Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
Ballater Golf Club is an 18-hole course measuring 6,059 yards and playing to a par of 70, situated on the southern edge of the village of Ballater in the heart of Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire. The club was founded in 1892, initially as a nine-hole course on land owned by the Laird of Invercauld, before expanding to 18 holes in 1905 when additional farmland became available. To mark the extension of the course and the opening of a new pavilion, an exhibition match was played in August 1906 between James Braid and Harry Vardon.
The course is best described as heathland in character, though holes further from the river take on more distinct parkland qualities, with undulations formed by river terraces along the ancient flood plain adding variety and interest throughout the round. The River Dee runs alongside several holes, bringing it into play as both a visual feature and a genuine hazard. The layout sits within a natural amphitheatre of heather-clad hills, with Lochnagar dominating the skyline to the southwest. The opening six holes represent the sternest test of the round, containing two demanding par 3s. The par 3s throughout are named holes of note, ranging from "The Dooker" at the 3rd, a 223-yard test over waste ground to a well-protected green, to "The Dee" at the 13th, where the river and out of bounds run the length of the left side.
The course is located close to Balmoral Castle and sits within easy reach of the Cairngorms National Park, placing it in one of the most scenically distinguished settings of any inland course in Scotland.
