Playing an underrated Highlands gem: Spey Valley

I absolutely love the Scottish Highlands. It's just brimming with stunning hills, glens, and lochs that take your breath away. It's no surprise that golfers from all over the world flock here to play. The Highlands are home to some of the world’s most famous golf courses like Royal Dornoch, Cabot Highlands Castle Stuart, and Nairn, not to mention the super exclusive Skibo Castle. And that’s just scratching the surface.

There are tons of hidden gems too, like Tain, Golspie, and Fortrose & Rosemarkie. Trust me, the list goes on and on—I hope I’m not stepping on any toes by missing a few!

I’m lucky enough to spend a good chunk of my time, both for work and pleasure, in the Highlands, and one of my favourite spots to stay is Aviemore. While it’s known more as a ski destination, Aviemore also boasts the fantastic Spey Valley Golf Course at Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort. I had the pleasure of managing it back in 2007 as the Director of Golf. Aviemore is conveniently located just off the main A9 road that runs from Perth to Inverness.

Speaking of the Perth to Inverness drive, it’s over 100 miles of fantastic Scottish scenery. Along the way, you can stop at charming little villages and towns like Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, and Kingussie to grab a coffee and a slice of cake. And don’t miss a stop at The House of Bruar—it’s an independent retailer known for its impressive collection of tweeds and cashmere. Perfect for picking up a little Scottish style on your journey north!

The House of Bruar isn't just about tweeds and cashmere; it's also got a fantastic food hall, restaurant, and delicatessen. But let me tell you, it's the only place in Scotland where I feel like I need to start saving up weeks in advance just to buy a bacon roll! All jokes aside, they host an annual weekend sale around the second weekend in November that draws thousands from across the UK—it's quite the event.

This week, I had a two-night stay in Aviemore on my way to The Scottish Golf Tourism Week in Inverness. It had been a while since I last played at Spey Valley, so I figured it was high time to hit the links again. I left Edinburgh at the crack of dawn—around 5:30 AM—and thanks to the early start, the roads were nearly empty, allowing me to relax and listen to my favorite radio station, Talksport.

Once I got to Spey Valley, I greeted the club staff and made my way to the range to hit a few balls. I have to say, the range at Spey Valley has got to have one of the best backdrops, with the snowcapped Cairngorm Mountains in the distance. Despite it being June, the winters can be so harsh in Aviemore that you can still see snow on the peaks! It's incredibly beautiful, really adds something special to the experience.

After knocking about 30 warm-up balls around—because let’s face it, it doesn’t take long to fine-tune a Rolls Royce—I hopped into my buggy and headed for the 1st tee. I usually prefer walking when I play golf, but I had a packed afternoon planned, and I was all for zipping around the course on my own this time. Plus, Spey Valley is a pretty lengthy course and some of the walks, like from the 1st green to the 2nd tee and then from the 17th green back to the 18th tee, are on the longer side.

While I love a good walk, I’d say buggies are the way to go here. From the back blue championship tees, the course stretches out to 7,118 yards, but from the yellows, it’s a more manageable and enjoyable 6,653 yards.

Before you leave the clubhouse, take a moment to check out the course record scorecard hanging on the wall next to the bar. Back in the 2013 Scottish Hydro Challenge, which was part of the European Challenge Tour, Brooks Koepka (remember him?) shot a 9-under-par 62 in the third round. The par for the course is 72, but that week they played the par 5 3rd hole as a par 4, so it was effectively a 10-under round. Knowing this course as I do, that score blows my mind, especially since it was off the blue tees and in a 25-30mph wind! Absolutely unbelievable. Makes you wonder what these guys put in their morning coffee, right? Needless to say, Koepka went on to win the event by 3 shots.

The opening three holes at Spey Valley run alongside the beautiful River Spey to your right. It’s not really in play unless you manage to hit your wildest and longest slice! The River Spey, at 98 miles long, is the ninth longest river in the UK. It's fantastic for salmon fishing and crucial for whisky production, given all the distilleries in the Highlands. Playing those first few holes, you’re instantly struck by the sheer beauty of the surroundings and everything the area has to offer.

The 5th hole at Spey Valley holds the title of the "official" longest par 5 in Scotland, stretching a whopping 635 yards from the blue tees. That said, the folks at Eyemouth GC might beg to differ since their 13th measures 656 yards. Even from the yellow tees, it’s still over 600 yards, so snagging a par there is no small feat. I bet it was just a drive and a 7 iron for Brooks Koepka when he birdied it on his way to setting the course record!

As you move into the back 9 at Spey Valley, the course keeps serving up challenging and stunning holes. I absolutely love the par 3 16th. It’s 202 yards from the whites, over a sizeable pond with a hefty bunker guarding the approach to a narrow green. The views back towards the mountains from the green are simply breathtaking.

The 18th is a solid finishing hole too, with the River Spey running along the left as you play. It might look tight from the tee, but there’s more room on the left than it seems—don’t be afraid to go over the trees on that side. It can really shorten the hole if you do. The course is draped in traditional Scottish heather, which is gorgeous when in full purple bloom but can be a real pain to play from. So, try to keep your ball straight down the middle. They’ve cut back a lot of the heather recently to make the course more playable and less punishing.

The clubhouse at Spey might be small, but it’s lovely. The menu is quite limited, but the scampi and the Spey Valley burger are fantastic, not to mention the breakfast rolls in the morning. Just remember, food is really only served during the golf season, so if you're playing between October and March, it's worth checking what’s available before you head out.

The views from the clubhouse towards the Cairngorm Mountains are just fantastic. I've spent many a time there, cold beer in hand, just soaking in the incredible scenery. In fact, a brilliant local artist, Elaine Fraser, captured that exact view in a painting for me a couple of years back, and it now hangs proudly above my bed back in Sunshine on Leith in Edinburgh.

Golfbreaks teams up with Macdonald Hotels, who have three top-notch properties in Aviemore offering some sweet "stay and play" packages. Besides playing at Spey Valley, you can also tee off at the nearby Boat of Garten Golf Club—another Highland gem.

Personally, though, I always bunk at The Cairngorm Hotel right on the main street across from the train station. It’s a hit with both visitors and locals, which you know means it’s good. The food is top-notch, and the place is always buzzing. They have live entertainment every night—no, it’s not Oasis or Taylor Swift, just good old-fashioned Scottish folk music and a mix of other tunes. Plus, there’s a quiz night every Tuesday. The bar’s got a few TVs showing all the main sports too.

They serve this prawn cocktail starter called “Cairn’s Prawn Glory,” and let me tell you, it's massive. You might find yourself struggling with your main course after that! The mince and tatties are also superb. For breakfast, alongside the traditional Scottish fare, I’m a fan of the smoked haddock with poached eggs. Since I was there for two nights this time, I indulged in both over the mornings. But a little tip—always double-check for a spare loo roll in your golf bag before heading out for the day!

Aviemore and Spey Valley hold a special place in my heart. I’ve created so many wonderful memories there with my big brother John and my best mates during rowdy golf weekends—up to no good, of course! It’s just a fantastic spot in the world, full of fun, great memories, and here’s hoping for many more…