Edzell A Welcome Change of Character
An early start in the Angus foothills before an afternoon at Royal Aberdeen
Edzell was the quiet discovery of the trip: attractive, playable and thoughtfully bunkered, with none of the severity of the championship links that followed. It required an early start and an hour each way, but it fully justified its place in the itinerary.
This was our eighth Scottish golf journey, but our first built around Aberdeen. Four Winged Foot friends flew into Edinburgh, collected a van and travelled north for seven days of golf, using the Sandman Signature in central Aberdeen as a single base. Montrose provided an enjoyable opening stop on the drive north. From Aberdeen we ranged south to Edzell, north to Cruden Bay and Balmedie, and only a short distance to Royal Aberdeen. The golf was deliberately repetitive in the best sense. Cruden Bay and Royal Aberdeen were each played twice, allowing first impressions to mature. Cruden Bay became the most distinctive and hospitable overall day; Royal Aberdeen emerged as the finest pure course and the most complete golf experience. Trump International offered the clearest contrast: the original course was a demanding and memorable finale, while the New Course felt over-designed and considerably less rewarding. What made the week successful was not simply the quality of the courses. The caddies, professional-shop teams, clubhouse staff and the easy warmth of the smaller clubs mattered enormously. The trip confirmed that Aberdeen is not just a staging point for golf. Its granite architecture, working harbour and North Sea character gave the week a sense of place, while meals at the clubs, the New Inn in Ellon and The Silver Darling added a welcome social dimension away from the
Northeast Scotland proved ideal for a golf journey of this kind. The courses are close enough to create a coherent itinerary but different enough to avoid repetition. The landscape moves between Angus farmland, towering dunes, granite city and working harbour; the clubs range from historic and formal to quirky and intimate; and the people consistently made visitors feel welcome.
Summary Trip
Why Edzell belonged in the itinerary
Edzell was the least obvious course on our Aberdeen programme. It lies inland and required a drive of about an hour before an 8.00 am tee time. On a trip built around famous North Sea links, it would have been easy to omit. I am very glad we did not.
The course provided a change of rhythm at exactly the right point. Montrose and Cruden Bay had already established the coastal character of the trip; Royal Aberdeen awaited us that afternoon. Between them, Edzell offered trees, broader views and the foothills of the Angus Glens. It was unmistakably Scottish golf, but in a different register.
A course between heathland and parkland
The Old Course dates from 1895 and was laid out by Bob Simpson, one of the notable Carnoustie golfing family. James Braid advised on amendments thirty-nine years later. The club describes an originally heathland course that acquired a more parkland character through extensive tree planting from the 1960s. That mixed identity is a good description of what we found.
Edzell sits where the fertile landscape of Strathmore begins to meet the Angus foothills. It does not have the exposed drama of the coast, but it possesses its own calm beauty. The setting is peaceful, the holes sit comfortably within it and the course never appears to be straining for effect.
Four seasons before lunch
We began in sunshine. Rain arrived shortly afterwards and stayed long enough to suggest that the waterproofs might define the morning. Then, after roughly five holes, the weather changed again and the rest of the round developed into a gorgeous sunny day. It was a compact demonstration of the Scottish forecast: accurate only until the next cloud passes.
Heavy overnight rain had softened the course and made the greens a little slower than they might otherwise have been. Even so, the surfaces were in excellent condition. The course absorbed the weather well, and the changing light enhanced the views rather than making the round feel compromised.
Generous without being simple
The fairways are generally generous, and that freedom was welcome after the visual uncertainty of Cruden Bay. Edzell is not, however, a course that can be played without thought. The bunkers are intelligently positioned and regularly influence both the preferred line from the tee and the angle of the approach.
That balance was what I enjoyed most. The course allowed us to swing freely, yet it continued to reward position. A drive in the fairway was not always the same as a drive in the correct part of the fairway. The architecture asked sensible questions without trying to punish every imperfect answer.
The eighth, The River, was a particular favourite, as was the 16th, Spion Kop. Both were memorable without being theatrical. They captured Edzell’s broader appeal: attractive holes, clear strategy and enough difficulty to remain interesting, but no sense that the golfer was being oppressed by the design.
Another 81 with shots available
I shot 81, which was pleasing. As at Cruden Bay, however, I came away feeling that the score might reasonably have been six shots better. Edzell offered opportunities, and I did not take all of them. The frustration was real but not lasting, because the round itself had been so enjoyable.
There is a useful distinction between an easy course and an enjoyable course. Edzell was not easy. It simply allowed good play to feel rewarding and ordinary play to remain recoverable. That made it an ideal morning course on a two-round day. We were tested, but we were not exhausted before the more severe assignment to come.
The welcome and the practical case
The professional staff were first class, and the club possessed the same friendly, unpretentious atmosphere that characterised the best stops on this trip. Lunch afterwards was very good and efficiently handled, an important point when another tee time lay an hour away.
The logistics require planning. An 8.00 am start meant an early departure from Aberdeen, and pairing Edzell with Royal Aberdeen produced the longest day of the itinerary. Yet the drive was straightforward, the course was playable at a good pace and lunch fitted comfortably between rounds. For a group willing to begin early, the combination works.
Would I return
Yes. Edzell may not be the course around which I would build an entire northeast Scotland trip, but it is exactly the sort of place that improves one. It offers contrast, history, excellent conditioning and a warm welcome, all without the weight of expectation attached to more celebrated names.
The hour from Aberdeen is not a reason to leave it out; it is simply part of the calculation. For us, Edzell was emphatically worth the journey and remains one of the most pleasant surprises of the week.
Edzell allowed us to play freely while continuing to reward thought and position.
Useful links
• Edzell Golf Club Official club website
• Club History Bob Simpson, James Braid and the two courses
• Our Courses Old Course and West Water overview
• Visitor Rates Visitor and group-booking information
• Tee Booking Online booking access
Series note
This is the third course portrait in the Aberdeen Golf Odyssey series for A Golfer’s Blog. The trip overview carries the wider transport and accommodation detail; this article concentrates on the character of Edzell and its place in a two-round day.