Visitors/ Our Course

The Stonehaven Challenge

Our course is short (par 66 and 5103 yards) but it is a challenging test for all standards of golfer. We have seven par-3 holes and one par-5 hole. Distance markers are placed on most fairways, at 150-yards and 100-yards from the marker to the centre of the green.

Here is a hole-by-hole description of our course (from medal tees), with some tips to make scoring perhaps that bit easier:

HOLE 1: (Ruthery) 305 yards (par 4):

Enjoy the superb view from the first tee, with the fairway stretching out towards the North Sea. Depending on the wind, the green can be reached by the bigger hitters but not many drivers are used on this hole. It's hardly worth the risk with the cliffs on the right meaning any pushed drive flies out of bounds. There are also a couple of deep bunkers guarding the generous green -- and Hitler's Bunker on the left of the fairway (caused by a German bomb during the Second World War) catches any tee shots which are pulled. Better to knock it down the middle and leave a short iron to the green. That makes it a straightforward par.

Hole 2: (Fault) 203 yards (par 3):

The first of the short holes -- and one of the toughest. The tee stands out on the cliff edge, so don't look down! But do take a minute to look out to sea. This is the best spot on the course to catch a close look at the dolphins which chase the fish up and down the coast. You might be lucky. Back to the golf, you need a well-struck tee shot to carry all the way to the green, which is wide but shallow and raised above the fairway. There are tricky bunkers on either side of the green -- and, for those who prefer to run the ball on to the green, watch out for two fairway bunkers (you won't see them from the tee). Everyone is happy to walk off with a par.

Hole 3: (Kingsacre) 331 yards (par 4):

With out-of-bounds all the way up the right and a severe left-to-right slope on the fairway, tee shots need to be aimed left and up the hill. Many of them, however, will end up running to the right, probably finishing near the boundary fence. From there, you need an accurate iron to find the green. Take one more club than you think as it's uphill all the way. Par is a good score, particularly into the wind.

Hole 4: (Garron) 359 yards (par 4):

A tough par. The marker post (or just left of it) shows the best line. Only the longest hitters will be able to see the green for the second shot. For everyone else, a tall marker post behind the green should be the target. Remember to take enough club to carry all the way. Shots that are short leave you with a tricky up-and-down from well below the green. Be very happy with a par.

Hole 5: (Jake's View) 376 yards (par 4):

Named after a former Head Greenkeeper, the late Jake Watson, this hole heads back out towards the sea, with tee shots traversing both the 16th and 4th fairways. The bunker on the right of the green is the best line from the tee. That should see you safely on the fairway with an iron left to a generously-sized green. If the pin is on the left, don't take it on. Aim for the centre of green. A par is always acceptable here.

Hole 6: (Glack) 190 (par 3):

A blind short hole, so wait for the players in front to appear on the 7th tee before you play. From the medal tee, the left direction marker is the line (the right marker gives the line from the yellow tee). It's a tough green to find as it is raised on a small plateau with two bunkers on the left and one on the right. Distance and direction need to be spot on to finish on the putting surface. Be very happy with a par.

Hole 7: (Skatie Brow) 170 yards (par 3):

Take a minute to admire the view from the tee. Below to your right, Skatie Shore, the site of one of the original holes when Stonehaven GC was formed at the end of the 19th century. In front of you, a chasm you have to carry to reach the 7th green way above you on the other side of the cliff. It's a superb hole by any standards, with club selection varying enormously (3-wood to 7-iron) depending on the wind. Enjoy this hole, particularly if you walk off with a par.

Hole 8: (Ridges) 159 yards (par 3):

A saucer-shaped green, set some feet above the level of the tee, tends to gather your ball. "Members' bounces" off the banking on the left are quite common and sometimes it's better to be long so that your ball comes back off the bank at the back right of the green. It shouldn't be a hard green to hit -- but beware, if you do miss it left or right, it can be a hard up-and-down on a green with some subtle borrows. You'll be disappointed if you don't make a par.

Hole 9: (Cowie) 398 yards (par 4):

Tough par, particularly when the wind is against. You don't see the main part of this fairway from the tee so you don't realise how much it slopes from right to left. Any drive left of the marker post will run out of fairway -- but don't go too far right of it as there are a couple of bunkers waiting to catch the longer hitters. Club selection for second shots varies enormously depending on the wind -- but, no matter the conditions, you need two good golf shots to find this green. Be very happy with a par.

Hole 10: (Slughead) 329 yards (par 4):

The marker post on top of the hill gives you the line -- and if your ball ends up close to it, you've hit a good drive. With a favourable wind, bigger hitters can finish over the top, but most players will face a tricky blind second shot. Before you play your second, it's best to walk up to the top of the hill and see what faces you. Taking a line from one of the chimneys on the house beyond the green can be helpful. The green is well guarded with bunkers left and right. Don't be long. If your ball tips over the back, it could be up against a fence. No disappointment here if you put a par on your card.

Hole 11: (Denhead) 272 yards (par 4):

A risk-and-reward dog-leg. If you can carry the ball about 220 yards, you can go direct for the green but any shot pulled to the left will be out of bounds. Another aggressive line is over the bunker on the corner but you need to carry the ball about 180 yards to finish in prime position in front of the green. Better probably to knock it up the middle and leave a short iron to a long green which slopes steeply from back to front. If the pin's at the front, an accurate tee shot makes this hole a real birdie chance.

Hole 12: (Logie) 416 yards (par 4):

Another dog-leg but a much tougher one. The ideal tee shot is down the centre of the fairway with a draw. But don't hook the ball or you'll be out of bounds -- and any long tee shot down the middle which doesn't draw may end up in the bunker on the right of the fairway. Most players will not be able to see the green for their second shot so walk on and have a look before you take on this difficult shot. To find this green, you have either to carry it all the way to the surface or risk the out of bounds on the left by aiming slightly left and running it in. Be delighted with a par.

Hole 13: (Red Man) 252 yards (par 4):

The first of the "Gully Holes", and it's a cracker. The gaping gap in front of the tee is in fact part of the Highland Fault Line and you need to carry your tee shot 125 yards to the other side -- then walk twice that far on the path under the viaduct to reach the sloping left to right fairway. Three waiting bunkers, and out of bounds left and right, add to the fun of this unique hole. The green, which can be driven if the wind is not against, is bigger than it looks from the fairway and is guarded by bunkers on the left, right and at the back. With a good tee shot, it's a birdie chance but be happy with a par. Ladies, by the way, walk round the Gully to their tee.

Hole 14: (Auld Hoose) 169 yards (par 3):

You've now turned for home with this tricky, downhill, short hole. You won't see the green from the tee so have a look at the flag position first before you leave the 13th green. In theory, the best way to play this hole is to carry the ball all the way to the putting surface though that option may not be on in summer when the greens are hard. In practice, most locals just knock it down the middle short of the green, cross their fingers for a favourable bounce, hope they get the right distance and miss one of the four guarding bunkers. A par shows your luck is in.

Hole 15: (Gully Cup) 161 yards (par 3):

Another classic short hole back across the Gully -- arguably, the course's signature hole. The chimney stack at the side of the tee, by the way, is the remains of the original clubhouse dating back to 1888. That won't concern you -- but what will is the carry to the front of the green on the other side of the Gully. It is only 150 yards but it looks much further -- and indeed is if the wind is from the south. Anything short is gobbled up by the whins or by two deep bunkers. Another bunker lies hidden in the banking on the right of the green with yet another covering the left half of the putting surface. Only a good, accurate tee shot will find this green and again you can be very happy with a par. Ladies walk to their own tee on the green-side of the Gully.

Hole 16: (Rashes) 482 yards (par 5):

Our only par 5 which is played along a straight but right-to-left sloping fairway. With out of bounds all along the right, you will need two good straight shots to leave yourself in easy range of a long green. It is always better to try to fly the ball directly on to the putting surface as anything short tends to kick left down a steep bank beside the green, leaving an awkward up-and-down. Into the wind, par is a good score -- but if the wind is from the north, better players will be disappointed if they don't make a birdie.

Hole 17: (Laird's View) 315 yards (par 4):

A short par 4, again with out of bounds along the right, which wrecks many a good card. The severe right-to-left slope on the fairway means that most drives finish in the left-hand rough below the level of the green and, in fact, it is better to be there than caught up in the rough on the right, above the green. The key is to find the green with your second shot -- and that is not easy. Your ball will be lying above your feet so you may have to adjust your grip and stance. You also must get the distance exactly right to hold the green. Anything short will bounce left leaving a horrible up-and-down from far below the putting surface. Be very happy with a par.

Hole 18: (Home) 211 yards (par 3):

This is the longest short hole on the course and one of the most difficult. It is played across the first fairway to a green guarded by three bunkers. The graveyard on the left, of St Mary's of the Storms Church, has brought an end to many a good round. Anything hooked off the tee can bounce into the graveyard or finish hard up against the wall. Again, club selection varies greatly depending on the wind. The better players will try to land the ball on the green but most players will use the right-to-left slope to run on to the putting surface. If that is how you want to play it, the line is the bunker on the right of green. Nobody will be unhappy with a par.

view pdf version of score card

 

view pdf version of score card