A generous fairway to start, guarded by three fairway bunkers. The first one on the left is 209 yards from the white tee. A good drive here is followed by a slight uphill approach to a large green that has a slope at the front to carry. Always ensure to take plenty of club. The green is guarded by a pot bunker to the left and a deep gulley to the right. Beware of the Out of Bounds on the right and at the back of the green. A solid par here is always a good start.

A strong par 4, the view from this tee is awe inspiring with a fantastic opportunity for a photograph. Behind you is a view of the Scurdie Ness lighthouse which guards the mouth of the Montrose harbour. The tee shot is over the edge of the dunes to a fairway that sits to your left. Well placed fairway bunkers, the first of which is 244 yards from the white tee, await anything offline. The approach does not have any bunkering to worry about but the true nature of our classic links means the green falls away to the right and anything long is gathered into a deep gully. A par 4 here is well earned!

A truly stunning par 3 at 136 yards and the only par 3 on the front nine can be a card wrecker! Depending on the wind direction you can play any club through your bag. A classic table top green with steep fall off areas makes an up and down very difficult if you are not accurate from the tee. The green here is only 24 yards deep and is undulating – even on hitting the green a two putt is no guarantee!

Another of our holes that hugs the coastline and, from an elevated tee, moves down into a valley protected by the dune line. An undulating fairway is enclosed by a track on the left and gorse on your right. The approach is over two bunkers that make the green look closer than it is. The deepest green so far is also one of the flattest on the course. A great chance of a birdie here to build your score.

A real risk and reward par 4 at 291 yards from the white tee. A good tee shot will carry the slope to the top. If not, a blind approach is required to a large flat green. If you decide to take on the green from the tee a deep greenside pot bunker awaits to your left……if you lay up then there is a bunker 53 yards from the green on the right which must be avoided. Bravery here will yield a birdie, but will you take the risk?

Hugging the coastline, a stunning par 5, short in length but plenty to concern you here. Three fairway bunkers must be avoided before the fairway gently moves slightly down towards the green. The high marram grasses on the dunes to your right protect you from the sea. Your approach here then threads between four bunkers to a big green that slopes from back to front giving you a good chance to get close in three.

This hole runs in the same direction as the 6th and is a slight dog leg right to left. The tee shot is right of centre to open up your approach to the green, missing the fairway bunker on the left. The green is protected by two bunkers and the green slopes left to right making it tricky to get close. A good club selection here is vital.

A directional change as you come towards the end of the front nine. This hole runs in the opposite direction to the previous holes. A tee shot slightly left of centre avoids the fairway bunker to the right. Your approach must miss the two deep greenside bunkers to a very shallow green that slopes left to right. Usually a short iron here, making this hole a good birdie opportunity.

A fantastic par 4, at 441 yards and stroke index 1, usually playing into the wind. Two fairway bunkers one of which can catch an errant tee shot. The second is normally out of range from the white tee, however out of bounds is in play all the way along the right and gorse lines the left hand side making an accurate tee shot essential. A long approach, again to a shallow green with a narrow entry, is required – avoiding the bunker which sits away from the green edge. A 4 here is a great end to the front nine.

A strong par 4 to start the back nine, an elevated tee shot to a generous fairway but beware of bunkers left and right. Two cross bunkers make club selection vital to getting close. Three greenside pot bunkers to the right and a deep grass hollow front left must be avoided to protect your score. Missing the green right is a tough up and down.

The longest par 4 at 443 yards, a par here is well earned. A slight dogleg left to right your tee shot, avoiding the two fairway bunkers on the left, will land on a very traditional, undulating links fairway. The long approach to a sloping green is always longer than it looks. Running it in here is always an option, missing the greenside bunkers left and right. A very deceptive green meaning a two putt is no guarantee. A par here is the perfect way to enter the last seven holes.

First of only two par 3s on the back nine and the tee shot must be with the correct club. The green is protected by four greenside bunkers to the front and a deep pot bunker to the left. A grass hollow to the rear means your tee shot must be accurate to find the deceptively large putting surface. A par here is never bad but a good tee shot will set up a great birdie chance.

The shortest par 4 on the back nine with the iconic steeple always in your view, however a fairway bunker on the left and out of bounds on the right must be avoided. A good tee shot will set up a birdie chance. The approach is to a slightly raised green protected by two bunkers. The green is long and narrow but one of the flatter greens on the course. A great chance to improve on your score before the final stretch.

A very strong par 4 to begin the final five holes – 413 yards from the white tee with gorse lining the fairway on both sides. Three left side fairway bunkers frame the hole perfectly. Length here is not important, a good tee shot on the fairway will set up an approach to a two tier Mackenzie style green. Clubbing is vital here as the pin can often be located to the rear of the top step. Three deep pot bunkers defend the green. A par 4 here is always welcome.

The longest hole on the course at 544 yards from the white tee and the only par 5 on the back nine. A wide fairway, protected by two fairway bunkers one on the right and one on the left to be avoided. The second shot is a great risk and reward as it would go over a bunkered ridge towards the green, however the ground slopes away from you and towards two bunkers guarding the front right of the green. The smart play is to lay up short of the ridge leaving a short iron approach allowing you to attack the pin.

The final three holes start with a truly outstanding world class par 3. The hole is 232 yards long from the white tee and a 3 is much cherished here. Two bunkers guard the right and a grass bank and bunker left are to be avoided as you thread your ball towards the approach…..the green is long and undulating with many fantastic pin positions. After finding this green a two putt is never to be taken for granted. Make 3 here and you will have a story to tell in the clubhouse after the game.

Like the hole before, a world class par 4 of 413 yards from the white tee. An undulating fairway in real links style must be found, avoiding the out of bounds on the right and the gorse which runs the length of the left hand side. The 17th is unique as it has no bunkers, taking its defence from the approach which is all carry to a raised green tucked into the gorse bank and a fall off to the right, making a par from a poor approach very well deserved. Par here is a great way to set you up for the final challenge.

From your elevated tee position which gives you the perfect vista of the town of Montrose, the fairway must be found. Length is not important here but the four fairway bunkers must be avoided. The approach is tested by four greenside bunkers which are deep and wide and also, right behind the green our own road hole as no relief can be sought from ending up on the tarmac. The need for an accurate approach is obvious.