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ACL GOLF

All Hail Cruden Bay

And other musings from Scotland.

Michael Williams

Jun 24, 2023

Welcome to a new ACL GOLF newsletter. As I mentioned yesterday, in an effort to consolidate all of my editorial I’ve moved the golf newsletter over here to Substack to be with the rest of my writing. This section will only be golf related though, so don’t worry. If you happen to want to receive all of the ACL newsletters and podcasts you can just adjust your Substack settings. Thanks for coming along and hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do writing it. Now, on to Cruden Bay.

Instant Admiration on Scotland’s North Coast

There’s so much chatter about Scottish golf courses I never really know what to expect. Over time I’ve learned that the thing I value most with golf is the “fun” that’s out there. Sometimes it’s in the people you are with, every so often its in your game and occasionally it’s the place you are playing. The fun I seek is perhaps surprisingly not always at the blue-chip-championship-clubs. I love laid back and quirky golf courses more than anything. Those are the two main ingredients which come together to ideal conditions for me. Turns out Cruden Bay has both in spades. I went there alone on a chilly Tuesday earlier this spring and had one of the most enjoyable days of my life. That’s not hyperbole, this place is awesome. Let me tell you about it.

I didn’t know much about Cruden Bay before this trip to Aberdeen and the highlands. All I knew was that it was an Old Tom Morris design and that it was up north. I didn’t have any expectations going in. I couldn’t recall anyone saying this place is amazing and that I have to play it. I live my life with strict adherence to the idea that low expectations can do a lot for you — because everything in life is relative. What I’m saying is: good is relative to your other experiences. When you don’t expect much it’s easier to be pleasantly surprised.

My visit to Cruden Bay wasn’t thought out months in advance, it was almost a happy accident. My friend David Coggins invited me stay in an extra room at the house they rented for a fishing trip. The timing worked out and I was looking at 5 days in the north of Scotland without a plan.

The beauty of going to Scotland off-peak (which I have already covered here) is that the planning becomes much more relaxed. I wasn't stressing about getting tee times or making it all work — most places had ample availability and I didn't encounter a crowd anywhere. The only thing that posed a logistical challenge was an amateur tournament going on at Royal Aberdeen and Cruden Bay that week. Some days were blocked with that event so I had to choose between the two clubs. The way the schedule worked out I ended up at Cruden Bay on the first day of my trip. Not wanting to stress with a connection at Heathrow I actually shipping my golf clubs there. I timed that shipment so they arrived right before I left the U.S., so if I had to audible with a customs delay I could check a back-up set. Luckily, they arrived in perfect order and Cruden Bay was happy to receive them.

With a plan coming together and golf clubs en route, I shifted gears to start obsessively checking the weather. Hopefully it wasn't going to be too cold but I needed to prepare for any eventuality so I packed rainwear I did make sure to include gloves for rain and cold. (A strategic packing list is below.) I was also looking at recent geo-tagged photos on Instagram to see what people were posting to get a sense inclement weather. I was packed and ready but it didn't really matter what the weather was going to be like, I was going either way.

Getting up early the first morning wasn't easy but I managed to get make myself some tea and head eastward from the fishing house in Huntly. Google Maps had me navigating little farm roads and other questionable routes to the coast which was unsettling. At one point the road was covered in snow which made the already treacherous driving situation even more questionable. The snow concerned me that I might drive over to Cruden Bay only to be blocked by the cold. My clubs were there, so either way I was making the hour drive over to play or collect the bag. I wasn't stressing about it — I was happy to be on a solo adventure in one of my favorite places.

That morning I was one of the first people at Cruden Bay. It was chilly, but thankfully not excessively windy. My clubs had arrived without a hitch and I quickly learned that the course was open for play. I went to the locker room to strategize just what to wear and got my bag in order. I rented an electric push cart, hit some balls and was on my way as a single at 8:41am. There was practically no one on the golf course so there was no pressure to rush through the round. I was taking pictures and stopping to admire the layout and the views.

The topography of Cruden Bay is dramatic and the way the golf course fits into the land is incredible. In his new book Golf Architecture for Normal People, Geoff Shackelford talks about one of the signs of good architecture is being able to remember every hole on a course. I've never played a course that was easier to remember —every shot, green, tee box and routing— than Cruden Bay. I don't know if I was just happy to be back in Scotland playing golf with absolutely no pressure, but it was awesome. Thinking back after playing 5 courses that week I realize now that it was indeed Cruden Bay which made me happy.

The course has a lot to offer. The routing meanders you through two distinct sections of the property which roughly divides the first and second nines. When you climb the hill to the 9th tee you are greeted with one of the most stunning views in golf as you look back over the front from high above. It’s as perfect a bird’s eye view as you could ever hope to find. (The first photo above is that view.)

The gorse was wonderfully in full bloom and it provides a natural barrier between many of the different holes. The third is a 274 yard par 4 which is perplexing at first encounter and then utterly pleasing once it reveals itself. It’s worth a story on it’s own — thankfully a excellent one already exists. Each hole at Cruden Bay is unique in its own way. Throughout the walk, the terrain continued to flash-out these perfect grassy vignettes filled with strategy and other little discoveries. These flourishes peaked for me at 14 with it’s sunken bathtub green. I stopped there to look at my surroundings and appreciate my ball sitting pin high after a hitting it blind. A minor miracle on a day of days.

#14 green. The definition of fun golf for me.

After golf I was a bit cold and hungry so I went upstairs to the dining room to have lunch. I noticed the curry on the menu and it was the perfect thing for that moment. As I made my way home to Huntly I knew just this was going to be one of the great days that I will always remember.

Cruden Bay has everything I could ever want in a golf experience. Historic design. Beautiful land with stunning views. A quirky layout. Friendly staff. No pretense. No fuss. Just pure golf. I hope to make it back soon, but if I don’t it probably doesn’t matter. I have the whole place —every green, every shot— in my head for whenever I need it.