Royal Aberdeen Golf Club *****

Links Rood, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, AB23 8AT

Nearest main town: Aberdeen

 

If you are looking for a baptism into links golf then this might be a suitable choice. It follows the traditional layout of nine holes away from the clubhouse followed by nine holes coming home, and for rugged, windswept duneland, this fits the bill nicely.

There can be a problem with the nine-out, nine-bock mentality,though, especially when, as is the case here, another course is positioned in a similar manner just a little further down the coast. In this case it's Murcar, and it has been known for visitors to Royal Aberdeen to end up in Murcar's car pork thinking that their cor has been stolen.

For a sense of the historical, this spot on the east coast of Scotland is a good place to come because it is reputed that golf, in some shape or form, has been played here since 1589. The Royal Aberdeen club was formed in 1780 and the links, set out by Archie Simpson, took shape in 1888. It is the first nine that are blessed with the uncompromising presence of the huge seaside dunes along their flank. Many of the fairways are played along valleys between these dunes and the 9reens are elevated, much as we see with modern designs, to make them even more awkward to hit. Another modern element can be found 1m holes like the short 8th, where on array of bunkers on both sides of the green, sometimes three deep, means the iron selected has to be crisply and accurately struck.

Bernard Darwin described this as much more than good golf, a noble links', which, for information in a nutshell, sums it up pretty well.

 

Secretary: Mr G. Webster

Tel: 01224702571 Fax: 01224 826591

Professional: Mr R. MacAskili

Tel: 01224 702221 Fax: 01224 826591

Playing: Midweek: round £75.00; day £100.00. Weekend: round £85.00; day n/a.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: Lunch from 12pm-3pm. Dinner by arrangement.

Comments: A forgotten links that is a privilege to play... Inaccessible course that is so natural... Bodies lurk in the rough here... A treat for overseas visitors. . . There's nothing else like it... A classic of its type... So much history here... Where the game was born.

 

Aboyne Golf Club **

Formaston Park, Aboyne, AB34 5HP

Nearest main town: Aberdeen

 

Secretary: Mrs M. Maclean

Tel: 01339 887078 Fax: 01339 887592

Professional: Mr I. Wright

Tel: 01339886328 Fax: 01339 887592

Playing: Midweek: round £20.00; day £25.00. Weekend: round £25.00; day £30.00.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: lunch from 10am-3pm.

Comments: Good pro shop...Was impressed with condition...Very flat and little definition...Not bad value for fair quality golf... Shoot the lights out... Accessible first­time course... Very straightforward.