| St. Andrews & Fife, Scotland |
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| _ | | _ | | | Par 72, yardage 6,941. Evidence of golf dates from 1527 with this quote by Robert Maule: "Exersisit the gouf, quhan (when) the wadsie (wager) was for drink". In 1867, Tom Morris extended the original 10-hole design of Allan Robertson (recognized as the greatest player of his time). Architect James Braid altered and modernized the course in 1926. Unlike other links courses, this layout changes direction frequently. Carnoustie was used several times for the Open Championship.
Maximum handicap: 28 men, 36 women. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 69, yardage 5,922. Crail's Balcomie Links is a beautiful links course that's set along the craggy Fife coastline. A number of holes run adjacent to the sea and those who get caught up in the spectacular sea views usually end up paying the price. Designed by the grand old master himself, Old Tom Morris, this particular links, only a short drive from St. Andrews, was said to be one of Morris' favorites. Round here, it is accuracy and not length that matters most and the short par threes only serve to emphasize that very fact. Plus, if the wind blows like only it can on a true Scottish links, then you can be in for a tough time. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 72, yardage 6,728. Founded in 1786, the Crail Golfing Society is the seventh oldest golfing society in the world and a bona fide jewel in the crown of Scottish golf. Its Balcomie course is recognized as a true classic, although its sister course, Craighead Links, is by no means filler - it stands on merit alone. Notable features include wide, sweeping fairways, large, expansive greens and sizeable bunkers that are only too happy to provide a temporary home for your ball. Visitors are presented with a true test of Scottish links golf that isn't easily forgotten. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 70, yardage 6,273. Set deep in the Fife countryside, Elie Golf Club is a fantastic place to enjoy a round whether it is played in a relaxed or a competitive spirit. It sprawls over spectacular Scottish heartlands countryside and offers a sound but fair test of golf to players of all standards, pockets and persuasions. Quite simply, no matter what kind of golfer you are, you will find the romantic part links design and subtle charms of Elie exceptionally hard to resist. Nature lovers should keep a keen eye out for seals that bob up and down in the water by the 11th hole. | | | _ | | _ | | | Bruce Devlin's experience and expertise have provided The Devlin with its innovative and exciting character. It is a truly magnificent 72-par, 7,049 yard championship course that sweeps its way along the rugged seaside landscape. This gem begins by innocently easing the golfer into a false sense of security, offering wide well-manicured fairways that wind around man-made water features and risky bunkers, teasing the golfer with a mix of par fours and fives. Then it is on to the par-5, 7th, where the walk to the tee signals the beginning of the roller coaster ride up, over and around the rugged wilderness of Kittock's Den. | | | _ | | _ | | | Regarded as one of the finest additions to Scottish links golf in recent years, Kingsbarns is home to dramatic sea views on every hole and is as good a links as they come. Sir Michael Bonallack went so far as to say that Kingsbarns might just be the last true seaside links site capable of development in Scotland. The par-72 course, a mammoth 7,126 yards from its championship tees, has wide open fairways that roll over undulating ridges and hollows and expansive greens - get on the wrong side of them and you could easily be staring at a three-putt or worse.
Maximum handicap: 28 men, 36 women. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 72, yardage 6,617. This fine, long, almost inland course is laid out on rather flat terrain but there are plenty of considerations to keep play interesting here. The fairways are lined with pines and birch, heather forms the semi-rough and the contrast in style with the coastal courses gives this layout a unique position. It was originally built in the St. Andrews style by Tom Morris with 6 greens being used twice. Golf has been played at Ladybank since 1855. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 71, yardage 6,427. Founded in 1820, this is Scottish links golf at its very best: several blind shots, numerous hazards and rolling fairways with unexpected bumps. The sea is visible from almost every hole, something which any true links course should encompass. The front nine is a test of your patience and fortitude while the back nine, especially the closing stretch of holes, requires careful course management and pinpoint accuracy. Getting par from the 16th onwards is not only a test of your skill but a test of nerve. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 71, yardage 6,371. Lundin was founded in 1868 and was played over what is known today as the The Old Course, a composition of the seaward holes of both Lundin and Leven Links. As the game grew in popularity, ground to the north of the railway was obtained and in 1909 James Braid designed a new course from the original seaside holes and the area acquired from the Montrave Estate. A few modifications to the original have been made over the years although the character and slendour of Braid's original design is still very much in force. Lundin is a wonderful course and has hosted Open qualifying on many occasions, in addition to countless regional and national events. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 70, yardage 6,317. Panmure is one of the oldest clubs in the world, having been formed in 1845. Originally at Monifieth, it moved to Barry in 1899. It is a traditional links course, adjacent to the world renowned Carnoustie, where the Open Championship has been played. Although not exceptionally long by today's standards, Panmure requires accurate driving and iron play. In addition, the greens are generally small with subtle borrows developed through over 100 years of play. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 71, yardage 6,310. Situated just 15 minutes' drive from the town of St. Andrews, Scotscraig is a pleasant but testing course that's a mix of heathland and links. It is used as a final qualifying venue when the Open Championship returns to The Old Course. Its inviting blend of heathland and links stems from the fact that there are more trees than would normally be found on a links, although its relatively close proximity to the sea and rolling fairways ensures an enjoyable links experience. Scotscraig is known for its perfectly kept greens and all-round good condition thanks to an agreable local climate. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 72, yardage 7,200. St. Andrews Links Trust has created a seventh eigtheen hole course to join its portfolio of six courses. Open June 2008, The Castle Course is two miles from the town center. The designer, David McLay Kidd, creator of Bandon Dunes on the Oregon coastline, has created a typical Scottish golf experience. Each hole has a choice of five tees and the course will be playable between about 5,300-7,200 yards. The experience of playing the Castle Course will be a treat for the senses. The North Sea is a visible presence on every hole while the view towards St. Andrews is one of the finest possible. The focal point of the course will be the headland named Kinkell Ness, or Point, which is where the double green that serves holes 9 & 18 is situated and where the clubhouse is built. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 70, yardage 6,195. The Eden Course is a delightful links course and one of the Links' more popular tracts. The fairways are not especially tight, although there are bordered by whins with thick semi rough just in front. The greens are one of the highlights round this course and if you get on the wrong side you can be left with a treacherous 30-footer that's full of curves and contours. The closing stretch of holes are superb, with the long 17th featuring out-of-bounds on the right and the 18th, which has a wonderful teasing approach shot into an undulating green. | | | _ | | _ | | | Par 72, yardage 6,805. Now well into its second century of life, the Jubilee Course has developed from a basic 12-hole layout into what many consider to be the toughest test of golf at St. Andrews. This championship course has large, firm and fast greens with plenty of pot bunkers and heavy gorse. It is hard to stay straight off the tee under any wind conditions, as the golfers are exposed to the winds which sweep in from the bay on the raised teeing grounds. | | | _ | | _ | | | While the Old Course rightly takes centre stage at the 'Home of Golf', the other courses which form the world-famous links are good tests of golf, too. None more so than the New Course, which measures 6,604 yards and has a par of 71. It was designed by Old Tom Morris and has seen golf played on its fairways and greens since 1895. Not surprisingly, the New Course shares many of the features of the Old Course and the same magnificent golf terrain. | | | _ | | _ | | | Please Note: Tee times are limited. Reservations should ideally be made 8 months in advance. The Old Course round needs to be paired with a round on the New or Jubilee course.***Foursome required*** PLEASE see Old Course Experience in the "Lodging" section for guaranteed tee times on Old Course for twosomes & foursomes.
Par 72, yardage 6,609. The Old Course of St. Andrews Links is without a doubt the most famous golf course in the world. This is the one course above all others which every golfer dreams of playing. It is the 'Home of Golf', the game having been played in this Fife town for at least five centuries, and to play on the hallowed turf of the Old Course is indeed a treat to be savoured. From the second you stand on the tee in front of the R&A clubhouse until you putt out on the adjoining 18th green, you feel you are in golfing heaven.
Maximum handicap: 24 men, 36 women. | | | | | | |
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