Planning for a new golf course at Castle Stuart began in the early 2000s and took around eight years to complete.
Fresh from being involved in the creation of the acclaimed Kingsbarns near St Andrews which opened in 2000, American designer, the late Mark Parsinen, turned his attention north.
He settled on a site overlooking the Moray Firth and enlisted the help of fellow American and golf architect Gil Hanse.
Course opened in 2009
In 2005, Highland Council granted planning permission for two golf courses and associated accommodation.
The new course opened in 2009 with the intention of Castle Stuart Golf Links being to the Highlands what Turnberry is to Ayrshire and Gleneagles is to Perthshire.
The championship course was seen as the ‘beginning and cornerstone’ for a destination golf resort. The vision included a second 18-hole course, bespoke hotel and lodges and apartments.
Parsinen also instilled the ethos of making golf fun and enjoyable for all abilities rather than a grinding challenge.
He wanted players to be able to recover from errors rather than racking up a high score or with “ball-in-pocket and disengaged”.
Castle Stuart quickly gained an international reputation as a modern links classic.
It was named Best New International Course 2009 by Golf Digest and the following year was No 56 in Golf Magazine’s Top 100.
Four-time Scottish Open venue
In 2011, within 18 months of opening, it hosted the Scottish Open.
It was the venue for the prestigious event on three other occasions, in 2012, 2013 and 2016.
In 2015 Castle Stuart attracted the attention of golf legend Arnold Palmer who wanted to build his first Scottish course there.
Mr Palmer died the following year and the project did not proceed.
But the area earmarked for a second course is now part of the major development plans for Cabot which has acquired Castle Stuart and aims to build on the Parsinen legacy.
That legacy continues to win acclaim. This year, the Top 100 Golf Courses, in association with TaylorMade, lists Castle Stuart as second in north Scotland, 8th in Scotland, 19th in the UK and 53rd in the world.
Also this year, Scottish Golf Tourism Week selected Castle Stuart for its Best Clubhouse award.
And now, the already-successful course has moved in a new direction.
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