# The Castle Course, St Andrews



## John_Findlay (May 7, 2009)

This is a difficult one to decide upon but I'll give it a go.

The newest addition to the courses managed by the Links Trust at St Andrews certainly has a hard act to follow. The Old, the New and the Jubilee are surely 3 of the best courses in the country and, with Kingsbarns just along the coast, golfers are certainly spoiled for choice in the area. But I'm certainly glad I got the chance to play it because it's a course that will live in the memory for a time to come.







First impressions. Well, it was certainly easy to find. Always a good start. Well sign-posted on the road to Crail from St Andrews...but don't believe the website that it'll only take an hour from Edinburgh by car. Allow 1.5 hours unless you want to break the speed limit the whole way. The roads in Fife aren't the best for overtaking if you're in a hurry.

The clubhouse itself is modern, as you would expect, well thought out with gorgeous views over the 9th and 18th greens and certainly gives the impression you're getting a quality product from the start. For example, the bar serves Woodford Reserve bourbon. Those like myself who are Jack Daniel's fans will know what that means. I've never seen that on sale anywhere before. It's the creme de la creme. I can imagine Jack Nicolson feeling at home here.

Typically for the area you're not going to get ripped off for your early morning coffee, which was top notch, and the staff are extra friendly and helpful. The pro shop area is well stocked with logo'd gear and beautifully presented. It took me a while to decide which of the dozen varieties of logo'd ballmarkers to buy! That and a superb course guide with satellite imagery views of the course set me back only Â£4.50. Buy one...you'll need it.

And so to the course.

The practice putting green gave a flavour of what was to follow. Beautifully fast, true, bobble free and with undulations of maybe 3 feet between some of the holes. What's going on here, I thought. Now I know where all the elephants go to die.

We caught the course on a sunny but breezy day but the first hole, a short par 4 slight dogleg of 337 yards, is a gentle start. Like many of the holes you're a little disconcerted about the apparent lack of landing area, but actually the fairways are reasonable and it's mostly obvious where to avoid. You just might not see your ball land, which will be off-putting for some.

Huge, undulating greens with crisp, tight lies surrounding them are a feature of the course, as are the "hairy" 1800's style bunkers. It must take a lot of effort to make them appear so un-manicured. A definite reference to the history of golf in the area and one which I liked. 







This is old style links golf. Flat doesn't exist here so you will get that odd nasty bounce when your ball lands on the fairway. Accepting the unfair and dealing with it is all part of the game after all. It happened to me on the par 5 4th hole where the best drive of our fourball ended up lost when it should have been found. Typically, I dropped a ball for practice, ran an 8 iron 167 yards onto the green to 10 feet and canned the putt for a pretend eagle! One of our group putted off the green there from 15 feet! More of that was to follow. We had to have our wits about us on every putt.







By the 6th hole things are getting spectacular. A semi blind tee shot leads you down towards the coast and views from atop the hill down to the old gray toon. The camera was well and truly on overtime by then and the 7th-9th holes are just gems n terms of views and difficulty of approach shots.

The half way house at the clubhouse serves beers, sandwiches etc and gives you a minute to look forward to the second nine which starts with another cracking par 3 where you're happy to come off with a four. 







Meandering inland again until the 16th hole. A 390 yard par four with another semi blind tee shot over an intimidating fairway bunker. Downwind when we played I still don't understand how my 2 iron off the tee ended up only 20 yards short of the raised green. Hit it in the right spot and you'll roll for ever here.








The 17th is the signature hole. An evil-looking but beautiful par 3 of 174 yards set high on the coastline aiming directly over a ravine of some proportions. For those who want to bail out against the prevailing wind apparently you can aim 30 yards left of the green and the naturally slopes will roll your ball into the heart of the green. That's if you avoid the bunker they've placed right there. If you miss right.... then it's a reload. I creamed a 2 iron straight at the pin and it just made it over the red posts onto the green. There isn't an easy par 3 here in the wind. I want to play that hole a lot.

And so to 18. Another dogleg par 5 with lots to think about before and once you're on the green. 

So, what did I think of the course? Well, I wasn't blown away with it initially but I think it would grow on you...and I'd definitely like to play it again. There's an art to the greens and practice would help there. Similarly off the tee. There's room out there that you maybe don't see the first time you play and the approach shots take a LOT of thought, too. So, yes, it's certainly a thinking mans course. No hit and hope here. That won't work. Some canny play is essential. Don't go for the pins. Just hit the middle of the green and putt VERY well.

Condition wise the fairways still need some growth, as you would expect for a new course, but I didn't get a bad lie all day so no complaints. The greens are sublime. If you hit a good putt it'll go in. You just might need a little imagination over 10 footers.







I paid Â£40 to be signed on. Apparently SGU rates are Â£50. I'd pay that just to walk the course for the views. It's Â£117.50 in high season though and for that I'd want to play pretty damned well and get a calm day to enjoy it to the full.

At the end of the day it's a gem of golfing land and will only improve with the usual tweaks that are made to such new courses.

8/10


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## Dodger (May 7, 2009)

Great review John.Thinking of heading up with Ivan and Dano but may wait another year before taking advantage of the SGU deal.

What the hell is that your pal is hitting off in the final picture?! Is that fairway?It looks dreadful,tell me it is in better nick than that surely?


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## M1tch (May 7, 2009)

great review!!! very nice pictures !! might go with my mates !


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## stevek1969 (May 7, 2009)

Looks really good have drove past it a few  times but you dont see much from the road. Dodger if you guys are going to play it any chance of joining you ,dont think my tight wad mates would stump up for it.


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## John_Findlay (May 8, 2009)

Yeah, Dodger. It is fairway in the last pic, actually. 

Parts of some of the fairways seem to be "scarrified" at the moment. It's maybe a seeding thing. I'm sure "Greenkeeper" would know because I think he worked on the course in it's early stages. Maybe PM him if you want to find out more. 

As I said though It didn't have an effect on any lies we got all day. Lovely tight sandy turf so you're gonna hit ball first every time. It just needs some growth in patches. I think a player of your calibre would really appreciate the subtleties of the course.


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## Robo (May 8, 2009)

Looks class John! another great review.
Was looking in to playing it for next years
pilgrimage to St Andrews.Would you say its
better than Kingsbans?.Was thinking Old New
Jubille..then Kingsbarns.But the Castle looks
good.


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## John_Findlay (May 9, 2009)

Robo, I'm not sure whether I'd rate it above Kingsbarns yet. Both have great qualities. The jury's still out, in my mind. 

Kingsbarns certainly looks more manicured, is easier on the eye from the tee and is considerably easier around the greens, so I'm guessing it's gonna produce a better round of golf most days. In simple terms it appears less tricked up.

It's always difficult to judge when I've only played both once in very different conditions. When I played KB it was a lighter wind and was hitting my irons very well so ended up with a great score. And I probably remember more of the holes at KB, which I think is always telling, although I had walked the course watching the Dunhill Links before I played it, so that may have something to do with it.

It's a coin toss but KB probably just pips it.

Oh....you're a lucky dog if those are the courses you're playing, by the way.


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