Murcar Links

Aside from occupying the same stretch of coastal linksland, Murcar Links has much in common with its illustrious neighbor. Royal Aberdeen is perhaps best known for its magnificent front-9, but the outward half at Murcar could give its counterpart a run for its money. In fact, a composite links comprised of the front-9s of the Murcar and Balgownie Links would surely find itself among the finest courses in Scotland. Highlighting the Murcar side of that imaginary links is the brilliant par-3 5th - known as “Plateau” - whose all-or-nothing approach is sure to inflict a bit of stress off the tee. Meanwhile, the par-4 aptly known as “Serpentine” features a burn, wetland, and gorse working in harmony to torture the errant golfer.

Like at Royal Aberdeen, the brilliance of the front-9 at Murcar eventually gives way to less stellar ground on the inward half. Just as the golfer begins to long for those earlier holes, however, Murcar serves up one last flourish of greatness at the 15th and 16th. The latter is another stern par-3 that requires near perfection off the tee, while the former offers a panoramic view that is only eclipsed in the area by the 9th at Cruden Bay. And while the closing half at Murcar may be underwhelming by comparison, again like Royal Aberdeen, the inward side is the more taxing of the pair when the wind is up.

Murcar Links has spent most of the last century overshadowed by the course next door. The European Tour recently provided Murcar with some overdue limelight when the links hosted the Paul Lawrie Match Play, but no amount of early-morning Golf Channel coverage can offset decades of relative anonymity. For many, the choice between Royal Aberdeen and Murcar appears fairly straightforward, yet the traveler who chooses to venture off the beaten path is often the one who is handsomely rewarded.