Now, to be honest, we hadn’t heard of Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club until we got an alert on LinkedIn to say that Robbie Stewart, formerly Director of Golf at Cruden Bay and Nairn Dunbar, was moving there. Robbie played with us last year when we wrote an article about playing at Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, near Inverness and in a previous life had been Head Professional at my home club, Largs GC.
We got in touch with Robbie and asked him if he would like us to visit his new club and write about the experience of playing at his new project. No problem he said, who doesn’t like free publicity when embarking on a new role? Newburgh on Ythan Golf Club is situated on the Aberdeenshire coast less than 15 miles from Aberdeen and only a couple of miles from its illustrious neighbour, Trump International, Scotland.
Club History
The Club was established in 1888 and was a 9-hole links course until 1912 when it was extended to 18 holes. Unfortunately, by 1919 the course was back to being a 9-hole layout. It remained that way for the next 75 years until 1994 when adjacent land was purchased from a local farmer. The newer 9 holes, now the opening nine, has a completely different vibe than the original nine. It provides wonderful views of the Ythan Estuary, the Forvie Sand Dunes, Newburgh Beach, and out to the North Sea.
Always a traditional Members Club, Newburgh on Ythan had been struggling to survive in recent years. That all changed in December 2023, when the Club was approached by local businessmen with a proposal to take over the running of the club. After multiple meetings with the membership over the next few months, the members voted to accept the proposals. The Club was no longer owned by its Members and was now a privately owned enterprise. The new owners realised quickly that they needed someone who could operate all aspects of the club and Robbie Stewart was the perfect choice.
Looking to the Future
When we arrived at Newburgh on Ythan, Robbie was there to meet us. He showed us around the clubhouse and explained that he wasn’t able to join us on the course today due to a wrist injury. Over a cup of tea, he explained the course layout and the new ownership model. He talked with great enthusiasm about the project ahead. The clubhouse was in the ideal location at the halfway point but was also on the local walking route to the beach. All were welcome to use the clubhouse bar and restaurant.
The new owners, the OGV Group have great plans for both the clubhouse and the course. The course playability and conditioning have improved dramatically and the feedback from both the membership and visitors has been overwhelmingly positive. Since Robbie’s arrival in April, membership is up by over 100 and visitor revenue has increased substantially with party bookings already being taken for 2025. There is nothing like a new business model to create impetus and excitement and we wish the club every success going forward. They are off to a great start. Now, what about the course?
The “New” Nine
The course has only three sets of tees to play from and measures between 5416 yards to 6423 yards. We chose to play from the back tees which had a slope rating of 127 and a par of 72. As always, choose the tees to suit your game and the tees which allow you to enjoy your game without too much stress. We will highlight our favourite holes to give you a flavour of what it’s like to play here.
Drovers
The 4th hole, Drovers, was a first for us. It is the only hole we have ever played where there are the remains of a stone-built sheep pen in the centre of the fairway. The hole is 354 yards and the three remaining sides of the pen are not really in play off the back tee, not for us anyway. It is more of a hazard off the forward tees. A good drive only leaves a short iron to a green that sits at an angle above you. Avoid the bunkers at all costs.
Gorse Everywhere
Risk and Reward
The 7th is a lovely hole. It’s 382 yards and plays downhill. Gorse bushes surround the approach to the green so only hit your driver if you can hit it straight and long. Otherwise, play short and left of the bunkers and leave yourself a short iron to the green. Disaster awaits left and right so safety first is the way to go.
Your second shot to the 9th
We think that the 9th hole is the best hole on the front nine. It’s a par 5 of 509 yards and the tee shot is downhill. The fairway runs out at around 260 yards off the tee and there are mounds and rough beyond that. The second half of the hole is beautifully framed by the gorse bushes and the large mound on the left. These make the green look like a small target and there is an out-of-bounds fence beyond the putting surface. A chance of a birdie but also trouble everywhere.
The Original Nine
While the front nine is undulating and open, the back nine holes are almost all flat and links style. From the clubhouse, all you can see is yellow gorse bushes with glimpses of fairway winding through it.
Approach to the 11th Hole
The 11th is a strong par 4 at 440 yards. It takes two good shots to reach the small green. The green sits in front of a quite magnificent backdrop of gorse bushes, the Ythan estuary and the Forvie Sand Dunes. We can’t recall any other course with even a similar background, it is stunning and the photo doesn’t do it justice.
The Run In
The Shortest Hole
The 16th is the shortest hole on the course at only 150 yards. The tee sits tight to the Ythan estuary and any tee shot left is in the water. Your tee shot is played over mounds to a partially hidden, small green. You only get to see half the flag so trust the yardage and keep your head down.
The Longest Hole
The closing hole is a par 5 of 548 yards. It follows the contours of the estuary and swings from right to left. For us, it was a three-shot hole. The hole is again framed by the gorse bushes and the hole narrows as it swings left. The green is hidden by the mounding and rough which is around 100 yards short of the green. Play short of it and then play a short iron to the putting surface.
The Clubhouse
The Open Plan Clubhouse
The clubhouse lounge is spacious and comfortable and has fantastic views over the course, the estuary, the dunes and out to the North Sea. The lounge has a completely different vibe and aesthetics from the vast majority of clubhouses we have visited. More of a younger, surfer dude vibe than a stuffy traditional feel. Refreshing and we loved it. For lunch, we had the Jamaican Jerk Chicken wrap, probably a first in any golf club we have visited, and it was delicious.
Thanks again to Robbie Stewart, the director of golf, for hosting us. It was great to catch up and hear his excitement for the future of Newburgh on Ythan Golf Club. With Robbie at the helm, we are positive that it will be full steam ahead and we wish them every success.
In Our Opinion
There are some fantastic holes at Newburgh on Ythan. The first 6 and the 8th holes are very different to the other 11 holes. We have highlighted just some of the holes in this article and we encourage you to pay a visit if you are in the area. The Aberdeenshire coastline has some fantastic golf courses and Newburgh on Ythan is perfectly located between Trump International Aberdeen, a couple of miles to the south and Cruden Bay, 10 miles to the north.
Director of Golf Robbie Stewart will be delighted to see you and if you mention our article, he may just buy you a coffee… We should also mention the hard work and dedication of Course Manager Matthew Smith and his greens team. The course has come on leaps and bounds in the last few months so credit where credit is due. Keep up the great work.
At a Glance
- Situated 15 miles north of Aberdeen
- Close to Trump International Aberdeen and 10 miles from Cruden Bay Golf Club
- Well-stocked pro shop
- Large practice area and putting green
- Course condition was excellent with lovely greens
- Wonderful open-plan clubhouse
- Friendly and welcoming staff
- Go to Newburgh on Ythan Golf Club for more info.
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