Murcar
XXXX Links
Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh is well known for having 16 wonderful holes… and a
sedate opening and closing hole. Certainly you get no hint of what is
to come standing on the 1st tee. Once you climb the 2nd, however,
with views over the green to Fraserburgh town and much of the
course below, you’ll get a surge of adrenaline. Holes cavort through
the dunes, beautifully shaped and channelled by what nature has
provided. There are few flat lies and the rough is penal, so it is a
links to be tackled with caution. The routing favours an east/west
direction, with winds hustling in from both Fraserburgh Bay (north)
and the North Sea (east). This is the 7th oldest course in the world
and the oldest to retain its original name. The intriguing, short par
four 13th will bamboozle the best.
Cruden Bay
This is one of the prettiest golf courses you will find anywhere. The
car park and clubhouse sit high above the 27 holes and from the
bar it’s all laid out below. It is a stunning sight, stretching out over
the water to Scaurs Rocks and Slains Castle, but the golf is even
better… as are the views from the towering 9th tee. The naturally
rugged terrain bounds over heaving dunes, offering high tees and
dramatic views of holes as the course forms a figure of eight. Greens
can sit on natural, elevated sites or down in pockets, and the blind
‘bathtub’ green on the iconic 14th is magical. (Look down from the
9th tee for the perfect view.) It is followed by a blind par three! Truly
memorable holes throughout and an unforgettable adventure.
90
Meldrum House
A parkland course only designed and opened in the 1990s, Meldrum
House boasts a surprisingly short par 72 (under 6,400 yards) but one
that has water on many holes, imaginative bunkering (an enormous
bunker complex fronts the 11th) and some heavily contoured,
intriguingly shaped greens. There are additional flourishes to catch
the eye, so this is certainly a charming place to play golf. Most
notable are how the changes in elevation show off the landscape…
and the holes, particularly the charming water features. They are
rarely just for show and prove magnetic. Of course it is the trees
of this ancient estate that bring the landscape to life and several of
these are employed to create stand-out holes. You must stay at the
hotel to access the course.
Murcar Links
Sitting so close to Royal Aberdeen that golfers could accidentally
play (and have played) the wrong course, Murcar Links is a more
chaotic and tumbling extension of these gorse-drenched dunes,
next to the North Sea. It is also one tricky encounter, especially for
the wayward. Fairways are tight and the hummock-like terrain won’t
always be kind to good shots. At least such terrain promises high
tees, sweet shapes and naturally sited greens. And then there are the
views. Murcar Links may not be overly long (back tees: 6,500 yards,
par 71) but this is a course to be tackled with care and common
sense. There is simply too much going on to go blasting it about.
A very different links to Royal Aberdeen, but still heaps of fun.