Scotland, United Kingdom
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club - Balgownie
Course Highlight
Host of the 2014 Scottish Open and other top tournaments, a World Top 100 course, the front nine weaves through seaside dunes and is considered one of the 'finest first nine holes in golf'.
Tournament History
Senior British Open (2005), Walker Cup (2011), Scottish Open (2014), Amateur Championship (2018)
About the Course
Founded in 1780 and recognized as the sixth oldest golf club in the world, Royal Aberdeen's Balgownie Course features a front nine widely regarded as one of the finest stretches in links golf—and arguably the most difficult in Scotland. This 7,040-yard, par-71 layout has hosted the 2005 Senior British Open (won by Tom Watson), the 2011 Walker Cup, and the 2014 Scottish Open, earning rankings ahead of several Open Championship and U.S. Open venues. The course weaves through towering dunes along the North Sea coastline, where narrow fairways are flanked by deep bunkers and natural undulations. The signature 8th hole, 'Ridge,' is a 147-yard par-3 defended by nine bunkers encircling the green—conditions dictate whether players need a 3-iron or pitching wedge. The 9th, Tom Watson's favorite, is a demanding 465-yard par-4 that curves and climbs through the dunes. The 17th, facing the North Sea, features a three-tiered green that tests precision amidst coastal winds. With unpredictable sea breezes, razor-thin fairways, and massive undulating greens, Balgownie stands as a true examination of links golf skill and strategic thinking.