, yet contrasting, experience. The goal is to offer two completely different styles of world-class links golf on the same property, creating a “36-hole destination” comparable to the great multi-course facilities worldwide.
The new course is expected to utilize terrain further inland and potentially higher up, offering:
- A Rugged, Rawer Feel: Reports indicate the design philosophy will lean towards a more raw, minimalist aesthetic, emphasizing the rugged dunes and natural chaos of the original linksland. This could be a stark contrast to Castle Stuart’s manicured, dramatic terracing.
- Elevated Vistas: The higher ground promises even more spectacular views, allowing golfers to see the vast expanse of the Moray Firth and potentially looking down onto the Castle Stuart layout itself.
- Architectural Diversity: The selection of architects for Cabot’s projects is always intentional. Old Petty will bring a fresh architectural voice to the property, creating a compelling contrast that encourages guests to spend multiple days playing both courses.
The integration of Old Petty transforms Cabot Highlands from a bucket-list course into a bucket-list resort. This dual-links model ensures that golf architecture enthusiasts, purists, and luxury travelers all have a reason to stay, play, and immerse themselves in the region for days on end.
4. The Meridian Golf Tours Dual-Links Package
The sheer scale and anticipation surrounding Cabot Highlands require a luxury logistics partner capable of managing a true resort experience. This is where the Meridian Golf Tours advantage is indispensable.
The Effortless Highland Hub
Our packages are built to treat Cabot Highlands as a multi-day destination, seamlessly integrating the established links of Castle Stuart with the highly anticipated Old Petty experience (upon its opening).
- Accommodation Excellence: We secure preferred lodging, including the stunning Cabot Lodges on-site, allowing you to wake up steps from the first tee. Alternatively, we utilize five-star properties in nearby Inverness (such as the Culloden House), which serves as the perfect luxury hub for your entire trip.
- Private Transfers: While the courses are adjacent, the entire Highland itinerary requires careful management. Our private, chauffeur-driven transfers handle all travel between the Inverness hub, the Cabot property, Nairn, and Dornoch, ensuring you maintain a refreshed, luxurious state for every round.
- Package Flexibility: We offer specialized packages focused on the Cabot Experience—allowing clients to play Castle Stuart multiple times and include the anticipated debut rounds at Old Petty as part of a pre-booked, long-term itinerary. This allows our clients to be among the first to experience the new course.
Completing the Highland Trio
Playing Castle Stuart is only half the Highland story. Our ultimate 7-Day Highland Links Package combines Cabot’s modern mastery with the historical reverence of the other two Highland giants:
- Day 1-2: Arrival, check-in to Inverness Hub, play The Nairn Golf Club.
- Day 3-4: Transfer north, play Royal Dornoch and Brora (The Braid Trail).
- Day 5-6: Return to the Cabot property, playing Castle Stuart and a guided architectural tour of Old Petty (or play Old Petty upon opening).
This combination provides a comprehensive, contrasting, and unforgettable architectural journey through the Scottish Highlands.
5. Conclusion: Booking the Future of Links Golf
Cabot Highlands represents the evolution of the Scottish golf pilgrimage. It is a destination where the established genius of Gil Hanse’s Castle Stuart is preparing to meet the contrasting ambition of Old Petty. The result is a dual-links resort that promises diversity, challenge, and an unrelenting display of Highland beauty.
For the luxury traveler, the combination of world-class golf, five-star lodging, and guaranteed access makes Cabot Highlands an essential part of the modern Scottish itinerary. This is more than just a round; it is a commitment to experiencing the very best of contemporary links golf.
Ready to secure your spot at the future of Scottish links? Visit www.meridiangolftours.com to explore our luxury Cabot Highlands packages and secure your place to play both Castle Stuart and the highly anticipated Old Petty – the Cabot Highland Dual Links