Best golf courses near St. Andrews, Scotland

Despite its relative lack of length, the 6,721-yard Old Course remains the pinnacle of championship golf, having hosted 30 Open Championships and another three for the women, not to mention the annual DP World Tour event. A round is akin to a religious pilgrimage for golfers. Caddies are highly recommended to try and navigate the minefield of hidden bunkers and not-so-obvious lines off the tee. The tee shots at the first with everyone watching and no. 17, the Road Hole, over the Old Course Hotel will be the most nerve-wracking drives you've ever attempted in your life. Getting a tee time is harder than ever, thanks to the popularity of golf post-pandemic. I wish every golfer could experience such a rush of emotions some day - myself included.

St. Andrews Links - Old Course

St. Andrews, Fife

Public

5.0

25

Write Review

St. Andrews Trip Planner

August 14, 2018

The Home of Golf is the ultimate golf trip. Our editorial staff can help plan your trip to St. Andrews. View our most useful articles below.

No words I write can properly describe Kingsbarns, one of the scenic wonders of the golf world. I don't fault golfers who prefer it over the Old Course. Its opening in 2000 helped launch the career of golf course architect Kyle Phillips. It's such a fun round. There are no bad or questionable design concepts, only unique holes one after the other. The two that interact most with the coast - the boomerang par-5 12th and the uphill par-3 15th - are easy to photograph, yet hard to birdie. Kingsbarns, which also hosted the 2017 Women's British Open, is one of the rare uber-expensive courses in the world that feels worth the green fee.

Kingsbarns Golf Links

Kingsbarns, Fife

Public

4.9761833333

16

Write Review

Dumbarnie, a half-hour outside of St. Andrews, shot up the rankings of best courses in Fife after its splashy debut in 2020. Not even a devastating loss of multiple greens last year could stop the momentum of Clive Clark's creation that can stretch to 7,600 yards. The putting surfaces are now back in great shape. Dumbarnie has perfected the art of hospitality, welcoming visiting golfers with a free shot of whiskey on the first tee and a crew of enjoyable caddies to share the walk. The 345 acres are part of the 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate, which has been family-owned for four centuries. Water and hazards play prominent roles in defense of par. Be sure to warm up as burns dissect the first two holes. A large water feature makes the 10th the hardest hole on the course. The most Scottish rendition is the 17th, a short par 4 climbing uphill over a stone wall and more wetland. The classy clubhouse serves up the perfect pint or meal afterward.

Dumbarnie Links

Upper Largo, Fife

Public

4.0

2

Write Review

Talk about quirky. Elie might be the funkiest links I've ever played, and that's a compliment. The semi-private club has grown a large membership that severely restricts tee times in the summer. Elie is most famous for its periscope in the starter shack. It was purchased by a member from a deactivated submarine decades ago, so the starter could see over the hill to give golfers the green light to tee off on the first hole. No. 2 turns back to climb that hill again to an elevated green and elevated third tee, both with stunning views of the clubhouse, water and town. On busy days like we had, it can be tricky playing Elie because there are a handful of tees and greens sandwiched together near the water that require patience, allowing other groups to tee off, hit putts or whatever. There are also beachgoers walking through the course whom you need to be aware of as well. None of this can detract from what's sure to be a fabulous round.

View Tee Times

Elie Sports Club

Elie, Fife

4.6666764706

8

Write Review

The Jubilee Course has been rerouted multiple times over the past century, including Donald Steel's work in the late 1980s that created its current 6,614-yard layout. The links closest to the St. Andrews Bay and West Sands beach features front and back nines that crisscross several times through the dunes. It seems to flow better than the New and boast a few more dynamic holes than the Eden. Again, the far corner near the estuary reveals its best stretch of holes. The one I'll remember most, though, was no. 15, where a massive slope protects an elevated green cut from a dune. I tried to bunt a hybrid over it from below the green. The ball ended up back at my feet.

St. Andrews Links - Jubilee Course

St. Andrews, Fife

Public

4.1

6

Write Review

The Castle Course is the newest of the Links Trust courses, built by David McLay Kidd in 2008 on 220 acres overlooking the town, bay and North Sea. It is visually spectacular with several greens clinging to the shoreline cliffs. The 6,749-yard, par-71 layout is also probably the toughest of the seven links because of a few punishing features. Both nines end on a massive double green below the clubhouse right on the water. It's one of those courses that you need to play 3 or 4 times before you can get comfortable and appreciate its challenges. Some upcoming renovation work could tweak certain things with the goal of making it playable year-round. Currently, the Castle Course is only open from March through November. The full plans will be announced within the next 3-4 months. "That would involve some ground works and probably softening of some slopes," said David Connor, communications and marketing manager for the St. Andrews Links Trust.

St. Andrews Links - The Castle Course

St. Andrews, Fife

Public

4.5

10

Write Review

The New Course is regarded by most publications as the second best course in the Links Trust arsenal. Its pedigree as an Old Tom Morris course that's been intact since 1895 is a big part of its allure. Its double green (nos. 3 and 15) and blind shots are a nod to the Old Course, but I found its double fairways (1&18, 5&16, 8&12) to be too crowded with balls coming from the opposite direction. The holes closest to the Eden Estuary are its most inspiring. A natural gate through the dunes reveals the eighth green, and the par-3 ninth plays along the water.

St. Andrews Links - New Course

St. Andrews, Fife

Public

4.125

9

Write Review

Duke's heathland characteristics are such a change of pace from the links of St. Andrews. Many members walk the hilly terrain, but for visitors, one of the main draws is the chance to take a cart and get off your feet. More than a million dollars have been spent to upgrade irrigation, making the course much more playable year-round in wet conditions. The wooded setting is very private and serene. On a clear day, the views extend out to St. Andrews Bay. It's a tough course with bunkers everywhere, so pick the proper tees to give yourself a chance to play well. Shuttles are available to pick golfers up in St. Andrews for those who need a lift.

The Duke's Golf Course

St. Andrews, Fife

Semi-Private

4.0714333333

22

Write Review

Just because Eden finishes last has nothing to do with my feelings for the course, a Harry S. Colt design from 1914 that was redesigned by Donald Steel in the 1980s. I played it in a light mist, which only made the round more memorable. If you're going to play a links in the St. Andrews Links Trust while being battered by the weather, the 6,140-yard Eden is the perfect choice. It starts (318 yards) and ends (336 yards) with two short par 4s that give up birdies readily. A routing quirk near the Eden Estuary has players teeing off virtually right next to each other to parallel par-3 greens at Nos. 5 and 8. Links purists won't love the holes with a pond in play - the 350-yard 14th and 168-yard 15th - but they're both strategic challenges regardless.

St. Andrews Links - Eden Course

St. Andrews, Fife

Public

3.9

6

Write Review