Royal Aberdeen Balgownie Links
The members at Royal Aberdeen play under the sixth oldest club in the world, formed in 1780, and the Balgownie Links is the proof that age and quality keep good company here. A magnificent outward nine threads a high dune ridge along the North Sea before turning for an exposed run home, and few in golf have a stronger opening to a round. Here is the verdict, the facts, the holes and how to get on.
Photograph: Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, via Google.
The verdict
Royal Aberdeen is one of the great classical links and a course many seasoned travellers rank in their Scottish top handful once they have played it. The front nine is the calling card, a procession of holes laid through a tumbling range of dunes that run out beside the North Sea, with the ground rising and falling and the sea wind never far away. It is honest, old fashioned links golf of the highest order, and the routing out and back means you rarely play two consecutive holes in the same wind.
For the travelling golfer this is the anchor of an Aberdeenshire trip. The club, founded in 1780, is steeped in history yet warm to visitors, the conditioning is consistently excellent, and the test is stern without being tricked up. Pair it with its next door neighbour Murcar Links and Cruden Bay up the coast and you have a links week to rival anywhere, often at a gentler price than the marquee names further south.
Royal Aberdeen Balgownie Links at a glance
- Opened
- 1888
- Designer
- Simpson, then Braid
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 6,900 yds
- Green fee
- Around £265
Founding date, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026. The club was formed in 1780, making it the sixth oldest in the world, while the Balgownie Links as routed today was laid out by Robert and Archie Simpson in 1888 and later refined by James Braid. It plays par 71 at around 6,900 yards from the back tees. The indicative peak summer visitor green fee for 2025 is around 265 pounds; fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The outward nine is what golfers come for. From the 1st the course climbs into a high, rumpled dune ridge and runs north beside the beach, the fairways cresting and falling between the hills with the sea on your right and gorse and marram framing every shot. It is widely held to be one of the finest front nines in links golf, a stretch where you must drive well, judge the firm bounce and respect the wind that swirls between the dunes.
The short 8th is the postcard, a par 3 played to a green tucked into the dunes that demands a precise, committed strike to hold. The closing stretch turns the round into the prevailing wind and exposes you on flatter, more open ground, where pars are earned and a good score from the turn is a real achievement. The deep, revetted bunkering throughout is classic and punishing, and the greens are true and quick.
Played in a typical North Sea breeze, Balgownie is a complete examination of the links game from the first swing to the last, and the kind of course that grows on you with every hole. Many who arrive expecting a warm up for the bigger names leave saying Royal Aberdeen was the round of the trip.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private members club that warmly welcomes visitors on most days outside competitions and tee time priority for members |
| Green fee | An indicative 265 pounds peak summer visitor round for 2025, with lower rates in the shoulder seasons and for twilight play |
| Booking | Book well in advance through the club, especially for summer mornings; weekends are tighter around member play |
| On the day | A walking links with caddies available on request and a fine traditional clubhouse; smart dress on and off the course |
| Getting there | At Bridge of Don just north of Aberdeen, around 15 minutes from Aberdeen airport and the city centre |
| Best months | May to September for firm turf and long days, with quieter, better value rounds in spring and autumn |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Royal Aberdeen or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Aberdeen makes a comfortable base for the North East links run, with city hotels, restaurants and good transport links a short drive from Balgownie. Staying in or near the city puts Royal Aberdeen, Murcar Links and the courses up the coast all within easy reach for a compact golf trip.
For a fuller Aberdeenshire week, base yourself near the city and play north along the coast to Cruden Bay and the modern links at Trump International, with the option of pushing on to Royal Dornoch and the Highlands to bookend the trip.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in Aberdeen and the North East.
Stay and play in Aberdeen and the North East
We hold Royal Aberdeen and Murcar tee times, build the week around Cruden Bay and Trump International, and sort a base in Aberdeen with transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Royal Aberdeen Balgownie Links questions
Who designed Royal Aberdeen Balgownie Links and how old is the club?
The Society of Golfers at Aberdeen was formed in 1780, making Royal Aberdeen the sixth oldest golf club in the world. The Balgownie Links as routed today was laid out by Robert and Archie Simpson in 1888 and later refined by five times Open champion James Braid, with further work over the years to keep it current.
What is the par and yardage of the Balgownie Links?
The Balgownie Links plays as a par 71 of around 6,900 yards from the championship tees, with several forward tees for everyday play. Its defences are the high dunes of the outward nine, deep revetted bunkering, true fast greens and the ever present North Sea wind rather than sheer length.
How much does it cost to play Royal Aberdeen?
The indicative peak summer visitor green fee for 2025 is around 265 pounds for a round on the Balgownie Links, with lower rates in the spring and autumn shoulder seasons and for twilight play. Green fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play Royal Aberdeen?
Yes. Royal Aberdeen is a private members club that warmly welcomes visitors on most days outside club competitions, with members holding tee time priority. Booking well in advance is essential for summer mornings, and a round is usually best arranged through the club or as part of a planned North East trip.
What courses should I play with Royal Aberdeen?
Royal Aberdeen pairs naturally with its next door neighbour Murcar Links, which shares the same stretch of duneland, and with Cruden Bay and Trump International up the coast. Many golfers extend the trip north to Royal Dornoch in the Highlands for one of the great Scottish links weeks.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding date, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.