The History of Royal Dornoch
Golf in Dornoch has been played “since time immemorial” and written evidence has survived from 1616. But no matter how long golfers have taken to the links, we can be sure they have all marvelled at the wonderful, natural landscape and the challenge it presents.
Let our History Pages guide you through a timeline of key events in our club’s storied past.
The Clubhouse
In December 2025 Royal Dornoch unveiled a stunning new clubhouse to match the reputation of our Championship Course.
The environmentally friendly, three-storey sandstone building enjoys fabulous panoramic vistas of the first fairway and 18th green of the famous links, and the waters of the Dornoch Firth beyond.
It offers everything members and visiting golfers expect of a club ranked among the very best in the world of golf.
The old clubhouse – the second in the history of a club founded in 1877 – had served us well for over a century, but the time was right to embrace changes designed to meet contemporary expectations and create an enduring legacy for many decades to come.
Luxurious locker rooms, a spacious restaurant and bar area accommodating up to 180 diners – accessible via a central stairway and lift – and a well-stocked ground floor pro shop and Trackman studio ensure any visit will be memorable on and off the golf courses.
While the surroundings may have changed, the traditional warm Highland welcome and relaxed atmosphere remains the hallmark of the clubhouse.
Capturing our rich heritage was integral to the internal design, with an eye-catching stairway heritage wall highlighting the club’s history.
The iconic Carnegie Shield, gifted to Royal Dornoch by Scots-born US steel magnate Andrew Carnegie in 1901, enjoys pride of place in the restaurant and should not be missed by visitors before or after taking to the fairways.
Dining
Royal Dornoch has earned a reputation for the quality of its service and cuisine, whether members and guests are enjoying a pre-round bacon roll, lunch or evening dinner.
The clubhouse may be spectacular, but the mood remains informal.
The restaurant and lounge was designed with floor to ceiling windows to make the most of the wonderful views of the links and the Dornoch Firth, and an outdoor terrace is the perfect spot with the sun high in the sky.
Here in the Highlands we are blessed with local produce of the finest quality, from land, sea and sky.
It is much sought after and, like our Scotch whisky, exported around the world.
Most of the ingredients for our menus are sourced locally and freshly prepared in-house.
Click here to view our opening times and here to see our Spring Season menu.
Please contact our F&B team on catering@royaldornoch.com or +44 1862 810219 ext. 4 to book your table. We strongly advise you to do this given the popularity of Royal Dornoch.
The Pro Shop
The stylish and spacious pro shop is the perfect spot to secure a memento of any visit to Royal Dornoch.
The club’s Highland Wildcat crest is instantly recognised throughout the world of golf and many of the most luxurious brands are eager to team-up with Royal Dornoch, including Peter Millar, Grayson, Kjus and many more.
From golf balls and markers to caps, sports shirts, sweaters and hoodies, this is the place to view the full range of club merchandise.
To visit the shop, click here.
Our Greenkeepers
Junior Golf
