In these days of gloom and doom it's good to have some news to cheer. On the You tube video of Stonehaven that Brian posted, there was mention made of Ballindalloch golf course which surprised me somewhat as the last I'd heard it closed a couple of years ago. Apparently it has been resurrected.
For those not in the know, Ballindalloch golf course was/is a nine hole course designed by Tom MacKenzie of M&E. It's part of the Ballindalloch Estate which includes the nearby Ballindalloch Castle and whisky distillery. The estate is located to the north of Grantown-on-Spey on the A95 in the Highlands. If travelling north on the whisky trail it provides a handy stop-off for a game of golf before you travel north for some links golf.
The course is undeniably modern in terms of shaping and scale but still charming and most definitely fun. I suspect it is still a bit rough at the moment but hopefully by next summer it will be back to what it was, and at £10 for nine holes, great value.
Niall