Cullen Golf Club

The course runs alongside the cliffs just outside Banff, and on a clear day you can see right across the Moray Firth. Cullen Golf Club is a proper links layout - the kind where the wind matters as much as your swing, and the rough will punish you for getting cocky.

It's an 18-hole course that demands respect. The fairways roll and dip with the terrain, and the sea views from the back nine are genuinely distracting in the best way possible. You're looking at around four hours for a full round if you're not dawdling.

Golfers will absolutely get their money's worth here. Non-golfers? Less so. This isn't a spectator sport venue - you'll either be playing or watching from the clubhouse cafe. That said, the walk around the perimeter is lovely if you fancy the cliff-top scenery without the green fees.

If you're staying at Sandend Holidays or Greencraig Pods nearby, it's worth ringing ahead to check availability and membership requirements. Some clubs get booked solid in summer. Visitors are generally welcome, though you might need a handicap certificate depending on how busy they are.

The Aberdeenshire coast is proper golf country - this spot has been played since the 1880s. Book in advance, bring layers because the wind is no joke, and expect the kind of challenging, character-filled round that reminds you why you took up the game in the first place.