Brora Golf Club, Brora, Scotland

The Highlands’ most famous greenskeepers can be found at Brora Golf Club, the sheep that roam the course. Don’t be “shocked” by the little electric fences surrounding each and every green to guard against their overzealousness, Brora is links golf as it was meant to be, “the purest links golf course in the world,” according to Honorary Member and 5-time Open Champion Peter Thomson, and we wouldn’t dare disagree with him. The setting is both remote and magnificent, one of the world’s most northerly links, a sweeping expanse of unspoiled linksland along the North Sea. Designed by James Braid, the course is completely unaltered from its original state, a time capsule of sorts that captures the spirit and challenge of the game a century ago. Uniquely playable, even in the wettest of seasons, because of the sheeps’ constant tending to the rough, Brora never fails to delight and we rank it right at the top in terms of pure enjoyment. Don’t underestimate the challenge however, its charm notwithstanding, the layout is superb. No visit to the Scottish Highlands is complete without a day at Brora, an experience you will never forget!