Kingdom of Golf Courses

Links golf courses:

Carnoustie Championship Golf Course | Crail Balcomie Links | Golf House Club (Elie) | Lundin Golf Club | Scotscraig Golf Course | St. Andrews New Course | St. Andrews Old Course |

Heathland/Parkland golf courses:

Blairgowrie, Rosemount Golf Course | Gleneagles |

Carnoustie Championship Golf Course

Similar to all the great Open Championship courses the weather plays a significant factor in tackling Carnoustie and when the wind decides to blow it can be unforgiving. The rough is penal added to which you have the 'Barry Burn' criss crossing its way through the course and causing much upset.

Yet it remains a true test, a demanding start and the notoriously difficult finishing stretch with the 'Barry Burn' having to be negotiated twice on both the 17th and 18th. Cue 1999's Open and the Frenchman Jean Van De Velde and then the drama of Padraig Harrington's 4 hole play-off with Sergio Garcia in 2007. A fabulous Championship links golf course.

Crail, Balcomie Links

This is the home of the famous Crail Golfing Society which was founded in 1786, making it the 7th oldest golf club in the world. The ubiquitos Tom Morris laid out the present course at Balcomie in 1895 and in 1899, 9 holes at a time.

It may not be long at 5,922 yards but it offers spectacular views of the rugged coastline from every hole and will test your shotmaking to the utmost if a wee breeze comes off the North Sea. Remember it is a Tom Morris design and that brings in his hallmarks of bunkers (plenty of them) and fantastic greens.

Golf House Club, Elie

Elie, like many courses in Scotland, just seemed to evolve, with the game of golf reputedly being played here in the late 16th Century. Those two giants of course design Tom Morris and James Braid tweaked it here and there but it remains virtually unchanged since the present 18 holes were laid out 1895. James Braid was raised close by and this is where he learned to play his golf, gaining the necessary skills to win the Open Championship five times.

The unique quirkiness of a WW2 submarine's 'periscope' used to ascertain that the blind tee shot from the first can be fired away is an indication of the sheer enjoyment that is to be found here. The greens are enormous, with swales and undulations that will call upon every resource of your putting stroke to better them if the approach shot is not up to scratch.

Kingsbarns Golf Links

Just down the coast from Crail and seven miles from St. Andrews, Kingsbarns was designed in 2000 by the architect Kyle Phillips and he has created 18 holes, all within sight of the sea, that at times can take the breath away. Remember to have an extra roll of film in the bag!

The Starter, will guide you as to which tee position will be suitable for your game from a choice of four. The Medal (white) has the course at 6,652 yards, par 72, and this will certainly be a test of your golf. The shot from the tee is critical on every hole at Kingsbarns as the route to the greens will be a tad more difficult if coming from the 'wrong' side. The massively contoured greens will have you revising club selection and then, once there, a crash course in the art of 'lag-up' putting could prove essential. A super challenge in a great setting.

Now established on the European Tour by being one of the three courses used during the Dunhill Links Championship, alongside Carnoustie and St. Andrews Old Course, it has gained some fantastic plaudits from the golfing fraternity. A few steep walks between green and tee can leave one 'pecking' and a double loop may prove to be 9 holes too far, fortunately the ninth is situated at the clubhouse.

St. Andrews Links, Old Course

Nature has had more to do with the make up of the Old Course than any golf course architect and this is sometimes a reason why many new to the ways of the Old can find it impossible, infuriating, downright annoying and over-rated! Bobby Jones regarded it so when he first played it in 1921, as he states in his book 'On Golf' ....."I considered St. Andrews among the very worst courses I had ever seen.... while I was certain the course was easy, I simply could not make a good score.... Yet I did begin to think a little when a course so unprepossessing forced me to take 43 to the turn and finally goaded me into the disgraceful act of picking up my ball after taking a pair of sixes at the 10th and 11th".

We can forgive Bobby Jones the impetuosity of youth because he did return to St. Andrews for the Walker Cup matches in 1926 and then the following year when he triumphed in the Open Championship, whereupon his seduction by the Old Lady was complete. He reflected in 1950 in a letter to Henry Longhurst, the famous English golf writer and commentator - " If I had ever been set down in one place and told I was to play there, and no where else, for the rest of my life, I should have chosen the Old Course".

All golfers wish to play the Old Course at least once, to pit their skills against it and to have the satisfaction of walking over the Swilcan Bridge, up the 18th fairway and onto that beautiful green in front of the R&A clubhouse knowing that whatever the round produced they will have completed a memorable day as the final putt drops in the hole.

St. Andrews Links, New Course

Old Tom Morris laid out the New Course in 1895, situated to the right of the Old Course, due to the overwhelming demand for golf at the end of the 19th Century at St. Andrews. It follows the Scottish links tradition of going all the way out to the furthest point, the extremely testing 225 yard 9th with out of bounds of the Eden Estuary running tight on your left, then turning and playing back to the historic skyline of St. Andrews with its demanding final 4 holes.

Little has changed since being constructed and it is generally recognised that you have to be a 'wee bit straighter' on the New than on the Old, due to tighter fairways lined by the ever present ball grasping gorse and heather. A wonderful golf course.

Scotscraig Golf Course

Yet another Open qualifying course, Scotscraig is a fine example of a thinking golfers track. No surprise then to find it was laid out by the prolific James Braid who prefered his courses to demand more brain than brawn from the golfer with irons from the tee sometimes the smartest option. A course that those from the golfing community in Fife admire.

see also: Map Page | Highland Golf Courses | Southeast Golf Courses | Southwest Golf Courses

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