There is much that distinguishes Royal Dornoch and makes it one of the best-known places in golf. Its acclaimed Championship course, for starters, and the fact that the game has been played on the links of this Scottish Highlands town since the 17th century. The architectural ancestry of Dornoch, on which King Edward VII bestowed a royal designation in 1906, is impressive as well. Old Tom Morris shares design credit for the layout that exists today with the club's longtime secretary John Sutherland. The 1920 Open champion George Duncan added his own touches after the layout had been converted to an airfield during World War II. Equally enticing is the setting itself, starting with the physical beauty of the par-70 course that overlooks the Dornoch Firth and including an ethos that makes any visit here feel more like a spiritual experience than a simple golf trip. The sun rises behind the new clubhouse at Royal Dornoch Golf Club. Matthew Harris, Golf Picture Agency Founded in 1877 and adding a second course, called Struie, in 1899, the...