Muir of Ord the driving force in golf trail inspired by legend of the game
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TWO Ross-shire golf courses designed by a five-time Open champion feature on a trail designed to tantalise visitors to the Highlands.
Muir of Ord Golf Club was the launchpad on Thursday for the new James Braid Highland Golf Trail.
Representatives from seven of the leading golf clubs in the North of Scotland gathered for the launch, which comes hot on the heels of the Scottish Golf Club of the Year 2016 accolade given to Muir of Ord last month.
All courses were either wholly or partly designed by the renowned golf course designer and multiple Open champion, James Braid.
With that shared link in mind they have combined to develop a new website – www.jamesbraidhighland.golf – offering golfers a wide range of advice on how best to make the most of a trip to their area.
The James Braid Highland Golf Trail is the brainchild of Hamish Milne, vice-captain and marketing convener of Muir of Ord Golf Club, and it formed an important part of the submission which saw Muir of Ord crowned as Scottish Golf’s "Club of the Year 2016" at a recent awards ceremony in Edinburgh.
The new website contains a brief history of James Braid and has links to all seven clubs together with suggested itineraries for golfers wishing to play all seven of the courses while on holiday in this beautiful part of the Scottish Highlands. It also provides advice on places to stay when in the area and on other things to do when visitors are not playing golf.
"We, at Muir of Ord, are delighted to team up with Boat of Garten, Inverness, Fortrose and Rosemarkie, Golspie, Brora and Reay to form the James Braid Highland Golf Trail and believe it will provide a valuable service to golfers planning a trip to our area," said Mr Milne.
"Winning Scotland Golf’s ‘Club of the Year’ award for 2016 was a tremendous honour for Muir of Ord, and I have no doubt the James Braid initiative also played a significant part in us winning the accolade and I have to thank the six other clubs for their support in recognising the potential of the trail.
"We hope through the website and the support we are receiving from outside agencies that many golfers from all over the world will be attracted to the area to experience the variety of wonderful courses designed by James Braid."
Muir of Ord itself is described as a heathland/moorland course set in some stunning scenery.
The courses include Fortrose and Rosemarkie, the 15th oldest recorded club in the world (1793), described as a true Scottish links golf course and host to many national championships.
Also featured on the trail are Boat of Garten – voted "Best Golf Course Under £50 in Scotland" at the Scottish Tourism Awards; Inverness; Golspie, Brora, one of Braid’s finest works and a favourite of five-time Open winner Peter Thomson who describes it as "the best traditional links course in the world and Reay, where the Pentland Firth and North Atlantic Ocean are visible from every hole.
Further information about the James Braid Highland Golf Trail is available by viewing the website – www.jamesbraidhighland.golf – or by making contact with the club secretaries of any of the foregoing golf clubs.
