Garmouth & Kingston Golf Course

The first hole plays across a burn with the Moray Firth visible in the distance - proper links golf in the truest sense, with the kind of elevation changes that'll have you cursing on the back nine. Garmouth & Kingston sits just outside Buckie in Aberdeenshire, and it's one of those courses that rewards patience over power.

It's a nine-hole layout, which means you can knock out a quick round in under two hours or push it to eighteen holes if you fancy the walk twice. The greens are well maintained, the rough will catch you if you're not concentrating, and there's enough sea breeze to keep you honest. Not a course that'll crush your ego entirely, but it won't let you forget you're golfing either.

Golfers will absolutely get something from it - both beginners and those who actually know what they're doing. The views across the Moray Firth are decent, though they're a distraction you probably don't need when you're trying to read a putt. Membership and green fees aren't publicly listed, so ring ahead through the website to sort out what you're paying.

If you're staying at Greencraig Pods just down the road, this is genuinely convenient - six miles is nothing. Pair it with a walk along the Spey estuary or a day in Buckie itself, and you've got a solid chunk of a weekend sorted. Best to play early morning when the course is quieter and the light's still decent over the water.