Review of the Month June 2017 – Cruden Bay
Where to start with glorious Cruden Bay? You’ve probably heard it all before; the blind shots, the spectacular views, the bathtub green and the often-quirky layout, the clichés are all true.
The opening hole of the Championship Course heads out to the left of the clubhouse and through the town. You’re given the opportunity to open your shoulders on the pretty but routine opener before facing the 2nd where the green sits atop of a giant mound that competes with the 2nd at Royal Dornoch in terms of difficulty to hold your ball on the short stuff when the surfaces are hard and dry. The short but meandering 3rd is actually more difficult than it looks from the yardage as bumps and borrows of every description sit in front of a green that lies below the level of the fairway.
The course then really comes to life on the long par three 4th that is played alongside Port Errol and parallel to the river that heads out to sea. This hole in combination with the 5th, 6th and 7th are where the course shows most of its teeth as you make your way through and across the rising dunes and over water hazards. The approach shot to the 7th between the humps in those dunes must make this one of the most unique golf holes I’ve had the honour of playing.
After the driveable par four into an amphitheatre green (I’d love to see a tour event played here and the surrounding land covered in spectators), you’re faced with a climb to the 9th tee. This is quite a climb and not for the faint-hearted, but take your time and bring your camera as the view from the top was recently voted as the best in Scottish golf by UK golfers who were polled via Visit Scotland’s website. All I can say is drink it in folks, it doesn’t come much more enjoyable than this. Which is the better view: Across the front 9 and back to Slains Castle, or down to the 14th and the sandy beach behind? That viewing position alone is almost worth a 6-ball rating on its own merit. The hole itself also now lives up to the view. From what I understand, this used to be quite an ordinary hole, but has recently been changed and is now a dogleg along the cliff with the green perched over the edge providing more spectacular views, this time of the back 9 and the white horses rolling from the sea and onto the beach…
All in all, Cruden Bay is a real contender for the most photogenic course in Scottish golf and the course absolutely lives up to those photos. If you’ve not played here yet, you’re absolutely missing a treat, it’s a wonderful day’s golf that goes beyond just the 18 holes of the Championship Course. I’d therefore like to doff my hat and offer my congratulations Cruden Bay, my favourite golf experience to date.
By Tom
Review of the Month June 2017 selected by Editor-in-Chief, Keith Baxter – click here to read the full review
Photos courtesy of Tom
