Craigewan Links

Peterhead sits at the very tip of Aberdeenshire, the easternmost point of mainland Scotland, where the North Sea announces itself with particular force. It is one of the most exposed stretches of coastline in the country, and a links course here is subject to the full theatre of that geography — wind off the water, salt air, fast-running turf, and skies that can change character inside a single hole.

Craigewan Links belongs to Peterhead Golf Club, one of the older clubs in a region where golf has been played for centuries. Aberdeenshire's links traditions run deep, and while the grand names of Cruden Bay and Royal Aberdeen tend to draw the international visitor, the courses in their shadow often deliver the more honest, unvarnished experience of Scottish seaside golf — the game stripped back to its fundamentals.

At par 70, Craigewan plays shorter than many of its neighbours, but on a true links, length is rarely the story. Wind direction, bounce, and local knowledge matter far more than distance, and courses like this reward the thinking player over the long hitter.