It’s rare that you get a parkland course on the coastline of the United Kingdom, but Duff House Royal provided our golfers on the NCG Top 100s Tour exactly that.
It is also the only golfing venue where the ‘Royal’ is used as a suffix, instead of a prefix (like Royal Birkdale or Royal Melbourne).
Duff House Royal is certainly not the longest course in the world, and definitely one of the shorter layouts that our competitors on the NCG Top 100s Tour will play on. Even off the Whites, the course only just pushes past 6,100 yards. However, it is a Par 68 with five par 3s and just a solitary par 5. It plays with a Course Rating of 69.4 off the Whites, while the Yellows – at 5,930 yards – plays with a Course Rating of 68.7.
The 18-hole layout at Duff House Royal is not much shorter for the Ladies from the Red tees. It plays at just over 5,500 yards, but it is a par 72 course. The 7th, 15th and 17th play as par 5s instead of par 4s, while the 16th plays as a par 4, instead of a par 3 for the men from the Whites or Yellows.
- RELATED: NCG Top 100s – Duff House Royal
What is the course like and what are the best holes?
Considering its location, less than half a mile from the northeastern coastline of Scotland, Duff House Royal does not play as your typical links course. Instead, this 18-hole layout, redesigned by Dr Alister MacKenzie a century ago, is very much a parkland layout, running through trees and with softer turf to play from.
The River Deveron is the course’s biggest danger. It runs alongside the left side 7th, 8th and 9th, before then coming into play down the right side of the 16th and 17th, the former of which being the longest par 3 on the property at more than 235 yards from the White tees. Add in trees on the left, two bunkers short and the Deveron running down the right side, and you’ve got one hell of a ‘short’ hole.
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The other short holes on the property all offer different challenges. The 6th is the first of those, and at just 133 yards, it is the shortest of the lot. It also plays to a double green, which it shares with the 15th, only truly separated by a large hump on the putting surface. The 9th then has the River Deveron on its left side, but you only truly notice it when you get to the green. 11 is also more than 200 from the back tees, while the 13th has a tricky green, and one that if you miss, it will leave a difficult chip.
The closing hole offers up one final birdie chance, and as the sun sets, and the floodlights from the football stadium over the road start to take over, it also provides an incredible setting to finish your round!
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What did our competitors think of Duff House Royal?
Looking for other opinions on Duff House Royal? Check out what some of our players had to say about this championship venue here:
“Perfect weather and a cracking golf course. A wonderful day out!” – Calum Campbell
“As a former member, it was good to come back and see what the course looked like again. Really enjoyed the day.” – Neil Birnie
What about the off-course facilities?
Duff House Royal also has plenty of space for golfers to warm up prior to taking to the golf course. There are two nets which are situated next to the clubhouse, along with a two-tiered green for chipping practice. Two putting greens complete the practice facilities.
The clubhouse is a warm and welcoming space for golfers and guests alike. There is a large bar and lounge area which overlooks the 1st and 18th holes, while there are also spacious locker rooms to allow guests and members to change prior to their round.
How can you play at Duff House Royal?
Tee times are available every day of the week for visitors at Duff House Royal, and it relatively simple to book in for a round at the Scottish venue.
You can check out the green fees for a game at Duff House Royal here, and you can book a tee time via their visitor portal here.
Duff House Royal is located on the northeastern coastline of Aberdeenshire, with the 18-hole layout winding its way around Duff House itself.
This was the first time that the NCG Top 100s Tour has visited Duff House Royal, but we will certainly be looking at getting back up there!
- Keep up to date with the ever-expanding 2025 NCG Top 100s Tour schedule here.
Get in touch with Duff House Royal
For more information about the club and course, visit the club’s website.
To get in touch with Duff House Royal, you can call them on 01261 812075, or you can send them an email via this link.
Now have your say
Have you ever played at Duff House Royal before, or played on the NCG Top 100s Tour before? Let us know with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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