Hazlehead (Championship)

The Championship Course, or ‘MacKenzie Championship’ Course as it is also known, is Hazlehead Golf Club’s finest offering.

It is one of three layouts at the Aberdeenshire venue, and was designed by the great Dr Alister MacKenzie – of Augusta National fame – himself.

It is the only public championship course in the northeast of Scotland, and the 6,200-yard layout provides a solid test of golf, with a great mixture of holes.

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Hazlehead’s Championship Course dates back to the 1920s, when Dr Alister MacKenzie – who had designed the likes of Alwoodley and Moortown in his native Yorkshire – laid down the course. 

Even 100 years on, the course remains almost exactly the same as it did when MacKenzie first designed it. 

The Pines Course at Hazlehead came about in the 1970s, with the trio of Brian Huggett, Neil Coles and Roger Dyer behind the revamp of the design.

The Championship Course has been described as an “unforgiving test that rewards the brave”. It is a tree-lined, parkland layout that has some of the typical MacKenzie touches that you would expect to see. From the tips, the Championship Course at Hazlehead runs out to 6,200 yards, and that yardage comes thanks to its back nine. The closing half of the course is 500 yards longer than the front nine, with the two par 5s on the layout a part of the closing stretch. 

The course begins with a quartet of par 4s, all of which are under 400 yards. The opening hole is only 315 yards and offers up a birdie chance to start. The drive needs to be down the right side, as the hole moves round to the left. A pair of bunkers guard the right side of the green, while a ditch runs down the left side – so accuracy with the approach is key. The 2nd is the Stroke Index 1 on the Championship Course at Hazlehead. It moves slightly round to the right, with tall trees lining both sides to make it a narrow landing zone. A bunker left and thick rough right, accuracy is vital once again on the approach into the 2nd green. 

At 370 yards, the 3rd gives another birdie opportunity with a good drive. There is a bunker on the right side of the fairway, one of the widest on the course. Two more bunkers guard the putting surface. The 4th is only 327 yards, and again, there is a wide landing zone for the tee shot, which does not have to travel that far. A long bunker protects the right side of the green. The 5th is the first of the par 3s on the Championship Course, and at 174 yards, it requires a solid shot. It is played from a slightly elevated tee, so take that into account. The bunker sitting front right of the green will be in the eyeline, so play for the middle of the green. 

The 6th is the first of just two par 4s that push past the 400-yard mark, and it is a hole that only narrowly surpasses that mark. Stretching to 401 yards off the tips, it starts with a blind tee shot over the hill to the fairway. Favouring the left centre is the ideal line, as there is more space on the left than you will first think. A wide green is guarded by bunkers on either side. 7 has one of the more open tee shots on the course, but anything right off the tee will be in trouble in the trees. The hole moves slightly round to the left, and there is a bunker on the left side of the green. At just 308 yards, the 8th is drivable for some. There is a marker post behind the green for that exact reason... However, four greenside bunkers might put you off from going for it. The front nine finishes with a par 3 of 185 yards from the tips. It plays over a ditch that should not be in play. The three bunkers in front, and the road close behind, all come into play though! 

The back nine starts with an uphill par 4. There is plenty of space out to the right, as the 11th comes in the opposite direction. The green is guarded by two bunkers, and there is a steep drop off for any approach that goes long and right of the green. 11 is just seven yards longer than 10, and again, there is plenty of space right thanks to its predecessor. A copse of large trees just short left of the green might be in the way if your tee shot is down the left side of the fairway. The 12th is the longest of the par 3s on Hazlehead’s Championship layout, but does play slightly downhill. It is 195 yards, and plays to a green that is guarded by two large bunkers. Anything long and left of the green with be OOB, so be careful here... 

13 is another hole where there is space off the tee, but the fairway does get narrower the further down you hit your first shot. Bunkers on either side of the green add to the difficulty of the approach. The 14th is the longest of the par 4s at 430 yards, and it kicks off a great closing stretch of holes. Like 10/11, there is plenty of space out right so feel free to attack with driver. Three bunkers guard the green, along with a ditch that runs around the back left of the surface. After the longest par 4 comes the longest hole on the course. The 15th is the first of the two par 5s, and measure almost 550 yards. It is arrow-straight and again, you can flail your drive out to the right thanks to the 14th fairway. If you do, then get yourself back onto 15 before hitting your third to a generous green. 

16 is the last of the par 3s on the Championship Course, and a large fir tree blocks the left side of the green for those who can’t hit a draw on command. Two bunkers front right add to the danger. At just 475 yards, the par 5 17th is a great scoring chance on the way home. It is a dog-leg left, but there is a wide landing zone for the tee shot. The green is surrounded by tall fir trees, along with two bunkers, so if you’re going for it with your second shot, be committed! The closing hole is a great par 4, with the clubhouse in the distance. Teeing off from among the trees, there is another wide landing zone awaiting. However, a ditch does run down the right side of the hole, so anything running away to the right might be in danger. The green is protected by two bunkers, one on either side, but this presents one final chance to put some red on the card.

Where is Hazlehead Golf Club located?  

Hazlehead Golf Club is located just to the west of Aberdeen, in the northeastern corner of Scotland. The venue sits next to Hazlehead Park, and it is just four miles from the centre of the city. It is comfortably inside the boundaries of the A90 and A956, the former running south the Perth where it becomes the M90.  

For international visitors to the region, Aberdeen Dyce Airport is only seven miles from the venue by road – with the airport being the fourth busiest in the country behind Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. The city centre is home to the nearest major train station, with services running north to Inverness and south to Edinburgh, Glasgow and beyond on a regular basis.

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

There are plenty of venues on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list that are close to Hazlehead, thanks to its location near Aberdeen. Murcar Links, Royal Aberdeen, Trump International and Newmachar’s Hawkshill Course are all within 15 miles of the venue. 

What golf facilities does Hazlehead Golf Club offer?  

The Championship Course is just one of three layouts that Hazlehead Golf Club has to offer. The venue is also home to a second 18-hole course – the Pines. There is then a 9-holer as well, giving Hazlehead 45 holes of golf to choose from. 

What are the green fees at Hazlehead Golf Club?  

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