Royal Aberdeen

[kevinmarkham]

The final set of photos from a recent trip to Aberdeen.

Royal Aberdeen

I liked the out-and-back layout, and I found the differences between Royal Aberdeen and Murcar fascinating... considering they share the same stretch of landscape.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Great photos again, you have a talent.

How would you rate RA, Cruden and Murcar against each other.

I've only played RA and the front 9 is great, havent played the others yet.

 

[kevinmarkham]

Great photos again, you have a talent.

How would you rate RA, Cruden and Murcar against each other.

I've only played RA and the front 9 is great, havent played the others yet.

Tough question - they all have their strengths.

Cruden Bay has the most spectacular setting - you could spend 20 minutes on the 9th tee just soaking it all up. It's also the most adventurous course with a few very tricky blind shots (the par three 15th springs to mind) and some serious tests around the greens.

Royal Aberdeen is more elegant, with the classic out-and-back routing. Doesn't have the scale of dunes as Murcar and Cruden Bay, but has an easier, steadier rhythm. Not a weak hole in the bunch.

Murcar is the slightly wild, distant cousin who turns up at a wedding in t-shirt and jeans. Doesn't follow the rules, throws everything at you without worrying about your feelings and just when you think you can trust it, it kicks you where it hurts.

If I was going back and had to play them in my order of preference... Cruden Bay, Murcar and Royal Aberdeen... but they are all class and I'd be gutted if you said I wasn't allowed to play one of them.

 

[Val]

I was stunned by the front 9 at RA and if you say Murcar and Cruden are up there in quality then I really need to get playing these too.

Hopefully back at RA in September.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

IMHO Cruden Bay has a slightly weak stretch at the far end of the course (can't remember the hole numbers) but apart from those 2 or 3 holes, it is outstanding. Looking forward to playing the others so I can compare

 

[PuttPuttSteve]

It's been quite a while since I took more than 90 strokes to get round a course, but, from you pictures, I think RA would eat me up! Great photos Kevin.

 

[davidy233]

IMHO Cruden Bay has a slightly weak stretch at the far end of the course (can't remember the hole numbers) but apart from those 2 or 3 holes, it is outstanding. Looking forward to playing the others so I can compare

That weak link is the ninth (just the ninth) - but made up for by the view from the tee and the fact I parred it last time I was there.

Wonderful course but not to everyone's taste - I love this video of a couple of guys playing it on a blustery day

[video=youtube;I34svrKtkXo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I34svrKtkXo[/video]

PS: Great pics Kevin

 

[kevinmarkham]

That weak link is the ninth (just the ninth) - but made up for by the view from the tee and the fact I parred it last time I was there.

Wonderful course but not to everyone's taste - I love this video of a couple of guys playing it on a blustery day

[video=youtube;I34svrKtkXo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I34svrKtkXo[/video]

PS: Great pics Kevin

I played with those guys when they were in Ireland (at Druid's Glen). It was some mental trip they were on. They were planning to write a book (and some story it was) but it never happened. A real shame. They told me how they were invited to play one of the big private courses in the US (I'd love to say it was Pine Valley but I can't remember) by an American they met in Australia. When they turned up to play, months later, the guy wasn't there and the club charged them $500 each. They managed to scrape $600 between them and were allowed to play.

 

[bladeplayer]

Bumped for Paul77