We hope you have enjoyed playing golf over the summer period on our courses and we would like to thank you for being a part of Golf Aberdeen during 2023.

Thanks to your ongoing support, we are able to reinvest back into our courses over the winter season, and we are pleased to let you know that our winter golf protocols and improvements programme will commence from Friday 1 December.

Working in partnership with turf specialists Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) and our grounds maintenance contractor idverde UK, the planned improvements will provide course protection measures over the winter period and help enhance conditions on our courses for our customers and members teeing off into the 2024 season. 

Winter Golf Protocols

Please be aware that the following course protection measures will be implemented from Friday 1 December:

• Fairway mats will be compulsory on all courses. Please use these when teeing off with an iron, on the fairway and around the greenside. Mats are not required from the rough.
• Bunkers have been taken out of play and are now designated as ground under repair (GUR), please lift and drop from the bunkers at no penalty.
• Tee boxes will be moved, and tee mats will be introduced, particularly on par-three holes.
• Walking routes will be introduced to protect well-trodden areas and allow recovery. Please respect roped areas and walk around these as directed by on course signage.
• Temporary Greens will be used when ground frost conditions dictate.

Please note: during January and February 2024 an intensive programme of greens renovations works will take place, lasting 4-6 weeks (weather dependant) across all our golf courses. Temporary greens will be available during this time. 

MacKenzie Championship and Hazlehead Pines Golf Course protection measures

During the winter period from 1 January through to March 2024 we will close each course on alternate weeks from Monday to Friday with both courses being reopened for the weekend (again, this will be weather dependant). 

This will allow for extensive golf course maintenance to take place and allow the fairways and greens to recover over the winter period. This programme will help to ensure the courses are able to be presented in the best possible conditions for the 2024 season starting in April.

Additional Winter Improvement Works Programme

As well as the routine improvement works including traffic management and seeding worn areas in preparation for the new season, there will be an extensive programme of winter works carried out at each of our golf courses. Details of these are outlined below:

Hazlehead MacKenzie Golf Course

• Level fairway drainage lines on 15th fairway
• Gravel banding to primary drains on 16^th fairway
• Level and returf 12^th tee box 
• Bunker maintenance programme including sand top up
• Tree management programme

Hazlehead Pines Golf Course

• Lay drainage pipes and fill ditches on 11, 12 and 14^th fairways
• Install new fairway drainage measures at front right of 14^th green
• Bunker maintenance programme including sand top up
• Tree management programme
• Supply new tee markers to enhance course presentation

Hazlehead 9-Hole Golf Course

• Create open v-ditch to catch and channel water from 4^th and 5^th fairways
• Gravel banding measures to help with fairway drainage

Kings Links Golf Course

• Removal of 2,600m2 of Gorse along 6^th & 12^th fairways to improve course aesthetics and remove rabbit habitat
• Gorse removal on left of 17^th fairway and create naturalised bunker
• Bunker maintenance programme including sand top up
• Supply new tee markers to enhance course presentation

Balnagask Golf Course

• Level and returf 18^th tee box 
• Bunker maintenance programme including sand top up
• Supply new tee markers to enhance course presentation

We thank all of our golf members and pay and play users for their support and patience as we carry out these important works.