Cruden Bay

Scotland has no shortage of great links courses, but Cruden Bay occupies a unique position. Built as a railway resort course at the turn of the 20th century, it was designed by Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler with a freedom that more commercial projects rarely allow. The result is a layout of genuine eccentricity and brilliance: holes that drop into hidden valleys, blind tee shots over dune ridges, and a routing that seems to follow the ground on its own terms rather than conforming to any conventional template. The Great North of Scotland Railway Company's hotel may be long demolished, but the course it left behind has outlasted everything. It has been refined over the decades but retains the essential character that Simpson and Fowler created.

The setting is among the most dramatic on the Aberdeenshire coast. The back nine climbs and descends clifftop ground above the Bay of Cruden, with the North Sea visible from almost every hole on the second half of the course. On a clear day the views are spectacular; in a north-easterly gale they are simply ferocious. The course demands adaptability: the ability to flight the ball, play from awkward lies and trust a blind approach are all required at various points. It rewards repeat visits and rewards golfers who engage with the ground rather than fighting it.

Cruden Bay is located about 25 miles north of Aberdeen and combines naturally with a round at Royal Aberdeen for golfers making the trip north. Unlike many top-ranked courses in Scotland, Cruden Bay is refreshingly open to visitors and the green fees reflect the fact that the club values accessibility. For golfers willing to make the journey to this stretch of the Aberdeenshire coast, it is one of the most memorable days on offer anywhere in the country.