Meldrum House

The Knights Course at Meldrum House is a glorious parkland layout, set amongst the rolling Aberdeenshire woodlands.

It is one of the newer venues on the NCG Top 100s lists, having only opened in 1999. Designed by Graeme Webster, the course pushes back to 7,000 yards from the tips.

It is a course fraught with danger, thanks to water coming into play on ten holes, along with more than 100 bunkers across the property. Play from the right tees, though, and there are scoring opportunities.

Check out our piece on the Meldrum House Resort here.

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The original house on the site dates back to the 13th Century, with changes to the tower house being made in the 17th, 19th and 20th Centuries.

The golf course at Meldrum House is one of the newest additions to the property. It was designed by Graeme Webster, and opened in 1999.

The golf offering at Meldrum House is known as the Knights Course, and it is a testing parkland layout that is set among mature woodlands in Aberdeenshire. As you would expect, there are tree-lined fairways, along with an abundance of bunkers and water hazards, with ten holes featuring some form of water along the way. It reaches 7,000 yards from the back tees, but off the blues, it is a more manageable 6,300 yards.

Water comes into play on the opener, which is one of the shorter par 4s on the property. The 1st is a 350-yard par 4 that moves slightly to the left, with the approach being played over a lake to a green which is also protected by a large bunker on its right side. At just 334 yards from the blues, the 2nd is a good scoring chance, but water comes into play down the right side once more. The 3rd is the first of the par 3s on the Knights Course, and plays at 205 yards (or 240 from the championship black tees). There is no danger short, but there is sand at the back, so if you’re in between clubs, go one less to give yourself the best chance of making par.

You’re into the longest part of the course now, with the 430-yard par 4 4th being followed by the 530-yard par 5 5th. Both work their way around sand and water, with the approach on the former being played over a small hazard. The 5th is reachable in two, but only with a lengthy drive down the middle. Anything flailing right on the approach to the green might find itself going OOB, so be careful! The 6th is the shortest hole on the property at just 155 yards off the blues. A singular pot bunker sits in front of the putting surface, with an abundance of trees in the background.

Water comes back into play across the next four holes. The 7th is the Stroke Index 1 at Meldrum House, playing more than 450 yards and requiring a solid drive if you are going to get home in two on this par 4. There is a wide landing zone on the 7th fairway, before the approach is played over water to an angled green. The tee shot on the dog-leg right 8th is also played over a large water hazard, but if you can find the fairway, then there is a good birdie chance. The front nine ends with another dog-leg, this time to the left. Played over the corner of the 8th fairway before turning left, this long par 4 requires two solid shots. The 10th is a tough par 3. It is 180 yards, with water sitting front right, and a trio of bunkers on the left side of the putting surface.

The 11th is the signature hole on the Knights Course. As a par 5 at 545 yards long, it doesn’t scream that there is anything different about it. However, there are 15 small bunkers in front of the green, supplying an incredible viewpoint from the fairway. 12 is a 90-degree angle dog-leg right, requiring a lengthy drive down the wide part of the fairway. Anything too short, and the view of the green will be blocked out by the trees. The green is large, with five bunkers in your way from the fairway. 13 travels in the opposite direction, moving from right to left. There is a wide fairway on this 390-yard par 4, with the tricks coming at the putting surface. It is a three-tiered green that is long and narrow, akin to that of the 18th green on The Belfry’s Brabazon Course.

The 14th takes you to the eastern boundary of the property, and it is a 400-yard par 4 with a pair of fairway bunkers in play down the right side. Anything long of the green with your approach runs the risk of finding the OOB in the form of the fields next door. 15 is the second par 3 of more than 200 yards in length. Playing slightly downhill, the only danger comes in the form of three small bunkers on the right side. The 16th is the last of the par 5s, and at 520 yards, playing as a dog-leg from left to right, it might well require three good shots. There is a total of 14 bunkers throughout the hole, with most of those in play on your drive and then in the lay-up zone. A small burn runs in front of the green, so approaches with more than a mid-iron might be difficult, hence it being more of a three-shotter than trying to get there with your second.

The 17th is a risk-reward short par 4. Measuring 300 from the back tees, the green is in reach for the longer hitters, but there are five bunkers short, trees right and the water hazard on the 18th around 20 yards behind the green. 18 is a downhill par 3 over water which takes you back to the clubhouse. It is only 173 yards from the blue tees, but with that water in front, along with plenty of bunkers as well, it is a very tough finishing hole at Meldrum House.

Where is Meldrum House located?

Meldrum House sits just outside the town of Oldmeldrum in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Aberdeen, the biggest city in the area, is 20 miles from Meldrum House to the southeast. The venue is also located just outside the Cairngorms National Park. The A96 and the A90, the two major roads in the northeast of the country, are both within a few miles of the venue.

Aberdeen International Airport is the third biggest in Scotland – behind only Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports. It is 15 miles from Meldrum House, while Edinburgh Airport, the busiest in Scotland, sits 140 miles to the south of the venue The nearest train station to Meldrum House is Inverurie, which sits on the line that services Inverness and Aberdeen. The service also stops at Dyce, which is a short journey from Aberdeen International Airport. Inverurie is around six miles from Meldrum.

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

Thanks to its proximity to Aberdeen, there are a number of NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues within close reach of Meldrum House. Newmachar’s Hawkshill Course is the closest, just ten miles down the road. Murcar Links, Royal Aberdeen, Trump International and Cruden Bay – with its Championship Course and St Olaf Course – are all within 25 miles as well.

What golf facilities does Meldrum House offer?

Meldrum House has its own driving range, with sheltered bays all featuring the latest TopTracer technology, while there is also a row of grass tees to allow golfers to practice in the same conditions that they will find out on the golf course. Along with the driving range, the ‘Chippers Alley’ has three USGA-standard greens. This short game area includes a dedicated pitching green which features two practice bunkers, along with a full-size putting green.

What are the green fees at Meldrum House?

The price of a green fee at Meldrum House 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 stay and play offers and current green fees at Meldrum House, visit their website here.

Check out our piece on the Meldrum House Resort here.