While the spectacular views from the course of the ruins of Slains Castle may have provided the inspiration behind Bram Stoker's Dracula, the experience of playing Cruden Bay, though certainly challenging, is not quite so frightening. Another links course with origins in the 19th century, Cruden Bay was initially laid out by Old Tom Morris and was revised by Tom Simpson in 1899.

Originally owned by the Great North of Scotland Railway Company, the course staged its first professional tournament within a month of opening. Among the many leading players of the time who were vying for the £30 first prize, were Harry Vardon (then Open champion), James Braid and Ben Sayers. And while he event was subsequently won by Vardon, of far greater significance, was the fact that even by that early stage, given the presence of such golfing luminaries, the links of Cruden Bay seemed destined for greatness.

Very much a traditional links, offering an abundance of humps, hollows and greens tucked into unimaginable places, golf at Cruden Bay is full of surprises. Befitting the grand old links course that Cruden Bay is, the layout demands its fair share of blind-shots and while some modernization has occurred over the years, the links stands largely as a reminder of bygone days. And what's more, Cruden Bay is a fine example to modern architects of what a course created primarily by nature should look like.

While each hole is an undeniable gem, the finest sequence of holes is probably between the 4th hole, one of the finest par threes in golf and the par four, 7th hole. And with three blind holes, the closest thing to a dogleg par three that one could imagine (measuring 239 yards), contoured greens and a panoramic backdrop, the back nine at Cruden Bay does not disappoint either. It may not be one of Scotland's better-known courses and to the cost of many who only play the more famous Scottish venues, is often overlooked but in the fullness of time, the fun, quality and spectacular nature of golf here will pervade and Cruden Bay will command the recognition it deserves.