Tain

Overview: Tain is a Highland course with a natural blend of links and heathland, set between the Dornoch Firth and the inland landscape of Easter Ross. The ground is firm and varied, with heather, gorse, rumpled fairways and occasional forced carries creating a round that changes character from hole to hole. Mountain views and the open firth are part of the experience, but the layout still demands disciplined club selection.

History: Old Tom Morris laid out the original course at Tain in 1889 after local golfers secured land for a new layout. The course opened with 15 holes in 1890, then expanded to 18 as more ground became available. Later alterations have modernised the test, but the club identifies several holes that still retain the substance of Morris’s original work. The course’s development reflects the club’s long adaptation to its Highland setting.

Did You Know? A statue of Old Tom Morris watches over the first tee. The course began under the name St Duthus Golf Club, and the club later adopted the Tain Golf Club name as the layout and clubhouse developed.