Royal Aberdeen Golf Club

I thoroughly enjoyed my round here. The course is a very tough test and will challenge you in every aspect. Maintenance is outstanding and the holes are never repetitive or dull. The day we played it was moderately windy and coming home was a real effort...

Klassieke links baan iets ten noorden van Aberdeen aan de kust. Eerste 9 holes met smalle fairways en uitdagende bunkers, tweede negen iets bredere fairways en meer ruimte, par 3 met 10 bunkers, echte uitdaging. Met jonge caddy gelopen die baan goed kende en goed advies gaf, super ervaring

We marvelled at an admirable history presentation in the traditional clubhouse at Royal Aberdeen, where we enjoyed a pre-game coffee and chatted with the locals. Perhaps prompted by thoughts of the unlikely victory of the GB & Ireland Walker Cup team against the USA 14 years ago, we blitzed the famous first nine. Indeed, our driving and approach play was so good that we were disappointed that our scores weren't even better. The head professional doubled up as the starter for our late afternoon round, and we all rose to the pressure by thwacking drives down the middle of the first hole. This par-four is directly down towards the sea from the clubhouse with a rolling fairway, typical of those we would encounter throughout the round.  I am not saying the back nine is weak, but the outward nine are so impressive that they propel Royal Aberdeen into the world's top 100. The par-five second, for example, sits between dunes, demanding a central drive before it funnels towards the green down a snaking fairway. During this April visit, the gorse bloomed yellow, but it was best to be seen from a distance. The fairway grass was delightfully tight, and the greens were in excellent shape early in the season with lovely run-offs. I loved the holes in the middle section of the course, beginning with the par-three eighth, which the club acclaims as its signature hole. Much is made of the blind tee shot over a hill of rough on the tenth, but the second shot over a dip with a small brook into a risen green is just as difficult. My favourite hole was the 14th. Even for those hitting down the middle, a burn awaits to gobble up drives while a raised dyke, prompting memories of North Berwick's wall, defends the green. I was most chuffed to record a par four. Royal Aberdeen, or Balgownie as it is known in these parts, had delivered a superb variety of holes that challenged but also offered opportunity. We could well imagine how the GB & I team had mastered it and how the Americans had been beaten up by it.

Der sechstälteste Club der Welt genießt den Ruf die besten ersten 9 in Großbritannien zu haben. Ich habe leider bei weitem nicht alle Plätze GBs gespielt, aber es erscheint mir durchaus plausibel! Das Gelände besticht durch unglaubliche Topographie und tolle Aussicht. Die zweiten 9 können da leider nicht mithalten, ansonsten würden wir hier vielleicht von dem besten Platz der Welt sprechen! Einige Löcher sind recht eng und der Platz ist durchaus anspruchsvoll. Course Knowledge ist sehr wichtig, als Gast ist ein Caddy empfehlenswert. Psychologisch ungünstig ist die Anordnung der beiden Hälften, aber das ist jammern auf hohem Niveau. Das Clubhaus strotzt vor Historie und Charme und die Mitarbeiter waren sehr freundlich. Als ich spielte war der Platz praktisch leer. Es ist offensichtlich wesentlich einfacher eine Teetime zu bekommen als auf anderen Spitzenplätzen in Schottland.

The front nine goes mostly into the dunes along the sea, and the back nine is back on the higher land. We played on a windy day, and the long stretch of the front 9 that goes into the wind was pretty challenging, which is the way links golf should be, right? The course was in very good condition, and they seem to be clearing out some of the gorse to improve playability (or speed play). The old clubhouse is filled with historical photos, so it makes for an interesting wander around to learn about the history of the club.