An eight-bedroom Highland country house hotel overlooking Royal Dornoch Golf Club’s first tee is set to become one of Scotland’s finest luxury retreats for golfers when it opens in June 2013.
Links House at Royal Dornoch, a historic property in the picturesque Highland village of Dornoch, is currently being lovingly restored with the finished hotel boasting an extensive golf art and antiques collection, drying room and putting green built and maintained by Royal Dornoch’s green-keeping team. The green will offer guests the perfect preparation for Dornoch’s lightning quick, idiosyncratic putting surfaces.
Links House is positioned adjacent to the 1st tee on the Championship Course at Royal Dornoch with views out over the beautiful Dornoch Firth.
Royal Dornoch, frequently ranked in the world’s top 10, is considered by many to be the finest natural links course in the world. A favourite with golf aficionados – Ernie Els, Tom Watson and Greg Norman to name but a few have been spotted on its fairways – the Club enjoys Old Tom Morris lineage and is also the birthplace of revered golf architect Donald Ross, who served as head professional prior to emigrating to the United States in 1899.
Given its history and exceptional condition, Royal Dornoch attracts the most discerning of golf pilgrims each season to its ancient links. Further, Dornoch’s enchanting location and climate offer extended and exceptional summer daylight when golfers have been known to putt-out on the 18th green at 11pm.
It was links golf, and an appreciation for Dornoch’s most famous son Donald Ross, that first brought Links House owner Todd Warnock from Chicago, Illinois to the Highland village.
“After many years reading about Donald Ross ‘taking links golf to the world’ I was finally able to visit Royal Dornoch to play this wondrous course,” says Todd Warnock. “I have since become a member and it has become a very special place for me. Links House at Royal Dornoch was borne out of the special spirit and atmosphere you find here, both on and off the golf course. We hope to encapsulate that spirit and create a perfect retreat for the most discerning golfers.”
Warnock and his architecture and interior design teams have spared no expense in renovating and restoring Links House. The result is an exquisite, tasteful, intimate, eight-bedroom retreat that overlooks Royal Dornoch’s 1st tee and the Dornoch Firth beyond. The quality of this view will be matched only by the comfort and welcome at Links House, which will be replete with open fires, wood-paneled library, garden Orangery dining room, stunning antique and fine art collection as well as impressive wine and single malt cellar.
Links House’s grounds will boast ample gardens, an outdoor gentlemen’s cigar hearth, golf store with drying room and its very own putting green. The property also offers butler-service, and a full-time chef specializing in locally sourced fine cuisine.
Guests of Links House will be perfectly situated to play golf at the Highlands’ other world-renowned courses including Castle Stuart Golf Links (home to the Scottish Open) and The Nairn Golf Club (Walker Cup 1999 and Curtis Cup 2012 host).
Skibo Castle’s renowned Carnegie Links is just minutes away, too, and Links House and the Carnegie Club have agreed a partnership that gives access for Links House guests to tee times at the private club’s fantastic golf course.
More historic links gems such as Brora Golf Club (James Braid, 1891), Golspie Golf Club (James Braid, 1889) and Tain Golf Club (Old Tom Morris, 1890) are just brief jaunts along the Dornoch Firth from Links House.
Links House www.linkshousedornoch.com