Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Insch Golf Club is an 18-hole parkland course situated in the village of Insch in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately 40 miles northwest of Aberdeen. Golf in Insch was first recorded before the First World War, with a nine-hole course laid around Dunnydeer Hill. The course moved to its present location around 1923 but was requisitioned by the War Department in 1940 for use as a grenade range, bringing golf in the village to a halt for several decades. A committee was formed in 1977 to revive the game locally, and a new nine-hole course was constructed by voluntary labour alongside the Valentine Burn, reopening for play in 1982. The layout was extended to 18 holes with 12 new holes added on the slopes of Dunnydeer, a process completed and officially opened in June 1997.
The course plays to a par of 69 over 5,371 yards and occupies undulating terrain set between the distinctive hills of Bennachie and Dunnydeer. Water features prominently throughout the layout, with the Valentine Burn and other hazards coming into play on multiple holes. The fairways are tree-lined in places and the greens are noted for their pace and subtle undulation, placing a premium on accuracy and course management rather than length. The course divides into two distinct sections separated by a road crossing, with holes 3 to 14 occupying the more wooded and elevated ground on the slopes of Dunnydeer, offering the most scenic and challenging golf on the course, while the opening two and closing four holes occupy flatter ground. The final two holes are a notable quirk, both being short par 3s played from the same tee box in opposite directions.
A modern clubhouse opened in April 2004, officially launched by Open Champion Paul Lawrie, and features floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views across the old course and up to Dunnydeer. The club has no recorded designer on its modern incarnation, having been built largely through community effort, and carries no significant professional tournament history, though it is regarded as a well-maintained and characterful example of rural Aberdeenshire parkland golf.
