Image of Duff House Royal Golf Club in North East | David J Whyte © Linksland
Image of Duff House Royal Golf Club in North East | David J Whyte © Linksland
Image of Duff House Royal Golf Club in North East | David J Whyte © Linksland
There’s some fascinating history to this Aberdeenshire club. Originally known as Banff Golf Club from 1871, it became Duff House Golf Club 40 years later when the Duke of Fife, Alexander Duff, donated land from his estate on the banks of the River Deveron, which splits the towns of Banff and Macduff.
But the first World War saw the club ripped up for agricultural use, and it wasn’t until 1923 when Alister Mackenzie – he of Augusta National fame – came into redesign the layout.
Two years later, the club was awarded royal status with the Duchess of Fife, Princess Louise, as its patron. It is said they decided to use “Royal” as a suffix, rather than a prefix, due to Louise being commonly known as the “Princess Royal”.
As for the golf course, don’t be fooled by its proximity to the coast, this is every bit a classic Mackenzie parkland, with the doctor’s signature large, two-tiered greens featuring throughout. And watch out for the Deveron too, as it comes into play on no fewer than six holes.
