The elite of Highland golf have formed an alliance to boost their marketing of the region's courses. The Highland Golf Links partnership includes Castle Stuart Golf Links, Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Nairn Golf Club, Culloden House Hotel, Newton Hotel and Royal Golf Hotel in Dornoch. The Moray Firth businesses have been given a £50,000 grant by VisitScotland to help them promote the partnership. The cash will also be used to help improve the partnership's website. The businesses are matching the grant.

Highland Golf Links is intended to pick up on the high profile given to the new Castle Stuart course at the Scottish Open championship last week. The group hopes to attract 5,000 more golfers to "stay and play" in the area. The grant is part of a VisitScotland £1m fund, available over the next three years, to help with destination marketing. Fraser Cromarty, marketing director of Castle Stuart Golf Links, commented: "Hosting the Barclays Scottish Open has helped thrust Castle Stuart into the international spotlight and Highland Golf Links aims to build on this legacy."