Scotland’s eastern coast has plentiful tourist attractions, from Balmoral Castle, Gordon Highlanders Museum, and Duthie Park. Many more are fine backdrops to the golf courses dotted all over Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, & Moray.
Aberdeenshire golf courses present diverse, fun greens and challenging shots, ideal for newer and more experienced golfers. So, if you’re traversing through the Cairngorms or looking for greens to play after travelling the North Coast 500, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the best golf courses in Aberdeenshire, how much you can expect to play on them, and much more!
Cruden Bay Golf Club
The famous Cruden Bay Golf Club is an old-fashioned links course that sits only 2 hours away from the very origins of the sport at St. Andrews. Cruden Bay has had an illustrious history with golf, and the people of this town have been playing since 1791. The grand old man of golf, Old Tom Morris, designed this course in 1899.
Cruden Bay’s Golf Club offers more than just a fantastic golf course. However, with a first-class bar, pro shop with all the necessary equipment, and even catering staff. Once you’re done with the fairways of Cruden Bay, members and guests are welcome to sit back and regale the highs and lows of the game they played here.
Cruden Bay’s green fees cost £165 during the peak season (between May and October), dropping to £110 during the shoulder season.
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club
Just north of Aberdeen sits the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, a prestigious golf club that holds several golf links courses. Balgownie and Silverburn are two exquisite courses, each presenting its unique challenges.
Balgownie has an outstanding natural links course, with the front nine holes of this green being one of the very best in the world. As with many links courses, no two rounds at Balgownie are quite the same, which contours to the natural surroundings beautifully. You’d expect no less from a course initially designed by James Braid.
If the Scottish classic golf links differ from your style, Royal Aberdeen’s Silverburn course offers a blend of links and parkland courses, with several par 3s to put even an experienced golfer to the test.
Aberdeen Royal Golf Club is a premium golf course, and its green fees reflect an unparalleled quality. Green fees for a round here cost £215 per round during the May to October season.
Trump International Links
The Trump International Links sits nestled along the beautiful Aberdeenshire coastline, which uses the stunning dunes of Scotland to create an unforgettable golfing experience. Accompanying 18 spectacular holes, guests can also look forward to beautiful views of the North Sea and beyond.
Dr Martine Hawe has previous experience designing the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews – one of the world’s most well-known Scottish golf courses. Trump International Links is also reasonably easy to reach and is only 20 minutes northeast of Aberdeen. The site is also home to the Trump MacLeod and Lodge, serving as an excellent base of operations to explore more inland.
If you want to play along the Trump International Links, a round will cost you £265 – a bargain considering it’s one of the best Aberdeen golf courses in the area.
Fraserburgh Golf Club
Fraserburgh is the world’s 7th oldest golf club and dates back to the early 18th century. What does this mean for golfers coming to play here? Well, it offers a chance to play on a links course where the sport originated – an experience you can’t enjoy anywhere else besides Scotland.
Fraserburgh’s 18 holes are the perfect golfing experience, boasting a par 70 over 6,000 yards in the classic flat links style Scotland’s known for. This championship course was re-designed by James Braid in 1922 and has hosted several prestigious tournaments in the interim.
For those who want to indulge in Fraserburgh’s history, the 9-hole Rosehill course has 4 original holes that were around during the club’s origins.
Whether you play 9 or 18 holes at Fraserburgh, you’ll be in for a memorable golfing break no matter what. To find out how much Fraserburgh’s green fees are, look at their website for more information.
Murcar Links Golf Club
Murcar Links is another premium golf course just outside Aberdeen along the stunning eastern coastline. According to Paul Lowrie, this 18-hole championship golf course is as fine as a links course as you could wish to play. Murcar also sits close to other golfing hot spots like Cruden Bay and Newburgh.
Murcar Links isn’t for any player, though, as its greens will put even the most experienced golfer to best its par 71 – a challenging course that can be amplified at any moment by a visit from the frequent coastal winds around Aberdeenshire’s coastline.
This championship course presents a beautiful challenge for anyone unsatisfied with the obstacles along this famed coastline – yours for the attempt for £140.
Balmoral Castle Golf Course
Royal Deeside shows off Scotland’s history and natural beauty in equal measure and sits within the Cairngorms National Park. Balmoral Castle, summer home to the Royal Family, also contains next to it an immaculate 18-hole green that’s as sought after as it is exclusive.
Balmoral Castle’s golf course is unfortunately unavailable for booking by the public and can only be played upon invitation by one of its golf club’s members. Otherwise, if you’re lucky, it’s your chance to play with the beautiful Balmoral Castle through one of their corporate days.
If you are a member, you can reserve and play a round at Balmoral for £85 per person to experience the club’s 9 holes – a real honour.
Duff House Royal Golf Club
From Scotland’s inland and eastern coast, we travel to the northern reaches of Aberdeenshire, specifically to the Duff House Royal Golf Club, designed by the esteemed Dr Alister MacKenzie, who is the mind behind the Augusta National.
MacKenzie’s design is a true testament to his love of the sport, a fact that you can see within the diverse range of challenges you’ll face when you play. Blind shots, natural beauty, several options, and undulating hills are all present here, making players think with each shot.
Duff House Royal’s beautiful course can be played for £70 per round.
Royal Tarlair Golf Club
The magical Moray coastline is home to many stunning attractions, and the Royal Tarlair Golf Club is one of its best for avid golfers. Combining a mix of par 3s and 4s, Royal Tarlair is a superb choice for new and experienced game players.
Nestled along the Moray coastline grants those who tee off at beautiful views out to the North Sea, although the natural coastline winds may make you spend more time adjusting your key shots than normal. While Aberdeenshire and Moray are known for many excellent golf courses, Royal Tarlair is one of those hidden gems that golfers only share with close friends and family.
Make sure to test your mettle against one of the best courses that Moray has to offer.
Other Golf Courses in Scotland
- Argyll & Bute Golf Courses
- Central & West Scotland Golf Courses
- Dumfries & Galloway Golf Courses
- Edinburgh & The Lothians Golf Courses
- Glasgow, Clyde, & Ayrshire Golf Courses
- Perthshire, Kinross, & Angus Golf Courses
- Scottish Borders Golf Courses
- Scottish Highlands Golf Courses
- Scottish Isles Golf Courses
- The Kingdom of Fife Golf Courses
