141 - Murcar Links

Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Rating: 7.9

Murcar is like no links course I have ever played before. Situated right next door to the world-famous Royal Aberdeen and you can see Murcar from there it is a very different type of challenge. Murcar Links has so many drastic changes in elevation and huge undulations on the fairway. The 3rd hole is probably the most ridiculous fairways I’ve ever seen. You start with a blind shot towards a marked pole but the fairway has so many little platforms to it if you land it remotely towards the middle it’s all going to funnel down towards there left and I want to say there’s almost a 5 meter (maybe more?!) drop in height from the highest point on the fairway to the lowest point and first cut of rough. If that’s not enough the green is protected by a huge mound at the front left part of it.

This theme continues through out with false front greens, greens at the top of mounds and drastically undulating fairways. Sounds like I’m complaining but I’m really not, was fascinated by how they’ve manage to design it all. You can hit a cracking tee shot and by so unlucky with the most minor of miss.

Really cool design and a real challenge throughout, haven’t even mentioned the typical links wind yet! Sadly, and maybe this is to do with the undulations and difficulty looking after it, the fairways were in pretty poor condition but the greens were good, I would say that. You do get some nice vistas from the 4th tee box and once you get up onto the hill midway through hole 11.

The practice facilities were very good, there’s a driving range, a section to hit off the grass, a chipping area, a pitching area and a putting green. For £140 I would honestly expect the course to be in better condition, I feel that price tag is a bit inflated because of the neighbouring courses in the area.