Deeside Golf Club

Deeside Golf Club sits just outside Cults, a proper championship-standard course that takes advantage of Aberdeenshire's rolling landscape. It's a Scottish links experience without the wind-battering drama of the coast - more manicured, more forgiving, but no less demanding.

You're looking at 18 holes across terrain that moves through woodland and open fairways with genuine character. The course was founded back in 1903, so there's substance to it. Handicaps matter here; this isn't a knockabout par-3 pitch-and-putt situation. Greens are tight, rough is real, and the designers clearly knew what they were doing. If you can actually play golf to a decent standard, there's real satisfaction to be had.

Non-golfers need not apply, frankly. This is purely for people who want a round, ideally with some ability to back it up. Visitors are welcome but you'll need to check membership requirements and book ahead - clubs like this don't operate on a turn-up-and-play basis.

If you're staying at Deeside Holiday Park just down the road, it's a logical stop if golf's your thing. Otherwise, it's a detour that makes sense only if you're keen on the sport. Cults itself offers shops and basic amenities, but the real draw here is eighteen holes of properly maintained Scottish golf. Budget a morning or afternoon depending on your pace, and definitely ring ahead to confirm visitor play.