Cruden Bay Golf Club

The moment you walk onto Cruden Bay Golf Club's first tee, you understand why this corner of Aberdeenshire has obsessed golfers for over a century. It's a proper links course - the kind where the sea wind dictates play and the fairways roll across raw, undulating dunes without a tree in sight.

The course itself is genuinely excellent. Two loops of nine holes each means you're never far from the clubhouse, but the routing is clever enough that it never feels repetitive. The par-3s are particularly sharp - some elevated, some nestled into dunes, all of them requiring thought. If you're an accomplished golfer, this will test you. If you're learning, it'll humble you quickly. Beginners might find it frustrating rather than fun, but intermediate players will find it absolutely absorbing.

Visitor fees and tee times need checking directly with the club - they do accept visitors, but green fees aren't cheap and you'll typically need to book in advance, especially at weekends. Allow a good five hours for eighteen holes, longer if you're playing match play. Wind can make rounds drag or fly past in equal measure.

The location, about seven miles south of Peterhead, makes it a natural day out when you're based at Peterhead Marina Bay Holiday Park. It's close enough for a morning round without serious travel time. Golf tourists often combine it with Cruden Bay's village itself - there's a decent beach if anyone in your party doesn't play, and decent fish and chips nearby. Just accept that you're coming for serious golf, not casual sport.