No one celebrates New Year's with as much gusto as the Scots. They call it Hogmanay and the partying is so extensive that Jan. 2 is a holiday, too. Hogmanay's most famous custom is first footing, when neighbors tour each other's homes, bringing gifts in exchange for soup or a wee dram. That's one way to warm yourself up after you've braved the elements at these east coast links.
Bridge of Don, Aberdeen
6,850 yards, par 70; Greens fee: £40-£60;
011441224-702571, royalaberdeengolf.com When Tom Watson edged Des Smyth in a playoff to capture the 2005 Senior British Open, it confirmed what many locals have known since 1780: Royal Aberdeen offers supremely challenging golf. The Balgownie Links dates to 1887 and features a front nine that runs amid the sandhills near the sea, while the back nine traverses higher but less dramatic ground. Most memorable are the 10 bunkers that ring the par-3 eighth. Murcar Links Golf Club
Bridge of Don, Aberdeen
6,504 yards, par 71; Greens fee: £35-£50;
011441224-704354, murcar.co.uk Abutting Royal Aberdeen, Murcar is every bit as testing. Tall shaggy dunes frame the front-nine fairways, though they rarely obscure the North Sea views. Gullane Golf Club (No. 1)
Gullane, East Lothian
6,466 yards, par 71; Greens fee: £85-£100;
011441620-842255, gullanegolfclub.com Close to Muirfield is a 54-hole complex that enjoys one of the most memorable vistas in Scottish golf: the hilltop panoramic from the seventh tee at its No. 1 course. Cruden Bay Golf Club
Cruden Bay, Aberdeen
6,396 yards, par 70; Greens fee: £60-£70;
011441779-812285, crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk Drenched in quirky charm, this cult classic offers one wild seaside hole after another, including the head-scratching par-4 14th with its amazing funnelshaped green.
North Berwick Golf Club (West Links)
North Berwick, East Lothian
6,420 yards, par 71; Greens fee: £25-£30;
011441620-895040, northberwickgolfclub.com
Bridge of Don, Aberdeen
6,850 yards, par 70; Greens fee: £40-£60;
011441224-702571, royalaberdeengolf.com When Tom Watson edged Des Smyth in a playoff to capture the 2005 Senior British Open, it confirmed what many locals have known since 1780: Royal Aberdeen offers supremely challenging golf. The Balgownie Links dates to 1887 and features a front nine that runs amid the sandhills near the sea, while the back nine traverses higher but less dramatic ground. Most memorable are the 10 bunkers that ring the par-3 eighth. Murcar Links Golf Club
Bridge of Don, Aberdeen
6,504 yards, par 71; Greens fee: £35-£50;
011441224-704354, murcar.co.uk Abutting Royal Aberdeen, Murcar is every bit as testing. Tall shaggy dunes frame the front-nine fairways, though they rarely obscure the North Sea views. Gullane Golf Club (No. 1)
Gullane, East Lothian
6,466 yards, par 71; Greens fee: £85-£100;
011441620-842255, gullanegolfclub.com Close to Muirfield is a 54-hole complex that enjoys one of the most memorable vistas in Scottish golf: the hilltop panoramic from the seventh tee at its No. 1 course. Cruden Bay Golf Club
Cruden Bay, Aberdeen
6,396 yards, par 70; Greens fee: £60-£70;
011441779-812285, crudenbaygolfclub.co.uk Drenched in quirky charm, this cult classic offers one wild seaside hole after another, including the head-scratching par-4 14th with its amazing funnelshaped green.
