Murcar Links

What is there not to like about Murcar; a nicely weathered old style links course amidst natural duneland complimented by great practice facilities and the modern comforts of a welcoming clubhouse.

The unadorned first tee in front of a watchful Clubhouse is a straightaway hole with only one niggly bunker that catches more than it ought and a couple of putts to get the feel you are on your way.  (Don’t forget the scrappy recovery from said bunker).

The first four holes zigzag, parallel, gaining ground on the shore and make the most of the hillside slopes.  Greens are found in tight hollows at the base of dunes and there are platform greens above you where the wind rips it one way and the surface takes it another. Three and four are the most dramatic here.

The par three, fifth, is cut into the slope with a greedy but navigable bunker cut out of the putting surface. Holes four and 6 to 9 are all along the seashore. Glorious clear blue skies made the holes friendly but with low scudding clouds and a whisper of freezing rain they will test your resolve. Helicopters come and go from Oil platforms offshore. Like the wind they are a constant.  There is plenty of drama here, not sweeping dog legs but subtle variations to keep the brain ticking over. The so-called “Black dog“ninth may be named after four legged animal or the beast that resides within us after a few tough holes that have drained the opening optimism.

Whilst this is not a regular straight out and back run of holes the 10th takes us up the hill and back inland. The next few holes are more open and on 11 and 13 one is required to hit blind shots over the same hillside. I’m afraid that, particularly on 13, stroke index one, fore knowledge is required as the downhill slopes are unseen and mostly covered in gnarly briar, gorse and course grass. If you are not gun barrel straight hit another as the penalty is a long search or an unfortunately lost ball.

The last third of the course is less dramatic and feels less demanding through your scorecard may not tell the same tale. The 18th is as unobtrusive as the first tee but being very exposed and well pitted with bunkers any relaxation of concentration will bring you up short.

Speaking of which it is not a long course so tee selection should be made in consultation with prevailing windspeeds and note that with raised greens and wind, geographical length is only a minor consideration in short selection.  A good but not ruthless test of golf.