Golf in Fife - on the way / before St Andrews

[Italian outcast]

Having a weekend in St Andrews on the September weekend (27-30th)

Thats the Dunhill weekend which may impact on St Andrews play but thats another tale - We will probably play Crail the Sunday and 2 of the St Andrews courses Saturday and Sunday

What I'm looking for advice on is somewhere for 3 of us to play the Friday afternoon

We cant leave Edinburgh (and Glasgow) until about 12/ 12.30 so ideally within an hour - max 90 mins from there (but before we reach St Andrews)

• Don't really want to spend Ladybank (£75 PP) or Lundin links prices for the warm-up round - somewhere more cheap and cheerful (and Crail we will do at some point anyway)

Possibles are

• Dunfermline (hadn't thought about it until i saw Patrick's review)
  Cupar - cheap and cheerful and almost at St Andrews
• Kinross - one of the two
• Elmwood
• Charleton
• Don't really want to spend Ladybank (£75 PP) or Lundin links prices for the warm-up round - somewhere more cheap and cheerful

The other two play to about 14 and none of us are huge hitters so we're happy not to be dismissive of shorter courses

Any thoughts/ experience - 'No-go' zones?

 

[Backache]

We're going to St Andrews about 10 or so days before you so I have been looking around at courses in the area.
A couple of thoughts are that Ladybank does discounts in the afternoon, we are playing it before arrival.
Leven links seems to have offers coming in on Tee off times and has decent reviews.
Aberdour was recommended to me as a short but attractive course.
I haven't played any of the above to recommend them personally though.

 

[pendodave]

We did a fife trip a couple of years ago and played ladybank to contrast with the links.
We enjoyed the clubhouse, the course and the reasonable guest fees compared to the seaside.
The only negative I can think of is that they make you play off the yellows and the course is pretty short to the extent that it takes driver out of hand on a lot of holes.
Despite that, I think it was a good choice and would recommend it.
** Edit ** just noticed your remark re ladybank guest rates. Surprised at this (we teed off around 10.00am and played less than£40 a head)

 

[Rlburnside]

I played Aberdour after a recommendation from someone on here, think it was around 40 minutes from Edinburgh, a fun short course with stunning views especially from the first tee.

 

[patricks148]

enjoyed Leven when ever i've played it and there is also the wee course at Blairgowrie, not stricyly on the way, only a 9 hole but the best niner ive ever played some great holes and not expensive.

there is also the Dukes which is parkland, never played it but lloks OK and they always have deals on the go

 

[Jacko_G]

Are some of your party flying to Glasgow and others to Edinburgh?

What about Auchterarder then? Nice course.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I really enjoyed dukes at St. Andrews as our travel day warm up

£40 twilight if I recall correctly

 

[howbow88]

Leven Links is a proper old school links course, and fairly cheap. I think I paid £25 for Twilight in the middle of Summer. Enjoyable - I would recommend it.

 

[williamalex1]

Having a weekend in St Andrews on the September weekend (27-30th)

Thats the Dunhill weekend which may impact on St Andrews play but thats another tale - We will probably play Crail the Sunday and 2 of the St Andrews courses Saturday and Sunday

What I'm looking for advice on is somewhere for 3 of us to play the Friday afternoon

We cant leave Edinburgh (and Glasgow) until about 12/ 12.30 so ideally within an hour - max 90 mins from there (but before we reach St Andrews)

• Don't really want to spend Ladybank (£75 PP) or Lundin links prices for the warm-up round - somewhere more cheap and cheerful (and Crail we will do at some point anyway)

Possibles are

• Dunfermline (hadn't thought about it until i saw Patrick's review)
  Cupar - cheap and cheerful and almost at St Andrews
• Kinross - one of the two
• Elmwood
• Charleton
• Don't really want to spend Ladybank (£75 PP) or Lundin links prices for the warm-up round - somewhere more cheap and cheerful

The other two play to about 14 and none of us are huge hitters so we're happy not to be dismissive of shorter courses

Any thoughts/ experience - 'No-go' zones?

P M sent.

 

[Grant85]

I can whole hardheartedly recommend Kinghorn Golf Club.

It is an 18 hole municipal links, perched on sandy soil above the Harbour and beach with stunning views across the Forth to Edinburgh and East Lothian.

An Old Tom Morris design, it is short and quirky but very fun and won't take you long, or take much out of your legs. From memory it's a par 66.

I think it is something ridiculous like £12 or £15 to play. OK, so not manicured like other more celebrated links, but there is everything you need and will be a nice way to get your trip going before you start playing tougher Championship venues. Albeit, has more than a few holes where you'll be happy to put a par down, especially if the breeze is blowing.

It's also the scene of my best ever round of golf, when I shot 73 round there off the yellows.

In golf terms it is the true definition of cheap and cheerful.

Also highly recommended by Tom Coyne in his book 'A Course Called Scotland'.

 

[Italian outcast]

great suggestions all


We don't really want to get to St Andrews too late - circa about 7.30 - but were- all a bit stuck until lunchtime on Day 1 (Friday) hence the idea of getting into Fife early/mid afternoon and take it from there for the warm-up
Don't want to stray to far west after crossing the Forth road bridge so Perthshire is out (but agree there are lots of crackers we've played most suggested in years past

My friend also suggested Aberdour last night and we're thinking on that for Friday

• We may play the Dukes over the weekend (as below)

Our 'St Andrews' choices Sat -Monday are steering towards

• The Castle Course (ideally the Saturday) as its the last St A course on his 'to play list' for St Andrews
• We now have Crail on the Sunday
• Monday -- either the Dukes or a Fairmont or one of the Eden/Jubilee if possible (its the day after Justin Timberlake wins the Dunhill)

Cheers
Iain

 

[backwoodsman]

Having a weekend in St Andrews on the September weekend (27-30th)

Thats the Dunhill weekend which may impact on St Andrews play but thats another tale - We will probably play Crail the Sunday and 2 of the St Andrews courses Saturday and Sunday

What I'm looking for advice on is somewhere for 3 of us to play the Friday afternoon

We cant leave Edinburgh (and Glasgow) until about 12/ 12.30 so ideally within an hour - max 90 mins from there (but before we reach St Andrews)

• Don't really want to spend Ladybank (£75 PP) or Lundin links prices for the warm-up round - somewhere more cheap and cheerful (and Crail we will do at some point anyway)

Possibles are

• Dunfermline (hadn't thought about it until i saw Patrick's review)
  Cupar - cheap and cheerful and almost at St Andrews
• Kinross - one of the two
• Elmwood
• Charleton
• Don't really want to spend Ladybank (£75 PP) or Lundin links prices for the warm-up round - somewhere more cheap and cheerful

The other two play to about 14 and none of us are huge hitters so we're happy not to be dismissive of shorter courses

Any thoughts/ experience - 'No-go' zones?

Never going to make the top 100 list, but a nice enough course, and cheap as chips. Worth considering.

 

[CliveW]

great suggestions all


We don't really want to get to St Andrews too late - circa about 7.30 - but were- all a bit stuck until lunchtime on Day 1 (Friday) hence the idea of getting into Fife early/mid afternoon and take it from there for the warm-up
Don't want to stray to far west after crossing the Forth road bridge so Perthshire is out (but agree there are lots of crackers we've played most suggested in years past


Cheers
Iain

You won't be crossing the Forth Road Bridge unless you're going by bus.😁

 

[Albanach]

Pitreavie

 

[Jimaroid]

To the OP - make sure you get a time pre-booked for the Castle Course if playing the Saturday of the Dunhill and be prepared for a very long round. It's not the best weekend for playing any of the Links courses in my experience but good luck.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Scotscraig is a nice option. We played there when we went to St Andrews in May, enjoyed the course. If you book online and go out about 3pm or just before, you can get a 3 ball for about £45 each.

 

[Jacko_G]

Aberdour will be saturated. Ladybank for me is your best option.

 

[Italian outcast]

To the OP - make sure you get a time pre-booked for the Castle Course if playing the Saturday of the Dunhill and be prepared for a very long round. It's not the best weekend for playing any of the Links courses in my experience but good luck.

cheers
Been re-looking at this - agree tye Saturday may be tough and so we may have to travel wider for Saturday - although we're not so bothered about a long round - if its this course

Of course we may decide to play the Castle course on Monday which may then mean we don't play any of the Eden/Jubilee 'golfopolis'

Scotscraig is a nice option. We played there when we went to St Andrews in May, enjoyed the course. If you book online and go out about 3pm or just before, you can get a 3 ball for about £45 each.

To far North - almost in Arabia

Aberdour will be saturated. Ladybank for me is your best option.

we may still do this - I drove past there in May (not knowing anything about it) and thought - that could be nice

 

[need_my_wedge]

To far North - almost in Arabia

We were staying in St Andrews, it was a 20 minutes drive, worth the trip

 

[Italian outcast]

For those who gave the very useful advice I just thought I would update you on my weekend plans

We actually will play Balcomie at Crail on the Friday afternoon (the original Q)

Complete itinerary is

• Friday 27th – Crail (Balcomie)
• Saturday 28th – Crail (Craighead)
• Sunday 29th – St Andrews golf - The Kittocks Course (Fairmont)
• Monday 30th – St Andrews (The New Course / The Castle Course) - couldn't book ahead but was told that we may well get on the New course

Really looking forward to it (come rain or shine)