Hawkshill (Newmachar)

Overview: Hawkshill is Newmachar’s championship course near Aberdeen, set among mature silver birch and Scots pine. Dave Thomas used the rolling ground to create a demanding but coherent test, with water hazards and strategically placed bunkers influencing both the tee shot and the approach. The wooded setting gives the course a settled appearance, while the broad fairways and multiple tee positions keep it playable beyond the championship markers.

History: Hawkshill opened for play in 1990 as the first of Newmachar’s two 18-hole courses. The second, Swailend, followed in 1997, and both were designed by Dave Thomas. Hawkshill has since hosted the Scottish Seniors Open, European Legends Tour golf, the European Challenge Tour and the PGA EuroPro Tour, giving the young course a substantial competition history.

Did You Know? The official course guide counts the back-to-back par threes among the layout’s most demanding moments, but the course’s broader identity is its use of trees, water and fairway contours. Newmachar is also associated with Paul Lawrie, who was linked to the club around the time of his 1999 Open Championship win.