Aberdeenshire golf guide
The best four-day Aberdeenshire golf itinerary
Aberdeenshire is not the easiest region to sell in one sentence, which is probably why it is still underrated. It has old club links, wild dune golf, a proper city base, and now Trump International has two courses at Menie. Keep the trip tight and it becomes one of the most interesting golf routes in Scotland.
Day 1
Royal Aberdeen and Murcar
Start just north of the city with two neighbours that show the traditional side of Aberdeenshire links golf.Day 2
Trump International Old and New
Make Menie the 36-hole resort day. It is expensive, but the Old and New together now give Aberdeenshire a modern destination course pairing.Day 3
Cruden Bay
Do not rush Cruden Bay. Give it its own day, take the strange holes as they come, and let the place get under your skin.Day 4
Fraserburgh or Peterhead
If you have a fourth day, go north for older, quieter links golf. This is the day that makes the trip feel less obvious and more Scottish.Best bases
Aberdeen for logistics, Cruden Bay for character
Aberdeen is the practical base: airport, hotels, restaurants, Royal Aberdeen, Murcar and Trump all within sensible reach. Cruden Bay is the romantic option if that course is the one you are most excited about. If Trump is the centrepiece, MacLeod House makes the 36-hole Menie day very easy.
Courses to plan around
Six Aberdeenshire courses that define the trip
The best Aberdeenshire itinerary is not just a greatest-hits list. You want the old links seriousness of Royal Aberdeen, the madness and charm of Cruden Bay, the modern scale of Trump, and at least one quieter north-east club to give the trip some soul.
Royal Aberdeen
Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie)
A serious old links with one of the best outward nines in Scotland and a proper championship feel beside the North Sea.Explore the course →Cruden Bay
Cruden Bay (Championship)
Wild, quirky and unforgettable: dramatic dunes, blind shots, big views and golf that feels nothing like a manufactured resort.Explore the course →Trump Old
Trump International (Old)
Huge modern dune golf north of Aberdeen, expensive but spectacular, with scale and conditioning that make it a true trip anchor.Explore the course →Trump New
Trump International (New)
The new MacLeod course makes Menie a 36-hole destination, with big dunes, North Sea views and a lot of early noise.Explore the course →Murcar Links
Murcar Links
The underrated neighbour to Royal Aberdeen: proper links turf, dunes, burns and a much more traditional club feel.Explore the course →Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh Golf Club (Corbiehill)
Old, honest, wind-blown north-east links golf. Not glossy, not famous enough, and all the better for it.Explore the course →Course-by-course notes
How each Aberdeenshire course fits into the route
This is a region where the supporting courses matter. Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay and Trump are the obvious anchors, but Murcar, Fraserburgh and Peterhead are what stop the trip feeling too polished.
Royal Aberdeen and Murcar
Royal Aberdeen is the serious one: old, proud and strongest when it runs out through the dunes beside the North Sea. The outward nine has the reputation for a reason. Murcar sits next door and should not be treated as filler. It is more understated, more accessible, and exactly the sort of course that makes a north-east trip feel like proper links golf rather than a box-ticking exercise.
Trump International Old and New
Trump International is the modern, big-scale contrast. The Old Course has the established reputation: towering dunes, immaculate presentation and very dramatic golf. The New Course, also known as the MacLeod course, opened in 2025 and now turns Menie into a genuine 36-hole day. It is premium priced, but if you are going to do it, do both and make the day feel complete.
Cruden Bay
Cruden Bay is the course I would build the trip around if you want character rather than polish. It is dramatic, strange, romantic and occasionally ridiculous in the best possible way. You do not go there for neat, modern championship golf. You go because the routing, views, blind shots and dune land give you something you will still be talking about days later.
Fraserburgh and Peterhead
Fraserburgh and Peterhead are for the golfer who enjoys older, less packaged links golf. They are not the obvious names on a first Scotland trip, but they make a lot of sense once you have already played the big three. This is where Aberdeenshire starts to feel properly local.
Duff House Royal and Newmachar
Not every Aberdeenshire day has to be links golf. Duff House Royal gives you Alister MacKenzie-influenced parkland value up in Banff, while Newmachar is a useful inland option close to Aberdeen airport. They are not the first courses I would plan around, but they help if weather, flight times or group taste push you away from the coast.
Places to stay
Where to stay for an Aberdeenshire golf trip
Pick the base around the course you care about most. Aberdeen is easiest for the wider route, MacLeod House is the resort choice for Trump, and Cruden Bay is the more atmospheric stay if you want that course to linger.
Luxury stay at Trump International
MacLeod House & Lodge
The obvious splurge if the Trump Old and New courses are the centrepiece. It keeps the 36-hole Menie day simple and gives the trip a full resort feel.City-centre Aberdeen base
Sandman Signature Aberdeen
A practical city base if you want restaurants, bars and easier logistics for Royal Aberdeen, Murcar and Trump without staying out at one course.Cruden Bay village base
Kilmarnock Arms Hotel
A good call if Cruden Bay is the emotional centre of the trip. Staying in the village lets you give the course and the coastline proper time.Food and drink
Where to eat and drink around the route
Keep the food planning practical. Eat on site for the Trump 36-hole day, use Aberdeen when you are city-based, and stay local in Cruden Bay rather than adding more driving after golf.
Trump International clubhouse dining
The Dunes Restaurant & Bar
The easy choice on the Trump day. If you are playing both courses at Menie, keep lunch and post-round drinks on site.Pub food near Balmedie
The Cock and Bull
A useful north-of-Aberdeen food stop for the Royal Aberdeen, Murcar and Trump side of the trip, without heading back into the city.Cruden Bay food and drinks
Kilmarnock Arms Hotel
A straightforward Cruden Bay option if you are staying in the village or want to finish the day near the course rather than driving straight away.Practical planning notes
Small details that make Aberdeenshire work
- Do not spread the trip too thin. Aberdeen to Cruden Bay is simple enough, but adding too many far-north extras can make the region feel more tiring than it should.
- Make Trump a full day if you are doing it. With the New Course now open, Menie works best as a proper 36-hole resort day rather than a quick single round.
- Give Cruden Bay time. It is quirky, dramatic and not always immediately obvious. Rushing off straight after the round misses half the point.
- Add one quieter old club. Fraserburgh or Peterhead gives the itinerary more texture and keeps it from becoming only expensive headline golf.