Aberdeen (shire)

Well, it seems that work may soon be taking me back up to the land of the sheep shagger and incomprehensible teuchter accent.

Has anyone got any experience of playing up there, club membership, waiting lists etc.

It's been a long time since I lived there so things will have changed a bit. Hopefully the opportunity of some corporate at Trump though.

At least you can get laid now, just remember to tuck the hind legs into your wellies.

McLaren wrote:At least you can get laid now, just remember to tuck the hind legs into your wellies.

Could that be the voice of experience

I've been looking at the latest images released from trumps place, looks superb can't wait till I can book myself little treat to go up and play it.

Fader

If you have not played some of the proper courses in Scotland it might be worth shelving plans to play trumps place. If you want a real treat, and for the same money, play any of; North Berwick, TOC, Carnoustie, Dornoch, muirfield, Turnberry, Machrihanish, Prestwick, Renaissance, Kingsbarnes, crail, the new, Gullane etc....

To play these courses would better help you understand what golf is all about and also to play the game as it should be played. It is staggering naivety from trump to think he could match any of the courses listed above by merely pandering to the average numb skulls need for aesthetic pleasure.

Mac how can you make such a comment on Trumps place before playing it, as they say the proof is in the pudding.

I am however looking at having a break in mid june and was thinking of heading north of the border to play some golf. A friend has suggested North Berwick to me, but I'll look at the others you mention to and see if I can incorporate them into a trip. I'd like to play TOC and Prestwick, possibly more for the history surrounding them than the actual course, as I've found the more i'm playing the more the games history and details of years past interest me.

Mac, how do you know it will give you a better understanding, simply because those courses are old. Simply because a course is new, doesn't mean that it isn't an instant design classic. Trump may well have pulled off something very difficult, an outstanding course WITH aesthetic appeal, only your blinkered hatred of the man and the project in general is clouding any reasonable thought you might have.

Kingsbarns and Castle Stuart have managed it, why not Trump?

If you were helicoptored onto the site, knew nothing about the area, didn't know it was Trump you'd probably come in your "spiderman" nylon pants.

I have seen, and in fact posted, pictures of trumps place and it seems he has gone for the ridiculously penal approach to course design. There are no positives to having a course where missing the fairway or the green by a foot results in a lost ball or unrecoverable lie (maybe even unplayable). Every hole seems to follow the same formula; tee on smaller dune, playing corridor between two bigger dunes and knee high rough all round.

I think we also discussed the 14th? (his attempt at the worlds hardest par 4), which involved two forced carries over this immense rough. On what planet do you set out with the goal of making a hole unplayable for 99% of players?

Don’t waste your money and play a proper course that has not ruined a bird sanctuary. At least not when we understood scientifically the implications of building on sucj important sites.

Super

You are correct, if you are particularly mentally challenged you may actually have to play trumps course to realise how not to do it. For the rest of us the mere sight of it is enough.


“only your blinkered hatred of the man ………………… is clouding any reasonable thought you might have.”

Super, you are aware of the irony of such a comment?

SR -

I stayed a few years in Stonehaven. Decent town though the course there is pretty mince. Shame really, as the setting is great but it needs a bit of a revamp imho. Murcar is a decent links and I think there is not too much of a problem getting in.

super_realist wrote:Well, it seems that work may soon be taking me back up to the land of the sheep shagger and incomprehensible teuchter accent.

Has anyone got any experience of playing up there, club membership, waiting lists etc.

It's been a long time since I lived there so things will have changed a bit. Hopefully the opportunity of some corporate at Trump though.

Less of the teuchter... Where you thinking about joining?

Mac, you have only seen pictures, I like others have seen it in the flesh and it's nothing like as bad as you think. Photographs famously skew perspective.

So you don't like it, doesn't mean that Fader won't.

Also, it will actually save thousands of birds from being shot.

You have an obvious prejudice against the project which clouds any reasonable and constructive criticism that might be deserved.

Super,

Here are the options here is sunny Aberdeen.

Council Courses
Buy a season ticket for around £320 which gives you free golf at Kings Links, Hazelhead and Balnigask Courses. Join one of these clubs (choice of three at the Links) which will cost about £60 to £100 including bar vouchers. No waiting list and all clube full of keen golfers.
Links
A good enough course when in decent condition. Last year it was in shocking condition, but I've heard they saved the greens at the end of the year.
Hazelhead
Fantastic layout with trees on all holes and on most holes both sides. If it was private it would be one of the best in Aberdeen, but seldom in good condition.
Balnigask
Links course but very hilly. Generally always in the best condition out of the three but not to everyone's liking.

Private Courses
None have waiting lists except for Royal Aberdeen and Deeside. Pitty as Royal Aberdeen is the best Links course by far and Deeside is a decent course with good practice facilities and good for families. Both very pricey though.
Several to choose from depending on time to cummute and type of golf you want to play.
Links
Murcur is pretty much the only course near the city (15 minute drive from centre). A good course with greast practice facilities and a lot of low handicappers.
Stonehaven (25 minutes South). No disrepect to memebers but on the side of a cliff so you need to have one leg shorter than the other. Great to play once per year but can't be easy to have as a home course. They are stuggling so could do with your money.
Inland Course
Portlethen (15 minute drive South). Decent course but not to everyone's taste.
Newmacher (20 minutes West). Two courses. Main course is very good.
Auchmill (in town). Was a council couse till a couple of years ago. Doesn't have a good reputation, but the course is better then most think.
Banchory (30 minutes East). Good and fun course along the banks of the River Dee.
Inchmarlo (30 minutes East). Not played but have heard average reports. Privately owned I understand rather than members owning. Located just outside Banchory.
Craibstone (15 minutes West). Not the best and has new owners this year after going bankrupt.
Petercouter (20 minutes West). Decent course and worth considering.

Give me a shout when you come up and I'll give you a game at Deeside.

Cheers for the comprehensive round up Scottie. Deeside looks amazing.

Super,

I'd rate the course about 7/10. On the whole its a fair and interesting test and last year the greens were in great nick. The clubhouse is amazing and practice facilities are very good.

Good right up Scottie.

Didnt mind Craibstone when used to be a member but left when the course looked like it was shutting for good. Havent played it since but thought it was not bad.

Although wouldnt go back now have moved to Newmachar two good courses and good practice facilities. Although Newmachar has a waiting list Super so that would rule out the membership option for you.

Played Inchmarlo only the once, not a bad course but wasnt that sold on it.

How do you like the changes on Deeside Scottie? I know its quite a few years now but always thought they lost a good first hole. Only played it once since it was changed but for what I remember it was good.

Sand,

It's a small world. I was also a memeber at Craibestone during 2010 while on the Deeside waiting list. What a frustrating course to mark a card on. Often managed to get past 10th on a score only to blow up on 11th, 12th and 13th, but normally the 11th. I also enjoyed the course but most don't. The design of the greens and greenside bunkers was very good, although perhaps a little too much slope on some of the greens.

I used to like the old Deeside course, but by today's standards it was probably too short and little room to extend many of the holes. As you say the first was a great opening hole and 18th was a great par 3 to finish.

The new 11 holes on the new ground have now matured and the layout is a decent test. I do have a couple of problems though. All the greens are built up to limit damage from flooding and not all the approaches are fair - par 3 5th is too shallow and par 4 8th has a severe drop-off at the front. The other problem is the quality of the ground round the greens. Mostly first cut but grass is uneven so difficult to chip from, especially when pitching to a raised green.

But overall a great club to be a member of. Freindly modern clubhouse with great foos and service, 9 holer (most of the holes were part of the original 18) and practice green, pitching area and driving range.

The fees went up by 3% this year to approaching £1,000 so you need to make sure you play it a lot. And saying that, the rain has stopped and the sun is out (said earlier Aberdeen was sunny) so nipping away sharp to get 9 holes in to start the weekend.

ScottieD

I heard sometime ago a new course was perhaps getting developed in the Stonehaven area. Anyone know if anything became of the plans?

Yes, I seem to remember there being an old estate somewhere that Nicklaus was supposed to be building something on.

super_realist wrote:Yes, I seem to remember there being an old estate somewhere that Nicklaus was supposed to be building something on.

Thats the one!

Deeside sounds the one for you S_R. Peterculter is not too bad but not what I'd call a top course, and Portlethen is pretty drab, right alongside the dual carriage way for a few holes, although quite handy for a quick few holes as the first 6 and 9 holes and the back 6 and 9 all loop back towards the clubhouse.

Where you thinking of staying?

If your fancying Deeside Super hope your up here for over ten years.. Think the waiting list is about that long

super_realist wrote:
Also, it will actually save thousands of birds from being shot.

What do you mean by this super?

Ned, prior to the site being developed it was a popular location for shooting wildfowl. Obviously this won't be permitted anymore due to the risks to golfers although clearly shooters can still operate below the high water mark like they can anywhere else in the UK.

Mac is just bitter that it is Trump that has developed something stunning. If Doak was the designer then there would be a tiny bulge in his brown nylon y fronts and he wouldn't be able to say enough good things about the place.

well super- my course is full of parrots, they are taking over down here. all the native birds live in a corner of the course now- i think its time we culled some of em! they are pretty but obviously effecting our natural habitat!

and id love to get a gun out and pop em off whilst playing golf- would be fun

Anybody played Spey Bay (close to Aberdeenshire) ? We played there about 5 years ago on holiday. My brother-in-law had a bit of a swing problem, husband had a Poulteresque cold, and I played poorly in sympathy. We lost count of how many balls we lost but it was a fabulous course right on the ocean and great value for money (apart from all the lost balls). Hope to go back some day and show the course who's boss !

Plunky wrote:Anybody played Spey Bay (close to Aberdeenshire) ? We played there about 5 years ago on holiday. My brother-in-law had a bit of a swing problem, husband had a Poulteresque cold, and I played poorly in sympathy. We lost count of how many balls we lost but it was a fabulous course right on the ocean and great value for money (apart from all the lost balls). Hope to go back some day and show the course who's boss !

Playing it later this year. Looking forward to it.

ScottieD18 wrote:Sand,

It's a small world. I was also a memeber at Craibestone during 2010 while on the Deeside waiting list. What a frustrating course to mark a card on. Often managed to get past 10th on a score only to blow up on 11th, 12th and 13th, but normally the 11th. I also enjoyed the course but most don't. The design of the greens and greenside bunkers was very good, although perhaps a little too much slope on some of the greens.

I used to like the old Deeside course, but by today's standards it was probably too short and little room to extend many of the holes. As you say the first was a great opening hole and 18th was a great par 3 to finish.

The new 11 holes on the new ground have now matured and the layout is a decent test. I do have a couple of problems though. All the greens are built up to limit damage from flooding and not all the approaches are fair - par 3 5th is too shallow and par 4 8th has a severe drop-off at the front. The other problem is the quality of the ground round the greens. Mostly first cut but grass is uneven so difficult to chip from, especially when pitching to a raised green.

But overall a great club to be a member of. Freindly modern clubhouse with great foos and service, 9 holer (most of the holes were part of the original 18) and practice green, pitching area and driving range.

The fees went up by 3% this year to approaching £1,000 so you need to make sure you play it a lot. And saying that, the rain has stopped and the sun is out (said earlier Aberdeen was sunny) so nipping away sharp to get 9 holes in to start the weekend.

Yeah I didnt mind Craibstone at all, was a member for 5 years in all I think. Tell me about 11 - 13. Many a time a good score was ruined after them 3. First few years really couldnt play 13 at all! Also agree about the bunkers and greens at Craibstone. Remember hitting every green in regulation thru 12 or so and was still 4 over or so after being on the wrong level or side of the hole..

Glad to hear the changes at Deeside have been a success. The old 1st and 18th were 2 really good holes...

Deeside waiting list down to 4 or 5 years, but still too long for transients.

when are you off super?

Nothing definite Ban, just going through a few interviews at the moment. Prefer to stay in Edinburgh, but they'll be a fortune in Aberdeen and I'm a mercenary.

Well, been offered the job, waiting on the salary offer, but could with a bit of corporate luck be playing Trumps new course when it opens.

Are tesco likely to offer check out staff a better salary in Aberdeen comapred to Edinburgh?

better get a date setup for our wee Edinburgh invitation before you go. looking forward to hosting the first face to face mac vs super match

I might yet stay in Edinburgh if I can negotiate a better contract. It's a better city to live in than Ayburdeen.

Cruden Bay, fantastic course.
I've also always liked Ballater as a holiday course, not particularly difficult but a beautiful setting.
On a topical point I think Hazelhead was designed by Alistair McKenzie who designed Augusta National.