Cruden Bay, Aberdeen, Scotland

Cruden has got to be the most stunning golf course I have walked but didn't see!  The day I toured through these massive dunes, just an hour north of Aberdeen, the fog was so thick that I could not see my Titleist fly more than 100 yards.  After contact the golf ball would seemingly disappear into the mist, I was lucky to find any of my shots on this day.  The real shame is not in the loss of my Titleists but that I was not able to take in the broad vistas of the Cruden Bay links.  Each hole was shrouded and isolated by a chilly fog while the ocean could be heard but not seen.  Under these circumstances my experience on the golf course was one of mystery and discovery, finding mounds, bunkers, and greens with each footstep.

The course begins while a challenging drive to a heaving fairway that tilts from left to right.  A rather long dune runs parallel to the line of play for the first few holes, setting up a similarly vexing tee shot on #2.

The landing area for the #2 fairway, not much room for error

Once you get past the first par 3 and step onto the 5th tee box, you start to get a sense for the size of the dunes you are about to navigate.  I should say mountains of sand, because these are some of the biggest sand dunes I have ever seen.  At the mid point in the round, golfers climb to the very highest point and play along a high seaside plateau.  I can only guess how beautiful the view is.

A narrow uphill approach to the 7th green saddled between two dunes

Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1899, the course was lengthened and redesigned by Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler in 1926.  Despite its age, the golf course stands up as a great modern links and is a real challenge.  Golfers will face a variety of approaches to each green with some heroic carries and plenty of opportunity to run a golf ball along the ground..  There are only two holes(9 and 10) where I was let down a bit, however these holes link you back to the best ground for golf, sending golfers through a unique class of holes on the back nine.

The jaw dropping and unforgettable "bathtub" green,
the ocean is only a short pitching wedge from the next tee

There are no bells and whistles here (well maybe one bell, on the blind, dogleg, par 3 15th) just great links golf.  Cruden Bay is a must play on your way to the highlands, but remember to bring your coat and a fresh dozen, one never knows what weather or golfing temptations lie ahead.

Crail Golf Club, Fife, Scotland

Of all the golf courses I visited in Scotland, Crail's Balcomie course was the most underwhelming.  Even considering the importance of the club as the 7th oldest in the world, the golf course where it sits today lacks the excitement and variety for 18 holes of great golf.

Opening tee shot down to the left of the shed.

The routing opens up strongly from a high plateau down to the small first green, tucked between an old farm shed and a burn to the ocean.  The course continues along rolling dunes, tracking uphill along the sea.  

Climbing the dunes toward the 2nd green.

Next a semi-blind par 3 followed by back to back cape holes arching to the right along the bay.  

Crail really has an interesting start to any golf course, however from here the golf moves back to the center of the property, in a featureless field, where the final half of the front nine finish back up the plateau.  


From a presentation stand point I believe Crail would benefit from more defined areas of tall fescue rough between the parallel fairways that finish the front nine.  

To understand the other side of the coin from a maintenance perspective, gang mowing these holes is most cost effective and productive considering the limited number of staff used to maintain the course.  

The back nine climaxes on the downhill par 3 14th, overlooking the ocean, Crails best hole. 

There is another modern course here, designed by American architect Gil Hanse, which might lend a good contrast to Balcomie and a complete golf experience.  However, when you visit Crail try to put yourself back in time when considering the strategies of the golf holes.  The course might even be better enjoyed with a set of hickories or a half-set  instead of the modern weaponry we have today.  The location is clearly special but Crail falls victim to technology and as a result loses a little excitement.  

Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotland

1st Tee and 18th green behind

When I stepped on to the first tee at the Old Course I was legitimately shaking.  I’d like to say it was the ghost of Old Tom Morris or even the decade of anticipation I was feeling at the moment, but the truth is that I had been waiting in line with my brother since 4am to get a tee time, and yes, I was a wee bit hungry.  In addition to my delirious, yet alert, state of exhaustion I was also experiencing first tee jitters in my hands and butterflies in my stomach.  It wouldn't have been hard to guess, but I nearly missed the 100 yard wide fairway to the slicers right, bounced my second shot in the burn short of the green and scampered off with a cool double bogey.  Just as I had imagined...I actually played quite well, but score is the last thing to focus on when visiting such a special course. 

Mysterious, incredible, unique, unpredictable, natural, beautiful, astounding.  These are some superlatives which streamed through my mind as I walked in the kingdom of golf.  There have been many attempts by the best architects in the world to reproduce the elements of the Old Course and I have seen some.  But as I walked the course, happily chasing my golf ball, I kept saying, “wow, I have never seen that before.”  

11th and 7th green

The Old Course has 11 massive double greens, with some holes crossing each other to navigate the "out and in" routing pioneered in St. Andrews by Old Tom Morris.  Have you ever seen that on a "modern" golf course?  The variety of mounds, swales and hollows will also make you scratch your head when negotiating the many tricky approaches to the greens.   Make sure you take a caddy to fully appreciate the nuances of the Old, especially if you only have one round to play, you may hit towards the wrong flag stick once or twice.

An incredible fact to consider is that the Old Course has hosted the British Open 28 times in the 144 year history of the tournament.  This is a testament to the quality and integrity of the course as it sits today, challenging professionals and amateurs alike.  Scotland's wet and windy conditions also play a role in keeping the game interesting, on a golf course which demands an inventive short game.

I can think of no other place in the world where golf feels so much at home as it does in St. Andrews.  The geography of the town literally embraces it, coming right up to the 18th green warmly awaiting intrepid golfers returning from their adventure on the links.

The home hole, 18

If you have a passion for golf, go to St. Andrews, I believe it will fulfill your golfing soul as it has for 
me.

Proudly standing in the Strath Bunker!

Earlsferry Golf Links, Elie, Scotland

Before embarking on this trip to Scotland I would often read about the general quirk and variety of its golf courses.  I would not be disappointed at Elie. I walked up to the starter’s hut to the right of the first tee, just like many other golf courses. As I walked in, I noticed a chimney stack sticking out of the roof of the small hut. Much to my surprise that “chimney” was actually a periscope! The scope allows the starter to see over the swollen hillside just 50 yards in front of the 1st tee box (I of course stuck my head right in there to inspect if it actually worked). If not quirky, its certainly a unique and interesting way to begin a round of golf.

The second hole returns parallel to the 1st on a high plateau affording a view of the town and the golf course awaiting.

In an ocean side amphitheater most of the golf course is situated between the sea and a large mountain backdrop. Combined with some very good golf holes this setting proved to be exciting and dramatic.

Elie has also has several blind drives that require some local knowledge and more than a little bravery to negotiate, especially if the wind is up.

If you are staying in St. Andrews the drive to Elie is a short and scenic 20 minutes (1 hour from the airport in Edinburgh). The small town center is adjacent to the golf club, tennis courts, and soccer pitches. The course is not hard to find as it seemed to be the center of activity in town.  Overall Elie is forgiving and fun, making for a wonderful introduction to Scottish links golf.

Scotland 2012: My Travels in the Home of Golf

I am very fortunate this year to make my journey to the mecca of golf, Scotland.  My brother and I will be road tripping up and down the eastern links of Scotland, travelling from Edinburgh to St. Andrews, up to Aberdeen and Inverness and back to Edinburgh for the weekend.  I am particularly looking forward to our stay in the Kingdom of Fife, in the town of St. Andrews, where the game of golf came to life.

I'll be updating the blog with some photos and thoughts of the golf courses on my tour this week.  I hope my excitement and enthusiasm for these great links will be passed along to my readers.

Jeff Stein
Stein Golf Construction