Designed by Old Tom Morris, the course opened in 1899, and is now recognised as one of Scotland's premier links courses. The course very much reflects the character of the land that it graces, and was last year ranked as the 52nd best course in the world by Golf Magazine.

By modern standards Cruden Bay is not long, but the rugged landscape, combined with the prevailing wind, which tends to howl across the links, make it a genuine test for even the best golfer. This real attraction of Cruden Bay is its character; there are few golf courses that compare.

Unlike many of Scotland's links that follow the classic loop of nine holes out, and nine back home, Cruden Bay carves its way through great undulations and towering dunes. With many blind shots and quirky angles, being creative here is of the utmost importance.

The designer thought that the Old Course, St. Andrews was the pinnacle of golf design. As such, he concentrated on making the golf course a stern test that penalised inaccurate shots, whilst remaining fair, a must play course on a tour of Aberdeenshire.