Exciting Golf at Cruden Bay Golf Course
Located just 23 miles north of Aberdeen, on the east coast of Scotland, is a place once dubbed as Brighton of the North. This is Cruden Bay, where golf is believed to have been played from 1791. Thanks to the Great North of Scotland Railway, which commissioned the course, Cruden Bay Golf Course opened in 1899. They also built a fancy hotel of pink granite to attract tourists. Cruden Bay Golf Course was bought by a group of businessmen in 1950, after the hotel closed down and the same fate seemed to await the golf course.
Originally designed by Old Tom Morris, Cruden Bay Golf Course was redeveloped in 1926 by Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler, though much of the original is still around. Some call it a masterpiece others consider it quirky; there is no arguing that it is inspirational, and every devotee of the game of golf should play should play here as an act of paying homage.
The course is among the top ten in Scotland. It was ranked No 52 in the world by “Golf Magazine” and demands fine judgment, power and skill of placement. The course runs along the North Sea and is set against subtly contoured greens, offering stunning sea views. The elevated tees cut across pebbly sand dunes, some of which are three stories high. The dunes almost partition the holes from each other giving an air of intimacy. The undulating fairways lead to the greens skillfully set in dells. The original lay of the land has been used with great effect by the designers.
The Cruden Bay course meanders in a figure of eight through sand dunes along the sea. Slains, the first hole, at 416 yards is difficult start for a par 4. The fourth hole, Port Errols, with its elevated tee is a demanding par 3 at193yards and is considered among the greatest holes in the world. It heads the game straight to the shore and offers incredible views of the sea, a glimpse of things to come with the next seven sea cruising holes. Beware of the back to back par threes and the blind drives the course demands!
