Peterhead (Old) - North East Scotland - Scotland

The Craigewan Links at Peterhead is set mostly amongst splendid duneland and fully encapsulates what golfing by the sea in Scotland is all about.

We got a very poor day weather-wise for our visit to Peterhead with persistent rain for the majority of the round, however, the brilliance of the course still shone through.

After a fine opening tee-shot, played heroically across the River Ugie, the course has a little bit of a wobble. There is nothing wrong with the first few holes but on reflection they lack the sparkle and scale of what follows.

The start of the really good stuff commences with a superb, and well defended, uphill par three at the sixth but it is not until you reach the seventh tee that the true splendour of the course at Peterhead presents itself.

You have now gone from flat, almost meadow-like ground conditions to rolling duneland; exposed plateau greens, dune-lined valley fairways and traditional links bunkering is now evident. The transformation is as staggering as it is pleasing. From here on in this is links golf of a very high calibre.

It’s a shame that Peterhead gets off to a relatively slow start because if the first five holes were of the same high standard as that of the majority of the course this would be an essential venue to visit when putting together a short Aberdeenshire itinerary.

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

You leave your car beside the sea outlet of the River Ugie and then proceed across the river by footbridge to the clubhouse on the other side. The first hole runs along low lying land beside the Ugie. The layout climbs to higher ground but there is initially a feeling there is nothing special here.

From the elevated par four 5th, ‘Mount Zion’, the whole perspective changes as you look back towards the town and the sea. From the 7th there are some really good holes in the expansive dune area. The next five or six holes have a wonderful links feel and firm fast greens to match.

The par four 7th is appropriately named ‘Valley’ and features a green surrounded by seven treacherous little pot bunkers. The 8th is one of the most attractive looking holes. It plays as a short par five from the back tee but a rather difficult par four from the forward tee.

After the par three 10th , the holes generally head back towards the clubhouse. The par three 16th has a green that slopes away to the back and was impossible to hold with the wind behind. The 17th is an intriguing hole along the shore line. It is a short par four with large mounds that don’t look natural and would be far better if they were located further back.

This review is an edited extract from Another Journey through the Links, which has been reproduced with David Worley’s kind permission. The author has exclusively rated for us every Scottish course featured in his book. Another Journey through the Links is available for Australian buyers via www.golfbooks.com.au and through Amazon for buyers from other countries.

James W Finegan, one of my favourite writers, (If you ever get a chance to get your hands on his book, “Where golf is great” grab it. It is a bit expensive but it is worth every penny especially if you have played a lot of courses in Scotland and Ireland) describes Peterhead Old as “not filled with great holes but filled with good golf and great fun”. Now, I have to say that I don’t fully agree with the august American but I do know where he is coming from. Where I disagree is Peterhead does have some great holes but unfortunately it also has in my opinion many which you could consider a bit bland. Suffice to say, if Peterhead was a 9 hole track it would be up there with the best. To be honest the first 5 holes are on the mundane side but don’t fret, as the best is yet to come. The stretch of holes between 6 and 10 are superb with the drives at 7 and 9 unforgettable. On the back 9, holes 14, 16 and 17 really get the golfing juices going. I know that this is not the most glowing of testimonials but there is a lot to enjoy at Peterhead. It oozes charm and warmth from the minute you walk from the car park across the quaint bridge to the expansive clubhouse where travelling golfers are treated so well, a return trip in the future is almost inevitable. MPPJ

The course is accessed from the car park by a pedestrian bridge across the sand banked river Ugie, giving it a feeling of seclusion. The welcome from the starter could not have been warmer (even though it was early on a blustery Sunday morning) and we soon settled into our round.

The first couple of holes are nothing special but the 3rd to the 6th are good, solid holes that lead to the 331-yard “Valley,” the best par four on the course, which is played from an elevated tee to a green surrounded by no fewer than seven bunkers.

The next two holes are very good too, played between two sets of dunes before turning for home after the short, par three, 10th hole. Holes 11 to 13 are routed over higher ground away from the coastline then the course drops down again at the toughest hole on the back nine, across the burn in front of the 14th green.

I loved the old-fashioned, short par four 17th with its blind tee shot and semi blind approach to a punchbowl green before striking out for the clubhouse on the par five home hole.

I can understand the feelings of some locals who think that golfers who visit Cruden Bay should also play here (but then you could say the same about the fine Corbie course at Fraserburgh) as they believe you get better value for money with only the odd blind shot to play – they may have a point too, you know.

Jim McCann

Played this course in July 2008. The first 3 holes are a bit bland, but after that the course takes on a different dimension and was a real joy to play. The 9th hole really stands out. The views throughout the course are excellent. I would highly recommend this course.

Peterhead was the second stop on a grand tour of the east coast that included Cruden Bay, Carnoustie, The Old Course, and Kingsbarns. I found Peterhead to be the best combination of value and aesthetics on the trip. The first three holes, played away from, then back to the sea are mundane, but from four through eighteen, all excellent linksland holes, provide a wonderful day of golf. The course provides excellent vistas, the holes are both aesthetically pleasing and challenging. Afterward, the staff was pleasant and the nineteenth hole amenities were comfortable. I would recommend it to anyone, especially if value is a consideration.