Deeside (Haughton)

Deeside Golf Club is one of many Scottish venues to be blessed with two layouts, and the Haughton Course is the 18-hole challenge at the club.

The Haughton sits on the banks of the River Dee, with the water coming into play on a number of holes around the middle of the course.

At 6,400 yards, it isn’t the longest course, but there are some brutish par 4s, along with a glorious quintet of short holes to enjoy and conquer.

Visit Deeside’s website here. 

Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.

Deeside Golf Club dates to the early part of the 20th Century. The club was founded in 1902, with the first 9-hole course opening just a few months later. By the end of 1903, it had been extended into an 18-hole layout.

Over its 120-year history, the golf club has been improved time and time again, with a new clubhouse and new practice facilities both being constructed since the turn of the millennium.

Prior to that, a new 9-hole course was also designed and built, opening in the 1980s. The Blairs Course is the perfect complement to the Haughton Course.

The Haughton Course is the 18-hole layout at Deeside Golf Club, and its tree-lined fairways make the course a tough test. The River Dee comes into play on a number of holes, with water being a factor throughout the middle of your round. From the tips, the Haughton plays at more than 6,400 yards, and unlike most courses, it begins with a tricky par 3. Get through that, and then enjoy the scenery of the region as you move through the course.

It is a tough start on the Haughton Course, with a long par 3 getting you on your way. It is played from an elevated tee box, which makes it feel slightly shorter, but a solid long iron off the first tee is no mean feat. The second is one of three par 4s on the front side that cross the 400-yard mark. The 2nd is 410 from the tips, and plays as a dog-leg left around the trees. Two large bunkers on the right side of the fairway signify the end of the run-out down that side, so avoiding them is the key. The green is long, so work out where the flag is before hitting your approach. 3 is the longest hole on the course – a 557-yard par 5 which also moves slightly to the left. Longer hitters will carry the fairway bunker on the left, with the shorter hitters needing to play to the side of it. From there, the second fairway bunker, this time on the right, provides a good distance marker for your lay up. A wedge on can then give you a chance at birdie.

The tough holes continue with the 4th – the Stroke Index 1 on the Haughton Course. A ditch, running diagonally from short left to long right, is the danger off the tee on 4. Avoid that, and you can make the green in two. Find it, and you’re looking at double or worse. At 180 yards, the par 3 5th is difficult due to how shallow the green is. There is plenty of space in front for those that want to run the ball up on to the surface. The 6th is another par 5, this time at just shy of the 500-yard mark. Bunkers lurk on both sides, along with the ditch that runs across the 10th hole – though that will only be found by those flaring a drive to the left. Four more traps lie in wait as you get closer to the green, with avoiding those with your lay up being key to making birdie or par.

The 7th is a monster – a 490-yard par 4 from the tips. It plays as a dog-leg right, with three bunkers on the inside corner, so you have to play your tee shot out to the left. There are three more bunkers to the right of the green – find one of those and it is a tricky up-and-down for par. 8 and 9 bring the front side of the Haughton to a close with a pair of 350-yard par 4s. Both move to the right, with the former having a narrow fairway thanks to the trees lining both sides. The tee shot on 9 must stay to the left, as there is a water hazard on the right of the fairway. Your approach is then played across the water to a green guarded by six bunkers, five of which sit behind the green.

Water also comes into play on 10, in the form of a ditch running across the hole. However, it is only 140 yards from the tee, so it should not be in play. The bunkers down the left are, though, so avoid those! Another ditch runs across in front of the green, so the approach has to fly all the way. 11 runs along the banks of the River Dee to start with, the water on its left. The hole then turns inland towards the green, which has a pair of bunkers guarding it – one on either side.

12 is the first of three short holes in the next five. It is 175 yards, and plays with the water hugging its left side. Five bunkers are in play, so carry those to make it to the green. 14 and 16 are the other par 3s on the back side of the Haughton, with the 14th being played over a ditch to a small target, one that is protected by three traps. The 16th has the River Dee as its backdrop, with the beach lying in wait for anything that runs long of this green. Short and right is the miss on the last of the par 3s.

13 is the last par 5, coming in at 550 yards from the tips. It is the hardest hole on the back nine, and plays as a strong dog-leg right. The tee shot must reach the corner, otherwise it becomes a tough three-shotter. With five bunkers in play by the green, you want to be hitting your approach from the shortest distance possible. 15 is one of the narrowest holes on the course, thanks to the trees lining both sides, while the approach is played over a ditch. The penultimate hole provides a great risk-reward option. At just 280 yards, it is reachable for some, but as a par 4, do you lay up and try and make birdie that way? The closing hole provides one final test. 455 yards from the back tees, it is a cracking par 4 to finish the Haughton Course. It is a dog-leg left, and the tee shot has to find the fairway to give you any chance of making the green. The approach is played over a water hazard, to a narrow putting surface – one that is surrounded by four bunkers.

Where is Deeside Golf Club located?

Deeside Golf Club is situated on the banks of the River Dee, in the Scottish region of Aberdeenshire. The city of Aberdeen is only seven miles from the golf club, with the eastern coastline of the country the same distance away. The club sits off the A93, with the A90 – which runs from Edinburgh to Fraserburgh – also close by.

Aberdeen is the home to both the nearest train station and airport. For rail users, Aberdeen is a major station on the east coast line of Scotland, and it is seven miles from the club, located in the heart of the city. Services run to Inverness, Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh, as well as down to London Kings Cross and Penzance in the south. International visitors are best flying into Aberdeen International Airport, which is only ten miles to the north of Deeside. Edinburgh Airport – the busiest in the country – is 120 miles to the south.

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

The Haughton Course at Deeside Golf Club is one of several incredible venues in and around the city of Aberdeen. The likes of Murcar Links, Royal Aberdeen, Newmachar (Hawkshill) and Trump International are all within a 20-mile drive from Deeside.

What golf facilities does Deeside Golf Club offer?

As well as the 18-hole Haughton Course, Deeside is also home to the 9-hole Blair Course as well. Along with the 27 holes of golf, there is a full-length driving range with Trackman technology, along with a great short game area and a putting green for those finishing touches.

What are the green fees at Deeside Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Deeside 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 Deeside, visit their website here.