Newburgh on Ythan, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

www.newburghgolfclub.co.uk

White tees par 72, SSS 72, 6423 yards

Red tees par 72, SSS 72, 5416 yards


Founded in 1888, Newburgh on Ythan (pronounced 'eye-than' and an old Pictish word meaning gorse) was initially a nine hole course laid out along the river Ythan and on the coastal dunes between the small town of Newburgh and the North Sea.  It was briefly an eighteen hole course in the early 20th century before being redesigned as a nine hole course after the First World War by James McAndrew, the professional at nearby Cruden Bay (see 24/10/2016).  It was not until 1996 that the course was extended to eighteen holes with the purchase of land to the south of the original course.

A stone wall guards the 4th green

Newburgh on Ythan is truly a game of two halves which we played on a sunny day with Lynn and David Lawson.  The first nine are built on a hilly area to the south of the clubhouse and although claimed to be on large sand dunes play and look more like a heathland course.  That is not to say that this is an easy part of the golf course as all the holes are either up or downhill and there a number of multi-tiered greens.  The second is a difficult long par 3 which needs a perfect strike to hold the well bunkered green.   The most memorable hole is the par 4 4th whose main hazard is a stone wall straddling the fairway and an odd out of bounds to the left.  The first nine finishes with a long par 5 with a blind drive and a green overlooked by the clubhouse and protected on either side by walls of gorse bushes.

The 15th green with the Forvie Nature Reserve in the background

The second nine is a completely different proposition - a true old fashioned links course with bumpy fast running fairways, revetted bunkers, bowl greens and beautiful views over the River Ythan and the stunning huge sand dunes of the Forvie National Nature Reserve on its opposite bank.  Golfing ornithologists will be totally distracted by the birdlife on the estuary.   The 15th and 16th run along the river bank and a hook will result in a watery grave.  The 15th is a short par 4 with a crumpled fairway and a green guarded by mounds and gorse.  The 16th is a particularly daunting par 3 with the green appearing to be in a sea of marram grass.  For the uninitiated the route in looks to be from the right but there lie bunkers to catch the unwary.  The 18th is an attractive long par 5 with a dogleg to the left to a green tucked at the base of the hill on which the clubhouse stands.

The 18th green is overlooked by the imposing clubhouse

Worth playing?  Yes - although only the back nine holes are a true links course.