In the city of Aberdeen, golf plays an important part in the culture and history of the area.
Aberdeen has more than 165 miles of coastline with dunes that stretch as high as 100 feet.
These natural wonders have sculpted acres and acres of land that architects have utilised to craft some of the world’s most beautiful golf courses.
If you move inland, away from the dunes, then golf lovers will find that Aberdeen is also host to dozens of parkland-style courses that are cut from swathes of forest-laden land along majestic rivers.
Whatever you decide when choosing to play the courses of Aberdeen, you are assured a slice of golfing nostalgia and a dynamite day on the links.
Here are five of the best golfing destinations in Aberdeen.
Cruden Bay Golf Club
Just over 20 miles north of Aberdeen lies the Cruden Bay Golf Club, one of the oldest and most historic links-style courses in Scotland.
Designed by Tom Morris of St Andrews and Scottish golfer Archie Simpson in 1899, Cruden Bay is one of the most beautiful and enjoyable places to take in a round of golf in the Aberdeen area.
What makes Cruden Bay so special is how natural the layout is for the amateur who loves links-style golf.
The course is cut around these spectacular dunes next to the shoreline of the North Sea and as you play Cruden Bay, you’ll discover how charming the design is of the front and back nines.
While the course might not have an on-site hotel or resort for its guests, there are plenty of gorgeous hotels within a stone’s throw of Cruden Bay for golfers and their families to stay at while enjoying the area.
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club
Founded in 1780, the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club has seen more than its fair share of facelifts and revamped design during its existence.
But golfers looking to make the trek to play the Royal Aberdeen won’t be disappointed by the overall experience of playing at a course close to 240 years old.
Being located along the North Sea coastline, the Royal Aberdeen delivers a starting nine holes that many have referred to as “picturesque”.
Visitors to the course can expect a true challenge with a layout that is moulded by the rugged hills and deep rough of the surrounding land.
When you arrive at the back nine, you’ll be treated to a well-designed finish that will engage and demand your best golf.
Visitors to the Aberdeen area looking for an authentic experience of links-style golf could do much worse than visiting the sixth-oldest golf club in the world.
Widely considered one of the best links courses in the UK, golfers should visit Royal Aberdeen to enjoy the club’s storied history.
Murcar Links
Rising up the ranks in several recent Top 100 Best Courses in Scotland lists is the Murcar Links in Aberdeen.
With a majestic view of the North Sea, Murcar has become a hotspot for prestigious golfing tournaments.
Golfers love visiting Murcar for an entertaining day on the links but also because of the incredible beauty that surrounds the course.
Murcar has been designed around large sand dunes and fairways that play with elevation changes.
Designed in 1908, the course has been restored to its original glory and is maintained to very high standards that give every golfer a fresh approach to their day on the links.
Murcar Links gives the traveller an opportunity to see for miles in both directions with frequent elevation changes that allow golfers a glimpse at the entire city of Aberdeen.
For superb golf that harks back to the rich tradition of Scottish links-style play, Murcar Links is a destination that all golfers must visit.
Newmachar Golf Club
Just 10 minutes from Aberdeen International Airport, Newmachar Golf Club gives golfers two fantastic courses in one location.
The club has the Hawkshill and Swailend courses on the grounds and both are worth enjoying.
The Hawkshill Course is the more challenging course of the two but is no less gorgeous. With lively birch and pine trees lining the fairways, not to mention the use of water along the layout, this is one of Aberdeen’s best parkland courses.
Little over 20 years old, the Swailend course is more wide open and accommodating for golfers with high handicaps, but that doesn’t mean the layout is a pushover.
What the course lacks in bite, it makes up for in cleverness with bunkers perfectly situated throughout the course.
For a true parkland-style golfing experience, stop by Newmachar and play both courses as they’ll provide you with a genuine alternative to the other links courses in the area.
Trump International Scotland
Along the great sand dunes outside Aberdeen, Trump International Scotland is one of the most luxurious golfing destinations in the country.
For golfers who want a one-stop shop for five-star accommodation and world-class golf, Trump International Scotland is the crown jewel of the local golfing community.
Visitors can expect to be treated to authentic links-style golf that is worthy of hosting the Open Championship.
Playing along fairways that rest in natural dune-created valleys that rise and fall, the course provides panoramic views of the North Sea.
Jordan Fuller is a golf enthusiast. As a child, when he watched his father play, he was inspired to be a better golfer.
Now, Jordan is a golf mentor and owns a golf publication site, https://www.golfinfluence.com/
He writes tips and shares his experiences with golfers who want to improve their game.