Spey Bay - North East Scotland - Scotland

I only played Spey Bay this evening because I wasn’t able to get a tee time on the four other courses I tried first, but I’m really glad I did. It’s a really good, old-fashioned links, with some of the most interesting, undulating fairways I’ve seen anywhere (think the Himalayas putting course). Several holes run between dune ridges, giving the fairways a “half-pipe” appearance - a near-miss will often be pushed back on line, but whins await a wider miss in many places.

Add in a great setting - with the prospect of dolphin sightings from several points (the Scottish Dolphin Centre is just along the beach) - and Spey Bay is a course that’s well worth seeking out.

Course update January 2020: they have cut back gorse bushes on the tight first six holes which improves the course while maintaining its character. Well done greenkeepers!

Otherwise the course is old-fashioned links golf with a premium on accuracy and imagination on the uneven ground.

Condition of the course is quite basic, but the greens putt true. Somehow the lack of polish adds to the historic feel of the course.

The views are very good and the background hills are useful target lines.

Go if you like interesting and charming courses, don’t go if you prefer more modern manicured courses.

Quite cheap and no Winter mats.

For me, a poor man’s Brora!

(This is very much a compliment in case you haven’t been that far North)

My wife and I (6 and 15 Hcp) only found Spey Bay because we saw it on the O/S map. No signs no signposts but this is the best links course I have played by a very long way. It is fantastic.Only two dedicated greenkeepers but they put many other more expensive and prestigious courses to shame. The welcome, the views, the peace, the heather, the clever use of rolling fairways, the excellent greens the smell of the sea .The Skylarks and the flowers! What a shame it is so far away.

When I finally found my way to the counter an old Scotsman said "Dont miss this course :its the best in North Scotland by far: I moved here for the golf course 35 years ago!"

He was wrong in only one aspect : from my viewpoint it is one of the very best in Scotland leave alone North Scotland

I met some Germans and Swedes in the homely, inexpensive and good home-made-food cafe. They come over on the ferry."We have nothing of this type of course in Germany or Sweden" I have never played golf in Germany but often in Sweden where there are super courses but Spey Bay is in a class of its own. Well done those greenkeepers and staff!t

We'd always wanted to visit Spey Bay, and are very glad we finally made it ! We played yesterday in breezy sunshine for a reduced winter rate, reflected in temporary tees, but not the greens which were excellent. Sadly only a couple of them were the squares of legend, but they and the surrounds ran very true and quick. Apart from the slightly confusing 7/8/9/10 loop (all great holes) this is a natural routing that has a couple of fiendish green sites on the way back in. The course reminded us a little of Minehead, Goodman and Fortrose and Rosemarkie in its layout. Many of the aforementioned tees seem to be under construction, I'd be keen to hear if they get finished this year since this is potentially a very strong, rather than charming, course.. As an aside, there has been speculation in the past about the club, but their Seniors section is clearly thriving from what we saw ! Well worth a trip of looking for a fun, quick, good value game whilst taking on the local heavyweights.

I’m going to buy Spey Bay a drum. They obviously haven’t got one... because nobody is banging it for them. And they should be!

I stumbled across this natural and highly captivating links course on a family holiday to the Scottish Highlands. All I can say is; what a discovery!

I often find the term ‘holiday golf’ derogatory to a course but if you are staying in this neck of the woods I’d strongly urge you to head to the mouth of the River Spey and have a knock here. It’s a shame for holidaymakers nowadays because a grand hotel once stood overlooking the eighteenth green but sadly it was burned to the ground in 1965.

The first few holes introduce us to a coastal heathland style of links golf with springy, sheltered fairways played through subtle shingle valleys of fescue, heather and sporadic patches of gorse.

Only the fourth and sixth (both newly created holes in the 1980’s after land was lost to coastal erosion) disappoint in any sort of fashion on the front-nine and where the short eighth “Plateau” steals the show. This hole also gives us our first real glimpse of the beautiful shoreline as the teeing ground almost backs onto the beach; alas we must another hole - a stellar par five - before our escapade with the coast begins.

The inward half is played adjacent to the sea for the most part and is where Spey Bay really comes into its own.

The greens hold much interest throughout and were in excellent condition. There are plenty of sly borrows on the putting surfaces, more than enough to grab your attention.

I can only assume that one of the reasons you hear so little about this unknown gem is that the locals wish to keep it a secret. Sorry folks but this course needs to be shared and played.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

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

In my first three golfing trips Scotland I had never heard mention of Spey Bay. You may not have either but this is a real little gem of 6219 yards. You drive through wooded areas and lush fields to get to the course which is located right on the sea about ten miles east of Lossiemouth.

Six holes run alongside the seashore on this traditional out and back design. The course plays over the natural contours of what was once a shingle bed, formed over thousands of years. The greens are quite small and were originally square in design.

Spey Bay fairways run fast and the many severe bumps and hollows can knock a ball into the acres of heather and gorse on either side of the fairway. Some of the fairways are quite narrow and in parts not far from the others, although usually running in the same direction.

The par three 15th plays to a green right beside the beach. This is followed by a par five that is one of the best holes. The 18th is no place for nerves as you must clear fifty yards of dense gorse right in front of the tee.

In recent years some work has commenced to get the links back more to the original Ben Sayers design. You need go no further if you want to rediscover old fashioned links golf with a minimum of fuss.

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.

Its been a few years since I last played Spey Bay and it is always nice to play so close to the sea, however my visit was somewhat overshadowed by how much the course/club has changed (for the worse), it is quite obvious their is a lack of cash and it looks like it really needs this soon. It is easy to be harsh on a course but to not even have a teeing area on the signature 8th is poor. The layout is OK, its not overlong, you play very close to the sea so it should be enjoyed but if you want more for your green fee - look at Buckpool, Strathlene or even Moray and Nairn if you have a few more £££s.

Sorry to say did not reach my expectations by a a long way. Totally accept there has been substantial storm/tide damage at far end of course but little effort seemed to have been made to clear anything up. The whole course was 'scruffy'. Greens were good - but nothing exceptional.The 'Top Ten' accolade is VERY misleading - for me many 'samey holes' and no real Gems. When you compare with the likes of Moray / Cruden Bay / Hopeman / Nairn not in same League.

A Review of Spey Bay Golf Course - April 2013 The true appreciation of a golf course should only be judged on the experience of your journey from the 1st tee to the 18th green and with all due respect, the rest is just cake decoration. In Spey Bay’s case this is a wonderful journey. The undulating firm fescue fairways with gorse and heather in abundance and views over the Moray Firth, all play their part in this “sleeping beauty” of a classic natural links. The layout resembles the Old Course at St Andrews with seven holes out, the loop, and then seven back in. Yes it’s short and now reduced to a par 70 with small greens but rarely does it enjoy a calm day, which ensures that the skills you acquire playing here will stand you in good stead to play anywhere.

The course opens with three par 4’s which introduce you to the one of Spey Bays best features, the fescue clad shingle banks which you must plot your way across. The long 1st hole at 427 yards affords the luxury of a wide open drive which then leads you down to the green and enthusiasts of fine links turf will already be appreciating what awaits them. Holes two and three are shorter but full of character, aim for the Bin Hill in the distance and you’ll be fine, the only downside is that they are possibly too tight for their position on the score card. For reasons that will become very clear I’ll comment on the 4th 6th 12th and 13th later. The 5th, stroke index 1, which says it all, has a much more open drive than in years gone by but with a very undulating fairway and approach to the small green can prove very tricky with a long iron, the layout is more typically suited to a par 5. The 7th offers you a wide open drive, the first for a while and there is an interesting slope leading onto the green that can catch you out. In the summer this dries out and can insure that your next shot is from the gully at the back of the green. Some would arguably call the 8th the signature hole at Spey Bay, when you experience the 138 yard par 3 named Plateau the only advice I can give you here is keep your head down on your second shot. Signature hole or not you will not forget it. The 2nd hole at Royal Dornoch is tricky but nothing compared to Spey Bay’s 8th. Onto the 9th which comes with a change in direction heading back to the clubhouse, a short par 5 aptly named the Valley with out-of-bounds on the left and gorse on the right. On the card it looks like a birdie chance, but be glad of a five and walk to the 10th tee adding up your first nine, anything under forty and you’re doing well. The 10th completes the loop and then the tricky 11th, so typical of the shorter par 4s at Spey Bay, on the card it appears simple but treated it with a lack of respect and you will be left wondering where it all went wrong. The 14th, my favourite, was originally 300 yards and has been greatly improved with the addition of 105 yards making this a wonderful par 4, stroke index 2, with a fairway that would grace any Open Championship venue, a flattish green situated between two shingle banks that is normally approached from at an angle across the banks. You will see what I mean when you play it yourself. I always feel when playing a course for the first time the same as when watching a good film, I’m hoping for a really good ending, and Spey Bay delivers this with the last four holes, none of which are give aways, and into the prevailing wind will show you what you’re made of, so I’ll not spoil the ending and leave you to discover this for yourself.

The four holes that I left out of the previous paragraph were not part of the original layout planned by Ben Sayers in 1907. The original layout unfortunately had to be hastily altered due to coastal erosion in the late 1980’s. This erosion caused the loss of the entire 11th hole and 13th green and forced the removal of the 4th & 6th holes. The subsequent alterations resulted in four completely new holes. The new 6th hole is so out of character for Spey Bay it begs the question why Ben Sayers’s original 6th hole is not reinstated albeit with a subtle change up at the green. This hole was brilliant in design, driving the ball towards the Moray Firth, as so desired and incorporated by Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse when designing Castle Stuart. The original 6th traversed the two large fescue clad shingle banks, yes short by modern standards at 304 yards but it would take a brave man nowadays to stand up with the modern driving equipment and attempt to reach the green or even to find the fairway that was cosseted by the awaiting gorse. The long 12th is the only new hole that comes close to being worthy of its place on Spey Bay. The unimpressive par 3, 13th is hopefully to be extended to a 300+ yard par 4 which should see the new green being situated on the fairway of the original 13th hole. With these alterations and a simple transfer of the Par 3, 4th back onto its original line, albeit shorter, would bring the course back closer to the original layout.

The only points of criticism I would mention, other than the new holes enforced by the coastal erosion is that the first six holes are too tight and unforgiving and that the first hole is about 30 - 40 yards too long. All too often the paying visitor or first time Open competitor is beaten before he has had a chance to reach the 7th tee, this does not encourage a hasty return. Also the majority of the greens are flat, however the 8th, 9th and 15th are not and watch out for the subtle ridge through the 18th green, a masterful touch by someone, long ago. Historically the lack of money available to maintain this course has actually helped to preserve its natural condition, no automatic watering system or expensive fertilizer budget. Yes more money would help with course alterations and the demands for Greenkeeping machinery, maintenance and in the overall upkeep, but the present Greenkeeper, Barry Cruickshank, has already worked wonders on a shoestring budget to rescue the greens during the 2011/12 seasons back to a very good putting surface. A local businessman has recently purchased the property which grants him the lease of the golf course, so hopefully this will be the start of great things for Spey Bay, never has a course deserved it more. No fancy ponds, no striped fairways to show which direction to play, no buggy tracks, no huge meaningless bunkers and no hiding behind the delusions of grandeur that come with a magnificent new clubhouse, just golf as it was intended to be played.

This was the second time I have played this course and it will not be the last. When I first played this course there was an old shack with a honesty box for green fees. It cost £15, and what value for money. A natural gem of a links course with rolling fairways and lined with gorse and heather. My return today was only marred slightly by the fact that they had hollow tuned the greens, but attire time of year, only to be expected. The club has been saved by the members and the club house refurbed. The welcome from staff and members was second to none, and the food top notch afterwards as well. In these tough times many of the more well known clubs would do well to create such a welcoming atmosphere. Many thanks to Ian who provided us with good conversation and an interesting history of the hidden gem of Scottish golf