Esteemed visitors include honorary members HRH Prince Andrew, Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw, which gives an insight in to the quality and history inherent at Dornoch. The charm of Dornoch is simple; it is remote, rough and raw. An out-and-back links, the Championship is a links course for the purest, and when the banks of gorse are in full yellow bloom is an absolutely beautiful place.

The raised, domed greens are the trademark of Donald Ross, the revered golf course architect who served his apprenticeship at Dornoch, serving as both greenkeeper and head professional. It is a pleasure to experience the breeding ground of one of Scotland's greatest golfing exports, who garnered fame in the United States and beyond for his golf courses, most notably Pinehurst #2, North Carolina.

After the test of the Championship, there is also the chance to wind down with a round on the Struie Course. Though relatively short, the course was lengthened in 2003, and its par of 69 is a genuine challenge for even the most skilled.

Thousands make the pilgrimage to Royal Dornoch every year, and on first glimpse you will understand why.

Tom Watson famously said that his experience at Royal Dornoch was, "the most fun I've ever had on a golf course!"