Golfadelphia

6,408 yards, 133 Slope from the Green tees

“I’m just drawn to being out here. There’s a calling to it. It’s where I breathe.” My caddie and I became fast friends. As we walked the Fife coast, I looked out to the craggy rocks and sea beyond, staring. I wondered where I would end up if I started walking out to the sea and reached land again. I would have ended up in Norway. I then looked inland to the links. The sun was beaming on to the shades of green dunes and sand. I realized we had the land to ourselves. “You’re rewarded finding peace out here. The game wants that for you. I can’t always get there every round. Whatever internal conflicts are going on, some times I need to bank it and fully appreciate it later. I suppose that’s what is meant by mindfulness. Being fully present and aware of your current experience. Peace and mindfulness. Is there any other sport where you’re able to strive for that? And within the beauty you’re allowed to do so.” We climbed the terrace. We were higher yet more inland. At some points it felt like we were floating above the coast line. The entire course was now before us. We only had to step forward to get to it all. The land a tapestry of wonder, conundrum, thought, victory and lost opportunity. I thought a little about how it looks when darkness falls. Does the open sky illuminate the horizon or does the dark make it hard to see nearly anything leaving the sea meeting the land the only guiding sound? Sunrise has to be miraculous. We’ll see some of it tomorrow, the morning sun at least. The tide was out. “Let it happen.”

The surreality of travel swirled with heavenly visions of the land upon which Kingsbarns lays claim and my soul was eager to explore the fertile newfound brilliance teeming at every turn. The very first thing anyone should know about Kingsbarns is its coastal handsomeness. This was recognized early on, with civilization establishing itself in the area during the Bronze Age 2,800 years ago. It is no surprise that golf was played on this land as early as 1793. The Kingsbarns Golfing Society was recognized, officially founded in 1815 and would play matches against its neighbors, the Crail Golf Society. The original course was nine holes, referred to as Auld Links. This golfing relationship flourished until 1850 when farming took priority on the land and the golf course was plowed over. Eighty years later, Lady Erskine of Cambo inspired the revival of the Society and a nine hole course was constructed by Willie Auchterlonie, which served the land until World War II, when it was mined for security purposes and plowed over once again. The land was held dormant for decades, the tides rising and falling, darkness coming and going. In the 1990’s, American developer Mark Parsinen and businessman Art Dunkley purchased the land with the intention of constructing a links course. Parsinen would go on to develop Castle Stuart in the ensuing decade, cementing a legacy of renown modern links courses. Keith Phillips was retained as the course architect and construction began in 1997. Kingsbarns opened in 2000. It became a part of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship rota in 2001 and hosted the Women’s British Open in 2017.

There’s a double-edged sword to modern links design and construction. The more famous links were formed over time naturally, with architecture taking advantage of what was in place. Modern links does not have the benefit of time and nature yet must largely look and feel like the course has been naturally set in the terrain for centuries. In the case of Kingsbarns, Phillips had almost two miles of coast land that was relatively flat from all the plowing over. It was necessary to build features yet Phillips was determined that the course should not appear artificial in any sense. Instead, he endeavored to have every hole feel connected to the sea, strategy and playability were just as important as challenge, and the dunes, ridges, hollows and contours should all appear as if they were formed by the wind and sea over time. Phillips and his team actually worked with a geomorphologist to ensure the undulations and contours mimicked coastal formations. The routing is also subtly brilliant with its simple figure eight routing along the coast, which varies from strategic to challenging to fun in an artful cadence. The strategy is within the width, angles and elevation differences, allowing the golfer to decide how to go about it while providing advantage as earned. It’s sculpted and brawny and gorgeous, like a thoroughbred horse. It demands touch and thought and yes, some muscle. It accomplishes the unusual feat of feeling modern and timelessly classic all at the same time. Phillips’ brilliance here was a landmark of sorts, demonstrating that modern links could achieve reverential sophisticated play in their own right that feel and look like their classic counterparts. As mentioned, Kingsbarns led Parsinen to build Castle Stuart in 2009, another revered modern links. St. Andrews Castle Course opened in 2008. Dunbarnie Links designed by Clive Clark opened in 2020. And so on. While Kingsbarns wasn’t the first modern links, its success in melding old, natural and new into a timeless structure of play was significantly innovative enough to inspire projects that came after it.

Our first two rounds in Scotland were at Kingsbarns, the first in the afternoon and the second the next morning. I enjoyed it immensely yet the anticipation of the St. Andrews courses loomed and I had no basis for comparison with anything else in the area. Having now played more of those courses, my appreciation of Kingsbarns has grown even more than it was initially. Its coastal handsomeness comes from its flowing character. While the treasured classic links might have moments of awkwardness or idiosyncrasies that are revered and celebrated as unique, Kingsbarns presents all the quandaries of links play without any of these historically accepted blemishes. To try and mimic this component of links would be too much of a risk to the authenticity it achieved. Instead, the golfer will find himself in enough unique situations based on the wind, hills and sand laid out before him which all facilitate degrees of inventiveness and resolve. Some say it is tough to tell where the land begins and Phillips’ work begins but feeling the modern tones of the course is only natural and adds to its unique character. There’s a polish among the ruggedness, a slight recognition that the trimmings of modern day technologies and practices can actually enhance if done the right way. This element is vital. The course isn’t great because it mimics or pretends well; it’s great because of its ability to generate its own identity and became immediately comfortable with it, all while properly respecting the land and tenets of links. The beauty of the surrounds punctuates the play, leaving the golfer with the appreciation and inspiration of place that links golf has striven for since the very beginning.

My first tee shot in the land of Scots rang out and bounded down the fairway. I settled into a comfortable pace walking out towards my ball and the North Sea beyond, talking with my caddie as if we’d known each other since we were young.

The First is a 390 yard par 4 (from the Green tees). The green curls more to the right than it is a dog leg yet some how the golfer should favor different sides on each shot. The left center off the tee to allow a bit of roll towards the sea and deep right center on the approach to avoid the bunker at the back left and account for similar roll. In fact, the roll and pull towards the sea gets stronger the closer to the green one gets, so that the green is well above the right side of the fairway altogether. It’s a nice opener so don’t let that right side muddy up first impressions.

The Second is a 165 yard par 3. The green seems to be a bit below the tee because of the space between but with the wind and true elevation difference, it plays relatively flat. Similar to the hole prior, the ball will list to the right upon landing so favor the left and avoid the bunkers; three on the right and the hidden one on the left.

The Third is a 477 yard par 5. A lively opening routing giving us a 4-3-5 to start. The tee shot here is where I started my pondering and is as good a place as any where in Scotland I imagine to take a gander out to the North Sea and simply be. When ready, the tee shot follows the same contour pull as the ones before it. Big slides to the right can be expected at all shots. Here, the left hillside will impart a strong amount of roll yet it is longer grass so shots too high up on it will likely end up staying put. Some may be in position to go for the green on the second shot but the serpentine greenside bunker on the lower right needs to be avoided, even at the expenses of erring long. Favoring the left and accounting for the bounce and roll down to the right also helps avoiding the travails of that right side as well.

The Fourth is a 389 yard par 4. The opening trio is a nice introduction to the land and while there are areas that will surely ensnare the golfer, it has been relatively straightforward as to how to use the land and pay attention to its effects. The Fourth starts heading back in the direction of the clubhouse and is a rung higher up on the hillside that the Third. The tee shot presents a few options, all dependent of course, on the wind. There’s a large bunker on the left and if one can carry it off the tee, will be left with a nice open shorter shot into the green. If the wind or length makes this too risky, then one needs to start thinking about how long and far to the right they want their tee shot to be. Four bunkers line that side after the large left bunker and the shorter and further right one goes, the more blind and complex their approach. The green is a relatively wide affair except for the two bunkers lurking off the left rear. This ensures that getting to the green is only half of it. Getting the ball in the hole is the other half.

The Fifth is a 370 yard par 4. A dog leg right where longer tee shots can get to a nice approach distance in front of the green yet coming up short means ending up in tufts of long grass or a deep pot bunker. Hedging off to the left while avoiding the center line mound opens up the view of the green with a longer yet manageable approach in. The green is in a bit of a hollow, tassie if you will. Like the hole prior, it is nicely sized with the sole greenside bunker a small troublemaker at the left rear.

The Sixth is a 309 yard par 4. A short par 4 with a lower and upper fairway, separated by the larger bunker duo in the distance from the tee. One can lay up short of the bunkers, which leaves a short albeit mischievous approach into a green that runs front to back. If the tee shot is tugged ever so slightly to the left, it can run down the hill and leave an even longer approach in that likely needs to use the front apron to roll on and stay. Those that are wanting for the upper fairway will likely have the length yet need a bit of accuracy and shaping to avoid the shot running off out on the right or into the tufts at the left of the green. Using the neck before the green helps for the appropriate roll on to the green. By the way, there’s a lower tier at the second half of the green that will speed rolls towards the rear. Those that roll off the rear may end up in the burn waiting out of sight. A great short par 4 that leaves a bevy of options interlaced with selective challenge.

The Seventh is a 431 yard par 4. The green can be seen in the distance, on top of one of the hills. The fairway cants to the left so the tee shot must account for it while avoiding the centerline mound that defines the higher right side and lower left side of the fairway. The approach will likely be a long one. The green is uphill and the prevailing wind is against. The fairway narrows towards the green, which at least makes the golfer reconsider laying up. The green is deep in its hourglass form, so taking an extra club should work well. The approach is one to keep relatively straight no matter what. The green is one of the better viewpoints of the course in my opinion. A great spot to take stock of where one finds himself.

The Eighth is a 144 yard par 3. The tiered green creates a higher right and lower left side. One can feed shots on from the right but should only do so if the pin is on the upper tier, or the golfer has mastered a lower shot and knows how much to impart to get it down to the lower side. The bunker at the rear right should be avoided just for how tough it will be to hold the green coming out of it. And finishing on the upper tier when the pin is on the lower is just as grave a mistake as that right rear bunker. Any where else on the green will do or even finishing off the green on the left for the lower tiered pins. A pretty fun par 3.

The Ninth is a 500 yard par 5. We now head back to the clubhouse. While there is plenty of room to left and left center for the tee shot, it is more advantageous to end up on the right side. Placement of the second shot is really up to the golfer so long as the shot clears the choke point of the fairway and avoids the two fairway bunkers up the left side. The green is wide yet a little sawed off, which is important to note with the gorse awaiting those who go long. The interior contours of the green make for some interesting reads and there’s a good deal of subtlety to take in. The first par 5 can be had while this one demands a bit more strategy and knowledge of the terrain. One of my favorites of the course.

The front nine starts down to the sea before spending most of the time on the upper inland terraces. The challenge almost culminates to the last. All of the holes are strong and it’s impressive how they connect together. I would rank them 9, 4, 6, 5, 1, 3, 7, 8, 2.

The back nine starts with the 366 par 4 Tenth. Classic links quandary. The approach is much more advantageous the shorter it is yet the tee shot must be more accurate the longer it is. And off fairway are larger mounds containing the fairway on both sides. There are no fairway bunkers and only one greenside to speak of. The hollows, mounds, depressions and ridges give the terrain some punch, pushing the ball in any direction that the mood strikes. This sophistication in movement can also be seen at the green. A very nice par 4.

The Eleventh is a 399 yard par 4. The tree line on the right may seem far away but it seems to greet us much faster than anticipated. In fact, there’s a slope that banks down towards them and a wall, which is in play. Tee shots favoring the left will reveal the green, which slopes down to the right as well and has one of those don’t trifle with me bunkers at the front right. Approaches should come in from the left or at least leave enough room to account for some bounce and roll to the right. And we have a strong starting duo on our hands.

The Twelfth is a 538 yard par 5. The course can be thought of in three sections. There’s the hearty interior where most of the holes reside, the southern side housing some of the front nine and the northern side past the forest that houses some of the back nine. The Twelfth marks the start of the northern side and feels the most solitary of the three. It is also arguably the most serene. The tee shot is elevated and the fairway cants towards the North Sea. The fairway fluctuates in width, signaling to the golfer where his tee and second shots should consider. Those going for the green in two will likely need to carry some of the sea as the arching fairway comes in from the right. It’s idyllic links, the golfer able to play his shots as he sees fit as the sea is close at hand and the green hillsides bound in every other direction. One could never tire of playing this hole, no matter how many times in a row.

The Thirteenth is a 135 yard par 3. The green is situated at the base of a cliff to the left. The shortest hole on the course yet one of the more deceptive. Shots stay on that high left side then lose it altogether down the right slope. Hitting the green is sorely necessary yet more complicated than the simple drop shot it seems to be. Yet one can reach the green and stay on it with a variety of shots. Exactly what a shorter par 3 should be.

The Fourteenth is a 336 yard par 4. There are two bunkers on the left that curtail driver down that side yet short of them is a safe play off the tee. Approaches from the right side, however, are more advantageous and the right side is more receptive to driver, just avoid the larger bunker on that side. The green has a lower front tier and upper rear tier, all of it moving back to front. Small yet deep pot bunkers are strategically about the green and should be avoided for those who care about their score.

The Fifteenth is a 161 yard par 3. We have hugged the coast enough, it is time to make sure it is within the structure of play. The rocky beach eats into bluff from the right so that the tee shot must carry over it to reach the green. The further one decides to go right, the further his ball must carry. While there’s bail out room to the left, it is not a free for all. Shots too far or hard over to that side run the risk of going down the hill away from the green. Or unto the sole pot bunker on the left side of the green. Center of the green might be best here but it’s certainly of those times to be in the now and recognize your surroundings.

The Sixteenth is a 507 yard par 5. We’re still on the coast, now on our right just like it was during the front nine. A slight dogleg right and the dunes along the coast are tall enough to dissuade most from trying to cut the turn. There’s a good amount of room on the left to use for the tee shot so long as one doesn’t trip up in one of the bunkers on that side. The second shot is chef’s choice. The fairway narrows, there’s a litter of bunkers and lot is marshy rough on the right that slows you down. Or screw it and hit everything you got and get as close to the green as possible. The green is pushed up and the sides are very inclined to shun balls back down its sides if too close to the green’s edges. The second shot is the strategic crux, rewarding those who negotiated smartly while those needing to recover will likely be chasing bogey.

The Seventeenth is a 408 yard par 4. We hug the sea one last time. Like the hole prior, the tee shot would do well to embrace the left side. Really, there are a lot of similarities with the hole prior. The fairway narrows after the tee landing while bunkers pepper both sides. The tee shot takes the place of the second shot from the last hole inasmuch as the priority is securing a comfortable approach. The green is well above the fairway and is fairly large even though it consists of three tiers. One call tell the finish is meant to toughen up. Looking back at the mellower opening trio, the finish is its converse, making one work to close things out respectively.

The Eighteenth is a 383 yard par 4. If there’s any doubt about the challenge, it dies at the Eighteenth tee. The tee shot is semi blind and while my caddie told me to aim at the left side of the clubhouse, I just couldn’t fathom going that far over to the right. Of course I should have listened. The left side is fraught with bunkers, rough and the bluff side moving well down to the hole prior. Those who listen to their caddie and hit their tee shot where they’re supposed are then faced with a forced carry approach to the green. There really isn’t any where to miss off green. The shot doesn’t play as downhill as it may seem and the green has a good amount of right to left movement.

And with that, my first course in Scotland was in the books. We headed to the New Course after lunch and got on with the rest of the trip. Thirteen or so courses would come and go that week and it was interesting how many of them reminded me of Kingsbarns in some way. Lundin and Leven for the coast and Castle for the challenging romp parts and maybe the New or even Ladybank for the bunkering some what, but none of the courses rivaled the coastal solitude here. My caddie said we were at the tail end of such rounds, as the high season was close at hand and the course gets a lot more traffic. I’m not sure any of the courses utilized the coast or are even able to like Kingsbarns, of those I was able to play thus far at least. It’s gorgeous land. We can only hope such land houses golf for the decades and centuries to come, its periods of dormancy behind it.

The back nine has wonderful par 3’s along with a nice range of par 4’s and closes on an abundance of challenge. I would rank them 10, 12, 13, 11, 15, 17, 14, 18, 16.

Modern links carries an unintended audacity about it. The designs will be compared to those that have been revered for hundreds of years, celebrated thousands of times over and generally regarded as immortal. They start from way behind and for quite some time, there were many who wondered out loud why they would even try in the first place. Kingsbarns was one of the first modern links to agree with that notion. The design should not try to compare itself to the classic links but instead pursue its own identity while anchoring to a good amount of the timeless tenets of links design. Kingsbarns has an identity all its own. It certainly appears natural and exudes a nice range of light-hearted and heavy handed plays throughout the round. It is indeed a handsome course. There are very few blind shots and quite honestly, lacks any kind of quirk. Yet it remains sophisticated in its own right, embracing its beauty and showing a polished personality capable of as much depth as any flawed beauty out there. The elements are pondered just as deeply here, the ball bounces and rolls in unpredictability on even the seemingly most harmless shots and the golfer must show focus, resolve and just a shake of humor to properly show here. It is links in its own right, one of the better modern out there. It may not be the Old, or Royal Dornoch or Carnoustie but it never tries or pretends that it is. It suggests that it might be good enough in its own skin and that suggestion became a cornerstone in the advent of a wave of superb links courses after it.

Clubhouse/Pro Shop: Standing admirably and regally, the contrast of its stateliness with the surroundings is impressive. I could have lingered there all day. The pro shop is well stocked with a pretty appealing logo. I must comment on the pleasant staff. I showed up with no clubs, shoes, balls or anything else and they were able to get me situated easily. It all made the trip start off nicely.

Practice area: It’s a rarity to have a range such as this so close by the First tee and rarer to enjoy access to it as a visitor. The other side of the range houses an R&A facility that performs a lot of its ball and equipment testing there. Short game area and putting green also here, all first rate. You may not need a range as the rounds start piling up, which makes Kingsbarns a good consideration for a first round off the plane to get properly sharpened up.