A post on the CB/Aberdeen thread got me thinking about the 9's at Cruden Bay. Is there more love here for the inward nine than the outward? If so, I'll offer a contrary opinion and some brief, top of my head thoughts on holes 1-18. This is based on 2 plays five years ao.
#1 Some say Charlie Watts is an average drummer. But he's the drummer for the Rolling Stones, which is how I feel about this hole.
#2 The green site is ghastly, something like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Beautiful in its utter baseness. Putts to the front and front right pin can be scarrrrrrry.
#3 For such a dinky little approach, so many possibilities, so many pros and cons. I stood there and wanted to try them all.
#4 We've all seen the picture. Nuff said.
#5 View from the tee is one of the most inspiring I've encountered on a golf course. An invitation to swing from the shoes.
#6 How many ways to play this one? The green is like a whale arching out of the ocean on top of a big wave.
#7 I have a little trouble with this one. I want to say cut out some of the gunch and make it easier to cut the corner. (Could never figure out if my ball was in gunch short or gunch long). But maybe that's what gives the hole its character.
#8 Was someone speaking of "balance" on the Old Mac thread? Beautiful natural balance on this hole.
#9 Under-rated in my opinion. The rise combined with fairway width offer mystery off the tee; gently downward approach is vague and in a good way.
#10 Jaw dropping view, although I found myself admiring not the golf course so much as the ocean and the rocks (scauers?)
#11 This I remember as a solid par 3, much influenced by wind.
#12 Alluring in its modesty. Sort of screams Old Tom Morris. Or Miles Davis.
#13 First two shots, as I recall, are played over some pedestrian terrain: approach to elevated green is really cool.
#14 How do I say this? Not a fan. (In-coming!!!!) Neat relic, though, and it certainly photographs well.
#15 Unique isn't always good. (If you hear someone say their tastes are "eclectic," it might mean they have no clue). (duck and cover)
#16 My favorite of the 14, 15, 16 stretch, but at this point I'm beginning to look for something a little more straight forward.
#17 Where else on a golf course does one encounter a burial ground of Danish invaders?
#18 I believe Simpson called this his favorite on the golf course. My memory is of making birdie on my last hole in Scotland.
