Buckpool

Buckpool Golf Club is one of several courses in the northeastern corner of Scotland that overlooks the Moray Firth.

It is also one of the youngest, despite dating back to the 1930s. The great JH Taylor – a winner of five Open Championships – designed the layout.

With the sea breeze affecting every shot, gorse lining the fairways, and plenty of bunkers around, Buckpool is a good test of your game.

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1933 saw the founding of Buckpool Golf Club, which makes it relatively young compared to most Scottish golfing venues.

The course was designed by the great JH Taylor, a five-time winner of the Open Championship – and the designer of several stunning courses around the United Kingdom.

Over the years, the course has been altered slightly here and there, but it remains Taylor’s design through and through.

Located on the Moray Coast, you are offered stunning views throughout a round at Buckpool. It is a cracking 18-holer by the sea, one that reaches just past 6,200 yards from the White tees – the tips. It is a course that has plenty of links characteristics, but you will also feel like you’re playing parkland at times when you are further inland. No matter which type of golf it is, it will provide a test for you throughout a round.

A pair of par 4s get you on your way at Buckpool, the first being 365 yards. Bunkers sit on either side of the fairway, with two more guarding the putting surface. The 2nd is slightly longer at 390 yards from the tips. Once again, avoiding sand on both your tee shot and approach is key to making at least par here. The first of two par 5s on the property comes at the 3rd. At just 480 yards, this is reachable in two for the longer hitters, especially if the wind off the sea is in the right direction. There is a bunker around 60 yards short which you need to be wary of if you choose to lay up, while the green has pot bunkers on both sides.

After that, you’re into a very tough stretch of holes. The 4th is a 445-yard par 4 where accuracy is crucial off the tee. It is one of the narrower holes on the course thanks to mounds on the left, but the green is bowl-shaped and slightly sunken, so it does take approach shots from different angles. The 5th is the Stroke Index 1 at Buckpool. It is a dog-leg right par 4, one of more than 430 yards. Bunkers sit short of the green, and on both sides, while there is gorse behind the putting surface for any over-hit approaches. The first short hole on the course comes at 6, and at 192 yards, it isn’t exactly short. However, it is played from an elevated tee box to make it feel slightly shorter than it is. Your tee shot needs to carry all the way to the green to avoid a big kick to the right thanks to the camber of the fairway in front of the putting surface.

The 7th is the Stroke Index 3, with an uphill tee shot lying in wait. OOB is down the right side with gorse on the left, making it imperative that if you only hit one straight drive all day, it comes at the 7th tee. As you’ve come to expect, the green is also protected by bunkers. There is some respite as you come to the turn. The 8th is a par 3 of less than 170 yards, but it does have a narrow green. The 9th is only 310 yards, and as long as you can avoid the OOB ditch that runs down the right side of this hole, then you’re in with a shout of making birdie.

The back nine begins with the tough 10th, a 440-yard par 4 that once again features OOB down its right side. You want to hit your tee shot down the right to give yourself the best angle to the green, though, which makes it a tough driving hole. 11 and 12 are both short par 4s to give you some birdie chances early on in the back nine. The former is 308 yards from the tips, and although the longer hitters might fancy their chances, there is a generous fairway for those that know they can’t reach. The 12th is less than 280 yards, but the green is sat atop a plateau, so laying up is the safer play. It is also a two-tier green, so hit your tee shot to a good distance, and then trust your wedge game.

13 is the shortest hole on the course at 150 yards, but the green is protected by plenty of sand traps. The 14th is another long par 4, one with plenty of gorse on the side of the fairway. The green slopes from back to front, and once again, there are bunkers awaiting anything mishit. 15 is the longest of the par 3s, coming in at 220 yards from the tips. The tee box does offer an incredible view of the Moray Firth, but from there, it’s game face on and trying to work out which club to hit from this elevated tee box. 16 is then the longest hole on the course. This par 5 is 530 yards long, with gorse on either side and a fairway bunker on the left halfway down. Avoid that, and you’re in with a shot as the hole gets wider further down.

Arguably, the 17th is your final birdie chance. It is a 290-yard par 4, but the two deep bunkers in the middle of the fairway must be avoided. Do so, and you’ll leave yourself a short iron or wedge into the heart of this green. The closing hole at Buckpool is one that tips out at 400 yards. Again, avoiding the two fairway bunkers, one on either side, is the key. From there, you have to hit your approach to a two-tiered green, so make sure you work out where the flag is located before selecting your club. A tough finish, and a par is a good score down the last.

Where is Buckpool Golf Club located?

Buckpool Golf Club is situated on the northeastern coastline of Scotland, at the top of the county of Moray. It is in the town of Buckie, and overlooks the North Sea. The A990, which winds its way around the coast from Broadley to Buckie, runs close by the entrance to the golf club. The city of Inverness is 50 miles west, while Aberdeen is 60 miles to the southeast.

Inverness and Aberdeen are home to the two nearest international airports to Buckpool Golf Club, with the latter being the busier of the two. Edinburgh Airport – the country’s largest airport – is 180 miles to the south. For those visiting by rail, Keith is home to the nearest train station, with services running through Keith to Inverness and Aberdeen.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?

Buckpool is one of several venues on the northeastern coastline of Scotland. The likes of Elgin, Duff House Royal and Moray, with its Old and New Courses, are all within a 20-mile drive from the club.

What golf facilities does Buckpool Golf Club offer?

Due to the land constraints, the club does not have its own driving range, but they do have an indoor simulator which can be booked out by members and guests alike. There is also a short game area, including a putting green, for those final touches to your warm-up.

What are the green fees at Buckpool Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Buckpool Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Buckpool, visit their website here.