Newburgh-on-Ythan - North East Scotland - Scotland

Newburgh-on-Ythan is very much a tale of two halves, but each one is worth listening to.

Dating back to 1888 this delightful links course was originally a nine-hole layout until as recently as 1996 when new land was acquired and a further nine were developed.

The course is situated on the Ythan Estuary, overlooking the North Sea and Sands of Forvie National Nature Reserve; the setting is nothing less than splendid.

The new holes are played today as the front-nine and not only have they bedded down exceptionally well you can just tell that they will get better and better with each passing year. The full course plays 6,423 yards to a par of 72. On our visit we had the extreme pleasure of playing with the Lady Captain, a sheep farmer originally from New Zealand, who previously owned much of the land.

The front nine is significantly more undulating than the inward half and there are some very fine holes. The fourth, named “Drovers”, is memorable because the club have left the old stone walls in the fairway which cattle used to be herded into, before being taken to market in local towns such as Peterhead. A unique hazard if ever I saw one.

The back nine is a traditional links lovers dream. Looking out from the modern, glass-fronted clubhouse, over a sea of gorse, it would appear that the fairways are dead flat, however, nothing could be further from the truth.

Although the land isn’t as rolling as the front-half the terrain is blessed with more natural contours; hollows and humps create gently rippling and undulating fairways. At the 12th, 13th and 14th the land is at its most tempestuous with some blind shots thrown into the mix.

Ed is the founder of Golf Empire – click the link to read his full review.

This was my first course of a week of playing Aberdeenshire links courses. I ended up playing 12 of them and Newburgh finished near the bottom of the list. As it was my first course I enjoyed it thoroughly at the time but when I now compare it to Cruden bay, Murcar, Moray etc then it falls away. The front nine is played over a large hill and is a bit boring. It livens up at the 8th and 9th and whole back nine is more linksy, played over undulating fairways which are lined with plenty of gorse with the odd blind shot. By far the better 9. As I strolled around I kept looking at the wonderful dunes nearby thinking how terrific it would be to have a few holes routed through them. Thankfully I discovered such golf at Cruden Bay the following day. All up not a bad track but do your best to get a golf now special or a twilight round rather than pay the rack price of 40 pounds. Also, play it before the majority of others around the area…if I played it after CB etc then it would have been somewhat disappointing.

Played this course oct 2011.I think the back nine is better than the front nine.Great views and fun to play.

It is like playing 2 differnet courses, probably because it is. This was originally a nine holer adapted to 18. What was the surprising thing is that the 1st nine which we thought were more interesting were actually the new holes. First nine were very good, second nine a bit bland apart from a couple of crackers. Over all a decent course with a lovely clubhouse and some splendid views.

I have played Newburgh twice and consider it a decent test with some significant changes of elevation. These offer some fun downhill driving holes! Oh, and some straight up those same hills. I don't care for the opening 3 holes but, like other reviewers, rate the 4th with its wall. Best holes on the front are 7 and, particularly, 9. The next stretch is rather prosaic but there are a couple of fine holes at 15 and 16 with the eponymous river Ythan close by to catch the pull/hook.The extremely long and difficult 18th is really out of character with what up until then offers a modest challenge. While I enjoy Newburgh, and would happily play here again, I don't fully share the enthusiasm of other reviewers.

Newburgh does not advertise itself as much as Royal Aberdeen, Murcar or Cruden Bay but it should. A surprising and cracking links course with excellent greens and some of the finest elevated and links land views I have seen in Scotland. A better scenic experience than any of the aforementioned in my opinion with the 7th tee, 8th green , 9th tee and the view down the 17th being wonderful. It is right next door to the Trump project and similarly the whole course is bedded on sand making it very playable even after the wet conditions that had prevailed just before our visit. The par-3 2 nd hole is a peach at 200+ yds and requires a perfect strike to reach and hold the green with severe bunkering at right and back. One of the toughest I have played.11th and 12th from the back tees are great tests especially if there is a breeze. The 18th is a great finishing hole that severely tested this lo-handicapper as it requires 3 near-perfect strikes to a large mid-level green to set up any chance of birdie. A little gem.

I am constantly surprised on my golfing travels. Sometimes, you head out to a celebrated course only to be let down by what you find. Sometimes you go with little expectations and leave with a spring in your step and a song in your heart after having a grand day out, Newburgh on Ythan falls very strongly into that category. Newburgh is often overlooked by the likes of Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay and Murcar well that is a mistake that no self respecting Scottish golfer should make as Newburgh is a diamond in the rough and on no account should it be missed.

A course of 2 distinct nines, the new front inland 9 and the more traditional links inward half and even though I am a fully endorsed links convert, I preferred the front 9, but both are good. The gentle opening eases you in. The uphill 1st is followed by the par 3 second and short dogleg par 4 3rd. It’s here that the course starts getting interesting with the quirky 4th, complete with a walled enclosure in the middle of the fairway. The short drivable 7th is another pick but the 9th is my star of the front nine, a wee tip, driver is not always the best choice. The back 9 is over the linksland and it has a lovely charming feel to it. Pick of the holes are the 14th – 16th and the 18th however, like the outward half, the back 9 also has a talking point, a huge sand dune. It is so large that you half expect Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif to come over the hill on camelback, it is truly surreal.

Newburgh was never on my golfing radar before, more fool me. When "Trump Towers” moves in next door the coming of years I hope that you can make time for humble Newburgh although it probably won’t be in the same class, Newburgh will not disappoint. MPPJ

I was totally unprepared for what Newburgh had to offer.

First of all, the location is absolutely marvellous with the most amazing sand dunes providing a surreal backdrop to the course across the other side of the river estuary. Secondly, I was not expecting the holes - and some of the multi-tiered greens - on the new front nine to be half as interesting as they were, and their captivating changes in elevation were a real surprise. Thirdly, what a wonderfully roomy, modern clubhouse for such a wee club – a scaled down version of Cruden Bay’s clubhouse along the road, complete with panoramic views over the links on the back nine.

The front nine holes are not overly long (none of the five par fours measure more than 385 yards) though both par threes on this circuit are in excess of 200 yards so you cannot switch off at these “short” holes. The low-walled ruin in the middle of the 4th fairway was a real delight and “Funs Gap” at the 7th may only be rated stroke index 16 but accuracy is the watchword on this hole to avoid disaster either side of a severely pinched fairway in front of the green.

The back nine are played on relatively flat land below the clubhouse but there are a sufficient number of sandy undulations between holes 11 and 15 to provide a number of blind tee shots and approaches. The size of the sand hill on the other side of the river is a real distraction on holes 11, 13 and 15 and a dominating natural feature of the location. Turf is firm and fiery and the greens a joy to putt on – all that you’d expect of a mature links course.

I only hope Newburgh manages to compete in the brave new golfing world that will soon exist in the area once the new Trump course opens next door. It certainly won’t be in the same league as its new neighbour but its natural charm should stand it in good stead nonetheless. Jim McCann