A postcard from Murcar Links
On the fourth day, we play a course with the best-of-everything of links golf
ABERDEEN, Scotland — On Thursday morning, we left St. Andrews early for the two-hour drive to Murcar Links Golf Club, founded in 1909 just north of Aberdeen on the North Sea.
The course was designed by Archie Thompson, and improved by the great James Braid around the 1930s. Much of it probably feels like it has for decades, though the ships laying by Aberdeen harbor would have looked different, and minus the huge modern windmills in the sea.
As the late James E. Finegan wrote, “the land at Murcar is very close to ideal: tumbling, linksland, great sandhills, gorse, the spiky marram grass, even a couple of burns for good measure. …”
In past years, golfer Gary Player has praised the greens, and noted designer Tom Doak called the No. 7 hole, “Serpentine,” a twisting par 4 with a burn to navigate, “all world.”
Wrote Finegan, of Serpentine (pictured here): “This is a hole — and not the only such as Murcar, by any means — that proclaims the superiority of seaside golf: natural and thrilling and mighty.”
True. For me, this course had everything that’s cool and challenging and special about links golf.
There are views of the sea, from almost every hole at some point, but also holes that run between huge sand dunes, so you are immersed in only that hole, the dunes looming high, with no other golfers in sight. There are humpy, bumpy fairways, blooming gorse, serious hikes up and down to greens and tee boxes, blind tee shots and semi-blind approach shots.
Murcar is a course that seems totally natural, and as the course guide proclaims, “is not for the faint-hearted. It is a challenge calling for every shot in the book.”
And the course never seems too long if you hit your targets; the ground is firm, and the ball will run (for better-or-bad) and club selection (often not as much club as you think) is crucial.
From the red tees (5,679 yards, par 71) I had my best round so far, 44-47-91, with two penalty strokes, and there were par 4s I could reach in two on this almost wind-less day. From the yellow tees (5,875) Jason broke through with 44-39-83, with eight pars.
Like the other courses we’ve played here, there’s a clubhouse with locker rooms and a lounge for lunch and drinks, and as always there’s a sense of community and long-time membership and pride.
Unlike other old courses, such as North Berwick and Royal Dornoch, Murcar Links also has a full practice range, with grass tees available as well as covered stalls, and chipping and putting greens. Weekday greens fees are 165 British pounds, or $220.
After our round and lunch, Jason drove us (“left side, left side”) another two-and-a-half hours north to Inverness, our base for the rest of our trip. Friday, we play one of the best-ranked courses in the world, happily revisiting a course we played six years ago, Royal Dornoch.
Jason escapes a bunker en route to a par.
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