Boat of Garten Golf Club

When it comes to golf in the Scottish Highlands, the Boat of Garten should be first on every visitor's itinerary. Designed by one of the grand masters of golf course architecture, James Braid (1870-1950), “The Boat” is set alongside the River Spey in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, only 10 minutes drive from the bustling village of Aviemore. The course is not only renowned as a demanding test of sporting skill but also as a magnificent setting for the game. Braid’s design features 18 completely individual holes, and cleverly and sensitively shaped fairways lined by birch trees, heather, and broom, maximizing the natural landscape and producing a beautiful and challenging course. Follow this link to hiddenlinks. com for a short video that captures some of the spirit of the Course.

It’s a short course, measuring slightly less than 5,900 yards from the back tees. There are a couple of long par fours and two short par fives, but apart from those holes, your driver will not be required. Unusually, Boat of Garten opens up with a par three – always tricky early on in the round – followed by a short par four, where the fantastic views really begin to grab the attention. If a good golf hole is a memorable one, then the par four 6th, called “Avenue”, will remain etched in the mind for eternity. The hole doglegs to the right – pine and birch trees tightly flank the fairway. Cutting off the dogleg is fraught with danger, but a lay-up will leave a 200-yard approach to a hogback green. It’s a beauty.