Cullen Golf Club was founded in 1870, with Old Tom Morris – fresh off his fourth Open Championship win – laying out the original nine holes. It was extended to 18 holes in 1905 by Charlie Neaves, professional at Moray Golf Club. At just 4,597 yards with ten par 3s and a single par 5, the par-63 course is often described as the shortest true links in the world, its most distinctive stretch – holes 11 to 14 – playing in, over and around 400-million-year-old red sandstone rock formations known as Cullen Quartzite.
Cullen (famous for the «Cullen Skink» fish soup) is probably the strangest golf course I have ever played. Thank you, Mister Morris! «… this crazy par 63 course is different than anything I’ve played and worth a visit just for the novelty of it …» Well, that’s at least the opinion of Tom Doak who has included Cullen in its GB & IRE «Confidential Guide». What can I say myself? This course is really quirky. I have played it on a quiet February day. Not sure if I would enjoy all this criss-crossing holes and blind shots on a busy day. Have to give it a try.
