Loch Ness Golf Club, Fairways Business Park, Inverness. (1996 – 2020)

Founded in 1996.

Also known as Fairways Loch Ness Golf Club.

The following is from the Aberdeen Press and Journal Saturday 15 July 1995 – “Fairways Driving Range’s construction of an 18-hole course in Inverness is going ahead. All seeding and turfing has been completed and tees and greens are being cut regularly. The watering system has been installed and play is planned to begin in June next year”.

The following is from the Aberdeen Press and Journal Saturday 15 January 1997 – “Northern Counties Ladies Golf Association will break new ground with an open meeting over the Loch Ness Golf Club course at Castle Heather , Inverness, on the 27 September”.

Report on the course from April 1997.

 

 

Advert for the Loch Ness Golf Classic played in April 1897.

 

 

Entry from the 2006 Golfer’s Handbook; Membership 450; Secretary, N D Hampton;Professional, Martin Piggot; 18-holes, 6,772 yards, Par 73, SSS 72; Designed by Caddies Golf Course Design; Visitors, £25 (£30 at weekend).

2009 Golfer’s Handbook; Membership 550; Secretary N D Hampton; 18-holes, 5,907 yards, Par 70, SSS 69; 9-holes, 1,442 yards, Par 29; Floodlit driving range, putting green, pitching/bunker area. 

The following message appeared on the members Facebook page on 30 January 2020 – “GAME OVER FOR LOCH NESS GOLF CLUB. The owners of the course have decided to close the course with almost immediate effect. No consultation with members ... we have just been told so we now have no course to play on. Gutted for our small but committed membership and will miss the great craic that was had on the course.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Douglas Lockhart who provided the images below. Douglas visited Inverness on Thursday 27 August 2020 and went to Fairways the home of the former Loch Ness Golf Course and sent us the following update – “Inverness is the Capital of the Highlands however a visit to this course would have given very little impression of being in the Scottish Highlands. Near the course is an Asda supermarket, much new housing and new roads. The former course is situated on a hillside and the grass here is of the parkland type. Part of the former 18th fairway is still being cut and this area was quite soft and there was a fair amount of moss present. Since the course closed 6 months ago it has become overgrown very quickly. A nine-hole course, a driving range, pro's shop and bar/restaurant are still open. The huge car park is shared by the Inverness Kart Raceway building which also backs on to the former first tee and the local Indoor Bowling Club. There are also several shops here. Standing in the car park, it felt more like being in an anonymous American suburban landscape. Given the variety of well established golf clubs within less than an hour's drive from here which have wonderful scenery and interesting golfing terrain its not difficult to see why this course had too few members to sustain it.”