Banchory GC

The A93 Braemer road is the route to take for Banchory, a beautiful parkland course where 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie began his career manning the shop as an assistant pro.

There?s even a hole named after Lawrie, who hails from and still lives in Aberdeen. The 14th hole at 302 yards, was re-built on the site of the old practice ground where Lawrie spent hours honing his swing.

At under 6,000 yards, Banchory definitely feels short as it?s fit snugly into a mere 97 acres. The fun comes with the six par-threes, including the 125-yard downhill third which sits in the shadow of ?Scolty?, a huge monument on top of a surrounding hill, built in memory of the local Laird in the 1900?s.

The club?s real signature hole comes later at Doo?cot, the 88-yard 16th, where a wedge needs to be carefully flicked over a near vertical grassbank to a tiny green. Plenty of pigeons nest in the Doo?cot, , which is almost as unusual as the hexagonal clubhouse that looms over the first tee and 18th green away to its right.

Thinking about a trip to Aberdeenshire? Click here for the Total Golf guide to the area