Slaughter of Danes

About 25 miles north of Aberdeen along the North Sea coast is a small village called Cruden Bay where the Cruden Bay Golf Club is found. It derives it’s name from Scots Gaelic, Croch Dain, literally slaughter of Danes (the second hole is called Crochdane). It seems that in 1052 a Danish expeditionary force landed here to meet the army of King Malcolm II but they didn’t fare too well. There is a small burn that flows though the links, for which the 6th hole is named, Bluidy Burn. Supposedly it ran red with the blood of the Danes for several days after the battle. I suffered a similar fate taking a 9 on Bluidy Burn, the 525 yard par five. It was straight into a gale, I swear. Cruden Bay is now a sleepy little bedroom community, or dormitory community in the vernacular of the Scots, as most residents work elsewhere in places such as Aberdeen or Fraiserburgh.


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There is evidence that golf was played on the links as early as the late eighteenth century but the present golf course, laid out in partnership by Old Tom Morris and Archie Simpson, opened in 1899 and has been only modestly altered since. The Great North of Scotland Railway company developed Cruden Bay as a tourist and golf destination and opened the 55 room Cruden Bay Hotel in 1899. Unfortunately the railway line closed in 1932 and the hotel several years later. However, the Cruden Bay Golf Club thrives.





I played there in 2007 on a brilliant, bright, sunny day without a cloud in the sky. The only drawback was a sustained wind that exceeded 30 mph. At times it was hard to stand. The golf was brutally hard, but the companionship and scenery was second-to-none. Two of our group took caddies who were asked if the wind was always so strong. Their answer was predictable. “No sir. Some days it’s much stronger.” There isn’t a tree be found, the hazards are just fescue and rye grasses, sand and gorse. The ground near the clubhouse is irregular and rolling, but nearer the sea the dunes must be close to one hundred feet high. The holes are routed through the valleys but some of the tees are up high on the dunes making for spectacular down hill shots.

One of the more memorable holes is 15, Blin’ Dunt, a 200 yard, downhill, par three with a blind tee shot over a dune. We asked the caddie about club selection and he recommended a 7 iron. Not being Bubba Watson, I asked him to clarify this choice. He stood by his selection and gave me the line. I was astounded to find my ball on the green. It was down hill and down wind, I guess. The three putt was most unfortunate.

The long par four (424 yards) seventeenth hole, Bilin’ Wallie, has a split fairway with a massive sand dune between them. I inquired about the best route and was told to choose one side or the other. I chose left and upon striking the ball the caddie exclaimed “Well played!” as it sailed down the fairway. Unfortunately when the ball struck the mound on the ground it kicked dead right into the long grass that covered the dune. I had no play but to pitch into the fairway.



That’s links golf. Sometimes you get a favorable bounce, sometimes not. Roll with the punches and just have a blast!



-ODL