Tee sheet closed at Royal Dornoch due to unrivalled demand

Demand for tee times at Royal Dornoch in Sutherland has been unrivalled this year. Picture: Matthew Harris via Royal Dornoch.

General manager Neil Hampton has revealed more than 13,000 reservations have been accepted by the links course in the Scottish Highlands which regularly features among the world's Top Ten.

But pent-up demand from a 2000-plus international membership – many of them keen to visit Scotland with travel restrictions being eased – has piled pressure on the administrative team at Royal Dornoch.

“We have reached capacity very quickly. This is unprecedented,” said Hampton. “But I can’t say I’m surprised.

“Past experience tells us that whatever world event we endure, such as a banking crisis, an ash cloud or the tragedy of 9/11, we bounce back very quickly.

“You hear talk of tourism taking three or four years to recover. But here at Royal Dornoch we are very fortunate.

“We have a prestigious links where golf has been played for more than 400 years and golfers from near and far are eager to experience it.

“Normally we look forward to welcoming 12-14,000 visitors a year to Royal Dornoch. We are always a busy course and tee-times are always in demand.

“We were already up to over 13,000 visitor bookings so we had to grasp the nettle. We have tried to be fair to everyone."

Visitors can still enjoy access to the Struie sister course if they are planning a pilgrimage to the Highlands.

Royal Dornoch hosts both the 72-hole Men’s and the Women’s Senior Amateur Championships this year.

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